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By: Gray Rollins

There is some controversy as to whether or not running or walking is the better exercise. Each form of exercise has its own pros and cons. If you are wondering whether or not you should be running and exercising, you may want to consider the positive and negative aspects of each before you choose one.

Consider Doing Both

Keep in mind that a lot of people feel as if doing a workout that is a combination of both is ideal. Walking provides excellent cross training for running and vice versa. And that way you can reap the benefits of both. If the workout includes alternating bursts of running and walking you can get the best of both worlds.

Risk of Injury

It is important to note that it seems that runners have a higher risk of injury than walkers. Running is a higher impact sport than walking is. If you have joint problems or are struggling with constant injuries, walking is the better choice. If you walk at a fast pace, you will still burn adequate calories.

Weight Loss Considerations

At first glance, it may seem as if running can help you lose weight. This is partially true. Runners tend to burn more calories because they go faster. However, if a walker is focused on going at a fast clip, they could also burn enough calories to lose weight. With walking, it is easier to get complacent.

Examining a Duke Study

There was a study done at Duke University that attempted to analyze which is better for weight loss, running or walking. The end result of the study was that the two were nearly identical. The key is that the walkers need to maintain a fast pace and not reduce their stride to a stroll. However, runners and joggers experienced better protection against heart disease.

Running Burns More Calories

You can’t escape the fact that running burns more calories. The current lore is that walking a mile and running a mile burns approximately the same amount of calories. However, runners will complete that mile a lot quicker than the average walker. So, thirty minutes of running will burn a lot more calories than thirty minutes of walking. Despite the results that the Duke study indicates, running should help you lose weight quicker.

Health Benefits of Exercise

But no matter which activity you ultimately choose, running or walking, the important thing to remember is that leading an active life is important to building an overall state of health. The key to staying healthy is to keep moving.

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