Walking vs. Running for Fat Loss: Which Is Better?

A lot of women think that if walking is good, running must be better. More sweat, more calories, faster results, right?

Not always. For a lot of women, especially if you are already strength training, walking can actually get you better results. Here is why.

Running burns more calories per minute

That part is true. Running burns roughly twice the calories of walking in the same amount of time. If you only have 20 minutes and you love running, it is a great option.

But walking is easier to do every day

Fat loss comes from what you do consistently, week after week. Most people can walk every single day without getting hurt or worn down. Running every day is a lot harder on your joints, and for many women it leads to injuries or burnout.

Walking doesn't spike your hunger the same way

A lot of women notice that hard cardio makes them starving, and they end up eating back everything they burned. Walking burns energy without the big hunger spike, which makes it easier to stay on track with your nutrition.

Walking won't get in the way of your strength training

If you are lifting weights (and you should be), lots of running can eat into your recovery and make your workouts worse. Walking helps you recover. Strength training plus daily walking is one of the best fat-loss combinations there is.

Walking is great for stress

High stress and poor sleep make fat loss harder. Walking, especially outside, lowers stress instead of adding more, which is a big deal for busy women and anyone in perimenopause.

So which should you do?

• Walk if: you are just starting out, you strength train, you have joint pain, or you want something you can do every day.
• Run if: you genuinely enjoy it, you have a race goal or you are short on time.
• Best of both: daily walking plus 1 to 2 shorter runs or interval sessions a week.

How to make your walks work harder

• Walk faster for a few minutes, then easy for a few, and repeat.
• Add hills or an incline on the treadmill.
• Take a 10-minute walk after meals.
• Aim for 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day.

Frequently asked questions

Can you lose belly fat by walking?

You can't spot-reduce fat from one area, but walking helps you lose overall body fat, including belly fat, especially with good nutrition and strength training.

How many steps a day should I walk to lose weight?

8,000 to 10,000 a day is a great target for most women. If you are under 5,000 now, add 1,000 to 2,000 at a time.

Is walking on a treadmill as good as walking outside?

Yes. Steps are steps. Add an incline to make it more challenging, which comes in handy during Minnesota winters.