Walking burns more calories than running ?!?

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  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    edited March 2015
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    It all boils down to distance. Walking a mile takes longer than running a mile, no matter what your speed at either is. Most of your calories are burned just keeping you alive, so walking a mile will actually burn more calories than running that same mile. However, walking a mile can take up to 20 minutes (as in ME), whereas running a mile can be done in eight minutes (according to a previous post; I have not ran a mile since I was 14 years old, IF then, so I can't compare myself to this).

    So - end result? If you enjoy running and burning a lot of calories really fast, then do it! If you don't like running (which I don't), walking is still good and lets you watch your favorite television shows on the treadmill without running out of breath. Or lets you enjoy watching the squirrels if walking outside, whereas running is very demanding of your whole body and mind. But the upside is that you burn x calories in a much shorter period of time.

    One day I might actually run, but probably not. Walking is so much nicer!
  • arussell134
    arussell134 Posts: 463 Member
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    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    arussell134 wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    arussell134 wrote: »
    From what I understand, when you walk more calories that you burn come from fat.

    NO.


    I may not be articulating this well. :) You would absolutely burn more calories OVERALL running than walking (which would basically mean, more fat calories burned running than walking). I agree with your initial comment.

    I give up trying to explain it. It makes sense in my head, but I got no energy. Maybe someone else that understands what I'm getting at can say it. Sorry, I'm out.

    I get what you are saying. :smile: The answer is still NO. There is no circumstance under which you will burn more fat from walking than you will from running the same distance.

    I agree with you. That's the funny thing. I agree with your posts. LOL. Seriously, I'm out. (And I'm out for a run, not a walk, because we both agree I'll burn more fat calories that way) :0
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    bennettinfinity wrote: »
    I'm too lazy to look it up, but I remember reading a reference to walking at a faster pace would burn (slightly) more calories that running, simply because running form is more efficient than fast walking. Maybe broscience, but I can attest from personal experience; a personal trainer I once knew put me on a treadmill at a walking pace and continued to up the speed telling me to maintain a walking gait. Shortly, I was begging her to let me run - but that was the whole point of the exercise - running would have been easier.

    Try it sometime... it's fun.

    <sigh> another instance of a "trainer" not understanding even the most basic exercise physiology.

    Running would have allowed you to burn significantly more calories and gain improved fitness as well.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    edited March 2015
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    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    It all boils down to distance. Walking a mile takes longer than running a mile, no matter what your speed at either is. Most of your calories are burned just keeping you alive, so walking a mile will actually burn more calories than running that same mile. However, walking a mile can take up to 20 minutes (as in ME), whereas running a mile can be done in eight minutes (according to a previous post; I have not ran a mile since I was 14 years old, IF then, so I can't compare myself to this).

    So - end result? If you enjoy running and burning a lot of calories really fast, then do it! If you don't like running (which I don't), walking is still good and lets you watch your favorite television shows on the treadmill without running out of breath. Or lets you enjoy watching the squirrels if walking outside, whereas running is very demanding of your whole body and mind. But the upside is that you burn x calories in a much shorter period of time.

    One day I might actually run, but probably not. Walking is so much nicer!

    Except you are wrong.

    See the bolded, in the quote.
    First part - you can actually walk faster than your slowest running speed. So it actually does depend on speed.

    Second part. It seems to make sense.

    It doesn't. Running is actually less energy efficient. It is mechanically more efficient and allows you to move faster. But even when the speeds match (you can walk or run at 4.5 miles per hour) running is about 50% less energy efficient at that speed.

    A 200 lb person walking at 3.5 miles will burn about 100 cals per mile and take 17.1 min or 350 cals per hour

    The same person running at 6-8 mph will burn about 162-158 cals per mile and take 10-7.5 min or 970-1260 cals.

    (Data is ACSM regression formulas)

    In terms of energy running always takes more energy for the same distance. In fact, slow running is less energy efficient than fast walking.

    Mechanical efficiency =\= energy efficiency
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    alexiscastro_805 wrote: »
    Hello I'm sorry I can't view your comment it looks like your comment has jail bars on it

    Oh goodness! I have never read the forums from mobile before. On the website only the poster's profile pic is in jail, not the whole post! That is too funny.

    I've wondered what the jail bars meant for a while now. I'm on mobile as well. I thought they were comments that got flagged as inappropriate or something lol... What do they mean??
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    And no I don't think that is true. If you walk and run for the same amount of time, running will burn more calories.

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