Walking

Does walking have the same benefits as running? I have started walking to and from work, which comes to a total of 4.5 miles a day. I love walking, but is this enough of a calorie burning exersize?

Thu. Aug 16, 2:59pm

It's an AWESOME calorie-burning exercise, and pretty sustainable (assuming you're good at getting out of bed 45 minutes earlier!). Depending on your weight, you're burning about 450 calories, give or take 100, and the ideal for weight control is 500/day. You are rockin' it!

If you're trying to lose weight and you find that things have levelled off or slowed down to less than 3 lbs a month, that's the point at which you should consider doing more than that. Otherwise, if it ain't broke, don't "fix" it!

Thursday, August 16, 2007, 3:28 PM

I agree! I think one challenge for some is that it's easy to mail it in (i.e., not work very hard.) I walk with a partner and we push each other and it's as good as any cardio exercise out there!

Thursday, August 16, 2007, 4:22 PM

walking IS great. I lost my first 165 pounds by walking and eating in moderation. I still walk and since than have lost a little over 200 pounds in total.. I am now 38 pounds from goal. I still have walking as one of my main exercises.

Thursday, August 16, 2007, 6:00 PM

Wow to the previous poster! Good for you for losing all that weight. I bet you look and feel amazing.

Thursday, August 16, 2007, 10:57 PM

Walking and running would burn the same amount of calories over 4.5 miles. The difference is that running would get you there faster and it would raise your heartrate for a period which offers aerobic benefits that walking doesn't. Walking, however, is easy on the joints, more sustainable for many people and burns the same amount of calories over the same distance.

Do whichever one you like but the calories burned for going 4.5 miles are the same whether you walk them or run them.

Friday, August 17, 2007, 7:17 AM

I started running and felt my entire fitness level shoot up, and a lot of things got tighter and less jiggly within 10 runs. Unfortunately, my appetite became monstrous even jogging short distances, so beware! Anyway, let your goals and your physical comfort dictate which you choose, not some sense of "should".

And to 7:17 - I was under that impression too, that it was about distance covered, not the speed at which you cover it. So I experimented on a treadmill earlier this year. When I walk 3mph, I burn 310 cals/hr and when I jog at double that, same settings, I burn 890 cals/hr.

Friday, August 17, 2007, 2:01 PM

Treadmill calorie counters are not reliable, and treadmill running/walking is not equal to street running/walking.

Friday, August 17, 2007, 5:54 PM

They're reliable within 10%, and unto themselves.

Friday, August 17, 2007, 6:13 PM

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