Walking Is A Better Way Of Losing Fat Than Running-Find Out Why?

Many people swear by running these days. The fitness world is filled with the running frenzy but the point here is whether cardio is a better method of weight loss when compared to walking? In the recent years people have proved that plain walking is better for weight loss than cardio. So, in this post I want to bring forth the fact that walking is a better way of losing weight than running. Now you may ask how? Well, you will find out soon. Keep reading!

Reasons that make running a bad choice for weight loss

Reason 1: Running is a cardio exercise. When you run, you burn calories from both muscle and fat. The body cannot choose between muscle and fat when it comes to burning calories and so by running you are actually decreasing your muscle mass. Now, you don’t want that to happen as muscles in the body burn more calories. It is fat that you really want to lose and not muscles!

Reason 2: Doing too much of cardio exercises can increase the production of cortisol which is a stress hormone. It leads to a lot of food cravings as the body after running wants to overcompensate for the calories burned. End result? You land up consuming more calories than you have burned and this will push your weight loss dream farther.

You can become leptin resistant by doing too much cardio and this hormonal effect is similar to sleep deprivation. Your body will be unable to tell whether it is full. You will get very hungry and over time develop insulin resistance due to high levels of cortisol. This will make you gain weight again.

Cardio can have a negative impact on the functioning of the thyroid. For a properly functioning metabolism, the thyroid produces a hormone T4, which later gets converted to T3 to help the body’s metabolism. However, when too much of cortisol is produced in the body, the thyroid just can’t produce T4 and this results in a dysfunctional metabolism, reduced ability to burn fat and loss of energy.


Reason 3: When you run, you bang your feet against the ground. If you happen to be overweight, it can be bad for the joints and knees.

As mentioned above running can result in reduction of muscle mass, a troubled metabolism and hormonal imbalance can lead to weight gain. Moreover, if you are overweight, it can negatively affect your knees. On the other hand, walking is a healthier and balanced alternative in spite of the fact that it burns lesser number of calories when compared to running. Walking decreases the amount of cortisol in the body, which is better in the long run. Walking makes the body sensitive to insulin and this enables better burning of calories. Walking doesn’t lead to unmanageable hunger and food cravings. It also produces hormones like dopamine and serotonin that make you feel motivated and happier, which leads to overall wellness.

What do you make out of all this? Doesn’t it seem as though walking is a better way of losing weight than running. Walk for 30 to 60 minutes, 3 days a week and increase this to 6 days a week. For a good looking and firm body, do weekly resistance exercises for 20 to 30 minutes. Coupled with a balanced diet, you won’t need to run again.

Source:  http://www.fitnessvsweightloss.com/walking-is-a-better-way-of-losing-fat-than-running/