Cardio fitness activities are paramount in calorie burning. A calorie is a measurement of energy, like a pound is a measure of weight. The amount of energy you exert when doing activity is measured as calorie burn rate. Keeping track of calories burned is important, whether you’re trying to lose weight or just maintain a healthy weight and fitness level. If you want to maintain your current weight then your daily caloric intake needs to equal your calories burned. In order to lose weight you must create a deficit by burning more calories than you consume. You have to burn 3,500 calories to burn one pound.

This chart provides calories burned while performing some common cardio fitness activities. Each of the estimates is based on a 140 pound woman working at a moderate intensity level. The duration of the exercises was based on the amount of time these activities are usually performed.

• Low Impact Aerobics: 290c. per 45 minutes


• Ashtanga Yoga: 328c. per one hour


• Backpacking: 445c. per one hour


• Bicycling 12-14mph: 416c. per 45 minutes


• Bicycling 14-16mph: 504c. per 45 minutes


• Bikram or Hot Yoga: 445c. per one hour


• Aerobic Dance: 378c. per one hour


• Elliptical Trainer: 542c. per 45minuites


• Hatha Yoga: 160c. per one hour


• Hiking: 378c. per one hour


• Jogging:




• 223c. per 30 minutes


• 334c. per 45 minutes


• 445c. per one hour




• Pilates Beginner: 176c. per 45 minutes


• Pilates Advanced: 302c. per 45 minutes


• Racquet Ball: 334c. per 45 minutes


• Rowing Machine: 334c. per 45 minutes (moderate intensity)



• Running:




• 5mph: 403c. per 45 minutes


• 6mph: 479c. per 45 minutes


• 7mph: 548c. per 45 minutes


• 8mph: 643c. per 45 minutes


• 10mph: 857c. per 45 minutes


• 12mph: 1065c. per 45 minutes




• Core Work: 256c. for 30 minutes


• Cross-Country Skiing: 722c. per one hour


• Downhill Skiing: 554c. per one hour


• Spinning/Stationary Bike-moderate: 334c. per 45 minutes


• Spinning/Stationary-vigorous: 542c. per 45 minutes


• Stair climber: 233c. per 30 minutes


• Step Aerobics-high impact: 504c. per 45 minutes


• Step Aerobics-low impact: 334c. per 45 minutes


• Stretching: 126c. per 30 minutes


• Swimming-moderate: 290c. per 45 minutes


• Swimming-vigorous: 466c. per 45 minutes


• Tennis-doubles: 202c. per 45 minutes


• Tennis-singles: 290c. per 45 minutes


• Walking 2mph: 132c. per 45 minutes


• Walking 3mph: 208c. per 45 minutes


• Walking 4mph: 246c. per 45 minutes


• Water Aerobics: 189c. per 45 minutes


• Weight lifting-general: 146c. per 40 minutes


• Weight lifting-vigorous: 258c. per 40 minutes


• Zumba: 504c. per one hour