Figuring out how many calories you are really burning on the treadmill.

Written: Jan 12, 2012, 8:05PM Have you ever wondered how accurate that treadmill is when it tells you how many calories you have burned? We are all have different amounts of weight to carry so how can it be one standard number. The rule of thumb is approximately 100 calories per a mile ran or walked. However I have the formula to figure out the exact number of calories burned. I am 116 pounds and ran on the treadmill for 20 minutes at a 6mph speed with 0 grade. Calculate how many calories that is? The beginning equation Vo2=(0.2S)+(0.9SG)+3.5 To solve for the unknown variables: S= speed in meters per minute. MPH x 26.8 6mph x 26.8=160.8 m/min G= grade 0% If it were 4% incline you would convert that to 0.04 Convert pounds to kilograms= lbs/2.2 116lbs/2.2= 52.72kg Fill in the unknown variables in the equation above V02= (0.2 x 160.8)+ (0.9 x 160.8 x 0)+3.5 = 32.16+0+3.5 V02= 35.66 To convert VO2 in calories per minute Multiply V02 x wt in kg Then divide that number by 1000 Multiply that number by 5 To figure out my calories burned on the treadmill looks like this: 35.66 x 52.72kg= 1879.99 1879.99/1000= 1.87 1.87x5=9.39 I ran for 20 minutes so 9.39 x 20 minutes= 188 calories. There are 3500 calories in a pound. If you are going at a speed less than 5mph then there is a different equation for that. V02=(0.1s)+(1.8SG)+3.5. Then solve for calories the same way.