How to Burn 1200 Calories a Day

Perform 90 minutes of physical activity per day. A person who weighs 180 lbs. and runs at 6 mph for 90 minutes will burn over 1,200 calories, as estimated by Health Status Internet Assessments. Using the elliptical will burn 1,200 calories for a 160 lb. person in 90 min. Lighter people may have to perform more vigorous exercises compared to heavier people to achieve a 1,200-calorie expenditure.

Make your daily routine more physical. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, use a push-lawnmower instead of a riding one, walk to work instead of driving or scrub the floor instead of using a mop. Making daily activities more physical will add up to 1,200 calories depending how long you do them and how much you weigh. According to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, scrubbing floors can burn more than 400 calories per hour, light housework can burn more than 200 calories and adding one mile of walking can burn more than 100 calories. Combine enough activities throughout the day to total 1,200 calories burned.

Never stay still. Consider fidgeting as a form of exercise instead of an annoyance. Tap your toes while waiting, stand at your computer instead of sitting, shake your foot when you cross your legs or rock back and forth when watching television. According to Nutrition ATC, a study by the Mayo Clinic found some people use as many as 800 calories a day just fidgeting--which is the equivalent of walking or jogging about eight miles a day for the average person.

Burn 400 calories with each method listed above. For example, burn 400 calories through fidgeting, walk to work and take the stairs for another 400 calories and spend 30 minutes on the elliptical machine to burn 400 calories. The object is to keep moving for a 1,200 daily caloric expenditure.