Learning how to calculate the number of calories burned by running a mile puts you in control of your sports nutrition plan. Whether you are trying to lose weight, gain weight or keep your weight steady, you can discover how much to eat throughout the day based on the energy you expend during your run. Simply put, the number of calories you burn running for a mile depends on your weight, speed and environmental conditions.
Pace
To get the most accurate measurement of calories burned by running a mile, keep track of your pace during the run. This can be accomplished with a GPS-enabled training watch that automatically calculates pace--or you can use a stopwatch to capture the time. For a one-mile run, the pace is simply the total elapsed time for the run. For runs of more than one mile, you must divide the distance into the total time to calculate the pace.
Weight
To determine the calories burned in any activity, you must weigh yourself on a scale. The measurement doesn't need to be accurate down to the ounce; you can round up or down to the nearest pound. It is important to weigh yourself before the run, as Runner's World magazine reports it is common to lose several pounds of water weight during a long, hot-weather run.
Forumla
In 2004, the academic journal, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, published a formula for calculating the number of calories burned running. The formula uses body weight multiplied by 0.73 to determine calories burned per mile. This formula is based on running a 12-minute pace on level terrain and also includes the calories expended as part of the base metabolic rate. Using the formula, a 120-pound person would burn 88 calories running one mile at a 12-minute pace.
Calculator
It is possible to burn more calories than this formula suggests if you run faster than a 12-minute pace for a mile. This is where tracking your mile pace comes into play. There are many online calculators that automatically factor in weight and time spent with a specific pace of running. For example, the calculator at DiscoveryHealth.com reports that a 120-pound person will burn 95 calories running one mile at a 6-minute-per-mile pace.
Contributing Factors
Running formulas and calculators are based on generic conditions. However, running outdoors is anything but generic. Wind, hot weather, humidity and extremely cold weather all can affect the amount of calories you burn while running. Additionally, the incline of the terrain, such as running uphill or downhill, and the efficiency of your running style can also have an impact on the calories you burn running one mile.
References
- "Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise"; Energy Expenditure of Walking and Running; Cameron et al; December 2004
- Runner's World; Drink This
- Runner's World: How Many Calories Are You Really Burning?
- Health Discovery: Calorie Counter
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