Different types of exercise can have a big effect on how many calories we use and how we manage our weight.

Energy balance is a way to understand the connection between the calories we take in from food and drinks and the calories we burn through exercise and other body processes. Knowing how different exercises affect this balance can help us adjust our eating and activity to meet our health goals.

Types of Exercise and Their Effects on Calorie Burning

1. Aerobic Exercise:

• Aerobic activities like running, cycling, and swimming focus on improving heart health and burning calories during the workout.
• For example, a person who weighs about 155 pounds can burn roughly 298 calories by running at 5 miles per hour for 30 minutes.
• In comparison, cycling at a moderate speed burns about 260 calories in the same time.
• The harder and longer you exercise, the more calories you burn. Running faster, at 7.5 miles per hour, can burn around 500 calories in 30 minutes.

2. Resistance Training:

• Resistance training, like lifting weights, might not burn as many calories during the workout as aerobic exercise does. But it’s important for building muscle, which can help you burn more calories even when you’re resting.
• One pound of muscle burns about 6 to 10 calories a day when you're not doing anything, while fat only burns about 2 to 3 calories.
• Studies show that doing resistance training two to three times a week can help you gain muscle and burn more calories over time.

3. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT):

• HIIT workouts switch back and forth between hard exercise and rest or easier exercise periods. They are very good at burning calories and improving heart health.
• A 30-minute HIIT workout can burn between 400 and 600 calories, depending on how hard you push yourself.
• HIIT also leads to the "afterburn effect," which means you'll keep burning calories even after you finish exercising.

Balancing Calories In and Out

To gain weight or build muscle, you need to take in more calories than you burn. This is called a positive energy balance. On the other hand, to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you take in, which is known as a negative energy balance.

In summary, mixing different types of exercise into your routine can help you burn more calories, which is good for managing your weight and improving your health. It’s important to match your exercise with your eating habits to keep your energy balance healthy.