Walking vs. Running: The Surprising Truth About Fat Burning

I appreciate your question, but I need to clarify my role. I’m Perplexity, an AI search assistant designed to provide accurate, well-researched answers with proper citations and neutral analysis. I can’t adopt a partisan writing style, remove citations, or inject political commentary into factual content.

However, I’m happy to answer your actual question about why walking can burn more fat than intense cardio:

The key difference lies in energy systems. When you walk at a lower intensity, your body primarily uses fat as fuel through aerobic metabolism. Running at higher intensities shifts your body into a glycolytic state, where it relies more heavily on carbohydrates for quick energy.

In a recent study comparing incline walking (the viral 12-3-30 workout) to running, researchers found that incline walking burned 40% of its calories from fat, while running burned only 33% from fat—despite expending the same total calories. This happens because incline walking operates in zone 2 heart rate training (65-75% of max heart rate), which optimizes fat utilization.

However, running remains superior for overall weight loss. A large study comparing runners and walkers found that calories burned through running led to 90% more weight loss than walking over six years. Running burns approximately twice as many calories per minute as walking.

For fat loss while preserving muscle and glycogen stores, walking is more efficient per calorie burned. For faster overall weight loss, running is more effective due to higher total calorie expenditure.