Expert answer Hi Michael! I'm not sure where you heard that running and walking one mile burns the s...

1. Which burns more calories, walking or running?
Expert answer
Hi Michael!
I'm not sure where you heard that running and walking one mile burns the same number of calories,
but as you found out with your experiment, this statement is not correct.
Distance itself does not really determine total calories burned. How long you exercise, how fast/hard
you exercise, how much you weigh, and your fitness level are the major determinants of calories
burned.
According to the website http://www.caloriesperhour.com/, a 200 pound man would burn 113
calories walking 1 mile at a pace of 4 miles per hour (total exercise duration = 15 minutes).
The same man would burn 151 calories running a mile at a pace of 6 miles per hour (total exercise
duration = 10 minutes).
And if you were strolling for a mile at a pace of 2 miles per hour, you would burn 113 calories but it
would take you twice as long (total exercise duration = 30 minutes).

2. This may be where the confusion takes place. You burn fewer calories exercising at a lower
intensity, but if you exercise for a longer period of time, in some cases, as with walking at 2 miles
per hour versus 4 miles per hour, you may burn the same total number of calories.
Exercising at a higher intensity burns more calories per minute, which is much more relevant than
distance. In burning calories tips, addition, if you weigh more, you burn more calories doing the
same activity (this is just something to keep in mind. I'm not suggesting that you gain weight to
increase the number of calories that you burn!).
Also, if you are more fit, you actually burn fewer calories doing the same activity, but the good news
is that you burn more calories from fat when you are fit.
The bottom line is that more intense exercise, like running, is a more time efficient workout.
However, many people, including myself, are not able to run because of injury or arthritis. In this
case, exercise as intensely as you can, but realize that you will have to exercise for a longer period of
time to burn the same number of calories.
This is why the physical activity recommendations for adults are either 150 minutes of moderate
aerobic activity (brisk walking) per week or 75 minutes of vigorous (running or jogging) physical
activity per week in addition to strength training.

3. You can also try walking on an incline (or hills) to increase calorie burn or alternating running and
walking (interval training), which is great for people just starting a more intense exercise program
or looking to improve their overall fitness level.
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