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Glam Fame Journal

Is walking or running better for burning calories?

Author

Matthew Barrera

Updated on March 11, 2026

Is walking or running better for burning calories?

Running burns more than twice as many calories per minute as walking. For a person who weighs 160 pounds, walking at a pace of 3.5 miles per hour for 30 minutes burns about 156 calories. Running at 6 mph for the same time burns about 356 calories. Low impact vs.

Is it better to walk for an hour or run for 30 minutes?

For a 160-pound person, walking at a brisk, 3.5-mph pace for 30 minutes will burn about 156 calories. But running at a 6-mph pace for that same 30 minutes will burn more than double the calories (about 356). “But if you’ve got the time to walk long enough to burn the equivalent calories, then walking is fine.”

Does running and walking burn the same calories per mile?

As you can see, running a mile burns roughly 26 percent more calories than walking a mile. Running a minute (or 30 minutes, or an hour, etc.) burns roughly 2.3 times more calories than the same total time spent walking. When you look at per-minute burn, your pace (your speed) also makes a big difference.

Is it better to walk or run to lose belly fat?

So, exercising not only helps you to reduce belly fat, it also sheds fat from other areas. Running and walking are two of the best fat-burning exercises. Plus, the only equipment you need is a good pair of shoes. Between the two, running burns more calories, but walking really isn’t too far behind.

Can you get a flat stomach by walking?

Regular, brisk walks have been shown to effectively reduce total body fat and the fat located around your midsection ( 61 , 62 ). In fact, walking briskly for 30–40 minutes (about 7,500 steps) per day has been linked to a significant reduction of dangerous tummy fat and a slimmer waistline ( 63 ).

Does walking Burn fat on thighs?

According to The Stroke Association, a brisk 30-minute walk daily helps in controlling high blood pressure and in reducing the chances of stroke by 27 per cent. More importantly, brisk walking can help you tone your legs and reduce thigh fat. Walking tones your calves, quads and hamstrings and lifts the glutes.

Why is walking better for weight loss than running?

Walking can provide a lot of the same benefits of running. Walking briskly for the same amount of time at 3.5 mph burns just 314 calories. You need to burn approximately 3,500 calories to lose one pound. If your goal is to lose weight, running is a better choice than walking.

Why is walking better than running?

Brisk walking reduces the risk of heart disease more effectively than running when the energy expenditure of both activities is balanced out, a study has found. Researchers compared data from two studies of 33,060 runners and 15,045 walkers.