running & walking question

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funjen1972
funjen1972 Posts: 949 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My cardio is a mixture of jogging & walking. I usually do 5-7 miles total. I start off jogging (1-3 miles), walk a few, then maybe jog again. If I jog 3 intermittent miles is the burn the same as a continuous 3 miles?

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  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Yes. It's about the power needed (calories burned) to move a given mass (you) over a given distance (three miles total) in a specific way (running).
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
    edited June 2015
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    No.

    Running burns roughly twice the calories per unit of distance. There's no disputing this, it's been measured and studied to death. There is a small amount of "after burn" after you stop running, but not enough to be meaningful.

    If you are logging as if you run the entire distance you'll be over-estimating. I wouldn't fret too much about this though, or log as a very brisk walk for now.

    Run-walk is an excellent approach to building up your endurance. Good job!
  • athenasurrenders
    athenasurrenders Posts: 278 Member
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    mwyvr - I read it as she travels 5-7 miles of which 3 is jogging, broken into smaller chunks. In which case surely she can log 3 miles jogging and 2-4 miles walking and still be correct?
  • funjen1972
    funjen1972 Posts: 949 Member
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    Thanks for the responses! @Athenasurrenders you're correct. If I do a total of 6 miles with running and walking every other mile, I've been logging 3 miles jogging, 3 miles walking.
  • professionalHobbyist
    professionalHobbyist Posts: 1,316 Member
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    Your heart rate goes up for the jogging and slowly lowers as you walk. It does not lower all the way though if you keep interval times short.

    It is bit of interval training. Good!!

    I would not worry about it and log some walking and some jogging.


  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,389 Member
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    mwyvr wrote: »
    No.

    Running burns roughly twice the calories per unit of distance. There's no disputing this, it's been measured and studied to death. There is a small amount of "after burn" after you stop running, but not enough to be meaningful.

    From what I've read this is largely true, unless you walk really fast. But as the TO didn't tell how fast she walks we can only guess.
  • colors_fade
    colors_fade Posts: 464 Member
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    It's all movement; it's all good.
  • amy8400
    amy8400 Posts: 478 Member
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    I power walk at 4.3 mph and sometimes I pass joggers. My heart rate can really get up there when I push it to 4.5 mph.
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
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    If you don't have an HRM just calculate your burn at your average pace for the whole session. Otherwise go with what the HRM says. Best you can do, really. Whether you run or walk/run. It is never 100% accurate. But for MFP logging something is better than nothing. Don't overthink it on the calorie burns. Focus on the fitness aspect (my opinion).

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