If you've got an hour to workout, which is better?

mdebonee
mdebonee Posts: 6 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I've got an hour to work out. My gym is 15 minutes away, which means I really only have a half hour to work out there. In a half hour, I can do the elliptical and burn about 500 calories.

The alternative is going for an hour long 3 mile walk. I'm too overweight to run or jog right now, so walking is the only option. If I walk for 3 miles I'll actually burn closer to 6-700 calories.

The obvious answer is the walk because I burn more calories, but is there a real reason why one would be better than the other? What if the walk was equivalent in calorie burn? Is there any difference at all?

My gut feeling is that walking is better because you're strengthening your joints and building endurance, but I thought I'd throw the question out there.

Thanks!

Replies

  • SJ1985
    SJ1985 Posts: 2
    Id say Walk. If possible do it first thing on an empty stomach so you are burning straight from your fat stores.
    As well as burning more calories in the hour, Walking also helps to decrease appetite where as more intense cardio can increase it so you are less likely to eat back burnt calories. You'll also have no cortisol release compared with high intensity exercise (which places stress on the body), which is a important because too much cortisol can inhibit fat loss. :smile:
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Id say Walk. If possible do it first thing on an empty stomach so you are burning straight from your fat stores.
    As well as burning more calories in the hour, Walking also helps to decrease appetite where as more intense cardio can increase it so you are less likely to eat back burnt calories. You'll also have no cortisol release compared with high intensity exercise (which places stress on the body), which is a important because too much cortisol can inhibit fat loss. :smile:
    Sorry but most of this is just wrong and just myths high intensity exercise does not inhibit weightloss. Also you should be eating back the burned calories not trying not to as that's how mfp works

    OP just do whatever you enjoy. Exercise is about building fitness not weightloss. Your diet and the calorie deficit is what loses you weight. Don't get too obsessed over the calorie burn.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    ^agree

    If you're doing exercise for calorie burn, you're doing it wrong.

    Do an activity that you enjoy and will stick with to improve your health and capability.

    What you do in the kitchen determines weightloss.
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
    Ditto...

    If you don't enjoy you won't continue it. Exercise to build a strong healthy body, reduce calories to drop weight. They work best together, but they are different...

    Don't overlook strength work... There are some nice programs that you can do in 30-60min a few times a week to build muscle... Strong Lifts, 5x5...
  • RINat612
    RINat612 Posts: 251 Member
    I'm one of those "you lose weight by reducing your intake" types. I'd use your time available to lift. Strong Lifts 5x5 is what I'm doing. Retain muscle while staying in a caloric deficit. Troll the success forum. Almost all of them comment "I wish I started strength training from day 1".

    Or you could start your own at-home gym. That's what I'm doing. Mainly because I have severe social anxiety.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    The obvious answer is the walk because I burn more calories,

    Amount of calorie expenditure is secondary, you control your calorie deficit by intake, not output. So pick something that has the health benefits that support your objectives.
    but is there a real reason why one would be better than the other?

    Swings vs roundabouts. Working on an elliptihell will melt your brain from the boredom, but you can maintain a higher intensity so condition your CV system to an extent. Walking can be sustained for longer, due to the time window, so will have a greater effect on your endurance. As you note the weight bearing effect of walking is also greater than the elliptihell.

    Personally I'd say walking has greater benefit, because it's outdoors rather than stuck in a windowless room, but it depends on how the benefits stack up for you.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
    -Amount of calorie expenditure is secondary, you control your calorie deficit by intake, not output.

    -If you're doing exercise for calorie burn, you're doing it wrong.

    -Exercise is about building fitness not weightloss.

    Curious why several in their responses have indicated that using exercise as a tool for weight loss is not a propos?

    I would disagree. I think it couples very well with weight loss in addition to all of the other benefits exercise provides.

    Using exerise as a tool in our arsenal to help boost the weight loss process is used by many. Yes, of course it increases our metabolism, helps with weight maintenance and contributes to long term succes at sustaining one's weight goals.

    The fear of not using exercise as a weight loss tool, and later on as part of our regular maintenance program can easily lead to yo-yo dieting. Unfortunately, the long term success rate does not have the best track record if exercise to burn calories is not part of one's regular routine. When running a daily caloric deficit, exercise sure can be used as part of the mathematical formula so that one's net calories still meets their daily target goal.

    OP - I would hit that walk at this point in your weight loss program.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    I think the thing is, if you rely on calorie burns to lose weight, you don't develop the self-control and discipline necessary to maintain a healthy weight later on.

    You're also treating being active and healthy as something you do purely to lose weight (possibly to be abandoned when you hit your goal), rather than something you should develop as a lifelong pursuit.

    Not saying don't do both, but recognise why you are doing each.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    -Amount of calorie expenditure is secondary, you control your calorie deficit by intake, not output.
    Using exerise as a tool in our arsenal to help boost the weight loss process is used by many. Yes, of course it increases our metabolism, helps with weight maintenance and contributes to long term succes at sustaining one's weight goals.

    I think that was the thrust of my wider post, exercise for the wider benefits, not just as a method of burning up calories.

    For me it's that outlook that's the issue. If one is only using exercise to burn up calories then it's not a lifestyle change.
  • LoneWolf_70
    LoneWolf_70 Posts: 1,151 Member
    how are you calculating calories burned? If you're using the MFP generic stuff its wrong.
  • totfit
    totfit Posts: 4
    Yeah, the calorie burn seems a bit high. Half hour on the Elliptical or a three mile walk would be just over 300 calories. I find I do better underestimating expenditure and over estimating consumption in helping me meet my goals. Right now I am kind of stuck, but that is a 'consumption" issue. I eat good foods, but portions are not well controlled. :)
  • mdebonee
    mdebonee Posts: 6 Member
    Hello all, I greatly appreciate your replies. I think we ventured off topic a little, as my question was really meant for an apples to apples comparison. I got some good answers which basically identify that walking is the better option for overall health, whereas elliptical training is good for cardio endurance.

    I have a lot of weight to lose, and i'm going to be doing this for at least a year. So i dont think its a matter (at this point) that if i'm exercising to lose weight i'm "doing it wrong", so to speak.

    In addition, to address the comments about the calculation of how many calories i burn per hour, i base both of these calculations on a variety of factors including MFP, MapMyFitness, Jawbone UP app, elliptical machine itself, as well as published calculations. Remember, these calculations take into consideration weight. I'm going to burn more calories per hour than the 110 pound girl that sits in the cube next to me at work. Regardless of if you think the number is inflated or not, you must submit to this logic.

    For those interested, I'm going to be looking into this 5x5 stuff and focusing my efforts at the gym on weight training with a splash of cardio. On my non-gym nights, i'll be walking. It gets dark around 9pm this time of year, so i have a few more solid months before i'm forced to bring my activities indoors.

    Thanks for all your constructive replies.
  • huntergreene71
    huntergreene71 Posts: 21 Member
    I got started at 400 lbs by walking 1.5 miles in 1/2 hour on my lunch break and walking my dog every evening. It began as a 30 minute dog walk but eventually I pushed the pace and distance to 1.25 hours and 3.5 miles. It wasn't until I dropped to 290 and plateaued that I joined a gym, that kickstarted things again by including 1/2 hour of strength to 1.5 hours of cardio on a treadmill and bike.

    I'd say do the walking, as you drop pounds you'll be able to increase the pace and distance while keeping the time the same. But, eventually you'll need to include strength training as well.
  • mdebonee
    mdebonee Posts: 6 Member
    Thank you very much!
  • roxylola
    roxylola Posts: 540 Member
    Monday, Wednesday, Friday walk, Tuesday, Thursday elliptical. If you have a routine then it is easier to stick to I think. If you generally only get an hour just get some routine. If you have just an hour on certain days make them the walking days and the days you have a bit more make gym days then you can perhaps vary what you do there a bit more.

    Also, if you always get an hour then do what you fancy a bit too. if the weather is nice and you want to walk then walk and who cares if it should be a gym day. If the weather stinks then gym and hang the walking.

    I have a lap I do with the dogs on dark nights, it's all on street so they are on leads and I know exactly how long it takes so I can plan round it and I know if I only have 50 minutes then it's a good option even on light nights. If I have a bit of leeway then we go out in the woods and they can have an off lead run more.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    My personal preference is an elliptical that has a heart rate monitor for my cardio because I find I burn a good amount calories when compared to just walking at a moderate pace. Regardless what ever gets you moving is amazing and you'd burn so many calories if you at least got in 10,000 steps per day, walking is great.

    Do what you enjoy, I enjoy the elliptical because I can zone out and watch TV.

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