Calories burned running

marie_2454
marie_2454 Posts: 881 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
2 questions:
1. Should I eat a little bit more on days I do longer runs?
2. Is 630 calories burned a pretty close estimation for my run today?

Right now I'm not eating my exercise calories back; I'm just eating 1,550 calories a day. I ran 5.15 miles today (yay me!) and I'm thinking that on days I run more I should probably eat a bit more. Anyways, according to my ipod nike plus app I burned 629 calories (5.15 miles in 49:45 minutes- outside in a semi hilly terain). This seems pretty high to me, so I went online and used 11 different calculators to figure out my burn. I've got a range from 535-696 calories burned, so maybe my ipod is close? Anyways, I'm super new to running; I just started earlier this month and only recently have been going more than 1.5 miles. Oh, I'm also 23, 5'9, and 159 pounds.

Replies

  • Car0lynnM
    Car0lynnM Posts: 332 Member
    I use a heart rate monitor, and it was 100 calories different from Nike+ running app after my run. If you want a more accurate calorie burn count, get a HRM. It knows exactly how hard you're working.
  • sevsmom
    sevsmom Posts: 1,172 Member
    You have to feed the machine if you want to build any success at running. You can't run well and deprive yourself. Eat a few extra healthy snacks. . .fruit, veggies, whatever trips your trigger.

    As for calories burned, that's a hard call. . .it depends on your height/weight and cardiovascular endurance. A MFP friend and I (an ocean apart) ran 85(ish) min at the same 6.7 mph pace yesterday (a bit over 9 miles). . .he burned almost 1400 calories and I got a mere 900. I'm guessing I'm a bit shorter and lighter than he is. No fair!! In any event, if you need to know exact numbers (well, more precise numbers) invest in a heart rate monitor. They aren't perfect, but they'll give you a better idea.

    Hope any of that helps!
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    629 Calories looks about right. Eat some or most of that 629 and you will recover better than if you deprive yourself too much.
  • Cool_beanz
    Cool_beanz Posts: 2 Member
    As a handy rule of thumb, you burn c.100 cals per mile. This will increase if you push yourself to your limits and reduce a little if you are just trundling around. It's hard to work out exactly what you have burned as there are so many things that can influence it.

    I have a Garmin Forerunner watch which tells me my calories and I always cross check it with my own 100 cals per mile calculation. If I have run harder I expect my watch to higher and if Ive taken it easy I expect it to be less and that's usually what happens.

    As for eating more. If I'm running 6 miles or less, I don't really eat that much more although I may have an extra snack like a banana or a couple of jaffa cakes an hour before I run. I tend to do my longer runs in the morning so if i'm going out for more than 6m I will have a bigger breakfast (an extra Weetabix, a bit more porridge or a banana chopped on my usual cereal). For much longer runs of 12 miles plus, I have the same big breakfast as above but will also have a bigger lunch when I get back. I might even chuck in a piece of carrot cake - what the heck, Ive earned it right?!
  • marie_2454
    marie_2454 Posts: 881 Member
    Thanks everyone! I'm going to start eating at least some of my calories back on days I run 5+ miles.

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