How Many Calories Does Running Burn?

How Many Calories Does Running Burn? Compared to other endurance activities, running gives you more bang for your buck when it comes to burning calories. That's because running gets your heart rate higher than the other sports even when you're performing at the same level. The harder your heart is working, the more energy (i.e. calories) your body uses. You've probably heard that the average person burns about 100 calories per mile— but, in reality, it varies person to person. To estimate calorie burn, scientists use a unit called a MET, or the metabolic equivalent for task. "The number of METs is basically how many times more calories you burn...compared to when you're at rest," says Heather Milton, C.S.C.S. Think of METs as a way to measure how hard your body is working. Running can be anywhere from 7 METs to 12.3 METs, depending on how fast you're running. For example, a 140-pound person running for an hour at a jogging pace would burn 7 METs (or 446 calories per hour). There are other factors that determine how many calories running burns for each individual. A heavier person is going to burn more calories than someone who weighs less, even if they're running the same pace. "The more weight you're carrying, the more work you have to do to move it," says Milton. Upping your speed and intensity also requires more oxygen, which increases your calorie burn. Another way to jack up your calorie burn without changing your pace: run hills or do incline work, says Milton. Beyond burning calories, running has a ton of benefits. It helps reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, strengthen joints, ward off depression, and improve memory. And you don't have to rack up the miles to get those perks. Running just six miles a week delivers more health benefits and minimizes the risks that come with longer sessions. Running is about building strength, burning fat and carbs, and increasing the oxygen you can efficiently consume and use. Many runners just try to run fast all the time, but variability is key to get all the benefits of running. Running slow and long "trains the muscle to extract more oxygen and...to be more efficient," explains Joel French, Ph.D. Faster runs, like tempo and interval workouts, condition the heart and lungs to push more oxygen to the muscles. "An easy run isn't going to burn many calories, but it's great for recovery and stress reduction," says French. If you're not incorporating all these workouts into a training plan, you're eventually going to plateau. "To keep improving, you need to change up the inclines, the intensities, and the speeds you're running at," Milton explains.