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Is the idea of a kilogram of fat a nightmare for you? Maybe you’re one of those people who feel they’ve gained it reliably in one afternoon and will have to exercise for hours to burn off a cake and two glasses of wine. The other extreme, are people who feel that they have burned a huge amount of calories with an hour’s exercise, so they can eat an extra bar of chocolate, a double burger and drink it down with a litre of Coke without gaining any weight. Neither approach is good, nor correct. Let’s demonstrate once and for all what that kilogram of fat actually is, how much energy it holds, and what we have to do to burn it.
How do you imagine a kilogram of fat?
One kilogram of fat contains 7700 kcal. To give you a better idea, it is an energy contained in approximately 1.45 kg of milk chocolate or 13.6 kg of apples. So, you really don’t have to worry about gaining a kilo of fat after eating 100 g of some food. [3] [4] [8]
If you want to get rid of this kilogram of fat, you need to create a caloric deficit, which is to burn more energy than you take in. You have several ways of doing this. You can either reduce food intake or add exercise, or you can combine the two, which seems to be the most effective method. Our bodies can adapt to a lower energy supply, but you can’t keep lowering food intake forever. Thus, sport is a great way to build fitness, muscle mass, a sexy figure and not have to starve yourself by dieting. [5]
How to effectively lose a kilo of fat
For a better idea, let’s see how long it takes for a woman named Misha to burn a kilogram of fat, who doesn’t undertake any sport and maintains her weight at 2000 kcal. [2]
- If Misha did not change her eating habits and included sporting activity four times a week in which she would burn an average of 500 kcal, she would lose a kilogram of fat in less than 4 weeks.
- If Misha reduced her energy intake by 500 kcal every day through her diet, she would lose a kilogram of fat in about 16 days. But the question is: How long could she sustain such a low food intake? She would probably suffer from hunger, which could result in overeating, regaining weight and complaining of a slow metabolism.
- If Misha changed her dietary habits slightly (she cut 250 kcal from her intake) and added an activity four times a week during which she would burn approximately 500 kcal each time, she would lose a kilogram of fat in approximately 15 days. Since she was smart about it and ate sufficient protein, she wouldn’t suffer from hunger, and she wouldn’t even be haunted by sweet cravings. In addition, she would enjoy working on her fitness and muscle mass. Since muscles burn more energy than fat, she would not have to worry about adapting to a lower intake and a slow metabolism.
If you want to find out for yourself what your intake should look like, you can help yourself by calculating this using our calculator.
How to calculate the caloric expenditure during sports? Introducing MET
Now that we know that sporting activities can lead us more easily to our dream figure, let’s take a closer look at how many calories we actually burn. To give a better idea, the approximate number of calories burned per hour of a given activity in an average 65 kg female and 80 kg male is outlined in the tables. In order to calculate the approximate expenditure for your weight, we also add the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) value. This value expresses the energy that you expend by a specific activity in relation to lying still. For example, if the MET value for an activity is 4, it means that a person burns 4 times more calories than if they were just lying still for the same amount of time.
Example: If a 60kg person lay down for an hour (MET 1), they would burn 60 kcal. If the same person did an hour of sports that has a MET value of 10, they’d burn 600 kcal.
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How many calories do you burn with winter sports
A large part of the population will reduce their activity during the winter months. Why? It’s just too cold for them outside and the gym is far away or they have many other reasons why it just can’t be done. It’s much easier to wrap yourself in a blanket and enjoy the comfort of your couch. If you want to stay active during the winter months, don’t be afraid to try new sports. Cross-country skiing, for example, is a great way to spend a day outdoors and still burn a large amount of calories.
In the table below you will find a basic overview of winter sports and an indicative number of calories you burn by doing them. Especially with skiing and snowboarding, keep in mind that these are calories burned by an hour of active movement. Sitting on a ski lift does not count towards this time. Likewise, in hockey, the difference is whether you are in the forward position and skate several kilometres within an hour, or whether you will stand in the goal without much intervention.
Caloric expenditure in an average male and female [1]
| Activity | MET | Output of a 65kg female per hour | How long before this woman burns a kilo of fat | Output of an 80kg male per hour | How long before this man burns a kilo of fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Skating at 14.5 km/h | 6 | 390 kcal | 19 hours and 45 minutes | 480 kcal | 16 hours |
Ice hockey | 8.7 | 566 kcal | 13 hours and 30 minutes | 696 kcal | 11 hours |
Skiing (active time) | 5.3 | 345 kcal | 22 hours and 15 minutes | 424 kcal | 18 hours and 15 minutes |
| Snowboarding (active time) | 5.3 | 345 kcal | 22 hours and 15 minutes | 424 kcal | 18 hours and 15 minutes |
Cross country skiing at 4 km/h | 6.8 | 442 kcal | 17 hours and 30 minutes | 544 kcal | 14 hours and 15 minutes |
| Skialp (Ski mountaineering) | 5.5 | 358 kcal | 21 hours and 30 minutes | 440 kcal | 17 hours and 30 minutes |
How many calories do you burn with summer sports
As soon as it gets warmer, we’re drawn outdoors and are naturally more active. You have plenty of ways to move, and it’s up to you how many sports you switch between, so you don’t get tired of them. The table below shows the approximate number of calories burned during these activities. This value depends primarily on the intensity of movement. If you want to get energized before undertaking these activities, a pre-workout supplement may come in handy.
Caloric expenditure in an average male and female [1]
| Activity | MET | Output of a 65kg female per hour | HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE THIS WOMAN TO BURN A KILO OF FAT | Output of an 80kg male per hour | HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE THIS MAN TO BURN A KILO OF FAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Running at 10 km/h | 10.3 | 670 kcal | 11 hours and 30 minutes | 824 kcal | 9 hours and 15 minutes |
Cycling at an average pace | 8 | 520 kcal | 14 hours and 45 minutes | 640 kcal | 12 hours |
Mountaineering | 6 | 390 kcal | 19 hours and 45 minutes | 480 kcal | 16 hours |
Skateboarding | 5 | 325 kcal | 23 hours and 45 minutes | 400 kcal | 19 hours and 15 minutes |
| Footbal | 8 | 520 kcal | 14 hours and 45 minutes | 640 kcal | 12 hours |
| Tennis | 7.3 | 475 kcal | 16 hours and 15 minutes | 584 kcal | 13 hours and 15 minutes |
| Volleyball | 5 | 325 kcal | 23 hours and 45 minutes | 400 kcal | 19 hours and 15 minutes |
Inline skating | 7 | 455 kcal | 17 hours | 560 kcal | 13 hours and 45 minutes |
How many calories do you burn with strength training, squash and other indoor sports
Well, we also have a variant for those who are fans of indoor activities. Even indoor spaces offer many possibilities, and sometimes you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home. How about some yoga? You can also do strength training in the living room. The rate of calories burned again depends on the intensity and weight of the weights lifted. However, the primary purpose of strength training should not be to burn calories, but to build muscle mass, which will then burn energy even if you just lie back on the couch. [6] [7]
Caloric expenditure in an average male and female [1]
| Activity | MET | Output of a 65kg female per hour | HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE THIS WOMAN TO BURN A KILO OF FAT | Output of an 80kg male per hour | HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE THIS MAN TO BURN A KILO OF FAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yoga | 3 | 195 kcal | 39 hours and 30 minutes | 240 kcal | 32 hours |
| Pilates | 3 | 195 kcal | 39 hours and 30 minutes | 240 kcal | 32 hours |
Strength training | 6–10 | 390–650 kcal | 11 hours and 45 minutes – 19 hours and 45 minutes | 480–800 kcal | 9 hours and 45 minutes – 16 hours |
Elliptical machine training | 5 | 325 kcal | 23 hours and 45 minutes | 400 kcal | 19 hours and 15 minutes |
Dance | 7 | 455 kcal | 17 hours | 560 kcal | 13 hours and 45 minutes |
| Aerobics | 7.3 | 475 kcal | 16 hours and 15 minutes | 584 kcal | 13 hours and 15 minutes |
| Badminton | 5.5 | 358 kcal | 21 hours and 30 minutes | 440 kcal | 17 hours and 30 minutes |
| Basketball | 6.5 | 423 kcal | 18 hours and 15 minutes | 520 kcal | 14 hours and 45 minutes |
Bag boxing | 5.5 | 358 kcal | 21 hours and 30 minutes | 440 kcal | 17 hours and 30 minutes |
| Squash | 7.3 | 475 kcal | 16 hours and 15 minutes | 584 kcal | 13 hours and 15 minutes |
Recreational swimming | 5.4 | 351 kcal | 22 hours | 432 kcal | 17 hours and 45 minutes |
How many calories do you burn with regular daily activities
The latest list of activities is likely to surprise those who feel that sport is the only way to burn calories. That’s not true, every extra bit of movement really counts. Even if it’s walking down the stairs, a short walk to the post office, or just cleaning the flat. That, too, can be a decent workout at times.
If you are interested in more information about how to burn calories with normal daily activities, you should not miss the article What Is the Most Important Factor When Losing Weight?
Caloric expenditure of an average male and female [1]
| Activity | MET | Output of a 65kg female per hour | HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE THIS WOMAN TO BURN A KILO OF FAT | Output of an 80kg male per hour | HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE THIS MAN TO BURN A KILO OF FAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vacuuming and mopping the floor | 3.3 | 215 kcal | 35 hours and 45 minutes | 264 kcal | 29 hours and 15 minutes |
Moving boxes | 4 | 260 kcal | 29 hours and 30 minutes | 320 kcal | 24 hours |
Car repair | 3.3 | 215 kcal | 35 hours and 45 minutes | 264 kcal | 29 hours and 15 minutes |
Chopping wood | 6.3 | 410 kcal | 18 hours and 45 minutes | 504 kcal | 15 hours and 15 minutes |
Gardening | 4.3 | 280 kcal | 27 hours and 30 minutes | 344 kcal | 22 hours and 30 minutes |
Walking on a straight at 4 km/h | 3 | 195 kcal | 39 hours and 30 minutes | 240 kcal | 32 hours |
Motorcycle ride | 2.8 | 182 kcal | 42 hours and 15 minutes | 224 kcal | 34 hours and 30 minutes |
Cooking | 3 | 195 kcal | 39 hours and 30 minutes | 240 kcal | 32 hours |
What is should you remember?
As you can see, burning a kilo of fat using sport alone is not easy and can cost you more than 10 hours of intensive training. Remember, therefore, that sport is not the only way to burn a kilo of fat. If you are trying to lose weight, it is usually most effective to increase your sporting activity and normal daily activities and reduce your calorie intake. You should realize you didn’t gain a kilo of fat in one day, so you can’t expect to get rid of it so quickly. Be patient, be consistent, and you’ll see the results sooner than later.
Do you have a favourite sporting activity that helps you lose weight and improve your mood? Share your tips with us in the comments.
[1] Compendium of physical activities – https://sites.google.com/site/compendiumofphysicalactivities/Activity-Categories/winter-activtities
[2] James Hill, Wyatt, H. R., & Peters, J. C. – The Importance of Energy Balance – https://doi.org/10.17925/EE.2013.09.02.111
[3] FoodData Central – https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/index.html
[4] Databáze složení potravin ČR – https://www.nutridatabaze.cz
[5] Faidon Magkos On adaptive thermogenesis: just another weight-loss tale? – https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa262
[6] Pratley R, Nicklas B, Rubin M, Miller J, Smith A, Smith M, Hurley B, Goldberg A. – Strength training increases resting metabolic rate and norepinephrine levels in healthy 50- to 65-yr-old men. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8175496
[7] E. L. Melanson – The effect of exercise on non-exercise physical activity and sedentary behavior in adults– https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5388457/
[8] Kevin Hall – What is the Required Energy Deficit per unit Weight Loss? – https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803720