[vibbs]

I have over a period of time realised that one cannot out run or out walk a bad diet.

If you want to lose fat, the secret lies in your plate and nowhere else. If we fix our nutrition, everything else is just complementing that.

That said, I believe choosing between walking and running is basically down to individual preference and goals. From solely a fat loss point of view, walking (perhaps not racewalking) or a light jog may be more efficient in burning out those fat cells due to the difference in source of energy usage based on intensity of workout. Also there is enough literature available and also mentioned in this thread itself about running being a high impact activity that stresses your joints. My own experience in this suggests otherwise though, but I am inclined to believe this is more or less dependent on the mileage as well as pace. Also as you lose weight, the load on your joints progressively reduces. My tender knees are no longer tender and I am not worried about climbing steps anymore. Infact my workout routine now comprises of hill sprints and running up steps every now and then.

Also, I personally prefer a jog at around 9-10km per hr. Anything slower bores me and as I am now close to my target weight, I am more inclined to improve my cardiovascular health. Running can be very effective in this because you can have a good control on heart rate as well by altering your pace. But effectively it boils down to what you enjoy.

[deathwalkr]

I used to walk for an hour then do a jog around the track a couple of times, but in these covid world, i have resorted to an exercise mat and a pair of dumbbells to help me out with my workout. In my skinny middle aged body i never thought i would see shapes forming in my arms and shoulders so that is great motivation to keep at it.

But still miss the morning walks...

[roby_dk]

I was once told by my football coach in school to not run unnecessarily and exhaust yourself. Better to walk a bit faster then a short sprint followed by walking fast again. This has to be done repeatedly to gain pace and save yourself from injuring your knees in long term. I do had lot of other injuries namely shoulder dislocation, ACL tear in right knee, ankle fracture in right knee to name a few while playing football.

One more thing which I don't like about runners is everyone tend to push themselves and try to improve the time frame to cover the same distance. So there focus is primarily on time rather than enjoying the activity.

[sahil624]

I used to weigh around 93 kgs and brought it down to 76 kgs, within a span of 5 months, with the help of cardio exercises in the gym and diet control (with occasional cheat day). Out of these five months, I didn’t lose any weight for the first twenty days or so. That’s when I realised that following a diet is equally important.
Now coming to the question of running vs walking, I think both needs to be coupled with a diet control if one aspires to lose the weight. However, in my experience if one wants to maintain their weight without following a STRICT diet, light jogging is pretty useful. This I am saying with experience. I lost my weight from 93 to 76 kgs way back in 2016 and since then I didn’t go to the gym. I have been jogging for 4kms, four times a week, and my weight hovers around 79 kgs. Of course, one needs to balance the intake of food. I strictly used to restrict my eating out to once per week (prior to the COVID outbreak).

[Thanos-VV]

As commented by many, only combination of diet and workout brings out the desired result. And whether it is running or walking more effective, IMO it depends on individuals
For me, jogging is more effective than walking and it helps me to keep the weight within the limit. Thanks to activity tracker, I do achieve an avg 20k steps on weekdays which includes 10k steps through an hour of morning jogging and this is giving me results. I am much healthier now than 3 years back.

Since 2018, I am consistent in this and before that it was on and off depending on workload but surely couple of days I used to jog. Touchwood, so far I have not had any injuries and I am in mid 30s.

[sachinayak]

What a thread. Just when I was thinking of thinking of Walking v/s Running, I see this thread on Team-BHP. What a coincidence. Sharing my 2c.

I have always been a big fan of walking. Am 43 Yrs, weighing 70Kgs, but Asthamatic (as a kid), Diabetic for 10-12 years now and have a torn ligament in my ankle (almost 15 yrs now, which I have not attended to). To keep my blood sugar levels under control have been walking very regularly for almost 4-5 years now. Walk an average of 17-18K step daily (based on data for almost an year now). Have participated in the Oxfam 100Km walk challenge + have walked a half marathon in around 3.5 hours. All my walks have kept my weight under control (am a big foodie) and with acceptable (but not great) blood-sugar levels.

I have never been a fan of running, as I have always considered it to be an injury-prone exercise. However last year, I was forced to take up running. I was very keen on trekking and went on two high-altitude treks in the Himalayas (Tarsar Marsar in Kashmir and Kedarkantha in Uttarakhand). This was a tall ask given my asthama history. The trekking company (Indiahikes) are an extremely professional organization and had fitness mandates to qualify for the trek (which I now fully agree with). The first trek required me to run 5Km under 35mins. And thus I took up running.

My initial runs were on the treadmill, approx 3km but I completely detested indoor runs and these were restricted to rainy season. I slowly started running outdoors (I am privileged to stay right across a beautiful lake with a 3km walking/running trail around it). My first run I clocked around 5km in 45 mins (including a 4km walk and a 1km run). Slowly tried getting faster and got a 5km run in 37 mins. Thought this would suffice for my trek, but it was rejected. This actually spurred me to push myself harder and over a few months could get my best 5km time to 31m 25s. My fitness proofs were accepted and I completed both my treks successfully (with my oxygen saturation and heart rate levels well within the prescribed limits at all times). I continued to run beyond my trekking requirements and also completed a half marathon (Bangalore Marathon) in 2h 30m with a mix of run and walk. Running certainly helped me reduce weight by 3-4 kgs (though weight loss was never an objective).

However, all this was after taking cortico-steroids (prescribed by a pulmonologist) daily for my wheezing problems. In the current COVID-19 scenario, with a lot of "unverified" information being shared about how medication is possibly causing complications in co-morbid cases, decided to pause my medication. This immediately put a spanner in the works, when it came to my running. Also the lockdown meant that I could just walk in my apartment complex (there are too many steep inclines for me to run inside). However kept walking regularly with an occasional jog. Now, over the last month or two, have been running once or twice a week - 5km, typically timing around 33-34 mins, which is not bad considering am completely off any supporting medication.

The latest twist in the story came when a fellow trekker (a 50+ old gentleman) posted his 5km run log that he covered under 27 mins. He is NOT a lean guy who is into fitness, but an average joe like me. He recommended the Slow Jogging methodology by Prof. Tanaka. So have now just embarked on this new way of life. I do a slow-jog between 3-5 km now daily (which does not tire me more than a brisk walk) but apparently is significantly better. I ensure i keep my heart rate under check (a fitness tracker helps) and I am able to burn almost the same amount of calories as a harder run. Most importantly this is something I can easily sustain on a daily basis, unlike running which I could do max twice a week. The emphasis on mid-foot landing and a strict limit on the heart rate ensures I jog slowly and I truly believe this is much much safer and sustainable than running.

Have just started, so too early to see how (or even if) it will help me in the long run, but have nothing to lose.

The journey has just begun....

[lancia_fanboy]

I am on the side of Running in this debate.
I have been on the entirety of the spectrum in exercising and health, from running 5kms a day during my college days for an year to smoking and drinking like a lazy bum for the next year, to a slightly mixed version of this now.

One thing I would like to point out is that running has loads of benefits - from increased confidence and general mood to a vastly superior digestive and cardio vascular system, one thing it doesn't help with is paunch reduction. That as a lot of people have mentioned in this thread is diet not exercise.

[akshatmangal]

Myself 38 fitter than 28 for sure.
Back in late 2016, I started with gentle walks after literally being pushed out of the house by my family. Initially, it was walking, then eventually it started getting boring and I on my own started jogging and walking and thus began the journey.
Did my first 10k in 1:08 and then from 10K graduated to 21k and from 21K to 42K. Its been steady and gradual.
The 2 benefits I see from running are
a) Body Fitness:- No doubt it gets you in shape. I have tons of people complimenting me for it. Also, the digestive system, blood pressure, etc remains under control. I have a perpetual cold and cough person since running I suppose now I don't get it even once a year.
b) Mental Fitness:- This is an equally critical result, as it has got me great composure and a sense of discipline. I always feel I am a better version of myself.

My 2 cents, just start doing it, slow or fast doesn't matter, just go out there and be out there, rest things will fall in place.

Happy Running.

[Stribog]

Good topic, let me weigh in with some numbers and studies. I personally hate aerobic exercise, more the iron pumping gym nut types), but a combination of aerobic (cardio) and anaerobic (weight and strength training) is a must to both lose weight and maintain fitness.

Walking definitely has its benefits but studies have proved that in terms of sheer weight loss, it's highly debatable.

For me the one go-to site for all fitness and health related questions is Examine.com. They take a purely scientific approach and make clear arguments.

https://examine.com/nutrition/can-wa...ters-shed-fat/

This will help.

The tl:dr is that

1) walking by itself does not lead to weight loss
2) you need to combine it with dieting to make a difference (whereas running stands on it's own)
3)

[Hayek]

Think this is a matter of personal preference.

I started walking regularly in 2013 - when I had almost turned 40. Was 86 kg then, and had almost never exercised regularly in my adult life.

Started with 3 km walks, then gradually increased it to 5 km walks, and then started cycling between 15 and 20 km 2-3 times a week.

Ran my first 6 km during the Dream Run at the 2014 Mumbai Marathon ( SCMM), but largely continued walking with the occasional cycling. In mid 2014, I joined Striders, runners group. Started training for the Half Marathon at the 2015 SCMM. Developed a knee pain pretty quickly - which was addressed with Physio therapy, regular knee strengthening exercises and a change of shoes.

Completed my first Half Marathon in about 2.5 hours.

Have continued training with Striders since then, and have done 3 full marathons, 2 35 km Ultras, and several half marathons (both timed and as part of routine running). I suspect that if I had not joined Striders and taken up running, I would have given up on exercise due to boredom with walks. Have managed to stay relatively injury free so far - though the enforced Covid related break over the past few months has hurt my fitness - so I need to see how things go once I start running regularly again.

So, waking is safer. It is the way anyone like me starting physical activity should begin. But it is boring, and running long distances helps creating a greater motivation to continue exercising for years in a row.

[harry10]

Walking is good for regular fitness goals. For weight loss and getting shredded Running is better. In fact short sprints are best for that. I try to walk at least 4-5 km every day. And I run whenever I can manage it. I would like to do more when this heat subsides a bit. As gyms are closed and running in park due to heat is a bit tough at the moment. Hopefully, once the monsoon starts the temperature will come down.

[amsidhu]

Very interesting thread. Running vs Walking. I am 31, 183 cms, 83 kgs and have a moderately active lifestyle since last 12 yrs. Here's my take on the same.

1. Train your mind. Our body is submissive to our brain. It can make you stop or continue in your training sessions.

2. For overall body fitness and keeping body weight and shape in check I recommend a combination of various active habits in one's lifestyle .
(a) Include light jogging, occasional sprints, brisk walk in a combined 50- 60 mins time-frame. You will cover about 7-8 kms easily. Dont forget stretching at start/end.
(b) Also include cycling and one game. I like Squash and one session of about 20-25 mins is fully exhaustive.

3. The most important is a strict check on what goes in ie our diet. Simple rule -Include fresh and local seasonal produce as much as possible. Avoid any packaged food.

4. Eat breakfast like a king; lunch like a prince; dinner like a pauper. Sane and relevant even today.

5. Walking benefits- Long brisk walks are very beneficial. Mind is refreshed. You can think and have a deep focus on any pending task as the mind is active and no one to disturb you. And yes obvious reasons of less impact on knees and ankles vs running on hard surface.

Thanks

[Phukan]

I wonder why playing has not been suggested by anyone. I am 40 and I have started playing from last 2 years. First I started with Badminton and then I learnt Tennis. I must say this keeps you far more motivated to continue with your fitness regime. I run, jog, stretch almost all the parts of your body and I don't feel it to be too much of an effort. It also helps me rejuvenate both my body and mind and keeps me energetic the whole day. The hardest part for most of the people is to find a place (read courts) to either play badminton Tennis or squash, but if you have it nearby give it a try. You will not come back to running to walking. Luckily for me, I stay in an industrial tonwnship and hence get to select what to do for my fitness.

[srishiva]

Have been running for long time and take part in Marathons. In the lockdown period I have started walking during evening time. I dont feel tired at all but enjoy doing it taking different routes within the neighbourhood.

I think for most people its easier to maintain the habit of walking than running. You can do it anywhere and anytime. So its not about which is good but which can be done steadily as a habit.

[sameer sultan]

Thank you for the OP for starting this interesting topic.

I have been a regular runner since 2016. I have an underlying health condition was advised by my Doctor than I need to do a regular physical activity to keep things under check. I use to visit a Gym before I started running, but I was not regular. Then I discovered the joys of running thanks to a friend and a co BHPIAN.

Since then I have been running regularly for about 3-4 times a week at a track near my home. I do about 4K in 30 mins. Is it running or jogging?!

In the current lockdown situation the track was shut so I started walking on the streets around my home. Since I feel running is dangerous on the pavement and streets as the surface is uneven and there is a lot more danger of falling.

I walk 4K in about 45mins. The amount of workout I get out of running for 25-30mins I do not exert so much in walking for 45mins.

The general opinion is walking is much better than running as the chances of injuries or a sudden health issue is less in the former activity.