Figuring out how many calories you lose during a planned walking exercise isn't the right way to assess the benefits of walking. Walking, in fact, "may well be the perfect exercise" because it provides many creative opportunities to lose calories, is easy and convenient, and is more apt to be done for years because it has less "wear-and-tear" than more vigorous exercises, according to "An Invitation to Health," a college textbook.
Comparisons
Conventional walking exercises burn far fewer calories than bicycling, running and swimming. Walking 2 mph and 4 mph, "a very brisk pace," burns only 176 and 281 calories per hour, respectively if you weigh 155 lbs., according to "Calories Burned Per Hour," a chart compiled by Wisconsin's Division of Public Health. By comparison, "light effort" bicycling, running in place and "leisurely" swimming burn 422, 563 and 422 calories per hour, respectively.
Opportunities
You can make walking a part of your everyday routine rather than participating in a formal exercise program. You can walk up stairs at your office or the shopping mall. If you weigh 155 lbs., you will burn 563 calories per hour. Walking your dog at 3 mph burns 246 calories per hour if you're 155 lbs. Playing with your children while walking burns 281 calories per hour.
Convenience
Bad weather shouldn't deter you from walking. You can use a treadmill to burn calories indoors instead of worrying about bad weather, traffic, potholes and bad air. The surface can make walking easier and cause you to burn fewer calories than walking outdoors. Mark Fenton, author of "The Complete Guide to Walking," recommends increasing your calorie burn by setting your treadmill on an incline. A six percent incline burns about 16 percent more calories.
Expert Advice
"An Invitation to Health" author Dianne Hales recommends walking in water as an "excellent" exercise for burning calories. Hales explains that you burn the same amount of calories walking 2 mph in thigh-high water as walking 3 mph on land. This also means that you burn more calories walking 3 mph in water than walking 3 mph on land because you burn more calories when you walk faster. Hales attributes the extra calorie loss to water's resistance.
Considerations
If burning as many calories as possible walking is your goal, you can learn how to racewalk. According to "Guide to Walking" author Mark Fenton, the "speed limit" for "regular walking" is 4.5 mph, but racewalkers can walk 6 mph and burn 800 calories per hour at that speed. There are racewalking competitions in the Olympics and other major events as well as local racewalking clubs all over the U.S. that sponsor events. Walkers in the club can help you learn racewalking techniques.
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