When it comes to exercise, many of us don't get excited at the prospect of sweating at the gym or running in the park. And let's face it: If you're not energized, it's hard to be motivated to stay active — despite all the research showing physical activity's benefits for weight control and health.

Here are less-common activities that may sound more exciting to you.

VIGOROUS SEXUAL ACTIVITY VS. MOPPING OR VACUUMING

Sex burns calories, but not nearly as many as you might believe. You're looking at 105 calories (about 1 tablespoon of butter) per hour, and with the average encounter lasting only 12 minutes, including foreplay, there's not much of a burn there. In terms of calories, you might be better off vacuuming or mopping the house, which can burn as many as 245 calories (about 61 Reese's Pieces candies) but probably won't be as much fun.

SAILING VS. SCUBA DIVING VS. WATER AEROBICS

Scuba diving burns the most calories at 490 per hour (about one Hostess apple pie). Next is water aerobics at 280 calories (three Dunkin' Donuts Glazed Cake Munchkins). And a relaxing sail will burn 210 calories (1 ounce of M&Ms). Other water sports also burn calories, but one that is really fun and provides a great upper-body workout is kayaking — you're looking at burning 350 calories per hour (five Oreo Double Stuf Cookies), not to mention building up shoulders, arms and chest.

HANDBALL VS. ROLLERBLADING

Rollerblading and handball burn the same amount of calories — a whopping 840 per hour (about 1 cup of Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia Ice Cream). Rollerblading is a great way to sightsee, enjoy a park or socialize. Handball requires less equipment — just a wall and a ball.

GOLF (USING A POWER CART) VS. FISHING (IN A STREAM)

Golfing has a few exercise problems. First: Many courses don't allow walking because it slows down the game. Second: All that clubhouse socializing, with lots of drinking and eating, packs on the pounds. And last: Golfing often stops people from doing other forms of more intense activities. Golfing with a cart burns 245 calories an hour (about 1/2 cup Baskin Robbins Cherries Jubilee Ice Cream), whereas fly-fishing in a stream (including walking in the water wearing waders) burns as much as 420 calories (one slice of Papa John's Pan Crust The Meats). However, if you ditch the cart (and the clubhouse snacks) you'd be looking at a wonderful exercise burning 315 calories per hour (a Wendy's Jr. Cheeseburger). Also, keep in mind that miniature golf and hitting balls at a driving range burn about 210 calories in an hour (Kellogg's Pop-Tart Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon).

TETHERBALL VS. HOPSCOTCH VS. BELLY- DANCING

For those who've never heard of tetherball, it involves two players standing on opposite sides of a 10-foot vertical metal pole. Players try to hit a ball hanging from a rope — one aiming clockwise, the other counterclockwise. The player who winds the ball all the way around the pole is the winner. Play this for an hour, (or an hour of hopscotch) and you'll burn 350 calories (Starbucks Mud Pie Ice Cream Bar) before you know it. Middle Eastern belly-dancing burns slightly fewer calories — 315 per hour (about eight Twizzlers Strawberry Twists Candy from an 8-ounce package).

BADMINTON VS. ARCHERY (NONHUNTING) VS. POOL

With a net, a shuttlecock (the thing you hit) and a racquet, you can play badminton right in your back yard, burning 315 calories (one serving of steamed shrimp dumplings) per hour. You can get a set for about $49.95. Archery burns a bit less at 245 calories (about one McDonald's hamburger) and costs a bit more to get started. Playing pool is as simple as going to your neighborhood bar or pool hall and will burn as much as 175 calories (about two Pizza Hut cinnamon sticks) per hour.

FRISBEE VS. DARTS VS. BOWLING

Believe it or not, bowling burns as many calories as Frisbee — about 210 calories (two light beers) per hour. But for a real workout, try playing Ultimate Frisbee (sort of like soccer, football and rugby with a flying disc), which burns 560 calories per hour (3 1/3 ounces of Planters Mixed Nuts). And good, old-fashioned darts burns about 175 calories per hour (14 Almond Joy Bites).

HORSESHOES VS. SHUFFLEBOARD

Both of these common activities for retirees, cruise ship voyagers and kids in camp burn 210 calories (three Aunt Jemima pancakes) per hour.

All exercise equivalents are based on a 155-pound person.

Charles Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public-health advocate and author of "The Diet Detective's Count Down" (Simon & Schuster, 2007). Sign up for the free Diet Detective newsletter at www.DietDetective.com.

Reach Charles Stuart Platkin at info@thedietdetective.com.