Stepping into the ring is the best way to shed the pounds, a new survey has revealed.
Boxers can burn 800 calories over an hour in the ring – making the sport the most effective sport for weight loss, according to the research.
Squash was the second most effective sport for weight loss, allowing players to burn 748 calories an hour.
In comparison, sex burns 200 calories an hour for a man but just 138 for a woman, the survey found.
The results are from a new survey of healthy men and women, who recorded how many calories they burned while doing a range of physical activities.
BEST SPORTS FOR WEIGHT LOSS
What did the survey find?
Every popular sport and activity was measured from walking the dog (136 calories an hour) to cleaning the house (102 calories) to watching TV (0 calories on the sofa, 20 calories if you are standing up).
Boxing was the most effective because it is super intense interval training and involves engaging multiple muscle groups.
Squash was also highly effective, with sportsmen burning 748 calories in an hour.
This is because the rallies tend to be longer than in other racket sports and the break between points is shorter than in tennis.
The almost constant running builds muscular strength and endurance in the lower body while the lunges, twists and turns increase flexibility in the back and abdomen
Rowing came third at 740 calories but only if you are doing it on a river or a lake – the calorie burn drops to 440 calories if this is on a rowing machine at the gym.
Road running at a medium or fast pace came fourth at 700 calories an hour – much effective than doing it on a treadmill at a gym (580 calories in 10th place).
Squash was the second most effective sport for weight loss, allowing players to burn 748 calories an hour
Swimming came in fifth but only if you do front crawl or butterfly, which burns 680 calories in an hour.
The more sedate breast stroke burned just 408 calories.
How team sports can help you burn calories
Popular team sports were next best for calorie burning with rugby (614 calories an hour) just beating football (612 calories) because of its heightened physicality.
In eighth place was fast road cycling at 604 calories an hour – much more effective than a gym exercise bike (540 calories).
An hour at the gym doing various cardio activities, press-up, push-ups and weights was ninth, burning 590 calories, but only 380 calories if you just stick to weights.
Hockey was next best for weight loss at 478 calories an hour, followed by basketball (475 calories) and tennis (470 calories).
Cricket burns 272 calories an hour followed by golf which burns 236 calories – as long as players are walking and carrying their own clubs. Table tennis burns 204 calories.
Boxing could help fight ‘obesity crisis’
The results are from a new survey by the health and wellbeing brand Forza Supplements which measured the calorie burning effectiveness of our 50 most popular sports and activities.
Forza Supplements managing director Lee Smith said: ‘We just hope that these figures encourage more people to get active to combat our growing obesity crisis.
‘Boxing is terrific for weight loss because it is the ultimate full body work-out with intense bursts of activity – just like the very best interval training.
‘Sex is a great way to burn off calories, particularly if you are a man because statistics show they expend 44 per cent more energy than women during typical lovemaking.’
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