Calories burned running outdoors vs treadmill

ydyms
ydyms Posts: 266 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How does calorie burn compare when running outdoors and on the treadmill? I usually run on a .5 or 1 incline.... Just curious!

Replies

  • Dwagner888
    Dwagner888 Posts: 14 Member
    I'm not sure exactly what the difference is, but running outdoors should burn more calories, especially if you are running off road. There are random patterns in the earth that require you to use more muscles then the repetitive motion of a treadmill. It mostly depends on how strong your self-motivation is
  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
    The calorie burn over the same speed, distance and incline, be it indoors or out will vary very little in the grand scheme of things. Typically a minor incline of 1% may be applied to the treadmill to mimic the effect of wind resistance outside but apparently this is only really the case if you're running say sub 20min 5k's. Otherwise the difference will be negligible aside from if your outdoor route is hilly.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    ydyms wrote: »
    How does calorie burn compare when running outdoors and on the treadmill? I usually run on a .5 or 1 incline.... Just curious!

    Negligible difference. The main difference is that the treadmill is incredibly boring.
  • CincyNeid
    CincyNeid Posts: 1,249 Member
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    ydyms wrote: »
    How does calorie burn compare when running outdoors and on the treadmill? I usually run on a .5 or 1 incline.... Just curious!

    Negligible difference. The main difference is that the treadmill is incredibly boring.

    Human Hamster Wheel as I like to call them.
  • meglet2202
    meglet2202 Posts: 35 Member
    I don't know about calorie burn, but when I switched from treadmill running to outdoor (sidewalk) running, my whole shape changed. I lost inches on my hips and thighs quickly. It was surprising.
  • BodyzLanguage
    BodyzLanguage Posts: 200 Member
    I would imagine it's the same. Providing you're running at the same pace you're comparing.
  • cricket490
    cricket490 Posts: 31 Member
    What surprised me when I started running ouside was I ran much faster than on a treadmill. Even with hills, wind, heat and humidity. I am short so that may be the reason.
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    edited August 2016
    dancingonstarz wrote: »
    I would expect it to be a higher burn running outside, considering that when you run on solid ground, you propel your body forward using the muscles in your grounded leg, whereas on a treadmill you pick your leg up, move it forward and put it down, while your grounded leg is moved backward by the belt. You aren't required to propel your weight forward in the same way as when running on solid ground.

    I'm no expert though, and maybe it doesn't make a real difference in calories burned, but I've always been able to run faster/farther more easily on a treadmill than outside.

    If you shift your frame of reference to include just the top of the treadmill at a fixed point on the belt and the person running on it, you'll see why you are wrong. You have to propel your entire body forward compared to the treadmill belt just like you do compared to the earth surface. The fact that one is millions of times bigger has no actual bearing on the number of calories burned.

    The only differences are 1) variability in the running surface causing you to use extra stabilizer muscles 2) wind resistance. 1 & 2 make little difference when it comes to calorie burn and can easily be made up for by having a constant incline. You can even simulate wind with a fan if you feel so inclined.

    Do whichever you enjoy and/or is more convenient for you.
  • AndrewD315
    AndrewD315 Posts: 57 Member
    As far as calories burned treadmill all the way. It's the controlled speed and incline. Incline alone can triple calories burned and your speed well stay where you put it. It's boring and if you can match speed and incline it's a push! and outdoors seems a much better way for me to pass the time!
  • AndrewD315
    AndrewD315 Posts: 57 Member
    Reread OP with that small incline; if you match speed total push on burn, do what you like best!
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    I burn way more calories running outside because I don't ever get on the treadmill. Tried it once only. Running is monotonous enough when you are outside looking at things, dodging dogs, waiting for lights to change, saying "good morning" to people, etc. Barely tolerable. On the treadmill, intolerable.
  • ydyms
    ydyms Posts: 266 Member
    I'm the OP. For me the treadmill is the only option thanks to my kids and full time job! So when I log calories burned, I'd like to know if MFP is accurate according to the treadmill...
  • cricket490
    cricket490 Posts: 31 Member
    edited August 2016
    For me, MFP and the treadmill calorie calculations are wrong and overstated. For example today I cycled 33 miles for 2 1/2 hours and my Garmin watch with heart rate monitor (chest strap) calculated my exercise calories at 893. When I entered the time and distance in MFP it calculated my burn at 1197. That is overstated by 300 calories!! MFP also calculates my running calories incorrectly. I do not eat back all my exercise calories but was surprised at the huge variance.

    I thought my heart rate monitor was wrong and installed a new battery this week and replaced the chest strap. Exact same calorie burns.

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