Although there is debate about how long you need to exercise for good health, most experts acknowledge that burning calories is the means to maintaining a healthy weight. According to a recent Harvard study, burning an extra 700-2,000 calories a week through some form of dynamic exercise garners significant health benefits. The amount of calories burned during a workout depends on a person’s weight, and the intensity and duration of the activity. The Harvard Heart Letter suggests finding benchmarks for various activities based on your weight. Then, by adjusting the three dimensions of exercise—intensity, duration, and frequency— you can choose activities that suit your lifestyle.

Here are a few benchmarks,
all given for a 155-pound person:

• Walking briskly (at 4 miles per hour) for 30 minutes burns 150 calories.

• Heavy cleaning for 45 minutes burns 250 calories.

• An hour of singles tennis burns 300 calories.

Keep in mind, intensity does make a difference. Brief sessions of an intense activity can burn the same number of calories as longer or more frequent sessions of a less intense one. Subscribers to the Harvard Heart Letter can find a list of calories burned for a variety of exercises for people of three different weights.

As for exercise options, the choices are endless. For an inexpensive and accessible option, the Harvard Heart Letter opts for walking. Dozens of studies show that walking can prevent or help control high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. If you’d rather get your exercise in a club, the treadmill is a good bet for burning calories.

The Harvard Heart Letter is available from Harvard Health Publications, the publishing division of the Harvard Medical School. You can subscribe to Harvard Heart Letter for $28 per year 1-877-649-9457.