Considered good for cardiovascular health, walking and running are both perfect kinds of exercises to get fit. Runners always adore the activity’s intensity and walkers believe it is an activity good for overall health. However, if we specifically talk about weight loss, there can be a proper analysis regarding walking vs running. Not only this, but there are also several deciding factors for whether one should choose to run or walk for their fat loss journey. Let us discuss some basics first!
As mentioned, walking and running are both great types of cardio exercises. There are certain running benefits as well as advantages of walking. Neither is “better” than the other, the choice of picking them depends on one’s fitness goals and objectives. Specifically for weight loss, there are several advantages to running every day. On the other hand, walking benefits incorporate health benefits such as maintaining weight and reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. It’s time to discuss some diverse perspectives of walking vs running.
If we talk about beginners, walking is a natural choice, it’s an activity that we as human beings majorly depend on, and there are numerous walking benefits, that’s for sure. It’s less effortless on the joints, needs no equipment, and can be done anywhere. It is an easy and well-known exercise that is good for people who are new to fitness, people often prefer to walk on the treadmill. Now running as an activity can be a little intimidating for beginners as it requires more stamina and strength, and without appropriate technique, it can lead to injuries. That said, if you go for a walk regularly and feel ready to challenge yourself, running could be the next step in advancing your fat-loss journey.
Walking is an activity that can provide a lot of the same running benefits. To mention, some studies found that running burns approximately double the number of calories as walking.
Talking about numbers, an individual needs to burn around 3,500 calories to lose one pound. If your objective is fat loss or weight loss, running is considered to be a better choice than walking.
For those beginners who find it difficult to perform intense running, walking can still help them get in shape. It can boost your heart and give you more energy overall.
For those individuals who have a packed schedule, time can be a critical factor for them. If you want to lose weight and have time constraints, then you can add a 30-minute run to your schedule. It helps you burn more calories compared to walking. Running can indeed help you to achieve your fat-loss goals.
However, if you are someone who prefers walking, you require more time to burn the same number of calories, which can be easily put into your day by breaking it up into shorter sessions. These walking sessions can be divided into lunch breaks, walking meetings, or while doing household chores.
There are various techniques one can prioritize for running, specifically for weight loss. Let us discuss those!
