Is Walking or Running Better?
As a student or professional in the healthcare field, whether you’re enrolled in a nursing program or a physical therapy program, you are aware of how important exercise is and how it should be included in every person’s life. Any cardiovascular exercise will do, but running and walking are among the easiest and most popular forms of exercise. When people begin exercising to lose weight, these are often the first two activities that they try.
However, there is much debate over which is better, walking or running? And the answer isn’t black or white. Let’s take a closer look at running versus walking.
Running vs Walking
When we look at whether walking or running is a better exercise option, it’s important to survey an individual’s particular needs. The answer definitely goes beyond simply asking do you burn more calories walking or running? Whether walking or running is right for you depends on a lot of different factors. Let’s examine the two different activities, and hopefully we can answer your question “is it better to walk or run?”
Walking:
Walking for exercise is a fantastic habit that can vastly improve one’s health. The benefits of walking are countless, including, weight loss, improved cardiovascular function, improved circulation, improved mood and so on and so on. In addition to the incredible health benefits of walking, you can experience an improved mood and feelings of well-being, making this a fantastic choice.
One of the most important factors to consider when deciding on walking or running, is to consider your own personal health and fitness. Walking is a low-impact sport and can be done by most healthy people. Even those with knee or back problems can usually walk without pain or injury. When comparing walking vs jogging or running, it is important to consider whether or not you need a low impact sport.
Running:
Have you ever started a running program to lose weight? If you are like many others, you have probably tried running to get into shape. Running is a fantastic way to lose weight, but there are some downsides to the sport. Running is a fantastic way to improve heart function, lower cholesterol, lower your risk of heart disease and to lose weight, but it can be very detrimental to your joints.
Running is a high impact sport that can be very hard on your muscles and joints. If you are thinking about beginning running, make sure that your knees, back and legs are in good condition and ready for that type of activity. It is important to start out slow and gradually increase the time and distance you run for.
Is walking or running better for losing weight?
While you can definitely lose weight running, you can also lose weight by walking! The calories burned running a mile may be slightly higher than those burned walking, but you run a much lower risk for injury by walking.
If all of your joints and muscles are in tip top shape and you want to run, why not give it a shot? However, if you are injury-prone and like to take things a little slower, than start off by just walking.
What are your thoughts? Is walking better than running or is is running better than walking? Let us know in the comments section below.
