Do you burn more calories watching TV or reading?
Hey there! As an electrical engineer who has worked in the television industry for over a decade, I‘m often asked how passive activities like watching TV and reading compare when it comes to burning calories. There are definitely some interesting differences. Let‘s take a deeper dive into the science behind calorie burn for various tasks and how you can maximize fat burn during your daily routine.
Calories burned at rest: Your basal metabolic rate
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the minimum number of calories your body requires to perform essential functions while at rest. According to research from Harvard Medical School, BMR accounts for 50-70% of the calories you burn each day without any activity.
For most people, BMR ranges from:
– 1200-1500 calories per day for adult women
– 1500-1800 calories per day for adult men
BMR varies based on factors like age, sex, body size and composition. But in general, it makes up the largest portion of your daily calorie expenditure.
Calories burned by watching TV
So just how many calories do you actually burn when you‘re sitting on the couch binge-watching your favorite shows?
Unfortunately, not very many.
According to a study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the calorie burn from watching television is minimal – just 1 calorie per minute. This equals about 60 calories burned per hour of TV viewing.
Essentially, the passive act of watching TV results in barely any extra calorie expenditure above your existing BMR. You don‘t have to move or engage your brain much at all.
To put 60 calories per hour into perspective:
– It‘s the equivalent calorie burn of sleeping or lying quietly.
– For a 150 lb adult, 60 calories is only 4% of their BMR.
– At that rate, watching 3 hours of TV would burn 180 calories. To lose 1 lb of fat, you‘d need to watch over 19 hours of TV!
As you can see, calorie expenditure from TV viewing itself is minimal. Do keep in mind that factors like snacking while watching can influence your overall calorie balance. But in terms of calories burned, watching TV provides little benefit.
Calories burned by reading
Reading requires more brain activity than passive television watching. Your eyes are actively scanning the pages, and your mind is focused on comprehending the concepts. This extra neural stimulation seems to lead to slightly higher calorie burn.
According to a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the calorie expenditure from reading clocks in around 1.3 calories per minute.
That translates to around 78 calories burned per hour of reading. Compared to watching TV, that‘s around a 25-30% increase in the hourly calorie burn.
However, not all reading is equal:
– Reading online leads to 6-11% higher calorie burn compared to reading a paper book.
– Reading more complex material requires greater focus and burns slightly more calories.
– Reading aloud uses more energy than silent reading.
Still, on average an adult will burn 20-30 more calories per hour reading vs. watching TV. Over the course of a day, that can add up. But ultimately, it‘s still a relatively low-intensity activity.
Calories burned by other sedentary activities
How do other common passive and seated tasks stack up? Here‘s a comparison of the approximate calories burned per hour by various low-intensity activities:
| Activity | Calories Burned Per Hour |
| Watching TV | 60 |
| Reading | 78 |
| Desk work | 70 |
| Listening to music | 100 |
| Casual conversation | 80 |
| Meditating | 110 |
| Taking an online class | 90 |
As you can see, all of these common low-intensity tasks burn only slightly above one‘s BMR. So while reading and listening to music burn more calories than watching TV, the overall calorie expenditure is still minimal.
Calories burned through exercise and activity
To really ramp up calorie burn, you need moderate or vigorous physical activity and exercise. Activities that get your heart pumping faster and require greater energy expenditure lead to a more significant increase in calories burned.
Here is a comparison of the approximate calories burned per hour with various forms of exercise:
| Exercise | Calories Burned Per Hour |
| Walking (3 mph) | 280 |
| Hiking | 370 |
| Jogging/running (5 mph) | 590 |
| Swimming (leisurely) | 510 |
| Tennis (singles) | 590 |
| Cycling (12-14 mph) | 590 |
| High impact aerobics | 730 |
WHOA! Now we‘re talking. Just 30 minutes of jogging at 5 mph would burn around 300 calories – 5x as many calories as watching 3 hours of TV.
Active hobbies, sports and household chores can burn calories too. Here‘s the approximate burn per hour for other active tasks:
– Cleaning/tidying: 210 calories
– Gardening: 340 calories
– Childcare: 240 calories
– Cooking/baking: 210 calories
– Grocery shopping (with cart): 260 calories
See the difference? To really maximize calorie burn, you need to get your body moving and your heart rate elevated through exercise or active hobbies. The calories burned reading vs. watching TV pale in comparison to moderate physical activity.
How many calories to cut for weight loss
To lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit, burning more calories than you consume through diet and activity.
A common calorie deficit goal for weight loss is 500-1000 calories per day, which leads to about 1-2 pounds lost per week. According to Harvard Health, a deficit of 500 calories daily leads to about 1 pound lost, while a 1000 calorie daily deficit leads to about 2 pounds lost per week.
For women, a daily intake of 1200-1600 calories is a common goal range for weight loss. For men, it‘s typically 1500-2000 calories. But the exact target depends on your BMR and activity level.
Increasing exercise is an obvious way to burn more calories. But reducing sedentary time and getting more movement throughout your day can also help widen your calorie deficit for shedding unwanted pounds.
How to burn 100+ more calories per day
Burning an extra 100 calories per day can have a meaningful impact over time. Here are some tips to expend more energy throughout your daily routine:
– Take a 5 minute walking break every hour when you‘ve been sitting for a prolonged period. According to Harvard Medical School, this can burn up to 50 extra calories per hour.
– Perform bodyweight exercises like squats or crunches during TV commercial breaks. Bursts of activity like this can burn 10-15 calories.
– Stand up when on the phone or browsing the internet instead of sitting. Simply standing for an extra 1-2 hours per day can burn up to 80 additional calories based on your weight.
– Walk or bike to nearby destinations when possible rather than driving. A half hour walk can burn around 100 calories.
– Take the stairs instead of the elevator. 10 minutes of stair climbing burns 50+ calories more than idly standing in the elevator.
– Do household chores like sweeping, dusting and vacuuming which don‘t feel like exercise but burn upwards of 200 calories per hour.
– Listen to upbeat music when working or relaxing. Music can stimulate the brain and burn up to 20% more calories versus complete rest according to studies.
The bottom line – look for opportunities to get your body moving more throughout the day, whether through exercise, activity breaks, lifestyle adjustments or fidgeting while seated. It all adds up towards a higher daily calorie burn!
The verdict: Reading wins over TV, but exercise is best
So does reading really burn more calories than watching television? The evidence indicates that yes – the increased cognitive engagement of reading leads to a slightly accelerated calorie burn compared to mindless TV viewing.
However, both activities are still relatively low in intensity when it comes to calorie expenditure. To truly maximize fat burn, your best bet is moderate exercise like brisk walking or recreational sports and activities.
Calories burned through physical activity outpaces reading, TV watching and other low-intensity tasks by leaps and bounds. Just 30 minutes of exercise can burn as many calories as 3-4 hours spent reading or watching TV!
But remember, every little bit counts. Look for opportunities to get more movement in your daily routine, reduce sedentary time, fidget while seated, take the stairs, and stay active with household chores and recreational hobbies. Over the course of a day, those extra calories burned add up.
So get movin‘! Ditch the remote, back away from the TV, put down that book and get your body up and active to maximize your calorie burn. Your waistline and overall health will thank you.
