Calculate calories burned during exercise and activity.
Understanding calorie expenditure and exercise physiology. Calories burned during exercise depends on: intensity (effort level), duration (time spent), exercise type (different muscles engaged), bodyweight (heavier people burn more). Metabolic equivalent (MET): measures exercise intensity—1 MET = resting metabolism. Sitting = 1 MET, walking 3mph = 3.5 METs, running 10mph = 10 METs. Formula: calories burned = (MET × bodyweight in kg × hours). Example: 8 METs × 80kg × 1 hour = 640 calories burned. High-intensity interval training (HIIT): short bursts maximum effort, burns substantial calories, afterburn effect (continued calorie burn post-exercise).
Steady-state cardio: sustained moderate effort, burns calories during activity primarily. Resistance training: builds muscle, increased muscle increases resting metabolism (long-term calorie burn). Circuit training: combines cardio and resistance, high calorie burn, metabolic boost. Walking: low intensity, sustainable, accumulates significant calorie burn over time. Running: higher intensity, more calorie burn per minute than walking, higher injury risk. Cycling: low impact, sustainable, burns substantial calories. Swimming: low impact, full-body engagement, excellent calorie burn.
Group fitness classes: varied intensity, motivation-boosting, structured progression. Consistency matters most: regular activity (daily-weekly) beats sporadic intense efforts. Calorie deficit for weight loss: burning 500+ calories daily above baseline enables 0.5kg weekly loss. Exercise alone insufficient for weight loss—nutrition primary, exercise supports. Fitness adaptations: body adapts to training, calorie burn plateaus requiring progression (increased intensity/duration). Age affects calorie burn—metabolism decreases with age, exercise partially counters decline. Understanding calorie expenditure enables workout planning, weight loss target setting, fitness goal achievement..