Are you burning as many calories as you think?

Physical activity is very important to maintaining good health and also helps to burn calories. Many people don’t realize how easy it is to burn calories by adding physical activity to their daily routine.

Aim for 30 minutes of aerobic activity most days of the week, with a goal of 60 minutes a day. These guidelines are intended to promote health and cardiovascular fitness but may not yield much weight loss if you choose a slower calorie-burning activity. 

If you’re looking for physical activity to help burn calories, consider the following facts for a 170-pound person:

• An hour of jogging burns 540 calories
• An hour of aerobic dance burns 460 calories
• An hour of brisk walking burns 310 calories
• An hour of weight training burns 230 calories
• An hour of reading burns 100 calories.

Remember that 3,500 calories equals one pound. You can make small, maintainable dietary changes coupled with physical activity and improve your health.

Tip courtesy of the American Dietetic Association.