Running is an efficient way to burn calories because it engages the body's aerobic energy system. Running, which you do at a faster pace than jogging, helps burn calories from fat and glycogen -- how your body stores carbohydrates. Depending on how many calories you eat each day, you can start to take off pounds with running within a week.
Weight Loss
You will need to burn 3,500 calories for each pound of weight you want to lose. If you burn 3,500 calories during the week through running, but eat an extra 3,500 calories during that same period, you won't lose weight. Think of this formula as burning 500 calories more than you eat each day to lose one pound of weight each week. You can create your calorie deficit by reducing how many calories you eat each day by 500, burning 500 calories through running each day, or by combining calorie reduction and running.
Losing 15 pounds
To lose 15 pounds of weight, you'll need to burn 52,500 calories more than you eat. You should aim for one to two pounds of healthy weight loss each week, recommends the National Institutes of Health. If you want to lose 15 pounds in eight weeks -- roughly two pounds per week -- you will need to burn approximately 940 calories per day more than you eats during those eight weeks.
Calories Burned By Running
MayoClinic.com publishes a calorie-burning chart at its website showing the estimated number of calories you burn during an hour of exercise. Running at 8 mph burns almost 1,000 calories per hour in a 160-pound person, more than 1,200 calories per hour in a 200-pound person, and close to 1,500 calories in a 240-pound person. This means, a 160-pound person would need to run approximately 53 hours to lose 15 piund. Jogging at 5 mph burns calories for those persons at the rate of approximately 585, 730 and 870 calories per hour. A 160-pound person would need to job approximately 90 hours to lose 15 pounds.
Adjusting Your Numbers
If you calculate your calorie burning numbers in an attempt to determine the exact number of weeks or months it will take you to lose 15 pound running, plan on your weight loss taking a little longer. Your body may react to your weight loss by slowing your metabolism somewhat if you are relying on cutting back on calories along with your running. You may not run every day, based on the weather, changes in your schedule or soreness from the previous day, as well as missing your calorie intake target.
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