Running vs. walking

[littlesista06]

Hey, ya'll. Just a spin-off from Tuesday's thread about running and walking:

"It's often said that running a mile and walking a mile burn about the same number of calories. This might sound appealing if you're a walker, but then how much harder is running than walking?
The truth is that speed does matter. Running burns calories at about twice the rate of walking. Part of the explanation is this: when you exercise, you burn five calories for every liter of oxygen you consume. Running involves the consumption of a lot more oxygen than does walking.

How many calories you burn running or walking also depends on your weight and other factors. However, in general, running burns about ten calories a minute, whereas walking burns about five calories a minute.

At this rate, walking at the pace of a mile every fifteen minutes calculates to seventy-five calories burned. Running at a pace of a mile every ten minutes adds up to about one-hundred calories burned. This is good news for walkers AND for runners, depending on how you look at it.


For walkers, these stats verify that walking is a great way to burn calories. Counting the calories burned mile for mile, walking isn't far behind running.

For runners, these stats verify that runners can burn calories a good deal faster than walkers. Because running takes less time to cover the same distance, a person who runs ten-minute miles for an hour will burn about six-hundred calories. A person walking fifteen-minute miles during that same hour's time will burn about three-hundred calories. Thus, if you have a busy schedule and want an exercise routine that burns a lot of calories fast, then running is a better bet than walking."

from: http://amos.indiana.edu/library/scripts/run-walk.html

[littlesista06]

So darn! I hoped walking did the same as running, would save me a lot of sweat! LOL!!

[AnnW]

well..just to confuse you more....

Here's the answer from Dr. Dean Ornish, a clinical professor of
medicine at UC San Francisco:

All things being equal, you will burn more calories by running an hour than walking an hour. It is true that walking a mile will burn more calories than running a mile -- although it takes longer to do so. When you run a mile, you're burning mostly sugar, or carbohydrates, which is how your body gives you fast energy in bursts. When you walk a mile, it gives your metabolism time to switch from burning carbohydrates to burning fat.

The risk of injury -- whether shin splints or knee injuries or back pain -- is directly proportional to the intensity of exercise. So is the risk of sudden cardiac death. Walking gives you most of the health benefits of more

intensive exercise while minimizing these risks. More is better, but only if you do it consistently.

So, if you want to burn the maximum amount of calories, then run for an hour rather than walking for an hour. But do it consistently; otherwise, you're better of walking.



As far as how intensity affects a workout, according to an example
from the The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, if you were walking briskly for one mile and your friend was jogging, you'd burn about the same number of calories if you walked for 15 minutes and he jogged for eight and a half minutes.
The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports - "Walking for
Exercise and Pleasure":
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/health/walking/walking.htm

[littlesista06]

:tearhair: ARGH!!!! :tearhair:

[AnnW]

i think interval training is the best ;)

i think the bottom line is do what you will do for the rest of your life. if you may only run for a few years but walk the rest of your life, walk.

[MaryL]

i think the bottom line is do what you will do for the rest of your life. if you may only run for a few years but walk the rest of your life, walk.

Wow...that is so true!!!! Love that!

[BevJ]

i think interval training is the best ;)



I have heard this as well. Tonight I did 1 min. walk, then 5 min. run, 4x (so I ran for 20 minutes, which I normally would anyway, but just not all at once). I didn't use as long a warm up either, just the initial 1st min. walk. Intervals also confuse the heart. It doesn't know whether to work hard to slow down, because you're always changing it up. And apparently that's a good thing, lol.

[Diane]

I did a lot of jogging when I was younger. I acquired a lot of knee problems... :( The doctor suggested walking would be easier on my joints, so that's what I've done since. :)

[Amy]

I agree with Ann's theory. I have always thought that walking brisky will raise your heart enough to burn fat. When you run, you are burning energy. I also do intervals when I think I am getting too fit for my current routine and I don't get winded anymore from a good walk.

[RCT]

Unfortunately for me running is bad news,too hard on my joints and b:nervous: :nervous: bs....(even with the best sports bra)....my knees and ankles are thrashed from cross country as a teen....

Walking at a fast pace seems to be what works best for me...that and distance....

Sista, Glad it's a recoverable injury...hang in there sweetie....