Considered good for cardiovascular health, walking and running are both perfect kinds of exercises to get fit. Runners always adore the activity’s intensity and walkers believe it is an activity good for overall health. However, if we specifically talk about weight loss, there can be a proper analysis regarding walking vs running. Not only this, but there are also several deciding factors for whether one should choose to run or walk for their fat loss journey. Let us discuss some basics first!
Walking vs Running: Key Differences
As mentioned, walking and running are both great types of cardio exercises. There are certain running benefits as well as advantages of walking. Neither is “better” than the other, the choice of picking them depends on one’s fitness goals and objectives. Specifically for weight loss, there are several advantages to running every day. On the other hand, walking benefits incorporate health benefits such as maintaining weight and reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. It’s time to discuss some diverse perspectives of walking vs running.
- Is Running Easier to Start with?
If we talk about beginners, walking is a natural choice, it’s an activity that we as human beings majorly depend on, and there are numerous walking benefits, that’s for sure. It’s less effortless on the joints, needs no equipment, and can be done anywhere. It is an easy and well-known exercise that is good for people who are new to fitness, people often prefer to walk on the treadmill. Now running as an activity can be a little intimidating for beginners as it requires more stamina and strength, and without appropriate technique, it can lead to injuries. That said, if you go for a walk regularly and feel ready to challenge yourself, running could be the next step in advancing your fat-loss journey.
- Which one is better for burning calories?
Walking is an activity that can provide a lot of the same running benefits. To mention, some studies found that running burns approximately double the number of calories as walking.
Talking about numbers, an individual needs to burn around 3,500 calories to lose one pound. If your objective is fat loss or weight loss, running is considered to be a better choice than walking.
For those beginners who find it difficult to perform intense running, walking can still help them get in shape. It can boost your heart and give you more energy overall.
- Time and Convenience
For those individuals who have a packed schedule, time can be a critical factor for them. If you want to lose weight and have time constraints, then you can add a 30-minute run to your schedule. It helps you burn more calories compared to walking. Running can indeed help you to achieve your fat-loss goals.
However, if you are someone who prefers walking, you require more time to burn the same number of calories, which can be easily put into your day by breaking it up into shorter sessions. These walking sessions can be divided into lunch breaks, walking meetings, or while doing household chores.
Walking vs Running for Weight Loss
There are various techniques one can prioritize for running, specifically for weight loss. Let us discuss those!
Speed and power walking
Speed walking is a kind of walk that can be done at a brisk pace, usually 3 mph or more. One thing to note here is that an individual’s heart rate is significantly elevated during speed-walking. An individual can burn more calories per minute by speed walking instead of walking at the usual pace.
Secondly, there is power walking, which is usually performed from 3 mph to 5 mph, but some power walkers reach speeds of 7 to 10 mph. Power walking also burns a somewhat equal number of calories as running. For instance, power walking at 4 mph can burn the same number of calories as jogging at 4 mph.
Incline walking vs running
One of the most suggested ways of reducing fat is Incline walking, it indeed has various benefits. It involves walking uphill, helping you cut off some of the extra fat from the thigh and hip area. Take note, the higher the incline, the more calories are burnt. Compared to walking on a flat surface, If, you burn more calories at an incline.
You can look for a hilly area or walk on an incline mode on the treadmill. For a better result, increase the incline by 5, 10, or 15% at a time to practice. If you’re a beginner at incline walking, you can start steadily and work up to a 15% incline.
Combining Walking and Running for Best Results
The debate, walking vs running is ongoing, but we cannot forget the people who prefer to combine these practices, it is certainly a trendy method, mainly known as interval training. It is an activity where an individual can alternate between walking and running, as per their comfort. This technique can further boost an individual’s metabolism and keep the body guessing, helping lose fat. If you are a beginner, you can start with a combination of short running intervals and prolonged walking periods and then later you can increase your running time as your fitness improves.
Opt for What you Enjoy the Most
Even if it is for fat loss, one has to be consistent with their efforts. Further, it also comes down to personal choice, it can be possible that you enjoy and feel more energized with running, and some people can experience the opposite. Many people prefer walking for several reasons such as joint pain or injury. Fat loss is significantly a long-term procedure, and the best exercise is the one you enjoy enough to do regularly.