The 39 best ways to burn the most calories in an hour

There are a lot of great reasons to exercise. But one of the most basic goals is to burn calories.

So what's the best way to do that?

Really, you should pick something you like enough to do regularly over time. But if you are deciding between a few different activities, you could pick the one that burns the most energy.

The Mayo Clinic, drawing on research published by the National Institutes of Health, ranks 36 popular forms of exercise based on their caloric impacts. We've ordered them from least to most intense, and listed the approximate calories burned per hour for a 160- and 200-pound person (in that order). According to the CDC, the average American woman weighs 168.5 pounds, the average American man 195.7 pounds.

We also calculated the values for several other sports, including soccer, rock climbing, and kayaking, based on NIH data, and included stats for a few other popular activities as well.

It's worth noting, though, that all of these activities can be conducted at varying intensities, which means exact figures will vary based on energy input, body type, gender, age, and other factors. Additionally, exercise on its own doesn't do much to make you lose weight. If you want to slim down, we suggest talking to a doctor about what a healthy weight is for you and cutting down on sugar and large portions.