Running has as fair a claim as any exercise to the title of "most well-known cardiovascular exercise." As a cardio workout, running can burn the calories you need to reach your weight-loss goals. When setting exercise and weight-loss goals, it's often best to set defined and measurable standards such as running one mile every day for one month.
Weight Loss Basics
Running burns more calories than sitting around, watching television. By burning those extra calories, you may create a caloric imbalance that forces your body to burn energy it has stored as fat. Burning that fat is what slims you down and makes a difference on your bathroom scale. To lose 1 lb., you must burn of 3,500 extra calories.
Running and Calories
How many calories you burn running one mile depends on how far and how fast you run. A 160-lb. person would burn 120 calories running a mile in 10 minutes, 130 calories running one in 6 minutes. Because they are carrying more with them, heavier people will burn more calories running the same workout, while lighter people will burn less.
One Mile, One Day, One Month
A 160-lb. person running a 10-minute mile every day for a 30-day month would burn a total of 3,600 calories directly from running -- about enough to lose 1 lb. However, running that regularly will see a corresponding increase in your general metabolism, meaning you would burn calories faster in all activities, even while at rest. This increased caloric burn may account for as much as 1 lb. extra of weight loss in a month of running.
Diet and Weight Loss
The figures above assume that you're not eating more during the month of your mile-running commitment. However, your body will crave additional calories in proportion to your extra caloric output. This is why fitness professionals recommend combining cardiovascular exercise with a diet plan for best weight loss results.
References
- Health Status: Calories Burned Running at Different Speeds
- "You: On a Diet"; Roizen & Oz; 2009
- "Body for Life"; Bill Phillips; 1998
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