Archive for the tag - running

Does Running Burn More Calories than Walking?

December 18, 2010 By

Running his way into my heart.

Being in New York City and having walked nearly 100 blocks last night, I thought about the age-old adage that you burn as many calories walking as you do running. Obviously, this isn’t true per unit of time – you’d burn more calories running for ten minutes than walking for ten minutes. But what about per unit of distance? Would I have burned more calories if I had run the 100 blocks instead of walking them?

It turns out that the caloric difference between walking and running a mile is pretty minor, and that speed does play a small role. In general, the faster you go, the less efficient your body is – and thus, more calories burned. But the numbers aren’t as dramatic as you might expect and clearly a number of other variables come into play.

Calories burned per mile for a 160-lb person:

Walking
2.0 mph – 91
2.5 mph – 87
3.0 mph – 85
3.5 mph – 83
4.0 mph – 91
4.5 mph – 102
5.0 mph – 116
Running
5.0 mph – 116
6.0 mph – 121
7.0 mph – 119
8.0 mph – 123
9.0 mph – 121
10.0 mph – 131

My 100-block walk was about 5 miles and we managed a 4.5 mph clip. That’s 510 calories. If I had done a fast 9 mph run, it would have amounted to 605 calories. That’s not a big difference considering the exertion of a 9 mph run. Of course, the run would have taken half the time – but with increased joint stress or injury risk than walking.

Just looking at the numbers, it’s easy to see why walkers swear by the exercise. Of course, calories burned while exercising don’t tell the full story. Runners can enjoy significant benefits after exercise is complete – like the huge metabolic increases associated with interval training. Plus, sweat is good for your body – and really great for your skin.

Are you a walker or a runner? What do you like best about it?

Filed Under: Cardio, Tips, Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: , ,

Calculate How Long Your Running Shoes Should Last.

November 27, 2010 By

The sniff test is not the best way to determine your shoe's expiration date.

Old or worn-out running shoes could set you up for injury. With each mile, shoes slowly lose their shock absorption ability and the stability is compromised. Much of this can happen even before the shoe’s treads wear out; your shoe may still look new even though it’s in need of replacement.

Here’s how to calculate how long running shoes should last you:

  1. Add up your typical weekly mileage. I run 18.75 miles per week.
  2. If you are an avid runner, divide 400 by your weekly mileage. If you’re not an avid runner, divide 500 by your weekly mileage. For me, I need to divide 400 by 18.75. The result is 21.33.
  3. Divide this number by 4. For me, the result is 5.33.
  4. This is the number of months that running shoes will last for you.

In other words, I need to replace my running shoes about twice a year. Since my last pair was purchased in March, I’m definitely overdue.

Here’s a quick tip to make things easier: Write your shoe’s expiration date on the inside of each shoe with a permanent marker. And when you get a new pair, remember to do the same. It’s an easy way to remember when it’s time for a replacement.

Are you running with worn out shoes? According to this formula, how often do you need to replace yours?

Filed Under: Cardio, Tips Tagged With: , ,

Buns of Steel: Which Cardio Machine is Best for Your Butt?

August 13, 2010 By

Buns of steel could be only a jog away, according to a recent study.

As a gay man, I spend a lot of time thinking about butts. So I was especially excited to get my paws on a new study about glutes (a.k.a. ass muscles) and cardio machines. So which cardio machine is best for your backside? Is it the treadmill, the recumbent bike, the stair master, or the elliptical? You may be surprised by the answer.

Here’s what the study found:

  1. Treadmill (jogging): 48.9% of glutes activated.
  2. Elliptical: 32.6% of glutes activated.
  3. Treadmill (walking): 24.3% of glutes activated.
  4. StairMaster: 24.0% of glutes activated.
  5. Recumbent Bike: 6.0%of glutes activated.

Jogging on the treadmill is the clear winner (running or sprinting, though not included in the study, is presumably even better). Jogging speeds, by the way, are different for different people – it’s based on perceived effort – though most jogging speeds are less than 6 mph.

Here are a few tips to dig even deeper when doing cardio:

  • When walking, jogging, running or sprinting on a treadmill, add an incline to activate a greater percentage of your glutes.
  • When cycling, use the upright bike instead of the recumbent bike.
  • When stair climbing, take bigger steps.

Bottom line: If a stronger ass is in alignment with your fitness goals, picking up the pace on a treadmill takes the cake.

Filed Under: Legs, Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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