Running questions about calorie burn?

karensoxfan

I'm new to running, but I have 2 questions about the calories it burns:

1. I run 2 miles in about 30 minutes. I know this is 4 mph, but in MFP, 4 mph is only listed as walking, and I'm definitely not walking, so I log it as 5 mph, jogging. The calories burned match pretty closely to what I get on runtheplanet.com if I calculate there by weight & speed (@ 4 mph) for 30 minutes. If I calculate based on my weight & distance though, RTP shows less calories burned. Does anyone know why I'd get different results depending what criteria are used?

2. Are calories burned running outside different than calories burned on a treadmill? I don't have a treadmill, but when I travel, I might use a hotel one, and I wonder if I should expect the machine to calculate a different number than I burn outside? Does the incline matter? When I run outside, it's up & down small hills, so the incline is constantly changing, which I like. I run a loop though, so I'm always ending up balanced how much I run uphill vs. how much I run downhill.

Anyway, thanks for any help for me to understand this stuff without the advantage of a HRM to know my exact burn.

skinimin

I want to know these things too!! Please other MFP people, answer her!! haha

chphotography

I WALK 2 miles in abut 32 minutes which is about 4 MPH. I guess if I wanted I could jog it out at 4 mph but it is a normal walking pase. Im not long legged or anything either. Im 5ft 1 180#'s
Calories outside are different then Calories inside due to the fact treadmills are a flat even surface.. Outside you have corners and bumps and little hills and stops and gos...

s_waser

Calories burned on the treadmill are definately less than if you run outside. You are pushing your body to move against the elavation of the land, wind and are phyically moving. The treadmill moves while you are running not as much resistance. The best way to know how many calories your body is actually burning is to get one of those arm bands you see on the Biggest Loser. They are super expensive but that is the only way to know your exact calorie burn. Everything else is only an estimate. I do not have the arm band because it is too expensive for me but when in doubt about calories I burned I under estimate instead of over estimate because I don't want to over estimate and eat more calories than I should which would cause little to no weight loss!
Good luck and keep up the running!!!

dlaplume2

It's hard. The advantage to a treadmill is it keeps track of speed and incline and incline does add calorie burn; however most treadmills, unless you put in your weigt, are estimates based on a 150lb person. You do burn more calories running than you do walking. Get a heart rate monitor if you want to get accurate reading, otherwise go with the lower of the numbers you find.

kswizzy

Incline matters... a LOT.

The best way to monitor is with one of those watches that Nike has that are extremely programmable... Otherwise... just use estimates. Anything you plug in your weight and distance or weight and timeframe into isn't going to account for what your heart-rate was or for how the incline's changed. I'd say split the difference, if anything.

I use mapmyrun.com

Its amazing because I can literally map (on a MAP) WHERE i ran, where I took turns, etc. and then save those runs for when I do them again... you can add splits if you ran the first loop faster than the second. Or if you went out and back instead of on a loop. However, it usually gives me calorie burn (when I run on a treadmill) that is MUCH lower than what the treadmill tells me.

If I run on a treadmill and I add in my weight, etc... I just use what it says (cuz it boosts my self esteem).

Not sure if any of this helped tho!

Wakx

1) You can adjust the calories burned estimated by MFP. Just replace the figure that pops up automatically. That's assuming you remember what the treadmill showed.

2) I'm pretty sure that different treadmills measure calories differently. I do not believe, however, that the difference matters. If these differences were to be decisive you'd be training on a very narrow edge.

3) Incline makes a significant difference. Contrary to bicycling, running downhill isn't getting much easier. The more incline, up or down but of course especially up, the more calories burnt.

Suedre

I'm not sure even a HRM can give you exact numbers. I have one and it often estimates my burn higher than I think it should, but I really think it's within 10%. They way I've heard it explained (and this could be total bunk) is that running and walking burn the same number of calories per mile, but you can obviously cover more miles moving faster. So if walking 3 miles in 45 minutes burns 250 calories, then running 3 in 30 minutes also burns 250. Would be an interesting experiement to try.

Re: treadmills vs. road.. I hate treadmills. I find them about 1000 times harder than the road. I'm pretty sure it's completely mental and has little to do with actual burn, but I swear I work harder on the treadmill. I hate it so much, that I tried to run on one at a hotel, became completely miserable, jumped off, ran out of the gym and started doing laps around the hotel. Go figure.

sweetheart03622

Regarding the calorie burn, everything is going to register differently. If you really want an accurate view I'd highly recommend investing in a heart rate monitor. I'd say that your speed is going to be a better benchmark than distance, but I really wouldn't trust the estimates on any machine or website (even this one). That being said, I typically average about 125 calories/mile ran and I'm 22, 5'7 and just under 170lbs. Most people say that estimating 100 calories/mile is a safe bet, but keep in mind that's for an experienced athlete (typically someone who's been running for a few years and has a body fat % in the low 20's). If you're heavier, taller, shorter, more fit, less fit, these will all factor in to your calorie burn.

Calories burned running outside are typically going to be more than calories on a treadmill (providing you run for the same amount of time and at a similar speed). With treadmills, you don't have to deal with weather, terrain, etc. The incline will make a difference as it will spike your heartrate. The downhills are typically no big deal because your heart will typically stay elevated during this period as well.

karensoxfan

Wow, thanks everyone. Now I'm wondering whether you burn more calories in cold weather (because your body works harder to get warm) or warm (because you sweat more)?

Anyway, I weight 186 lb. (I'm 5'5" tall). Here are the 3 different calorie burns I get for my 2 mile run in just under 30 minutes:

MFP 29 minutes @ 5 mph gives me 326 calories.*

RTP Distance Calculator: 186 lb. for 2 miles gives me 243 calories

RTP Speed Calculator: 186 lb. @ 4 mph for 29 minutes gives me 337 calories.

*I go with the majority (2 out of 3 calculations are over 300 calories), and use the MFP number, but I'm still confused why the Distance calculator gives such a lower result? Could the distance calculator be assuming I'm running faster, since 4 mph is such a slow run?

smilebhappy

bumping for later~
I am starting to run myself & am very interested in knowing the answers

ecp2698

Hey Karen! I don’t think you burn a significant amount more or less depending on the weather.. When you run in warmer temps, you are going to sweat more, hence feeling like you got more of a workout, kwim?

Running outside is way harder then running on a treadmill, you go up and down hills, have potential wind that can make it harder. Typically, I think that treadmills/elliptical trainers over estimate calories burned, so be careful with that, too.

I know you don’t have a HRM but if you plan on getting serious about running and doing it regularly, it might be a smart investment. I feel much better having an accurate one and feeling confident that I am logging accurate calories burned.

rvice2

The best way to get an accurate calorie count is a heart rate monitor. You can get a simple Polar for $100 bucks. I have had mine for 3 years and it was the best investment I have ever made.

EVERYTHING affects the calories. I sometimes burn more on a treadmill because I run faster to get it over with even though I keep it at 0 elevation. When I run outside, sometimes I burn less on a hilly run if I run it slower because my heartrate doesn't get up as high as if I am speed running on a flat course. The heavier one is the more they will burn. When I was in the 160's I burned considerably more than I burn now at 144. I would HIGHLY recommend a HRM. The body bugg (as someone mentioned earlier) from the biggest loser is not based on heartrate, but 3 motion sensers. I have read some pretty bad reviews on them. HRM have been around forever - tried and trusted. Get one!!!!

rvice2

And yes. . .I burn fewer calories in the winter because my body doesn't have to work as hard to keep it cool. I burn considerably more in July when I am panting like a dog because it is so hot!!!!!!!!!!