Whether you want to improve your circulatory health, lose weight, or relieve stress, running can be the proper exercise for you.
How Many Calories Do 20 Minutes of Running Burn?
Running is simple cardio that you can practice anywhere you like, and you don’t need any special equipment to reap its benefits.
However, if you’re trying to reach your weight loss goal, you’re probably wondering about the number of calories you can burn during your run. So, how many calories do 20 minutes of running burn?
Keep reading to answer this question.
How Many Calories Do 20 Minutes of Running Burn
When you run, your cells use more energy, so you start burning the stored fat to provide your muscle cells with the needed fuel. While losing weight, you might want to count the calories you’re actually burning when you run.
The number of calories you burn is calculated based on the METs. This is the working metabolic rate ratio compared to the resting one. According to this ratio, the body burns 3.5 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram per minute.
However, the number of calories burned is an average and not a specific number because it’s affected by several factors.
For example, on average, a healthy adult will burn between 150 and 300 calories during a 20-minute run, depending on how fast they go.
Yet, it’s important to consider the other factors that affect the METs.
To calculate the number of calories burned per minute, you can follow a mathematical formula.
Calories burned per minute = MET X Weight in Kilograms X 3.5/200
The MET of running at a slow speed of 5.6 miles per hour is 8.8, and it’s 11.8 when you’re running fast at 11.8 miles per hour.
These standardized numbers can be used for almost everyone, regardless of their genetics, gender, or age. Nevertheless, the actual number of calories you burn can vary.
What are the Factors that Affect the Number of Calories Burned While Running?
It’s essential to think of these values as guidelines and not solid facts because the number of calories you burn will significantly vary between one person and another and between two running sessions done by the same person.
Here are some factors that you need to take into consideration while calculating the number of calories burned and answering How Many Calories Do 20 Minutes of Running Burn.
Intensity
This refers to how hard you’re exercising and how much harder your heart has to work. The intensity of running can be determined by the speed and the duration of your running session.
So, when you run faster, you burn more calories, even if you’re maintaining the same running duration.
This is why you can burn more calories by going at a fast speed and then going back to a moderate one as you push your muscles harder.
Going too fast is a bit challenging unless you’ve been running for quite some time, as you’ll be struggling to maintain your breathing pattern.
Difficulty
You don’t always run on a flat surface, so you’re likely to burn more calories if you’re running on a challenging or steep trail.
When there are obstacles, you’ll be dodging them to avoid falling, and this might involve increasing or decreasing your pace. You’ll also work more muscles to avoid these obstacles.
The degree of inclination will affect the number of calories you burn because you have to put more effort into running.
Gender
Your gender can partially affect the number of calories you burn while running or practicing any cardio.
Men typically burn more calories than women because they store less fat in their bodies and have stronger and bigger muscle tissue.
This, however, doesn’t mean that women don’t burn enough calories while running. A fit woman with strong muscles running at high speed will burn more calories than a man who hasn’t exercised before.
Age
As we grow older, we start to lose muscle tissue which slows down metabolism and the body’s ability to burn calories. As a result, you will burn fewer calories as you grow older, and losing weight becomes harder.
Yet, you can always maintain your muscle mass by exercising regularly, even when you’re growing older.
Weight
The more you weigh, the more calories you burn according to the MET equation because your body works harder. Your muscles aren’t trained enough, so you need to provide them with more fuel to exercise.
An overweight person’s muscles need to work harder to finish a 20-minute run.
Genetics
The final factor that you need to consider is your genetics. Our bodies are built differently, so your metabolic rate can be lower or higher than the average metabolic rate.
Your muscle tissue and fats are also different from everyone else, so you might burn more or fewer calories than someone running for the same duration at the same speed.
How Many Calories Do 20 Minutes of Running Burn: Benefits of Running For 20 Minutes
Running for 20 minutes might not seem like much, but this short exercise will have a huge impact on your overall fitness and health. A 20-minute run is a good start for someone who hasn’t worked out before.
It prepares your muscles and slowly pumps them to get ready for more intense exercises.
If you continue to run for 20 minutes five days a week, you’ll be able to notice and feel the change in your body. Here are the benefits of running for 20 minutes.
- You’ll lose weight.
- Your blood pressure level will be regulated.
- You’ll feel more relaxed and less anxious.
- You’ll be more motivated.
Final Thoughts On How Many Calories Do 20 Minutes of Running Burn
Although it might not seem like much, running for 20 minutes is a great way to lose weight and stay fit. You can burn between 150 and 300 calories during this duration, but the number will vary according to a lot of factors.
Running is a great way to get in shape and improve your overall health, but how many calories does it really burn? Here’s a look at how Many Calories 20 Minutes of Running Burn at various speeds.
At a slow pace of 6 mph, you’ll burn around 100 calories in 20 minutes. But if you pick up the pace to 7.5 mph, you can expect to burn around 200 calories in the same amount of time. And if you go all out at 8.6 mph, you’ll burn a whopping 300 calories in just 20 minutes!
So, if you’re looking to make the most of your calorie-burning efforts, aim for a pace of 7.5 mph or higher. And if you really want to torch calories, try interval training, where you alternate between periods of high-intensity effort and lower-intensity recovery.
either way, happy running!