18 years
Is running or walking better for fat burning (belly and hips) ?
Apr 17, 2015
The main difference between running and walking is the intensity (speed) of the exercise, which in turn will affect the time spent or distance traversed while exercising, since running will tire out your muscles faster, so you will therefore run for a shorter amount of time as compared to the distance you do when walking. Specifically, duration matters slightly more than intensity, though intensity is also an important factor. Exercise results in weight-loss when you either:
- Expend more calories than you consume, or
- Burn fat during your workout.
Or both.
There are 3 major sources of energy for our bodies: carbs, fats, and proteins. The first 20-30 minutes of exercise, when the heart rate goes up, carbs are usually the primary source of energy for the highly active muscles. Carbs are ideal because they are quick source of energy and easily available fuel, requiring the least amount of oxygen to burn. However, once exercise time exceeds 30 minutes, there is an increased reliance on fat stores for energy – this is slow energy, the back-up stores when you run out of carbs.
When it comes to exercise intensity, this is the deal:
- At low-to-moderate intensity exercise (i.e., when you hit 50-70% of your maximum heart rate), fat becomes the preferred source of energy for muscles because your body at that point is burning calories at a slower rate and is no longer in need of the "quick" energy provided by carbs.
- At higher intensity exercise (70% or more of your max heart rate), the levels of lactic acid, a product of anaerobic metabolism (metabolism that occurs under low-oxygen conditions) build up in the muscles, thereby blocking the use of fat. As a result, carbohydrates once again become the primary source of energy.
This is why you hear that low-to-moderate intensity exercise is more efficient that high-intensity
exercise for maximum fat burning, especially if you have the time to devote to a longer exercise regimen (over 30 minutes).
Another factor to take into account is your level of physical fitness: the more fit you are, the more you will be able to burn fat at all intensity levels because your body uses oxygen more efficiently when you're in good shape.
In the end, what matters most is how many total calories you burn for the time you have exercised. If you have 30 minutes to exercise you will burn 187 calories walking at a rate of about 6 kph, versus burning 365 calories running at around 10 kph. Walking may burn more fat to generate energy, but running burns more total calories which will contribute to greater weight loss.
Generally speaking, regardless of which method burns more body fat, low-intensity exercise may be a more appropriate option for your exercise program because it is better tolerated and will therefore result in more compliance. It is also less likely to result in injury (running is more likely to cause injury than walking). But keep in mind that the benefit of walking at a faster pace is that it helps improve cardiovascular function and fitness level. With time, if you continue to train at higher levels of intensity, you can can progressively increase exercise time since your body will have more tolerance. On the other hand, walking at a slower pace allows your body to continue to move for a longer duration before growing tired, which helps to build up endurance. In time, you can slowly increase the intensity/pace of your walking which will enhance your level of fitness.
Improvements in fitness occur by increasing the body's use of oxygen. Whether the intensity is high and duration is short, or the intensity is low and duration is long, relatively the same amount of oxygen is utilized and the same number of calories is expended.
The most important factor is consistency and perseverance. You can also choose to blend the intensity of exercise: some days go for intensity with shorter, faster walks, and some days go for endurance with longer, slower walks, so you won’t get bored quickly.
- Expend more calories than you consume, or
- Burn fat during your workout.
Or both.
There are 3 major sources of energy for our bodies: carbs, fats, and proteins. The first 20-30 minutes of exercise, when the heart rate goes up, carbs are usually the primary source of energy for the highly active muscles. Carbs are ideal because they are quick source of energy and easily available fuel, requiring the least amount of oxygen to burn. However, once exercise time exceeds 30 minutes, there is an increased reliance on fat stores for energy – this is slow energy, the back-up stores when you run out of carbs.
When it comes to exercise intensity, this is the deal:
- At low-to-moderate intensity exercise (i.e., when you hit 50-70% of your maximum heart rate), fat becomes the preferred source of energy for muscles because your body at that point is burning calories at a slower rate and is no longer in need of the "quick" energy provided by carbs.
- At higher intensity exercise (70% or more of your max heart rate), the levels of lactic acid, a product of anaerobic metabolism (metabolism that occurs under low-oxygen conditions) build up in the muscles, thereby blocking the use of fat. As a result, carbohydrates once again become the primary source of energy.
This is why you hear that low-to-moderate intensity exercise is more efficient that high-intensity
exercise for maximum fat burning, especially if you have the time to devote to a longer exercise regimen (over 30 minutes).
Another factor to take into account is your level of physical fitness: the more fit you are, the more you will be able to burn fat at all intensity levels because your body uses oxygen more efficiently when you're in good shape.
In the end, what matters most is how many total calories you burn for the time you have exercised. If you have 30 minutes to exercise you will burn 187 calories walking at a rate of about 6 kph, versus burning 365 calories running at around 10 kph. Walking may burn more fat to generate energy, but running burns more total calories which will contribute to greater weight loss.
Generally speaking, regardless of which method burns more body fat, low-intensity exercise may be a more appropriate option for your exercise program because it is better tolerated and will therefore result in more compliance. It is also less likely to result in injury (running is more likely to cause injury than walking). But keep in mind that the benefit of walking at a faster pace is that it helps improve cardiovascular function and fitness level. With time, if you continue to train at higher levels of intensity, you can can progressively increase exercise time since your body will have more tolerance. On the other hand, walking at a slower pace allows your body to continue to move for a longer duration before growing tired, which helps to build up endurance. In time, you can slowly increase the intensity/pace of your walking which will enhance your level of fitness.
Improvements in fitness occur by increasing the body's use of oxygen. Whether the intensity is high and duration is short, or the intensity is low and duration is long, relatively the same amount of oxygen is utilized and the same number of calories is expended.
The most important factor is consistency and perseverance. You can also choose to blend the intensity of exercise: some days go for intensity with shorter, faster walks, and some days go for endurance with longer, slower walks, so you won’t get bored quickly.
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