Which is better for fat loss running which is (high intensity) or walking which is (lower intensity)?
A lot of people believe that low-intensity exercise like walking is the best way to lose fat. However this is not true. Research shows that not only does high-intensity training burn more fat adeptly it also speeds up your metabolism and keeps it higher even after you finish training. The main aspect to consider is the total amount of calories burned over the cardio session. The more overall calories burned the more fat that will be burned.
| Time(min) | % of kcal from fat | Kcal Burned | Kcal from fat | |
| Running | 60 min | 40% | 680kcal | 270kcal |
| Walking | 60 min | 60% | 270kcal | 160kcal |
The table above explains it more clearly. Running and walking use energy systems differently so walking tends to use more fat as fuel and running uses more carbohydrates. You can see though that the total calories (680kcal) burned through running is what has the biggest influence. This is highest, therefore the "calories from fat" is the highest from running.
Hopefully, you are not confused but if you are this table below also explains it. It shows that 35.5 min of running will burn the same amount of "calories from fat" as walking!
| Time(min) | % of kcal from fat | Kcal Burned | Kcal from fat | |
| Running | 35.5 min | 40% | 400kcal | 160kcal |
| Walking | 60 min | 60% | 270kcal | 160kcal |
So whats my advice? Do both! Sometimes walking can be more relaxing and enjoyable and then other times running is more enjoyable because you have to push yourself harder. Either way the fat is coming off!
