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Is there a big difference, losing weight wise, between running (slowy) and walking (quickly)

34 replies

cocolepew · 27/07/2013 22:50

?

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amigababy · 27/07/2013 22:54

I think I read somewhere that its a rule of thumb, you use 100 calories approximately per mile whether you are running or walking. it just takes longer to walk the mile than to run it

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HeySoulSister · 27/07/2013 23:07

Well it's very different. Different feel to it completely

I've lost loads running....

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mercury7 · 27/07/2013 23:08

the best way to find out for yourself is to use a hr monitor Wink

I struggle to get my heart rate over 100 even if I walk as fast as I can but with a slow run it's around 130-140
however I can get my hr up to 130+ with uphill walking

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RonaldMcDonald · 27/07/2013 23:23

walking quickly is better for your joints and arguably your skin
mix it up with some hills and get out of breath here and there in a HIIT way and you have a decent workout

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mercury7 · 27/07/2013 23:26

running is bad for your skin? Shock
please can you elaborate Ron?

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HeySoulSister · 27/07/2013 23:27

No it can't be! I glow!

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CointreauVersial · 27/07/2013 23:27

Diet has a far bigger influence on weight-loss than exercise, by the way.

If you are trying to improve your fitness, running (I.e. raising your heartbeat) is better.

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HeySoulSister · 27/07/2013 23:28

Op.... You can download walking apps which tell you to doped up/slow down

You could progress to c25k very quickly

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Lakota · 27/07/2013 23:29

I like fast walking on a steep (15%) gradient (using treadmill at gym) but loathe running. Seems to be working ok

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mercury7 · 27/07/2013 23:34

Diet has a far bigger influence on weight-loss than exercise, by the way.

Cointrea, I suspect that depends on how bad your diet is to start with, and I'd suggest that the relative influence of diet and exercise will vary from person to person.

I suppose that you could eat massive amounts and end up really really huge, but if you are sedentary and have an average diet then you would merely be podgy.
So bad diet can do more damage than lack of activity, still exercise has effects which go way beyond just the calories used while exercising

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cocolepew · 27/07/2013 23:54

What should your heart rate be when you are exercising? I thought keeping it low meant you were fit Confused mine goers a dinger because I'm not fit at all! (But I'm trying).

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thechildrensparkle · 28/07/2013 00:03

Well I've had a jolly good five or six weeks of brisk walking trying to do an hour a day. I've damaged the tendon under one of my feet - and it's bloody painful and I won't be walking much in the near future.

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Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 28/07/2013 00:03

According to my diet & fitness app, I burn approximately 80 calories off by walking for fifteen minutes, and 135 by running for fifteen minutes. So if I walk for 45 minutes I've burnt off more calories than the walking and running combined. That sounds crazy to me.

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cocolepew · 28/07/2013 00:20

I forgot I have an app on my phone maybe should try it out Smile

I've only started walking again over the last two weeks, I've got really unfit over the last year due to medical reasons. I like to run, but at the moment it just isn't possible, I think I'll do more damage than good.

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flowersinavase · 28/07/2013 00:37

Running obviously burns calories quicker than walking. However you're probably going to be able to run for less time than you can walk, so you may end up burning the same (or fewer) overall: better to walk for 30mins than run for only 10mins.

Running will, however, tone you up better (quicker), and the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn at rest (i.e. the higher your metabolism will go). This means that in addition to cardio (walking/running/swimming etc) you should do some sort of weight training to boost your muscle mass (this is particularly important for women, whose fat mass naturally increases as they age due to hormonal changes). Free weights (can of beans, bottles of water etc) are great since they also work your balance, and you can also use your own body weight (the plank position, (modified) push ups) etc.

Running will also work your heart and lungs more than walking (assuming you do both for the same amount of time), and so is better in that event.

Running can, however, harm your joints, and so walking may be better if you're not used to running / will be exercising on harder surfaces / are older etc.

You could always try intervals, switching between walking and running.

If your feet hurt after walking, you probably need different shoes.

Heart rate wise, the simplest way is to work out your 'maximum heart rate' : 220 minus your age. You should then aim for anything from 50% (beginner) through to around 85% of this (experienced exerciser) for a consistent amount of time (30mins 5 times a week as a basic guideline). So if you're 20, your max heart rate is 200, so you should be exercising at between 100 and 170 beat per minute for this amount of time.

Having a low heart rate at rest is a good sign: it suggests a strong heart (the amount of blood your body needs doesn't change, so fewer pumps suggests more blood is being pumped each time). But if you have a low heart rate whilst exercising, you're not working hard enough... HTH

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flowersinavase · 28/07/2013 00:42

One more thing:

If you struggle to run, it's often just as efficient calorie and heart/lung workout wise to walk fast on an incline. On a treadmill I can burn the equivalent calories doing that than if I'd been running on the flat.

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mercury7 · 28/07/2013 00:51

here's a link for HR zones:

www.brianmac.co.uk/hrm1.htm

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MrsGSR · 28/07/2013 00:51

The 100 calories per mile isn't quite true, on average you burn 80-90 per mile walking and 110-130 running. Whilst you cover the same horizontal distance, when you run you move more up and down so you do use more energy.

Both are great for weightloss, it's best to do whichever you prefer as is easier to be motivated when you enjoy something!

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Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 28/07/2013 10:58

That's true. I bloody hate running.

I do half an hour three times a week of two mins walk three mins run repeated for the half hour. I also walk my dog every day for half an hour and I go swimming once a week.

Unfortunately I'm obviously still consuming too many calories, whatever my diet app says, because for the last two weeks I haven't lost any bloody weight. Grr.

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cocolepew · 28/07/2013 11:01

Thanks! I've never thought about doing weight training. I had a hysterectomy last year and have started to have a few gynae problems again so I'm not able to run. I don't think my joints are up to it either. I have a Tae Bo DVD and a Pilate's one which I'm going back to doing.

I walk briskly and it does involve hills which the dog pulls me up.

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LadyIsabellaWrotham · 28/07/2013 11:12

Flowers sums it all up beautifully. Running so fast you think you're going to puke would have significant metabolic benefits over and above the calories expended but would risk actual damage, so you would be best advised to keep walking and find some weight- using exercises (either with actual weights or your own body weight like press-ups) to that won't harm your vulnerable areas but will challenge you and build a bit more muscle.

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cocolepew · 28/07/2013 11:15

If I did Tae Bo or walking with hand weights does that count?

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mercury7 · 28/07/2013 11:16

i do about an hour of cardio a day, plus weight training 3 x a week and i've not lost any weight recently either :o
i dont really have much fat to lose but tbh i need to do that much just to stay in shape

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RonaldMcDonald · 28/07/2013 12:09

Weight loss is all about calorie deficit not really exercise ( unless you are a serious sport person)
I do HIIT and yoga

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mercury7 · 28/07/2013 12:33

to create a calorie deficit you can alter calories ingested or calories used, and there is a synergistic effect when both 'levers' are used.

Exercise also causes profound metabolic changes which make your body less inclined to store fat

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