In order to fuel your workouts and recover efficiently after a run, a strategic nutrition plan is necessary as running requires burning a significant amount of calories. However, the question remains: What is the ideal calorie intake for a runner?
It can be helpful to know the caloric needs of runners, whether they are trying to lose weight, maintain weight, or gain weight. In this article, we will answer the important question “How many calories should a runner eat?”
Do Calories Matter For Runners
When it comes to weight loss, the concept of calories can be divisive. There are individuals who hold the belief that weight loss is solely determined by the straightforward comparison of calories consumed (calories in) and calories burned (calories out).
Your weight will stay the same when these two factors are equal. If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight, whereas if you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight.
Some individuals argue that calories are just a minor aspect when it comes to losing weight, rendering concerns about “calorie math” futile.
Even if the potentially debatable connection between calories and weight loss is ignored, knowing the appropriate calorie intake for a runner can still be highly advantageous.
When you run or engage in any kind of physical activity, calories are the energy that your body requires.
How Many Calories Should A Runner Eat
Let’s focus on the practical aspect: how many calories should a runner consume? It is difficult to provide a specific answer to this question for every runner since the calorie requirement varies depending on several factors.
The main factors to consider when determining how many calories a runner should eat include:
Your BMR
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of calories your body expends each day solely to support your life. Basic bodily functions such as breathing and blood circulation consume a specific amount of energy.
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is primarily affected by your weight and body composition, along with your age and gender. If you have a larger physique and greater muscle mass, your BMR will be higher.
To simplify, a runner weighing 95 pounds will have a BMR lower than a runner weighing 175 pounds. Additionally, a runner weighing 180 pounds and having 12% body fat will have a higher BMR compared to another individual weighing 180 pounds but having 28% body fat.
When it comes to sex, males generally have a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR) than females because of variances in their lean body mass and the proportions of metabolically-active organs such as the liver. Ultimately, as individuals age, BMR tends to decline primarily due to sarcopenia, which entails the loss of muscle mass.
The American Council on Exercise advises that typically, your BMR accounts for approximately 60-75% of your total daily calorie expenditure. The percentage can differ depending on your level of activity, including both your running workouts and everyday physical movements.
To calculate the number of calories that runners need to consume, it is necessary to employ a BMR or RMR formula to estimate this value, unless one opts for metabolic testing in a physiology lab.
Based on studies, it has been demonstrated that the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation provides the most precise results, with an estimation typically within 10% of the measured resting metabolic rate.
Your Weight Goals
The desired weight outcome is one of the most critical factors in determining how many calories a runner should consume daily. Are you looking to lose weight, maintain your current weight, or gain weight? For runners aiming to lose weight, it is necessary to create a caloric deficit, which entails consuming fewer calories per day than they are burning.
To maintain their weight, runners should ensure that the number of calories they consume is equal to the number they burn each day. On the other hand, runners aiming to gain weight need to eat more calories than they burn daily to create a surplus in calories.
The quantity of training that you are engaging in.
The amount and type of workouts you do as well as your planned exercise greatly impact the number of calories you need to consume as a runner. To accurately estimate the calories burned during your workouts, wearing a heart rate monitor while running is highly recommended.
You have the option to estimate the number of calories you expend while running by utilizing the METs values assigned to various running speeds.
According to the Compendium of Physical Activities, running can be determined to be approximately 6-20 METS, depending on the pace or level of effort. For instance, running at a speed of 5 miles per hour or 8 kilometers per hour corresponds to a METs value of 8.3.
Overall Activity Level
In your everyday life, including activities during work and other daily tasks, you burn calories in addition to the calories burned during planned exercise like running. It is important to remember that BMR only accounts for the calories burned while completely inactive and resting in bed for the whole day.
Getting out of bed and performing daily activities such as going to work, preparing meals, taking care of personal hygiene, walking the dog, and tending to the children requires extra effort, resulting in the consumption of additional energy and calories.
If you engage in more physical activity during the day, such as standing, walking, and carrying objects, your caloric requirements will increase.
To determine how lifestyle physical activity contributes to your total caloric needs, most BMR or RMR equations involve applying an “activity multiplier.”
How Do Calories Work
Calories serve as a measurement of the energy your body obtains from digesting and absorbing food. Foods with a higher calorie content can provide your body with greater energy. Any surplus calories not utilized through physical activity are stored in the form of body fat.
The text can be rephrased as follows: The process can be broken down into simple steps or stages
- Too many calories = Excess weight
- Not enough calories = Lose weight fast
To determine your daily calorie intake, there are numerous resources at your disposal. By taking into account variables such as your activity level, current weight, and desired weight loss, you can calculate an optimal calorie target.
Your primary care physician or physical trainer may provide a more personalized approach to determine your daily caloric intake, as this is a general number.
Calorie Math
Understanding the connection between the calories you consume and burn is key to determining your calorie count. While it may not provide a comprehensive explanation for weight changes, it serves as an initial step in comprehending the influence of your caloric intake on your fitness objectives.
If the amount of calories you consume is higher than the amount of calories you burn, it will result in weight gain.
Losing weight occurs when your calories expended surpass your calories consumed.
If the number of calories you consume is equal to the number of calories you burn, it will result in maintaining your weight.
If you consume more calories than you burn in a day, you will gain weight. If you consume fewer calories than you burn in a day, you will lose weight. If your caloric inputs and outputs for the day are equal, you will maintain weight.
Whether you gain or lose weight does not only depend on the calories you consume versus the calories you burn during your daily training runs.
Your body can be influenced by various factors such as your basal (resting) metabolic rate and the composition of the foods you consume (whether they are high in fat or comprise lean protein sources). Additionally, your stress level can also affect your weight gain and fat storage. Moreover, genetic and cultural background are among the factors that can impact the fluctuations in your weight.
How Exercise Affects Your Calorie Requirements
No matter what your weight and fitness goals may be, it is crucial to consume calories in order to provide your body with the necessary fuel for daily activities, specifically running. Insufficient intake of food or “fuel foods” will negatively impact your performance and recovery after running.
To achieve gains and monitor progress, as well as maintain long-term health and nutrition, it is crucial to ensure proper nutrition. Consuming excess calories may lead to weight gain, thus impacting running performance and cardiovascular well-being.
It is beneficial to be aware of the number of calories consumed daily and the effect of meals on the body in order to achieve fitness goals. When determining the ideal daily calorie intake, factors such as BMR, weight and fitness objectives, and level of physical activity must be taken into consideration.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
This number signifies the amount of calories consumed by your body while performing basic functions and daily activities, excluding deliberate physical exercise. Bodily processes such as breathing and maintaining a regular heartbeat require calories to ensure optimal functioning.
The main factors influencing this are your age, weight, and sex. The decrease in basal metabolic rate (BMR) is primarily attributed to muscle loss that occurs with aging.
The weight of a runner fluctuates from person to person due to factors such as size and muscle mass. Individuals who are larger or have more muscle mass tend to have a higher Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). In terms of BMR, males generally have an advantage over females due to their lean body mass and composition.
The American Council on Exercise suggests that your basal metabolic rate accounts for approximately 60-75% of the calories you expend during a day. Calculating your BMR can be done using online calculators or the Mifflin-St Jeor formula.
What Are Your Weight Goals
Regardless of whether you want to gain weight, lose weight, or maintain your current weight, there are methods available to moderately manage your weight.
If your goal is weight loss, creating a caloric deficit through your diet can aid in reaching that goal. It is essential to maintain a balance between your caloric intake and output to retain your current weight. Conversely, a caloric surplus can contribute to weight gain if that is what you aim for.
Amount of Training Planned and Daily Activity Level
The number of calories you should aim to eat daily will vary depending on the number of miles you plan to run per week and the additional training you may be doing to complement your running routine.
Your daily activity level has an influence on calorie burning, in addition to your training. This incorporates activities such as daily step count, whether you remain sedentary at a desk all day or not, and engaging in tasks like chasing after pets or children. Essentially, it encompasses different aspects of life.
