A treadmill is an effective way of burning calories because you can set the speed you want. This allows you to keep your calorie expenditure rate constant. You can calculate the calories you burn on a treadmill from your heart rate, age, weight, height, duration of the treadmill session and VO2 max. Your VO2 max is the maximum rate at which you are able to use oxygen. This calculation is most accurate when you maintain a heart rate between 98 and 150 beats per minute.
Step 1
Calculate your VO2 max with the equation (X - 505) / 49.2, where X is the maximum number of yards you can run in 12 minutes.
Let your 12-minute running distance be 1,875 yards for this example. Your VO2 max is (1,875 - 505) / 49.2 = 27.8.
Step 2
Weigh yourself with a bathroom scale to obtain your weight in pounds.
Step 3
Put your heart monitor on and begin running on the treadmill. Begin recording your heart rate once it exceeds 90 beats per minute. Adjust the speed on the treadmill as necessary to maintain a heart rate between 90 and 150 beats per minute.
Step 4
Stop running on the treadmill. Stop recording your heart rate before it drops below 90 beats per minute.
Step 5
Compute your calorie expenditure rate if you’re male with this equation: C = (0.634 x heart rate + 0.179 x weight + 0.271 x age + 0.404 x VO2 max - 95.7735) x time / 4.184. This formula requires your average heart rate in beats per minute, your weight in pounds, your age in years and the duration of your treadmill session in minutes.
Assume your average heart rate is 131 beats per minute, your weight is 167 lbs., your age is 49 years, your VO2 max is 27.8 and your treadmill session lasted 34 minutes. You burned (0.634 x 131 + 0.179 x 167 + 0.271 x 49 + 0.404 x 27.8 - 95.7735) x 34 / 4.184 = 339 calories.
Step 6
Calculate your calorie expenditure rate if you’re female with this equation: C = (0.45 x heart rate + 0.0468 x weight + 0.274 x age + 0.38 x VO2 max – 59.3954) x time / 4.184. This formula requires your average heart rate in beats per minute, your weight in pounds, your age in years and the duration of your treadmill session in minutes.
Assume your average heart rate is 128 beats per minute, your weight is 131 lbs., your age is 36 years, your VO2 max is 27.8 and your treadmill session lasted 31 minutes. You burned C = (0.45 x 128 + 0.0468 x 131 + 0.274 x 36 + 0.38 x 27.8 – 59.3954) x 31 / 4.184 = 183 calories.
Things You'll Need
- Stopwatch
- Bathroom scale
- Heart monitor
- Calculator
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