There are multiple types of sugar from the stored sugar known as glycogen and the sugar we ingest. Either way, it is used as fuel but is also the target of many when it comes to losing weight. So how much sugar can you burn during exercise?
To figure that out, you have to know how many calories sugar has. Breaking it down to one gram, you will be looking at four calories.
That means that depending on the amount of time you hit the gym and the intensity of that workout. For example, a low impact workout of about 40 minutes could burn 60 grams of sugar.
Burning calories is key to losing weight. So having this knowledge could help you find a way to be more successful in your weight loss journey, so keep reading and let us help you on that journey.
How Does Sugar Burn During Exercise?
Exercise tends to be the first thing that many experts and physicians suggest when it comes to maintaining your sugar levels. Burning sugar will not only help you manage your blood sugar levels as well as help you lose weight.
The biggest thing to understand is that when you work out, you use all your muscles. Therefore, your muscles at work will burn more of that sugar than when they are at rest. This is because your muscles use sugar as fuel and, during exercise, will begin to absorb sugar.
This will, in turn, lower your sugar levels because you are burning off that sugar. On top of this, your muscles also use insulin which will improve your insulin sensitivity. That, in turn, means your body will be able to burn sugar better.
Which Exercises Burn the Most Calories?
So if you want to burn as much sugar as possible, you may try to find exercises that will burn the most. There are tons of exercises that burn plenty of sugar, but most will always be running.
If running is not your thing, though, other options exist. Here are a few other exercises you can burn a ton of sugar doing:
- Bicycling
- HIIT training
- Jump Rope
- Swimming
- Dancing
- Hiking
But the exercise itself isn’t the only thing that impacts the amount of sugar in burns during exercises, and duration also plays a role.
For How Long Should You Exercise?
The duration directly affects how much sugar you burn when you exercise. Most experts say that an adult should have two and a half hours of moderate-level exercise. Thinking like that and realizing that one gram of sugar is four calories.
Taking both into account, you can then figure out that you will burn about 500 calories with moderate exercise.
Of course, not all of those will be sugar, but it should alleviate a good amount. In the end, though, how long you exercise is really up to your available time and your physical capabilities.
How Much Sugar Can You Burn Per Average?
Once again, the amount of sugar you burn depends on the exercise, duration, and body composition. We discussed above that one gram of sugar has four calories in it. That means if you want to burn 60g of sugar, you will try to burn a total of 240 calories.
Most experts will say that, on average, you can look to burn between 180 and 270 calories. That means that you are looking to burn about 45g to 68 g of sugar per workout.
Things That Prevent You From Burning Sugar
There are a couple of things you must consider when trying to burn sugar during your exercise. First, not everybody is the same, but the type of exercise can also impact the burning of sugar.
Aerobic exercise is what you should concentrate on when you are trying to burn sugar. That means staying away from anaerobic exercises like weightlifting and CrossFit. These types of exercise focus on burning stored fuel, usually in the form of fat.
Other things that could reduce your success or eliminate it are:
- The time you work out. If you exercise first thing in the morning, you will like burning fat, not sugar.
- Making sure to exercise about four hours after a meal will increase the amount of sugar you burn.
Final Thoughts on How Much Sugar is Burned During Exercise
Many who are looking to lose weight or manage their blood sugar levels more effectively look for ways to burn sugar during exercises.
It is completely possible as long as you do the right exercise and monitor other lifestyle factors to burn, on average, 60g of sugar per workout. That will be a good start and have you well on your way to living a little more healthy life.