As the new year approaches, you’re already thinking about your resolutions — including getting back into sport! You’d love to know which activities burn the most calories, whether to offset the indulgences of December or simply to get back in shape. We’ve done the research for you…
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What is a calorie?
1- Definition
A calorie is a unit of energy measurement. In nutrition, we use the large calorie — which is actually the kilocalorie (kcal) — to estimate the amount of energy a food can provide to the human body. So:
- One gram of fat provides 9 kcal
- One gram of protein provides 4 kcal
- One gram of carbohydrate provides 4 kcal
Calories are a fairly reliable unit for tracking your weight. However, they don’t tell the whole story when it comes to weight gain — for example, a banana and a sponge cake may contain the same number of calories, but they certainly don’t have the same nutritional value or the same impact on your weight and figure!
2- Daily requirements
We do, however, refer to calories to estimate a person’s energy needs — from the body’s basic functions, such as growth, cell renewal and breathing, to more specific demands, such as the energy required for intense sport. These needs vary depending on a person’s sex, age, lifestyle and usual level of physical activity. That said, health professionals generally agree that:
- A woman aged 20 to 60 needs between 1,800 and 2,200 kcal per day
- A man in the same age range needs to consume between 2,200 and 2,600 kcal/day
3- Caloric intake and weight
Of course, daily caloric intake has a direct impact on weight. It all comes down to balance:
- If your diet provides too few calories, there is a deficit, leading to weight loss.
- If, on the other hand, your diet is rich and provides more calories than your body needs, the surplus will be stored (notably by adipocytes, the subcutaneous fat cells). This leads to weight gain.
It’s also worth noting that the breakdown of fat tissue is not immediate: when you lose weight, you first shed water, muscle tissue and glycogen, before your body starts drawing on its fat reserves. In fact, burning 1 kilogram of actual fat requires an expenditure of 7,000 kcal!
One of the most effective ways to burn those “fat calories” is to invest in sport: it not only helps balance your energy equation, but it also builds muscle mass — which naturally burns more calories at rest. A virtuous circle!
Which sports burn the most calories?
1- Top of the rankings
- For pure cardio, running remains unbeatable, burning 800 to 1,000 kcal per hour.
- Among team sports, handball takes the crown for calorie burning, with 800–950 kcal/h.
- If you’re more into combat sports, judo leads the pack, with 800–1,000 kcal/h.
- Fitness is no slouch either — an hour of jump rope can help you burn 700 to 900 kcal.
- For outdoor sports, cross-country skiing is hard to beat! An endurance sport that works every muscle group, it burns between 500 and 1,100 kcal per hour.
- If you love water sports, the most effective calorie-burning option is rowing (great for sculpting thighs too!), with 600–1,000 kcal/h.
2- Honourable mentions
Don’t feel guilty if you prefer rollerblading, beach volleyball, cycling, swimming, boxing, Zumba or squash. These sports are highly effective for burning calories, requiring an average of 600 to 900 kcal per hour. They make for excellent cardio workouts, help tone the body evenly and strengthen cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular capacity. If one of these sports appeals to you, go for it!
3- The lower-intensity options
It bears repeating: any physical activity, whatever it may be, is beneficial for your wellbeing (and your figure!). That said, some sports are less physically demanding and don’t burn as many calories. These include archery, golf, baseball, yoga and Pilates. That doesn’t mean they’re without merit, however — some require flexibility and help strengthen deep postural muscles, while others demand extraordinary levels of focus and concentration!
No surprises in this ranking: if you want to burn calories, endurance sports are your best bet. And the benefits don’t stop there:
- Building lean muscle mass
- The release of endorphins, for a greater sense of wellbeing and calm!
- Better overall health: benefits for cardiovascular health, respiratory function and venous tone…