Nutrition Experts
Question:
At our family cookouts, we love to play games like volleyball and badminton. How many calories do these activities burn?
Answer:
To stay at a healthy weight, it's important to balance the calories you take in—through the foods you eat—with the calories you put out—by being physically active—each and everyday. But sometimes, finding that balance can be tricky, especially at events like parties and cookouts where high calorie foods typically play a starring role. Playing games is fun—and a great way to burn off some of the extra calories often enjoyed at cookouts.
The chart below shows the number of calories burned by playing favorite summer games for 30 minutes.*
Frisbee 107 calories Volleyball 107 calories Badminton 160 calories Croquet 89 calories Kickball 250 calories Moderate walking/running during play with kids 143 calories
Believe it or not, you also burn calories when you're sitting, talking and eating—but just 53 calories in 30 minutes. So, make sure to mix relaxation time with a healthy dose of active play time, too.
* Estimated calories burned based on 150-pound person. Persons weighing more than 150 pounds will burn more calories; those weighing less will burn fewer calories.
Nutritionist Experts
Our Nutrition Experts are registered dietitians who hold master's degrees and are members of the American Dietetic Association and several specialty nutrition groups. They combine over 40 years experience in food and nutrition science, communications and counseling, the culinary arts and the development of nutrition education materials. They are quoted frequently in the national media and have written about nutrition for many major magazines, newspapers, and newsletters.
