Do you want to lose weight but don’t know whether to run or walk? Know the difference between walking and running for belly fat and which one is better.
When it comes to burning belly fat, the age-old debate between walking and running comes up often. You may be wondering which one works best? Well, running and walking are great cardio exercises that can help you lose those extra pounds, but they work in different ways. Walking is a low-impact exercise that is gentle on the joints and therefore easy to perform. On the other hand, running is a higher intensity that helps burn calories and improve endurance. But if you compare the two exercises purely from a weight loss perspective, there may be a winner. So let’s see which is better between walking and running to lose belly fat.
Walk or run: the benefits of cardio exercises
Cardio exercise, also called aerobic exercise, increases your heart rate and breathing. Walking and running are forms of cardio that help lose weight, improve cardiovascular health and endurance, and may help you live longer, according to a study published in the American Society of Preventive Cardiology. However, walking and running are different exercises and also provide different benefits.
Is walking an effective exercise?
This is a low-impact, joint-relieving exercise and is suitable for people of all fitness levels, including beginners, seniors, or people with joint problems. This involves moving at a moderate pace, usually on foot. This can be done anywhere, requires no special equipment, and is easy to integrate into daily life. Although it burns fewer calories per minute than running, it can still be an effective weight loss exercise, especially when done regularly. So, in the walking/running debate, walking is good for those looking for an easier exercise.
Is running an effective exercise?
On the other hand, running is a high-impact, higher-intensity exercise that burns more calories per minute than walking. This involves moving at a faster pace than walking. The added intensity means running can lead to better cardiovascular fitness and higher calorie burn in less time. Running also activates more muscles, especially in the lower body, and helps build strength and endurance and reduce the risk of obesity, reveals a study published in the journal Journal of Physiological Anthropology. Although running may seem more difficult, it can continue to burn calories even when you are resting, making it the best exercise between walking and running.
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Can walking help you burn belly fat?
A daily walk in the park may not be as intense as running, but it can still be one of the effective ways to burn calories and reduce fat, says a Western Journal of Medicine study. Walking helps create a calorie deficit – when you burn more calories than you consume – which is essential for weight loss. By walking at least 30 minutes a day, you can increase your metabolic rate and continue burning calories even while resting.
It is important to understand that fat loss occurs throughout the body and not in a specific area. This means that losing belly fat can be more difficult, as it tends to be more stubborn. However, walking may help reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone linked to the accumulation of abdominal fat, as found in a study published in Current psychology. Additionally, walking has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, according to research conducted in the Journal of Applied Psychology. This improvement helps regulate blood sugar levels, reducing the likelihood that excess glucose will be converted into fat, thereby promoting weight loss.
What makes running better to burn belly fat?
Between walking and running, running is a more effective exercise for burning belly fat than walking. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows that running burns about twice as many calories as walking. This high-intensity aerobic activity helps regulate appetite, reduce belly fat and promote weight loss.
Additionally, running offers the benefit of afterburn, or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), meaning your body continues to burn calories at a high rate for hours after exercise. training. This effect is stronger after running than after walking. As a result, running can be particularly effective for those looking to burn belly fat and lose weight quickly.
Walking or running: which is better?
Although both are weight loss exercises that can help you lose fat, including belly fat, running is better than walking. However, before choosing any of these exercises, it is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of walking versus running.
Walk
Benefits:
- Reduced impact on joints, making it suitable for people with joint problems or those new to exercise.
- Can be practiced for longer durations, potentially leading to higher total calorie expenditure.
- Easier to integrate into daily life, such as walking to work, using the stairs, or walking during lunch breaks.
Disadvantages:
- Burns fewer calories per minute compared to running.
- May require more time to see significant results if done at a moderate pace.

Running
Benefits :
- Burns more calories per minute due to the higher intensity.
- Leads to faster weight loss and reduction of abdominal fat.
- Increases cardiovascular fitness and endurance.
Disadvantages:
- Greater impact on joints, which could be problematic for people with joint problems.
- May be more difficult to maintain for long periods, especially for beginners.
- May increase risk of injury if proper form and warm-up exercises are not followed.
So, if you’re new to exercise, have joint issues, or prefer a lower-impact activity, walking may be the best choice for you between walking and running. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more intense workout that burns more calories in less time, running may be the way to go.
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