Drinking Water to Burn Calories

Most of you might have heard drinking ice water burns Calories(source:HowStuffWorks). That's very well true and confirmed. According to the source, drinking a 16 ounces(approximately 500ml) of ice water burns about 17508 calories. REMEMBER: Small 'c' calorie is different from the big 'c' calorie; 1 Calorie = 1000 calories; Calorie is the term we used to describe the amount of energy contained in food whereas calorie is energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. Health experts have suggested us to drink at least 8 cups of water(1 cup is about 200-250ml, source:Wikipedia) so, if we do as advised and drink that much ice water, we can burn 74 Calories in a day.

But we should also consider just drinking plain water also helps. Imagine yourself as a warm-blooded mammal(which you are) having to drinking several cups of water a day for maintaining optimum metabolism levels in you. As learned through Science, we warm-blooded humans have to maintain our optimum body temperature of 37 degrees Celsius for metabolic processes. The water we normally drink is usually around room temperature(25 degrees Celsius) so our body heats up the water we drink to that optimum temperature. In the process we burn Calories to produce heat energy(Chemical Energy from our body ---> Heat Energy in water). So by calculation, drinking the recommended 8 cups a day burns (2000ml of plain water at room temperature X 12 degrees Celsius change in water temperature) = 24 Calories. This doesn't give you a reason to drink a deluge everyday. Just drink when you feel thirsty.

FACT: 3500 Calories builds up 1 pound(lb). 1g of carbohydrates or 1g of protein = 4 calories; 1g of fat = 9 calories.

By comparison:                                Source:NutriStrategy

Calories Burned During Activities, Sports and Exercises Chart

Exercise and Calories Burned per Hour	130 lbs	155 lbs	180 lbs	205 lbs
Running, 5 mph (12 minute mile)	472	563	654	745
Running, 5.2 mph (11.5 minute mile)	531	633	735	838
Running, 6 mph (10 min mile)	590	704	817	931
Running, 6.7 mph (9 min mile)	649	774	899	1024
Running, 7 mph (8.5 min mile)	679	809	940	1070
Running, 7.5mph (8 min mile)	738	880	1022	1163
Running, 8 mph (7.5 min mile)	797	950	1103	1256
Running, 8.6 mph (7 min mile)	826	985	1144	1303
Running, 9 mph (6.5 min mile)	885	1056	1226	1396
Running, 10 mph (6 min mile)	944	1126	1308	1489
Running, 10.9 mph (5.5 min mile)	1062	1267	1471	1675
Running, cross country	531	633	735	838
Running, general	472	563	654	745
Running, on a track, team practice	590	704	817	931
Running, stairs, up	885	1056	1226	1396
Running, training, pushing wheelchair	472	563	654	745
Sailing, competition	295	352	409	465
Sailing, yachting, ocean sailing	177	211	245	279
Shoveling snow by hand	354	422	490	558
Shoveling, digging ditches	502	598	695	791
Shuffleboard, lawn bowling	177	211	245	279
Sit, playing with animals, light	148	176	204	233
Sitting, light office work	89	106	123	140
Skateboarding	295	352	409	465
Ski machine	413	493	572	651
Ski mobiling	413	493	572	651
Skiing, water skiing	354	422	490	558
Skin diving, fast	944	1126	1308	1489
Skin diving, moderate	738	880	1022	1163
Skin diving, scuba diving	413	493	572	651
Skindiving or scuba diving	708	844	981	1117
Sky diving	177	211	245	279
Sledding, tobagganing, luge	413	493	572	651
Snorkeling	295	352	409	465
Snow shoeing	472	563	654	745
Snow skiing, downhill skiing, light	295	352	409	465
Snowmobiling	207	246	286	326
Soccer, competitive	590	704	817	931
Soccer, playing	413	493	572	651
Softball or baseball	295	352	409	465
Softball, officiating	236	281	327	372
Softball, pitching	354	422	490	558
Speed skating, ice, competitive	885	1056	1226	1396
Squash	708	844	981	1117
Stair machine	531	633	735	838
Standing, bartending, store clerk	136	162	188	214
Standing, playing with children, light	165	197	229	261
Stationary cycling, light	325	387	449	512
Stationary cycling, moderate	413	493	572	651
Stationary cycling, very light	177	211	245	279
Stationary cycling, very vigorous	738	880	1022	1163
Stationary cycling, vigorous	620	739	858	977
Steel mill, working in general	472	563	654	745
Stretching, hatha yoga	236	281	327	372
Surfing, body surfing or board surfing	177	211	245	279
Swimming backstroke	413	493	572	651
Swimming breaststroke	590	704	817	931
Swimming butterfly	649	774	899	1024
Swimming laps, freestyle, fast	590	704	817	931
Swimming laps, freestyle, slow	413	493	572	651
Swimming leisurely, not laps	354	422	490	558
Swimming sidestroke	472	563	654	745
Swimming synchronized	472	563	654	745
Swimming, treading water, fast	590	704	817	931
Swimming, treading water, moderate	236	281	327	372
Table tennis, ping pong	236	281	327	372
Tae kwan do, martial arts	590	704	817	931
Tai chi	236	281	327	372
Tailoring, general	148	176	204	233
Taking out trash	177	211	245	279
Teach exercise class (& participate)	384	457	531	605
Teach physical education class	236	281	327	372
Tennis playing	413	493	572	651
Tennis, doubles	354	422	490	558
Tennis, singles	472	563	654	745
Track and field (high jump, pole vault)	354	422	490	558
Track and field (hurdles)	590	704	817	931
Track and field (shot, discus)	236	281	327	372
Trampoline	207	246	286	326
Truck driving, loading,unloading truck	384	457	531	605
Typing, computer data entry	89	106	123	140
Unicycling	295	352	409	465
Using crutches	295	352	409	465
Volleyball playing	177	211	245	279
Volleyball, beach	472	563	654	745
Volleyball, competitive	472	563	654	745
Walk / run, playing, moderate	236	281	327	372
Walk / run, playing, vigorous	295	352	409	465
Walking 2.0 mph, slow	148	176	204	233
Walking 2.5 mph	177	211	245	279
Walking 3.0 mph, moderate	195	232	270	307
Walking 3.5 mph, brisk pace	224	267	311	354
Walking 3.5 mph, uphill	354	422	490	558
Walking 4.0 mph, very brisk	295	352	409	465
Walking 4.5 mph	372	443	515	586
Walking 5.0 mph	472	563	654	745
Walking downstairs	177	211	245	279
Walking the dog	177	211	245	279
Walking, pushing a wheelchair	236	281	327	372
Walking, snow blower	207	246	286	326
Walking, under 2.0 mph, very slow	118	141	163	186
Wallyball	413	493	572	651
Water aerobics	236	281	327	372
Water aerobics, water calisthenics	236	281	327	372
Water jogging	472	563	654	745
Water polo	590	704	817	931
Water volleyball	177	211	245	279
Watering lawn or garden	89	106	123	140
Weeding, cultivating garden	266	317	368	419
Weight lifting, body building, vigorous	354	422	490	558
Weight lifting, light workout	177	211	245	279
Whitewater rafting, kayaking,canoeing	295	352	409	465
Windsurfing, sailing	177	211	245	279
Wrestling	354	422	490	558

NOTE: 1 kg= 2.204 pounds(lbs)

Hmm.. quite a nice compilation of info indeed. I can use this as a guide myself. :)