How Many Calories Does Running Burn?

There are so many different factors at play when you are considering how many calories you burn during a run. Not only does this depend on your current level of fitness and body type, but the kind of training you are planning on doing as well.

It is worth considering your goals and making sure you have a balanced diet and a good training plan when it comes to your running, as there are lots of things that can affect your performance. Below you can find out how and why different running styles and training plans burn calories and what might be best for you.

How Interval Training Burns Calories

The kind of run that you have planned out for yourself will vastly affect how you burn calories and how many you will burn. If your aim is to burn lots then exercises like interval training is the best option for you. Not only is this high effort, but it also the perfect way to improve your top speed and get fitter quicker.

After warming up, having short sharp bursts of running or sprinting engages your whole body and requires more from your muscles and cardiovascular system. This, in turn, means that your body needs more energy and so ends up using more calories, meaning that you will burn a lot more both during and after.

How Long-Distance Runs Burn Calories

That’s not to say that running over longer distances isn’t going to burn as much, because it certainly will. Long-distance runners, like marathon runners for example, still need to fuel and keep on top of their nutrition because they will still burn through their energy pretty easily. 

Although you aren’t required to maintain a high energy level like when sprinting, you can easily burn a lot when jogging at a steady pace for a long time. Many marathon runners carb load days before a big race so their body can make it over the finish line, which just goes to show the slow and steady burn you can achieve from those long runs.

Does Running Outdoors Increase the Calories You Use?

The simple answer to this is, yes, it does. Running inside on a treadmill is a completely different experience and while it does have its perks, such as gyms being more accessible during the colder months, you might not burn as much energy. Treadmills even have a little more bounce than concrete and grass, making your run that bit easier.

Running outdoors comes with its own trials and tribulations, but overall many people run further, as they can’t simply step off the treadmill. There are so many factors which make running outdoors more challenging and rewarding, such as varied terrain and navigating around obstacles and pedestrians.

All of these little things mean you have to move and engage your body far more than running at a steady pace on a treadmill, so if you want a high energy workout and to use those calories – get outdoors.

Fuel More to Burn More

Many people think that if they eat less and cut down their calories while exercising, they will end up burning more fat and calories, although this often isn’t the case. Maintaining a healthy diet and making sure you eat balanced meals throughout your day, will only improve your running and what you are capable of within each session.

Having good energy levels and being able to put in 110% when going for your run, means that you get more out of your run and your end up using and burning more energy. When runners cut back on their calories, it means achieving less and not being able to complete their session. So, even if you want to burn calories, don’t shy away from a balanced diet.

How Running Post-Workout Burns Calories

For many people, running is not their primary activity, but whatever you’re into, it can be a great supplement to get that much more out of your workouts. Whether your main activity is weightlifting, horse riding or ice skating, adding running into the mix will only improve your fitness and cardiovascular capabilities, as well as offering a little more burn, too.

After your main workout is the prime calorie-burning stage, which is when you have already given your all and raised your heart rate for that session. This is when you can go for a short run or jog and because you are doing this post-workout, you will burn an incredible amount of calories compared to other points during your training session.

Your Current Fitness Level

It is easy to over analyse how many calories you are putting into your body and how many you are burning when going for a run. One important factor to consider is your current fitness level and body type, as this hugely affects how much you burn.

If your fitness level is already very high, you won’t burn as much energy when running as someone who does less exercise. It’s worth considering variables such as muscle mass, height and weight if you are measuring your calories or comparing your input and output to others, as they can affect the results that you see.

For fitness knowledge and training tips, take a look at our other blogs and get inspired to become the best you can be.