The more you run, the less calories you burn 🏃🏽‍♂️

7 Jul 2026 · 1 min

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1:27

In this fitness commentary, the speaker explains that when you repeatedly run the same distance, your body adapts, making the activity easier and causing your metabolism to burn fewer calories for that same effort. An initial estimate of 500 calories per mile drops as fitness improves. Additionally, being in a calorie deficit and losing weight further slows metabolism, reducing calorie burn. To maintain a 500‑calorie expenditure you must increase intensity—run faster, longer, add incline, or otherwise make the workout harder. The speaker contrasts this with weightlifting, noting that building muscle raises resting calorie expenditure over time. Consequently, for fat loss the recommendation is to prioritize resistance training while still doing cardio for heart health, and to let nutrition and a calculated calorie deficit drive weight loss. A free calorie calculator link is provided for viewers to determine their appropriate deficit.

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Since no one ever explains things in their videos, let me do it for you. Let's say you start running a mile, and at first your body burns 500 calories. If you keep running consistently, running that same mile becomes easier because your body adapts and your fitness improves, which is a good thing. But if your body doesn't have to work as hard, your metabolism would adapt, Which means you burn less calories. Not to mention, if you're in a calorie deficit and losing weight, this also would slow down your metabolism and burn less calories. So if you still wanted to burn 500 calories, you'd have to run at a faster pace, a longer distance, an incline, or anything to make it harder. That's what she said. But if we compare running to weightlifting, when you lift weights, you build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn over time, not less. This is why if your goal is to lose fat, I would focus your exercise on lifting weight. You can still do cardio and should for your heart health. I just wouldn't do it as a way to burn calories and let your nutrition and eating in a calorie deficit be the main driver of your fat loss. And if you need to know what your calorie deficit should be, click this link in my bio, use my free calorie calculator.