Burn Baby Burn

6.5. 9:14. 107. 81.

Treadmills flash countless numerical bits of information. A runner can find everything from their speed to their pace to their heart rate. One of these numbers is the number of calories burned. Yet while many of the other numbers are readily accepted as fact, the calorie counter conjures doubt and skepticism.

In truth, the calorie counter does not perfectly reflect the number of calories burned for any given workout. This happens because too many factors determine the number of calories burned per treadmill session.

“Everything from your age to your weight and even the phase of your menstrual cycle can affect how many calories your body actually burns,” said The Sun, a daily paper published in the United Kingdom.

This means that, while the number of burned calories on the treadmill’s display may be close, it’s hard to be exact.

Body mass index (BMI) is a strong indicator of how many calories burn during a workout. To estimate BMI, just follow the equation using pounds for weight and inches for height: Weight ÷ height(height) x 703 = BMI.

For an hour of jogging, a BMI lower than 18.5 burns around 286 calories; a BMI of 18.5 – 24.9 burns around 387 calories; a BMI of 25-29.9 burns around 492 calories; a BMI above 30 burns 588 calories.

Of course, these too are just estimates. However, they can help in determining the treadmill’s accuracy.

Luckily, the treadmill possesses one of the most accurate calorie counters, according to an article by Jessica Smith of Shape.com. This is most true when a correct weight is entered and the handrails of the treadmill aren’t used.

The elliptical is one of the least accurate cardio machines in terms of counting calories, according to a recent study, Smith said. The unnatural motion of the elliptical differs highly from a natural stride. This leads to the machine overestimating the number of calories burned per workout.

On any cardio machine, the calorie counter may not be spot on, but it can at least help provide an estimate. And of course, none of the numbers on a treadmill determine beauty or self-worth.