What does this tool measure?

This interactive tool estimates how many calories are burned during common activities. The food you eat is measured in calories. The energy you use every day is also measured in calories. You are using energy all the time, even at rest. The more vigorous the activity and the longer the time you do it, the more calories you burn.

This tool also uses your weight to calculate calories burned, because a heavier person burns more calories during activity than a lighter person.

What do the results mean?

Your results estimate how many calories you burn doing a specific activity, whether it is housecleaning, gardening, skiing, running, or sitting still. How hard you work (the intensity) will play a role in the calories that you burn. For example, you may choose to do an activity with moderate effort or vigorous effort. This tool can help you think about the many activities you can do to improve your fitness and health.

What's next?

Start building more physical activity into your daily life. You don't have to "work out" to be active. The cumulative effect of lots of various activities can improve your health and help you burn calories. For more information, see the topic Fitness: Getting and Staying Active.

Used with permission from: Ainsworth BE (2002). The Compendium of Physical Activities Tracking Guide. Columbia, SC: Prevention Research Center, Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina. Available online: http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/tools/compendium.htm.