Calculate Calories Burned from Climbing Stairs

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the calories burned from climbing 300 stairs, with a focus on a person weighing 280 pounds. The height of each stair is estimated at 12 inches, leading to a total vertical ascent of 225 feet. The energy expenditure is calculated using the formula mgh, resulting in approximately 634 calories burned, adjusted for body efficiency to yield about 0.75 dietary calories. The conversation highlights the importance of unit conversion between pounds and kilograms in calorie calculations.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics principles, specifically the formula for gravitational potential energy (mgh).
  • Familiarity with calorie measurement, including the difference between kcal and dietary calories.
  • Knowledge of unit conversions between pounds and kilograms.
  • Basic arithmetic skills for performing energy expenditure calculations.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the efficiency of human energy expenditure during physical activities.
  • Learn about the impact of body weight on calorie burn during stair climbing.
  • Explore tools for calculating calories burned in various physical activities.
  • Investigate the differences between imperial and metric units in scientific calculations.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for fitness enthusiasts, personal trainers, and anyone interested in understanding the caloric impact of stair climbing on weight management and exercise efficiency.

ls0803
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I climb 300 stairs to my office every morning - can anyone tell me if i weight 280 pounds how many calories i will burn off (approximately)

thanks

Tired in Liverpool
 
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How high is each stair?
 
12 inches i'd say
 
I think you will be dissapointed.

I get 300 stairs = 225 vertical feet. The energy required to raise 280 pounds 225 feet is mgh = 280*225 (pounds = mg) =63000 lb*ft = 634 calories = 0.6 kcal (dietary calories). Say your body is 80% efficient, then you expend 0.75 kcal of food intake.

I'm suspicious of my answer- my calculator treats lb as a unit of mass (kg), so if I surreptiously add a factor of 32 to mgh, I get 20/25 kcal, which seems reasonable.

Bleah- it's too early in the morning to try and deal with pounds vs. kilograms...
 
lift for me tomorrow!
 

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