Can I Exercise My Way to Weight Loss?

Running (or walking) a mile burns about 120 calories. That may double if you count the increased metabolic rate that can happen after fairly intense exercise. If you run 5 miles per day, that would mean a burn of an additional 600 (or 1200) calories. Most of us burn 1500-2000 calories per day as a base, so even looking at the high end of the range, someone running 5 miles a day will burn a little over 3000 calories. If you're a big eater and make bad choices at the table, you can consume that many calories at a single meal. The lesson here is that you can not exercise yourself to weight loss, you must control what you eat.