Would you like to know whether running or walking is best for fat loss? The answer may not be what you expect. Nearly everyone who is trying to lose weight, and even many who aren’t, incorporate exercise into their daily routine. Truly, this is the best approach for improving and maintaining good overall health. Along with trimming the fat, exercise will improve your cardiovascular system, heighten your mood, and even give you room for that extra helping of dessert. It’s no wonder that people would be curious about the best exercise for fat loss. Many people have busy schedules and they don’t want to simply guess. It’s nice to have some facts and opinions based on experience. I would like to share with you some information on whether you should run or walk for burning off that fat.
Running
One benefit that running has over walking is the higher amount of calories burned per unit of time. If you compare running and walking on a flat surface then running is capable of doubling the amount of burned calories. If you are pressed for time and absolutely need to hit a certain number of burned calories then this may be the best choice for you. Running is also much more likely to raise your heart rate into your target zone. This is the point at which your body experiences optimal stress for improving heart health and burning calories. If you already own or would like to purchase a heart monitor then that would be helpful in making sure you hit that zone and stay there for the appropriate amount of time. The downside of running is that you are more likely to injure yourself or cause long term physical health issues. For example, you may put too much stress on your joints and this could lead to serious problems down the road. This is especially true for those who are extremely overweight.
Walking
The great thing about walking is that it does indeed burn calories. Some may have the mistaken impression that since walking is easy it must not burn calories. That couldn’t be more untrue. Sure, you’re not likely to breathe as hard or sweat as much when walking instead of running, but the fat gets burned off nevertheless. If you directly compare time and setting for walking versus running then yes, running does burn more calories. However, one thing you can do to give walking an edge is use a treadmill or choose to walk in areas with lots of steps and stairs. For example, if you use a treadmill with an incline setting then you can actually burn as many calories with walking as you could with running on a flat surface. A five percent incline increases calories burned by about sixty percent. A ten percent incline increases calories burned by over one-hundred and twenty percent. That’s fairly impressive.
Which is better?
Both running and walking can potentially improve your health and cause significant fat loss. I prefer walking. Walking has less injury risks. It’s also easier to do which has a few, nice built-in benefits. You are much more likely to stick to your exercise routine when walking instead of running. You won’t dread exercising nearly as much if you are the type of person that’s inclined to shun extra physical activities. After all, running would do you little good if it causes you to give up. Meanwhile, if you could stick to walking then your weight loss may continue until you reach your goal. You could then easily maintain your ideal weight and level of health indefinitely. In my opinion, this gives walking a clear edge.
Frank Smith
