Walking vs. Running: Which Is Better For Mental Health & Weight Management?

First and foremost, both running and walking are excellent for cardiovascular health1 and longevity. Doing any form of regular cardiovascular exercise can lower inflammation2, improve metabolic health3, and reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease4.

Walking and running also support zone 2 cardio–a training style where you keep your heart rate between 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate5 for an extended period to build cardiovascular endurance.

Zone 2 training increases your aerobic capacity to walk or run faster while maintaining a lower heart rate. Jonathan Olonade, CPT, NCSF, a certified personal trainer with Life Time Fitness, tells mindbodygreen, “Training in zone 2 and doing cardio consistently is reflective of longevity.”

While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to living a healthy lifestyle, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that healthy adults accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise weekly.

Going for a walk offers a myriad of health benefits–particularly if you head out into nature for your stroll. Here are a few of the top ones:

Walking outdoors in nature is known to boost your mood6, improve cognitive function7, reduce blood pressure8, and even help you sleep better9.

Increased exposure to nature is also good for your gut health10, which in turn helps lower stress and anxiety via the gut-brain connection. Additionally, more time outdoors means more sun exposure and intake of vitamin D11–an essential nutrient for cardiovascular health and immune function.

Another unique benefit of walking is that it supports bone health, a critical component of healthy aging. Weight-bearing aerobic activities12, such as walking, running, and hiking, can strengthen bones by increasing bone mineral density. Stronger bones create a more robust skeleton, which reduces the risk of falls, breaks, and fractures as you age.

Walking is also an excellent form of active recovery since it has a low barrier to entry, meaning most people of any fitness level can do it and reap the health benefits.

“There are so many benefits of walking,” says Bethany Welch, CPT, a certified personal trainer and running coach. “It’s an amazing low-impact workout that’s free and accessible to most people. Walking is perfect for those with injuries who shouldn’t have high-impact stress on their body.”

Running is also an effective mind-body workout. Beyond its cardiovascular perks, these are some of the top benefits of running:

On average, running burns nearly twice as many calories as walking. For example, a healthy person who weighs 160 pounds running 5 miles per hour (MPH) for one hour will burn 606 calories, while brisk walking for the same duration at 3.5 MPH will burn 314 calories.

“Typically, running will burn more calories than walking if done for the same duration,” explains Welch. “However, if you power walk or walk on an incline (or both), you can have the same heart rate response as you would running, and therefore burn around the same amount of calories.”

Besides helping burn more calories and improving cardiovascular health, running can do wonders for your mental health. A comprehensive review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2020 found that running significantly impacts mental health13, especially stress reduction, anxiety, and depression. That’s because exercises such as running enhance blood circulation to the brain14, which boosts mood and helps you better manage stressful situations.

Like anything else regarding health and fitness, what works best for someone else may not work for you. Walking and running differ in terms of energy expenditure and injury risk. To decide which one is better for you, you’ll need to consider your health, fitness level, whether or not you’re injured, your goals, and so on. This quick guide can help:

It’s essential to listen to your body while running, especially if you’re a beginner. Several red flags can signal that it’s time to stop running. These include discomfort in your upper body (this could be a heart attack symptom), lightheadedness and dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, joint pain or swelling, and pain anywhere in the body (though Olonade notes that some discomfort or soreness is normal while running).

Before taking the leap from walking to running, speak with your healthcare provider who can advise you on getting started safely and without injury.

Want to up the intensity and calory burn of your walks, but not quite ready to go on a run? Olonade and Welch offer the following tips for taking your walking routine to the next level.

At the end of the day, walking and running are both excellent forms of cardiovascular exercise with incredible health benefits. Each one has its positives and drawbacks, but will ultimately help you maintain a healthy weight, boost your cardiovascular health, and encourage you to move more–all critical factors for living a longer, healthier life. Whether you’re lacing up walking shoes for the first time or are an experienced athlete, both activities can serve a purpose in your movement routine.