Calorie Expenditure

How many calories do I expend doing certain activities?

• Driving a squad car- 136 calories per hour- equivalent to eating 20% of a McDonald’s Big Mac with cheese

• Light office work- 105 calories per hour- equivalent to drinking half a can of Coke

• Walking for pleasure (or during a work break!)- 236 calories per hour- equivalent to eating 7.9 carrots

• Grooming which involves: washing, shaving, brushing teeth, urinating, washing hands, putting on makeup, sitting or standing- 136 calories per hour- equivalent to HALF a Grande Starbucks Café Latte with whole milk

• Dancing involving: waltz, foxtrot, slow dancing, samba, tango, mambo, and cha cha- 204 calories per hour- equivalent to drinking 2.5 glasses of wine (3.5 fl. oz.)

(Calculations are based on a 150 lb male)

The calories expended per hour depend on age, gender, and muscle mass. The above are just estimations that put some eating habits into perspective.

If you are interested in learning about how many calories are expended for other activities, the Calorie Count website: http://www.calorie-count.com/ is a fun tool!

I hope you are having a cool, summer weekend! If you have any specific questions or comments on health, fitness, or wellness feel free to submit comments on the blog.