Ronald B. Coleman, Jr.
Muscle contractions create energy and heat. Calories are burned at different rates depending on the frequency, duration, and intensity of activity. Factors that are less controllable include body weight and metabolic rate, yet they both play a very important role in calculating the calories a person expends, or burns off, during exercise. Students can visit http://www.nutristrategy.com/caloriesburned.htm to find an extensive list of activities, exercises, and strategies accompanied by the approximate number of calories each activity burns in an hour. The following chart includes exercises that might appeal to middle school students.
Approximate Calories Expended (per hour of constant activity)
