Typically, when attempting to find the calories burned in a specific exercise or activity, like running or walking, you would find a calorie chart or table listing some common activities and the calories they burn when performed for a certain amount of time. For example, you might see, "bicycling for one hour burns 500 calories." The problem with these is that they are generalizations, and the numbers really only apply to a select group of people. A more useful method to learning the calories used in running or walking, or any other exercise, is to use a customized calculation process.
The MET
The modern, scientific means of determining caloric expenditure during exercise involves first calculating your resting metabolic rate (RMR) and then multiplying it by the MET, or metabolic equivalent task, of the exercise you want to calculate. METs are numbers like 2.3, 7.1, or 11. When multiplied by your hourly RMR, they give you an individualized estimate of the number of calories you use in that exercise.
METs for Running and Walking
"The Compendium of Physical Activities" by the University of South Carolina School of Public Health lists MET values for hundreds of activities (see Resources).
TheMET values for running are as follows:
5.5 minute miles, MET = 18
6 minute miles, MET = 16
6.5 minute miles, MET = 15
7 minute miles, MET = 14
7.5 minute miles, MET = 13.5
8 minute miles, MET = 12.5
8.5 minute miles, MET = 11.5
9 minute miles, MET = 11
10 minute miles, MET = 10
11.5 minute miles, MET = 9
12 minute miles, MET = 8
The MET values for walking are as follows:
Less than 2.0 mph, level ground, strolling, very slow, MET = 2.0
2.0 mph, level, slow pace, firm surface, MET = 2.5
2.5 mph, firm surface, MET = 3.0
2.5 mph, downhill, MET = 2.8
3.0 mph, level, moderate pace, firm surface, MET = 3.3
3.5 mph, level, brisk, firm surface, walking for exercise, MET = 3.8
3.5 mph, uphill, MET = 6.0
4.0 mph, level, firm surface, very brisk pace, MET = 5.0
4.5 mph, level, firm surface, very, very brisk, MET = 6.3
5.0 mph, MET = 8.0
Walking on grass, MET = 5.0
Walking the dog, MET = 3.0
Calculating the RMR
To calculate how many calories you burn running or walking, first find your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is how many calories you use when completely at rest, as if sitting still in a chair. Short of going to a testing site to have your RMR tested through a process called "indirect calorimetry,"your next best bet is to use an on-line RMR calculator, or you can calculate it yourself.
To calculate it yourself, use the John J. Cunningham equation, a simple, straightforward equation, that reads: RMR = 370 + 21.6 x FFM (FFM is fat-free mass, often called lean body mass [LBM]). Here is an example. Assume you weigh 57 kg and have a body fat percentage of 20%. Your fat-free mass in kilograms would be 57 x .8 = 46 kg, and your RMR would be 370 + 21.6 x 46 = 1,364. This is the number of calories you burn at rest over a period of 24 hours, which equates to 1,364 / 24 = 57 calories per hour.
Finding the Exercise Calories
To figure the amount of calories that you burn when running or walking, multiply your hourly RMR by the MET value that matches your pace and situation from above. This will give you an hourly calorie burning rate. For example, suppose you were running at a 10 minutes per mile pace for 30 minutes. That would work out to: RMR x MET = 57 x 10 = 570 calories per hour, but since you did it for 30 minutes, it would be 285 calories burned. Or suppose you were walking your dog at a comfortable pace for one hour: that would work out to be 57 x 3 = 171 calories.
Other Considerations
In learning this technique, it is important to realize that these concepts, equations and tables are based on statistical averages and confidence intervals, so they may not be universally applicable. If you suffer from a chronic illness or metabolic disease, there will be some variation. However, for most of us, this method provides a useful approach to determining an individualized calorie burn during walking, running or any other exercise.
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