Running vs Walking
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kvanderbeek1
Posts: 50 Member
Are there many out there that have had luck at losing weight with walking? I ran a half marathon in 2013 and I've had issues running ever since. I always read walking is just as good as running. Obviously eating well and also some strength training is helpful. But, my main question is about the walking. I try to walk 3.8-4.0 for 30-45 minutes.
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Walking is great exercise, but only nets about half the calories as running for each mile covered.0
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At my weight (191 marked down from 220 ;-)) walking 4 miles an hour (15 minute miles) burns 217 calories in 30 minutes (2 miles), Running at 10 miles an hour (6 minute miles) burns 278 in 12 minutes, over that same two miles.
Running may burn more calories calories per mile, but not a real lot more per mile. The BIG difference comes in covering more ground while running IF YOU CAN RUN AT THAT PACE FOR THAT TIME.
If you can't run for an appreciable period of time, walking is very good.
I started walking, and got to 4 miles in 44 minutes. But that's me, you move how you see fit.0 -
At my weight (191 marked down from 220 ;-)) walking 4 miles an hour (15 minute miles) burns 217 calories in 30 minutes (2 miles), Running at 10 miles an hour (6 minute miles) burns 278 in 12 minutes, over that same two miles.
Running may burn more calories calories per mile, but not a real lot more per mile. The BIG difference comes in covering more ground while running IF YOU CAN RUN AT THAT PACE FOR THAT TIME.
If you can't run for an appreciable period of time, walking is very good.
I started walking, and got to 4 miles in 44 minutes. But that's me, you move how you see fit.
What are you using to calculate your burns?
http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-loss/how-many-calories-are-you-really-burning -- The formulas in this study put walking netting .3 calories per pound per mile ... running .63 calories per pound per mile.
http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/tools/docs/documents_compendium.pdf -- Based on METS, running 10 minute miles generates over twice the caloric burn as walking 4.5 mph.0 -
I've lost 21 pounds in the past few months. Brisk walking is what I do to burn calories. Works for me.
I think the above post is probably quite accurate -- running probably burns a little more calories per mile, but the main difference in calorie burn is that you can cover more distance by running than by walking for the same amount of time. For me it's not worth the stress or the increased risk of injury. I enjoy a nice, brisk walk. I don't enjoy running.0 -
MFP calculations. Plugged in the times gave me the result.0
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Notice the time disparity between the walked and run miles in that Syracuse study? (19:00 walking, 9:30 running)
That's... troublesome.
Most people who can run that fast are going to walk a lot faster than that.
Also? You have people like me whose run speed and walking speed are fairly close together. You can't give a hard and fast ratio for the differential between running and walking without knowing the relative speeds an individual uses for each.0 -
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PeachyCarol wrote: »Notice the time disparity between the walked and run miles in that Syracuse study? (19:00 walking, 9:30 running)
That's... troublesome.
Most people who can run that fast are going to walk a lot faster than that.
Also? You have people like me whose run speed and walking speed are fairly close together. You can't give a hard and fast ratio for the differential between running and walking without knowing the relative speeds an individual uses for each.
It isn't the time that creates the difference in net caloric burn by unit of distance ... it is the biomechanical difference in the two activities.0 -
brianpperkins wrote: »PeachyCarol wrote: »Notice the time disparity between the walked and run miles in that Syracuse study? (19:00 walking, 9:30 running)
That's... troublesome.
Most people who can run that fast are going to walk a lot faster than that.
Also? You have people like me whose run speed and walking speed are fairly close together. You can't give a hard and fast ratio for the differential between running and walking without knowing the relative speeds an individual uses for each.
It isn't the time that creates the difference in net caloric burn by unit of distance ... it is the biomechanical difference in the two activities.
I was poking in the study a bit more and read that, but I'm still... skeptical that the differential is doubled in all cases.
I'd love to have experience data to know better, but I'm going through a frustrating stall/lose pattern right now and can't tell.
The reason I question this is because my run and walk speeds, with me being a new runner, are fairly close. Fitbit doesn't give me that many more calories for running. I'd like to be able to see loss results reflecting a higher burn if the mechanics are indeed responsible.
Sorry for the derail, OP. Walking is great exercise.0 -
I keep reading about how the MFP calorie burns are off, over stated and inflated. My Gamin Forerunner, when I have my heart rate monitor on, matches MFP close enough for government work. I have also found that, in my experience, and only in my experience, when I have taken everyone's advise and eaten only half my exercise calories back, I don't lose just the one pound a week I was scheduled to lose but also an addition half to one pound a week which concides pretty closely to those uneaten exercise calories. In my experience, the MFP calorie count is pretty close OR I have an uncanny knack for adjusting to it's flaws.
However, walking is a very good exercise. It burn calories, it gets your heart beating, it exercises you legs, gets your outside (if you're walking outside) and does not put a great deal of stress on your joints. I prefer an 11 minute mile jog, but that's me. You move how you see fit.
July 4, 2015 220 #s. November 12, 2015 191.8#s, I think I'll keep this up and keep (my weight) going down.0 -
Using METS data, walking 3.5 mph with no load is a MET of 3.8 ... running 5mph (12 minute miles) is a MET of 8 ... the caloric relationship holds up.0
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I keep reading about how the MFP calorie burns are off, over stated and inflated. My Gamin Forerunner, when I have my heart rate monitor on, matches MFP close enough for government work. I have also found that, in my experience, and only in my experience, when I have taken everyone's advise and eaten only half my exercise calories back, I don't lose just the one pound a week I was scheduled to lose but also an addition half to one pound a week which concides pretty closely to those uneaten exercise calories. In my experience, the MFP calorie count is pretty close OR I have an uncanny knack for adjusting to it's flaws.
However, walking is a very good exercise. It burn calories, it gets your heart beating, it exercises you legs, gets your outside (if you're walking outside) and does not put a great deal of stress on your joints. I prefer an 11 minute mile jog, but that's me. You move how you see fit.
July 4, 2015 220 #s. November 12, 2015 191.8#s, I think I'll keep this up and keep (my weight) going down.
The formulae used by HRMs don't hold up for low intensity activities such as walking.0 -
brianpperkins wrote: »I keep reading about how the MFP calorie burns are off, over stated and inflated. My Gamin Forerunner, when I have my heart rate monitor on, matches MFP close enough for government work. I have also found that, in my experience, and only in my experience, when I have taken everyone's advise and eaten only half my exercise calories back, I don't lose just the one pound a week I was scheduled to lose but also an addition half to one pound a week which concides pretty closely to those uneaten exercise calories. In my experience, the MFP calorie count is pretty close OR I have an uncanny knack for adjusting to it's flaws.
However, walking is a very good exercise. It burn calories, it gets your heart beating, it exercises you legs, gets your outside (if you're walking outside) and does not put a great deal of stress on your joints. I prefer an 11 minute mile jog, but that's me. You move how you see fit.
July 4, 2015 220 #s. November 12, 2015 191.8#s, I think I'll keep this up and keep (my weight) going down.
The formulae used by HRMs don't hold up for low intensity activities such as walking.
I thought that as well but apparently the newer Garmins are supposed to be good. I have no idea, I've been waiting for someone to break it down for me.0 -
OK, brian. I'll take my results. Programed to lose a pound a week. Lost 1.5 not eating all my exercise calories. I completely discount the week I spent in the DR gaining 3 pounds which I lost the next week. 2 weeks "running " in place.0
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If you're only talking about a couple of miles (I'd say, maybe up to 5) it's probably not a big enough difference in calories per mile to sweat it. The TIME it takes to walk 5 miles vs. running 5 miles is a priority for me. Less than an hour or over an hour and a half. Hmm. I get bored walking for that long.
When you're talking about more than 10 miles in a single session, well, for me, we're definitely talking about running, because I'm not dedicating more than 3 hours to a walk. 10 miles of walking at 140 lbs. will take me 200 minutes and burn 512 calories. 10 miles of running will take 120 minutes and burn 1023 calories.
Edited to add:
As for your original question - you could absolutely lose weight while walking. Running would give you more bang for your buck. You don't need any exercise at all to drop pounds. You just need to eat less than you burn. Both walking and running are good for the cardiovascular system.0 -
Walking is great. When medical researchers have looked at walking they have found that very little walking provides very great health and heart benefits!0
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OK, brian. I'll take my results. Programed to lose a pound a week. Lost 1.5 not eating all my exercise calories. I completely discount the week I spent in the DR gaining 3 pounds which I lost the next week. 2 weeks "running " in place.
Argue against multiple scientific studies all you want. Feel free to choose confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance over fact.0 -
kvanderbeek1 wrote: »Are there many out there that have had luck at losing weight with walking? I ran a half marathon in 2013 and I've had issues running ever since. I always read walking is just as good as running. Obviously eating well and also some strength training is helpful. But, my main question is about the walking. I try to walk 3.8-4.0 for 30-45 minutes.
I've lost 118 lbs in the last 17 months walking. Started at 1 mile with several rest stops and now walk 4-5 mi per day with no stops & no pain. I've also done three 5k and one 10 k event, all walking.0 -
I love to walk & it's better for me from an orthopedic standpoint. (I've got a lot of plantars fascia damage on one foot. Running is off the table for now.) If someone really wants to develop a running practice they should plug away! But honestly, slowly jogging 12s or 13s is really not that different from rapid walking.
I use my phone as my pedometer. I walk 100000+ steps a week. About 1/2-2/3 comes from daily life & substitute teaching; the remainder comes from serious fitness walking and hiking. I lose about 1.24 lbs a week when I last crunched the numbers. And it lets me eat! Between September 29-October 27 I got a Fitbit badge for walking 250 miles, but I was on vacation in DC & had a 75 mile week there. I got caught in my local park after dark a few weeks ago (misjudged the sunset) and ran effortlessly the 2-3 miles back to my car, so my cardio & overall physical condition is fine thanks to walking. The foot barked for a few days, though. If you like running, run. If you like walking, walk. It's all about 1000 times better than sitting on your @ss, right?0 -
Hmm. So I'll have to confirm it, but my understanding is that the difference on average for each person is about 50 more calories if they ran a mile/versus walking if the intensities were equal by performance. That obviously would be a 200 calorie difference for 4 miles, but I don't think many people on average walk that much in an hour's time.brianpperkins wrote: »Walking is great exercise, but only nets about half the calories as running for each mile covered.
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