If you’re looking for a way to get more active, you’re very likely going to consider walking as a way to burn calories. And, in fact, walking is a super effective way to burn calories, but how does it stack up against running?
First and foremost, while running will definitely get your heart rate up more quickly and keep it escalated for a longer period (which results in increased calorie burn), walking has its own benefits that lure many people in. For instance, while running may burn more calories, walking is low-impact and much more accessible for the average person regardless of your fitness level.
Running, of course, is a higher impact activity and that can have a negative impact on your joints. If you’re already experience joint pain or mobility issues, running probably isn’t the way to go. Instead, walking will prove to be the smarter and healthier choice for your body.
Plus, you also need to consider your endurance. If you get winded within a few minutes of running, you’re going to want to work your way up to running or else it won’t be a very effective form of exercise. In fact, improper running techniques and trying to push yourself to hard can lead to serious health side effects, ranging from pulling a muscle to a potential heart attack depending on your health status.
That’s why most people choose walking over running. Walking is low-impact and you can generally sustain a good pace for even hours at a time without getting too worn out. Walking long distances is the perfect form of LISS, or Low-Impact Steady State cardio, which has been proven to burn calories very effectively.
The number of calories you burn when walking, however, will depend on your height, weight, age, and a few other factors. The speed at which you walk and the incline will also determine how many calories you burn while walking. If you want to estimate how many calories you can burn by walking a certain distance or for a certain length of time, you should consult an online calculator and put in some information about your body composition to get an accurate estimation.
Once you know how many calories you can burn by walking, you can begin to lay out a weight loss plan for yourself. For instance, if you burn 250 calories per hour of walking, walking for just one hour a day means you’ll lose 1/2 pound a week! Walking for two hours per day will equate in a pound of weight loss per week, and so on.