| Calories Burned Running a 10-Minute Mile by Weight | ||
|---|---|---|
| Body weight | Calories per minute | Calories per 10-minute mile |
| 120 pounds | 8.5 | 85 |
| 140 pounds | 9.9 | 99 |
| 160 pounds | 11.3 | 113 |
| 180 pounds | 12.7 | 127 |
What Affects How Many Calories You Burn
Your metabolic rate determines how quickly you burn calories, and every individual’s metabolism is unique. Metabolic rate is made up of a complex set of factors that determine how quickly you process the nutrients from the food you eat.
While metabolic rate is difficult to calculate, there are other factors that you can identify that will help determine how many calories you burn during a run. Here are some of the key components of how you burn calories.
Weight
The more you weigh, the more calories you’ll burn during a run, because you have to put more effort into moving that weight over the distance, which increases your calorie expenditure. Weight is one of the main factors in determining calorie burn while running.
Exercise Intensity
High-intensity exercise, when you are breathing heavily enough that it is hard to speak more than a few words at a time, can burn many more calories than jogging at a leisurely pace. If the terrain is flat, like a track, you expend less energy than running through the hills.
However, if you prefer a gentle pace, you can still burn the same total calories as a faster runner simply by going farther for longer.
Age
With age, people start to lose muscle mass, which slows down how much energy (calories) they expend. Around the age of 40, the body begins to process protein less efficiently, which is necessary for maintaining muscle strength. There is also some evidence that the quality as well as the quantity of muscle tissue changes as people age, and that affects strength and consequently the ability to run as far or as fast.
Fitness
The more fit you are, the fewer calories you tend to burn during a mile run. When you run consistently, your body becomes more efficient and it takes less energy (calories) to go the same distance. However, if you run on a regular basis, you’re likely to be able to run farther and faster, which will ramp up your calorie burn.
Sex
Males burn more calories than females due to having more muscle mass and a higher body weight, on average. Muscles have insulin receptors that metabolize blood sugar, so if you have more muscle mass, you process sugar for energy (burn calories) more quickly.
Females tend to have more body fat and less muscle mass than males, resulting in a generally slower metabolism.
How to Calculate Your Calorie Burn
Many types of fitness devices calculate calorie burn for you, but you can also use a formula to measure calorie expenditure, known as the metabolic equivalent of task (MET). MET quantifies the intensity of an activity, using the amount of oxygen used while at rest as a baseline of 1 MET, The more intense the activity, the higher the MET.
For weight-bearing activities like running, it uses weight in kilograms (kg) in the calculation. One MET equals 1 calorie per kilogram of body weight per hour.
The steps to calculate calorie burn manually using MET are:
- Find the MET value of your activity, which is available online. For example, the MET value for running 6 miles per hour (mph) is 9.3.
- Convert your weight in pounds to weight in kilograms by dividing the number of pounds by 2.2. If you weigh 150 pounds, for instance, you’d weigh 68.18 kilograms.
- Plug those numbers into the following formula:
MET x kg body weight / 60 = calories used per minute
For a 150-pound person running at 6 mph (10 minutes per mile), that translates to:
9.8 x 68.18/200 = 10.57 calories burned per minute. So if you run a 10-minute mile, you’ll burn about 105.7 calories.
How to Boost Your Calorie Burn
Look at the variables you can control when you run if you want to boost how much energy and calories you are expending. While weight is the most significant factor, intensity and duration matter as well. You can boost your burn by:
- Running faster
- Running longer
- Running on an incline or over varied terrain
- Wearing a weighted vest or using other tools to add weight
Before You Start Running
If you are a beginning runner with a chronic health condition or have one that affects your mobility, consult with a healthcare provider before adopting a running plan. Begin slowly and gradually increase your time and speed.
Summary
The number of calories a person burns during a mile run averages around 100, but there is a lot of variation among individuals. Your weight, metabolic rate, age, fitness level, sex, and muscle mass are all factors in how many calories you will use. Increasing the intensity or duration of your run will burn more calories, as will carrying some additional weight.
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Caloric Expenditure While Running: Insights by Body Weight
Calories Burned During a 10-Minute Mile
| Body Weight | Calories Burned Per Minute | Calories Burned in a 10-Minute Mile |
|---|---|---|
| 120 pounds | 8.5 | 85 |
| 140 pounds | 9.9 | 99 |
| 160 pounds | 11.3 | 113 |
| 180 pounds | 12.7 | 127 |
Factors Influencing Caloric Burn
The calories burned during a run depend on multiple factors, including:
1. Body Weight
Individuals with higher body weight tend to burn more calories. This is primarily due to the increased effort required to move a heavier body over a set distance.
2. Intensity of Exercise
The intensity of your run significantly affects caloric expenditure. Running at a high intensity causes a greater calorie burn compared to slower jogging. Additionally, running on hilly terrain requires more energy than flat surfaces.
3. Age
Aging often leads to a decrease in muscle mass, which can slow metabolism and reduce the number of calories burned during physical activity. This metabolic slowdown typically becomes noticeable around age 40.
4. Fitness Level
Regular runners usually have more efficient bodies, leading to fewer calories burned over the same distance. However, consistent training typically results in greater endurance, allowing them to run longer distances.
5. Gender
Men generally burn more calories than women due to having a higher average muscle mass and body weight. Greater muscle mass contributes to a faster metabolism, enabling quicker energy expenditure.
Calculating Caloric Burn
While many fitness devices can estimate calorie burn, the metabolic equivalent of task (MET) offers a formulaic approach:
- Identify the MET value for your activity (e.g., running at 6 mph is approximately 9.3 MET).
- Convert your weight from pounds to kilograms (divide weight in pounds by 2.2).
- Apply the formula:
MET x kg body weight / 60 = calories burned per minute
For example, a 150-pound person running at a speed of 6 mph would burn around 105.7 calories in 10 minutes, calculated as:
9.3 x 68.18/60 ≈ 10.57 calories burned per minute.
Strategies to Increase Calorie Burn
If you’re looking to boost the number of calories burned during your runs, consider the following strategies:
- Increase your running speed.
- Extend the duration of your runs.
- Choose more challenging terrains, such as hills.
- Incorporate weights, such as a weighted vest.
Important Considerations
Consult with a healthcare provider if you’re a beginner or have chronic health issues before starting a running regimen. It’s wise to start gradually and progressively increase your running time and speed.
