WIN Wyoming
Thought Bullets
for
June 2000
Shaping A Healthy
Future – A Rocky Mountain Conference
on Weight Realities was held the end of April 2000 in Jackson, Wyoming. The
conference attracted almost 300 participants from throughout the United States.
A promise was made during the conference to share the energy expenditure
information from a presentation by Steven Blair of the Cooper Institute.
This issue of the thought bullets provides this information.
The lifestyle and energy expenditure chart below compares a
sedentary way of completing a task with an active way and estimates calories
expended. Information is taken from an article by Laura Beil of the Dallas
Morning News*. Estimates are based on a 150-160 pound person. In a month’s
time, completing the tasks daily (or as listed) and following the active option
would burn 10,500 calories, while the inactive way would only burn 1,700
calories. The difference of 8,800 calories a month represents an estimated 2.5
pounds a month and 30 pounds a year. This thought-provoking comparison clearly
demonstrates the importance of daily physical activity.
|
Sedentary Way |
kcal |
Active Way |
kcal |
|
Use remote to change TV channels |
<1 |
Get up and change channels |
3 |
|
30 minutes of phone calls-recline |
4 |
Three 10 minute phone calls - stand |
20 |
|
Use garage door opener |
<1 |
Manually open garage door – twice a day |
2-3 |
|
Hire maid to clean & iron |
0 |
Iron for 30 minutes and vacuum for 30 minutes |
152 |
|
Wait for pizza 30 minutes |
15 |
30 minutes of cooking |
25 |
|
Buy pre-sliced vegetables |
0 |
Wash, slice, chop vegetables for 15 minutes |
10-13 |
|
Use leaf blower for 30 minutes |
100 |
Rake leaves for 30 minutes |
150 |
|
Use a lawn service |
0 |
Garden/mow for 60 minutes a week |
360 |
|
Use car wash once a month |
18 |
Wash/wax car for 1 hr/month |
300 |
|
Let dog out back door |
2 |
Walk dog for 30 minutes |
125 |
|
Drive 40 minutes with 5 minute walk from parking |
22 |
15 minute walk to bus stop twice a day |
60 |
|
E-mail colleagues for 4 minutes |
2-3 |
Walk 1 min. to colleague’s office-talk 3 min. (standing) |
6 |
|
Take elevator up 3 flights |
0.3 |
Walk up 3 flights of stairs |
15 |
|
Park close – 10 second walk |
0.3 |
2 minute walk from parking (5 times a week) |
8 |
|
Let cashier unload shopping cart |
2 |
Unload full shopping cart |
6 |
|
Ride escalator 3 times a week |
2 |
Walk 1 flight of stairs 3 times a week |
15 |
|
Shop internet for 1 hour |
30 |
Shop mall & walk 1 hour |
145-240 |
|
Sit in car at drive-up window for 30 minutes |
15 |
Park and walk inside – 3 times a week (total of 30 minutes) |
70 |
|
Pay for gas at the pump |
0.6 |
Walk in and pay, once a week |
5 |
|
Sit and listen to 60 minute lecture |
30 |
Give 60 minute lecture |
70 |
|
Monthly
calorie expenditure |
1,700 |
Monthly calorie expenditure |
10,500 |
* This information was taken from an article printed in the Dallas Morning News in 1999.
Originally compiled in June 2000 by Compiled by Betty Holmes, MS, RD as a link to the Dallas Morning News article. In March 2004, with the loss of the link to the original newspaper article, Betty recreated the table for inclusion here.