Walking vs Running: Which is Better For Fat Loss?

When it comes to fat loss, which is better in the battle of walking vs running? That is what we are here to inform you about.

Losing weight is not easy when it comes to the real world. It takes consistency, dedication and willpower. On paper, however, losing weight can be quite simple as one concept:

Caloric deficit

Caloric deficit is the main reason why you lose weight. In simple terms, you are in a calorie deficit diet when you burn more calories than you ingest through food and drinks. But, as we said, it is easier said than done.

One way to increase the number of calories you burn is through exercise. And two of the most popular cardiovascular exercise people tend to do is walking and running.

So which is better when it comes to losing fat? Walking vs running? That is what Mario Tomic decided to talk about recently.

Mario Tomic is an entrepreneur who helps other busy working professionals get fit and build a sustainable and healthy lifestyle.

Check his take on the walking vs running debate.

Walking Vs Running: Which is Better for Fat Loss?

So which is better in his opinion? Walking vs running? Right from the gate, he prefers walking.

“Walking enables me to get lean easier, stay lean easier, on top of obviously managing my diet, being in a caloric deficit, doing resistance training.”

Why not just do more running as you can burn the same amount of calories as walking but in less time? Tomic explains 4 reasons why he prefers walking vs running.

Recovery capacity
Injuries
Hunger response to cardio
Psychology

If your goal is to have a quite lean physique and low levels of body fat, you must prioritise resistance training. Running demands more on the body which will force you to recover for longer periods compared to walking, and resting periods mean you won’t be able to do as much resistance training as you could.

Running is quite injury-prone if you are quite overweight. “This is when walking can be a safe way for you to increase your energy expenditure, create a bigger caloric deficit and get the job done.”

You can add running later as you get leaner, but it is still not recommended for people with lower body injuries as you should not add running and resistance training if you have issues in that department. A better type of cardio, in this case, would be cycling.

When it comes to managing your hunger after cardio, in the walking vs running battle, walking takes the crown once again in Tomic’s opinion. People tend to get hungry after a somewhat big session of running or HIIT. Of course, some people have the opposite effect and are not hungry at all, so you need to know how your body responds to running.

Lastly, walking vs running also comes down to how you perceive it psychologically. Do you like running or is it something you dread that you have to do when you wake up in the morning?

If running is depleting a lot of your self-control and overusing your willpower just to do some jogging, that will affect your decisions in other areas of your life. “That’s going to affect your nutrition, it’s going to affect your work, and overall you’re not enjoying the process.”

And that is Tomic’s take on the walking vs running debate. To see a more detailed explanation, click on the video below.