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How Many Calories Are Burned While Running?
Losing weight usually comes down to burning more calories than you take in, and for most lifters, that means combining diet with exercise. One of the most popular activities for fat loss is running, but just how many calories can you burn by hitting the track or the road?
The exact number will depend on the duration and pace of your workout, your weight and gender, and other factors related to personal health and fitness levels.
But there is some scientific evidence that can give us a good idea.
What Science Says
In fact, scientists have been looking at running for years, and a 1978 study examined the caloric expenditure of 24 young men when walking or running a mile. Researchers found that running burns more calories than walking, and a faster pace means more calories burned. That makes sense because all of the scientists measurements were taken over the same interval (20 seconds), so a faster run would have covered more distance.
Another study, in 2001, found that women who walked OR jogged at 5 mph burned about the same number of calories over any given period, with walking sometimes providing the superior energy expenditure. That would seem to indicate that jogging or running, with speeds being equal, is no more potent for energy balance control than simple walking.
But just how many calories can running burn?
The rule of thumb that many experts use is that either walking or running a mile burns around 100 calories, but does that play out in real life?
That’s what researchers in a 2012 study wanted to find out. They asked subjects to run or walk for 1600 meters — about a mile — at either 6 mph (running) or about 3 mph (walking). They found that walking burned about 89 calories and running burned about 115 calories over the duration of the workout. Both of those numbers are pretty close to the 100-calorie “rule.”
But the scientists continued to monitor energy expenditure for 15 minutes after the workout and found that the runners burned around 45 additional calories, while the walkers managed just 21 more.
Based on the available scientific evidence, the idea that a one-mile run burns around 100 calories is probably pretty accurate for most people. Add in the post-exercise burn, and running looks even more attractive as a fat burner.
Of course, running is a high-impact activity that can be hard on your joints and bones, and you need to make sure you’re healthy enough to handle the rigors of your workout. Be sure to see your doctor for a complete physical before you start your running program,
If everything checks out, though, running along with healthy eating and 2012 study could be a valuable addition to your fat-loss program.
