Running is always touted as one of the best calorie-burning exercises there is. But what do the figures say? Well, surprisingly there isn’t much difference in the number of calories used walking or running the same distance.
A study in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise [2004] found that the average energy expenditure for running a mile was 113 calories, while the average for walking was 81 calories. But given that running is faster than walking, you’ll cover more ground in the same amount of time, and therefore burn more energy overall.
Another bonus of vigorous exercise like running is its afterburn effect, known as EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). This is the additional energy burned in helping the body get back to a resting state after a workout. Although all activity results in some EPOC, exercise at greater than 75% of maximum capacity (like running) has a significantly greater effect than lower-intensity activities, such as walking.
To get an estimate of the number of calories you expend running, multiply your body weight in kilograms by the distance you’ve run in kilometres. But bear in mind you will use more calories running on uneven terrain and hills than on the flat.
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