How Many Calories Do You Burn Running a Mile?
How Many Calories Do You Burn Running a Mile?
Calories burned while running a mile vary by speed and weight. People with a higher weight burn more calories running.
Running is a great way to get your cardio in, especially if you’re not someone who is particularly interested in playing a sport or hanging out in the gym. It’s an activity you can do on your own, and except for quality shoes, doesn’t require you to buy any special equipment.
We know running is good for you. But how many calories does that sweat session help you burn? It turns out the answer depends on you; specifically, how much you weigh. The more you weigh, the higher your calorie burn will be.
Calories burned per mile
A general estimate for calories burned in one mile is approximately 100 calories per mile, says Dr. Daniel V. Vigil, an associate clinical professor of health sciences at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. However, this standard number varies depending on the individual. Body weight plays a major factor.
According to a chart from the American Council on Exercise, a 120-pound person burns about 11.4 calories per minute while running. So if that person runs a 10-minute mile, they’ll burn 114 calories. If that person weighed 180 pounds, the calorie burn goes up to 17 calories per minute. The 180-pound runner would burn 170 calories running that same 10-minute mile.
| Your weight in pounds | Calorie burn per minute |
| 120 | 11.4 |
| 180 | 17 |
How Many Calories Do You Burn Running a Mile?
You generally burn about 100 calories per mile, Julie Upton, RDN, co-founder of Appetite for Health, told Health. You will have to factor in variables like weight and running speed to get an accurate number.
The number of calories you can expect to burn per minute, based on your weight, includes:
| Your Weight | Calories Burned per Mile |
| 120 pounds | 11.5 |
| 140 pounds | 13.4 |
| 160 pounds | 15.2 |
| 180 pounds | 17 |
Factors that affect how many calories you burn running a mile include:
- Sex: Men may burn more calories than women since they typically have more muscle mass, which burns more calories than fat.
- Environment: Running on hills requires more energy, which burns more calories than running on flat ground. Outdoor running might also burn more calories due to air resistance and wind than indoor running on a treadmill.
- Weight: The more you weigh, the more calories you burn while exercising. A person who weighs 165 pounds requires more energy to move their body than a 150-pound person.
- Speed: The faster you run, the more calories you burn. This means you will burn more calories running three miles in 30 minutes than in 45 minutes.
How Does Running Compare to Other Aerobic Exercises?
Running and other aerobic exercises strengthen your heart and lungs. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week. That is 30 minutes per day, five days per week.
The number of calories a 154-pound person will burn in 30 minutes doing different aerobic exercises includes:
| Exercise | Calories Burned |
| Hiking | 185 |
| Dancing | 165 |
| Golfing | 165 |
| Light gardening or yard work | 170 |
| Bicycling (less than 10 miles per hour) | 150 |
| Walking (3.5 miles per hour) | 145 |
| Light weightlifting | 110 |
| Stretching | 90 |
Why Is Running Good for You?
Like other types of exercise, running improves your overall health. Physical activity helps lower your risk of illness, manage your weight, and improve your all-cause mortality risk.
Possible benefits of running include:
- Boosts mood
- Improves sleep quality
- Improves bone health
- Supports heart health
How Do You Get Started?
Tracking calories is not for everyone, but it may be helpful if you are trying to lose weight.
You might use a fitness tracker, such as an Apple, Fitbit, or Garmin watch. Many watches tell you how many calories you burn running a mile.
There is much more to staying healthy than tracking calories in versus calories out. “The key to exercise and weight management is consistency with a healthy, balanced diet and moving your body,” Cynthia Sass, RD, Health‘s contributing nutrition editor, told Health.
“It doesn’t have to be the toughest workout. As long as you’re getting your heart rate up, you enjoy it, and you can do it regularly,” said Sass.