Can you get the same results as running when walking?

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itsgradyy
itsgradyy Posts: 23 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Im not a big runner.. I usually run about three miles a day. I lost about ten pounds doing that last year, and I want to do it again this year. But I have a bad hip (I'm fairly young but I have scoliosis). When I walk it doesn't hurt as bad, but I feel like I'm not achieving the same results as running!! Is it possible to still lose the ten pounds (in about 2 months) if I walk instead?

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  • DarcG
    DarcG Posts: 50 Member
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    It is. And it's healthier for your legs knees and back.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    edited February 2015
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    DarcG wrote: »
    It is. And it's healthier for your legs knees and back.

    Running is not unhealthy for your legs, knees and back if you are otherwise healthy.

    OP - weight loss comes down to eating fewer calories than your consumed. You can help achieve that by doing extra exercise, cutting back your calories or both. If your replace the calories you expend by running with walking, it is the same thing. The difference is running burns calories faster, so the time walking would be longer. Or you can adjust your calories.
  • Lindsay_the_great
    Lindsay_the_great Posts: 209 Member
    edited February 2015
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    I used to swear by walking. I lost 30 pounds with healthy eating habits and walking. Problem is, I maxed out. I got to the point that I wanted to not just lose weight but get in shape and would have to walk at least ten miles to get any fitness results and that takes so much time that eventually i had to pick up the pace. Now I'm an accidental runner. You can definitely get good exercise walking. The only downside being that as you progress you can't increase the intensity of that particular activity without running. Unless you have all day. If you're just looking to burn calories and lose weight then walking is great.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
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    It doesn't matter. It all comes down to a calorie deficit.
  • itsgradyy
    itsgradyy Posts: 23 Member
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    Yeah I try to stay on a pretty good diet with the right macros and everything. I can't quite run 10 mi yet haha so hopefully walking will suffice until I get to that point where I need more intensity. Thanks!
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
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    big_lindsay wrote: »
    I used to swear by walking. I lost 30 pounds with healthy eating habits and walking. Problem is, I maxed out. I got to the point that I wanted to not just lose weight but get in shape and would have to walk at least ten miles to get any fitness results and that takes so much time that eventually i had to pick up the pace. Now I'm an accidental runner. You can definitely get good exercise walking. The only downside being that as you progress you can't increase the intensity of that particular activity without running. Unless you have all day. If you're just looking to burn calories and lose weight then walking is great.

    This.

    Same thing happened to me only I reached that point after walking 6 miles daily was no longer any sort of challenge. I don't have enough time to spare every day to walk further.

    If you are only interested in burning calories though, then yes you can burn calories walking. Quite a few if you go long distance in fact.
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
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    Sure you don't have to exercise to lose weight, albeit you would lose it faster if you're burning more calories in a period of time. Walking is just fine.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    edited February 2015
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    You burn close to the same number of calories walking a distance or running the same distance. Obviously you can cover more distance in the same time running.
  • forcheese
    forcheese Posts: 24
    edited February 2015
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    I agree with people saying it comes down to a deficit. I suck at running (I try, but I suck and I don't even have something to blame it on), but for whatever reason I can walk for hours on end (quite literally). I walk a lot and I don't see any weightloss from it, but as soon as I go into a deficit and work out (other workouts) then the weight comes off. Not saying walking doesn't work just saying I believe its more about creating that deficit then its necessarily is about the workout.

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