Why Running Burns More Calories Than Walking Even if You Cover the Same Distance?

Walking and running the same distance doesn't burn the same calories because the latter requires more "metabolic cost."

Running vs Walking in Terms of Calorie Expenditure

Running and walking require different amounts of energy, so they burn different calories. Consider this: you walk 3 kilometers for 45 minutes daily to work. You were running late once, so you ran the same distance for 20 minutes.

Although you cover the same distance, running makes you more tired. This is due to the metabolic cost required in each activity.

The term "metabolic cost" refers to the number of calories expended during an activity and represents the energy required for our organs to travel a specific distance.

By examining the oxygen and carbon dioxide our bodies create and consume, we may calculate the metabolic cost by estimating the energy used. For a given distance, running, therefore, requires more calories than walking does. However, this only applies if the walking pace is "normal."

Thus, walking at a sluggish pace will cause us to take longer than the recommended 3 km to traverse, resulting in a higher total caloric expenditure. This is because, independent of the activity level, the body uses a fixed amount of energy per unit of time (referred to as the "basal metabolic rate").

Running is more energy-efficient than walking if the speed is exceeding 8 km/h. Instead of using our tendons' suppleness as we would when running, we must contract our muscles more in this situation due to the coordination needed to walk at such a high speed.

In addition, humans possess an extremely accurate intuitive sense of how energy-efficient a given movement pattern is. The point at which we spontaneously transition from walking to running on a treadmill that progressively picks up speed is the same as when walking requires more energy than running.

In conclusion, jogging to work requires more energy than walking the same distance because of the larger oscillation of the center of gravity and the increased energy expenditure following exercise.

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Walking vs Running for Weight Loss

Running and walking are two great cardiovascular exercises. One is not necessarily "better" than the other. The ideal option for you will depend on your objectives for your level of fitness and health.

Running is a better option if you're trying to burn more calories or lose weight quickly because it almost doubles the calories you burn compared to walking. However, walking has many other health advantages, one of which is that it can support you in maintaining a healthy weight.

You can also increase your walking pace to burn more calories. For instance, speed walking or walking at a brisk pace, usually 3 mph or more, increases your heart rate and burns more calories than walking at your normal pace. Although speed walking doesn't burn as many calories as running, it can still be useful to increase heart rate, improve mood, and increase aerobic capacity.

Power walking is also effective. Some power walkers achieve 7 to 10 mph speeds, but the activity is typically thought to occur between 3 and 5 mph. Running and power walking both burn about the same amount of calories.

Consider pace training for a productive workout. Pick up the pace every two minutes, then decrease it again.