Running for Weight Loss: What to Expect
How many calories running burns and how to make it sustainable.
Calories burned
Running burns roughly 1 kcal per kilogram per kilometre. A 70 kg person burns around 350 kcal in a 5 km run.
Do not out-run your diet
Appetite often rises with exercise and it is easy to eat back the calories. Combine running with a modest food deficit for steady loss.
Build up safely
Increase weekly distance by no more than about 10 percent and include rest days. Strength work reduces injury risk.
Try it: Calories Burned Running Calculator
Example with sample values. Open the full calculator →
Calories burned362.6 kcal
Duration30 min
Speed10 km/h
Uses about 1.04 kcal per kg per km, which is the net cost above resting. Terrain and wind change this.
Educational content only. This article does not replace advice from a qualified health professional. Medical disclaimer.