Running is one of the most effective ways to burn calories, but how many calories were burned when I ran?

Congratulations. You chose the second best exercise to burn calories. Cross Country skiing is number one if you were wondering.

A word of warning. Don't put too much stock into counting calories. Most people who life a healthy lifestyle actually consume more calories than an average person. They just burn off a lot of their calories exercising.

There are many different calculators out there that will tell you an exact amount of calories you burned when running. You can compare prices right here for different Calorie Counters.

If you aren't up to buying a calorie counterI have a simple way to count calories burnt. One mile ran equals roughly 100 calories burnt. This is the simplest way to look at what you burnt off. Below is a chart that breaks it down further compared to how much you weigh.

100 pounds - 1 mile - 65 calories burnt
150 pounds - 1 mile - 100 calories burnt
200 pounds - 1 mile - 130 calories burnt
250 pounds - 1 mile - 165 calories burnt

Perhaps you have a measurement system that isn't goofy like us Americans are. Compare the calories you burnt with the metric system, in kilograms and kilometers.

50 kilograms - 1 kilometer - 45 calories burnt
75 kilograms - 1 kilometer - 70 calories burnt
100 kilograms - 1 kilometer - 90 calories burnt
125 kilograms - 1 kilometer - 115 calories burnt

Now if you want to drop one pound of your weight, you need to burn roughly 3500 calories. If you weigh 150 pounds, that means log 35 miles to lose one pound. Now everything would have to remain equal for this pound to drop. You would have to continue on the same diet, and keep the same routine.

This usually isn't the case though. People who haven't been very active before actually lose weight and a quicker rate. This is because as you get in better shape, and are more active, you get a sustained calorie burn. This happens because your body burns calories to help you recover from your exercise.

Another thing that tends to happen to people who start exercising is they adopt a healthier diet. The theory behind this is when you exercise you are more conscious of what you eat. People who exercise regularly naturally make healthier choices when eating. That is the theory anyway.

I know when I am working hard, I tend to eat more. I feel I have earned it, you know? Anyway you look at it, exercise is good for you. Even if you don't shed a lot of pounds, your body is gaining muscle and shedding fat.



The benefits of running are almost endless. Your bad cholesterol goes down, and the good stuff will go up. Running also helps fight off the aging process. You build muscle, strengthen bones, and it can help fight off certain diseases. Runners have a less chance of getting breast cancer, or suffering a stroke, and reduces the rate of heart attack. It's hard work, but it's worth it. Get out that door, slow the aging process, and burn some calories.

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