There are many reasons why people start running: to stay slim, boost energy, or snag that treadmill next to our longtime gym crush (please follow our gym etiquette tips before making any moves though!). Running can also help keep the heart healthy, improve mood, and stave off sickness[1]. But is going full-speed always the key to success, or can an easy walk in the park be just as beneficial?
Now Walk (or Run?) It Out – The Need-to-Know
Photo by Justin Singh
Research shows people expend two-and-a-half times more energy running than walking, whether that’s on the track or on the treadmill[2]. So for a 160 lb person, running burns about 800 calories an hour compared to about 300 calories walking. And that equates to a pretty sizeable slice of pizza (who doesn’t love cheat day rewards?).
But if running means burning more calories faster, then why isn’t everyone picking up the pace? Running puts more stress on the body and increases the risk for injuries like runner’s knee, hamstring strains, and the dreaded shin splits (which plague even the most consistent runners). And of course, some people simply prefer to take things slow.
Walk This Way — Your Action Plan
When running isn’t in the cards, walking with weights might be the next best solution to getting in an energized workout. One study showed walking at a 4 mph on the treadmill with hand and ankle weights was comparable to jogging at 5 mph without the extra poundage[3]. (And if anyone looks twice, hand weights are totally in right now, don’t they know?)
No matter which pace feels right, always make sure the body is ready for action. Sixty percent of runners experience an injury serious enough to keep them from being active. So remember that a sweat session may be too strenuous if talking to that workout buddy leaves us gasping for air (aka the “talk test” FAIL). Listening to the body and completing a proper warm–up and cool down are all ways to prevent injuries, so stay informed and spend more time running on the treadmill (and less time running to the doctor)[4].
Bored of both walking and running? There are about, oh, a bazillion other ways to keep active, from yoga and pilates to mountain biking, and pretty much everything in between. Don’t be afraid to try new activities to stay happy and healthy!
Everyone’s got their favorite go-to cardio workout. What’s yours? Tell us in the comments below!
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Further Resources
The New York Times — The Once and Future Way to Run
Get the scoop on the newest running trend: going barefoot.
Mayo Clinic — Depression and Anxiety: Exercise Eases Symptoms
Find out which kinds of exercise have been known to ease symptoms of depression and anxiety.
ACE — A Walk a Day
Discover the benefits of a regular walking routine.
Fit Sugar — Toning Shoes No Better Than Sneakers
Intrigued by toning shoes? Consider this before buying into a marketing scheme.
- Long-term effects of aerobic exercise on psychological outcomes. DiLorenzo, T.M., Bargman, E.P., Stucky-Ropp, R. Department of Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO. Preventative Medicine, 1999 Jan;28(1):75-85. [↩]
- Energy expenditure of walking and running: comparison with prediction equations. Hall, C., Figueroa, A., Fernhall, B., et. al., Department of Exercise Science, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2004 Dec;36(12):2128-34. [↩]
- Intensity and energy cost of weighted walking vs. running for men and women. Miller, J.F., Stamford, B.A., Journal of Applied Physiology, 1987 Apr;62(4):1497-501. [↩]
- Warm-up and stretching in the prevention of muscular injury. Woods K., Bishop P., Jones E., Human Performance Laboratory, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, Sports Medicine, 2007;37(12):1089-99. [↩]
