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The Average Calories Used in a Day

Whether your goal is to lose weight, gain weight or maintain your current weight, you must know how many calories your body uses each day so you know how many to consume. The average person may burn anywhere from 1,500 to 2,500 calories per day. That number varies by age, weight, gender and lifestyle. For consistency, we will use a 28-year-old, 154-pound woman.

  1. Calories Burned Per Day

    • Generally, a 28-year-old, 154-pound woman burns about 2,124 calories each day, just by routine living. This number doesn't account for her job or fitness level and may vary by 200 to 300 calories depending on her lifestyle.

    Calories Burned Doing Chores

    • Cleaning the house for 30 minutes uses about 100 calories. Using a push mower for the same duration uses about 150 calories. Chopping wood, however, is a high calorie burner, using about 210 calories.

    Stationary Day-to-Day Activities

    • Even stationary activities will use calories, albeit not very many. Driving for 30 minutes will burn about 70 calories. Playing piano for that same duration will use about 100 calories. Standing for 30 minutes burns about 40 calories.

    Low Impact Activities

    • Low-impact activities are a good choice for those who suffer from knee or back pain, because they still burn a good amount of calories without putting stress on the joints. Thirty minutes of moderate swimming will use 210 calories. Intermediate pilates will burn about 180 calories. Moderate spinning on a stationary bicycle uses about 240 calories.

    High Calories Burning Exercises

    • If you can handle it, vigorous exercises are a great way to get the most bang out of your workout. Vigorous spinning on a stationary bike for 30 minutes will burn about 400 calories. Running at 8 mph for the same duration will use about 470 calories.

    Considerations

    • If you are trying to lose weight, remember that in order to drop one pound, you must burn 3,500 calories more than you take in. An easy way to reach your goal is to burn an additional 500 calories per day, while cutting 300 to 500 calories from your diet.

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