In the health community, there has been a long topic of debate when it comes to weight loss, joint health, mental health, and overall physical health. In our sedentary lifestyles, doing something is better than doing nothing. So, let’s examine them. Both running and walking can promote weight loss, burn calories, improve your mental health, and prolong your life. Consider these factors. Running typically will give you more of a calorie burn that extends well past the exercise due to its higher intensity. For someone who is 155 pounds, running 5 miles per hour (mph) will burn approximately 600 calories whereas the person who walks the same distance will only burn 300 calories. There has been evidence that this will also raise your cortisol levels. Cortisol is your stress hormone. It stores energy in the event of an emergency.
Our bodies were designed for survival. As an example, you are walking through the woods, and you come across a grizzly bear. In desperation, you will only run enough to evade the emergency. This would only be 2-5 minutes, not 30-45 minutes. By extending your run, you are teaching the body that it needs to store much more glucose and fats for the next time. Now I am not going to lie but in my 20s, I jogged 5.1 miles a day. This can lead to strained muscles without the correct warmup, which I never did. For older people, it can lead to strain on the joints for beginners and people with joint issues.
When you consider that per Healthline, you need to burn approximately 3,500 calories to lose one pound, maybe walking is the better option. Walking is a low-impact exercise that may be more favorable as we age. For those people who enjoy a less intense workout, walking may be preferred. When you begin a workout routine, one of the most important factors is whether is sustainable. You never want to start a workout routine that is so difficult or overbearing that you just feel like quitting. Always keep it within reason. If it is too easy, you can always challenge yourself.
I live in the mountains above the 5,200-foot level, yes, a mile high. I walk with my two Siberian huskies. The length of the walk is 1.2 miles and ranges from 5,200 to 5,300 to 5,200 feet approximately. Because of the ups and downs, there are areas that challenge me to exert more energy than areas that allow me to exert less energy. And for those of you who don’t know, my huskies normally don’t pull me up the hill. They are too busy pulling in every direction wanting to explore the smells of the other dogs that have walked previously. I did a challenge last July where I walked my dogs with a 60 lbs. weight vest on. You can hold 2-5 lbs. dumbbells to increase the challenge.
So, there are ways to continually challenge yourself without going too extreme. When I was younger, I purchased ankle weights for running. What I learned from this is the increase in weight will put undue strain on your knees and ankles. I would strap them together, put on a tank top, and use them as a weight belt. Because I didn’t want the public to see this, I would put on an extra shirt, so it just looked like I had extra weight. I have also used a neoprene waist belt to avoid chafing.
Where I live, I live in the national forest so for me, the benefits of enjoying nature, the smells of the forest, the chirping of the birds, and the general scenery allow me to walk while listening to my different YouTube videos or music. It is a way for me to relax and can be relaxing for you too.
Those people who decide to go run for 5 miles for 30 minutes to an hour have a habit of wearing themselves out and are more tempted to rest for the remainder of the day. Those who go for a walk, normally, will have more energy when they finish other activities thus extending their metabolic rates. An incline on the treadmill or walking up a hill can increase oxygen consumption and help you build more lean muscle in your legs.
Just remember that exercise and fitness is the same as dieting, short term have little benefit but when you enjoy it and can incorporate it daily, it becomes a lifestyle change.
You can calculate your fat burn heart rate by calculating your maximum heart rate. This can be done by subtracting your age from 220. For example, mine is 220-55 = 165. My maximum heart rate would be 165 bpm (beats per minute). The fat burn heart rate zone usually ranges from 90%-70% of your maximum heart rate. You can determine these values by multiplying your maximum heart rate by .9 and by .7. Once you determine these values, you will have a good idea of what range you need to be in for optimum performance. Fitness trackers and watches are a good way to determine what heart you are exercising in. Please remember to consult your physician before starting any workout program just to be on the safe side. The overall goal is to improve our health so get out there and smell the flowers.
This was great to read. I’ve always enjoyed walking and am glad to hear that it’s a good way to exercise