Burning Calories While Fishing

Leslie “Les” Goldstein is the founder and chief executive officer of Personal Financial Strategies, Inc., in Park Ridge, Illinois, as well as a team member with Arete Wealth Management. When he is not overseeing his wealth management firm or serving Arete Wealth Management, Leslie Goldstein stays active through basketball and fishing, among other interests.

Fishing is often thought of as a calm, relaxing pastime, and provides participants with a variety of psychological benefits. That said, fishing can also offer a surprising number of physical benefits. While sitting in a boat or standing on shore for several hours at a time is not exactly physically taxing, wading through shallows or hiking to a remote pond can function as a solid physical challenge. People tend to burn about 250 calories over the course of a 1-hour walk. Additional calories may be burned if wading involves climbing over boulders or moving against the current.

The repeated act of casting and reeling can also burn significant calories and help work out muscles throughout the arms and back. When combined with wading or hiking, the right fishing trip can actually function as a full-body workout. It is not uncommon for a morning of fishing to burn between 500 and 1,500 calories.