How much does that exercise actually burn?
Exercise burns far less than fitness apps imply, and food contains far more than portions imply. Both facts are here at once.
80% of a cycling steadily, an hour
400 kcal is more than 5 of the 8 references on this page.
Reference figures are measurements and are rounded; the unit conversion behind them is exact.
| Reference | Size | Yours ÷ theirs | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| sitting, an hour | 80.1 kcal | 5× | About 80 kcal |
| a pint of beer | 210 kcal | 1.91× | |
| walking, an hour | 251 kcal | 1.59× | |
| a chocolate bar | 261 kcal | 1.54× | 260 kcal |
| gardening, an hour | 299 kcal | 1.34× | |
| cycling steadily, an hour | 502 kcal | 0.797× | |
| swimming, an hour | 598 kcal | 0.669× | |
| running 10 km/h, an hour | 700 kcal | 0.571× |
Worth knowing
- An hour of running burns about 700 kcal — roughly two and a half chocolate bars, or three pints.
- The difference between sitting and walking for an hour is about 170 kcal. Over a year of daily walks that is still 62 000 kcal.
Frequently asked
How many calories does running burn?
Roughly 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per kilometre, whatever the pace. A 70 kg runner burns about 700 kcal in 10 km.
Why do fitness trackers overestimate?
They usually report gross rather than net energy, counting the calories you would have burned anyway sitting still. The difference is 60–100 kcal an hour.