Is Walking On The Treadmill As Effective As Running?

Motors whirl, sweat flies and legs move in what looks like effortless synchronicity. The extreme pace of the treadmill pros on either side of you send a tacit message that picking your plod up to a run gives better results. However, answering the question if running is more effective than walking isn't simple, says Cassie Henkiel, master trainer at Austin's Castle Hill Fitness. "The caveat is that it all depends on where you're starting from," she says.

Walking: A Better Choice

Your body has its own memory, explains Henkiel, an elite distance runner who's competed at the national and international levels since 1995. If you're a former runner who's fallen on sedentary times, walking won't give you the workout to which you're accustomed. "But if you're starting from a zero fitness level, you'll see a lot of results," Henkiel says. Walking is also advised if you're a senior or if health complications -- a past heart attack, joint issues or recent surgery -- takes running off the table, Henkiel says. "If you're way overweight, it's not a good idea to start running," she cautions.

Treadmill 101

The treadmill seems to be a straightforward piece of gym equipment, but using it correctly is more complicated than you think. Most treadmills are equipped with functions that allow the machine to simulate walking on a straight surface, incline or decline. Before you put rubber to the ramp, Henkiel suggests asking a staff member at your gym to give you a free introduction to the machine. Before you get started, "Everybody should have a good idea of what their MHR, or maximum heart rate, is and what that means, or at least their rate of exertion," Henkiel says.

Intensity Levels

One way to make sure your workout puts you in the fat-burning range is to see if you're working within a certain percentage of your maximum heart rate, or MHR. When training beginners, Henkiel employs the rate perceived exertion, or RPE, scale as a simpler assessment tool. The RPE scale uses your perception of exertion during physical activity and rates it with a number between 0 and 10, 0 being how you feel sitting quietly. Walking at a moderate pace typically rates a 3 on the RPE scale. "I always say that you should be pushing yourself to where you could still carry on a conversation -- but you'd be too uncomfortable to want to," Henkiel says.

Comprehensive Fitness

If you're new to exercise, ACE suggests starting out slowly with around 15 minutes of low-impact aerobic activity three times a week. Bump it up to 30 minutes four times a week, aiming for 45 minutes five to six days a week. A comprehensive fitness program has two other components: strength and flexibility training. Strength-training, which builds lean muscle, becomes more essential the older you get. Another benefit of building lean muscle is that it burns more calories than fat while you exercise -- and even at rest, Henkiel points out.

Challenge Yourself

The treadmill is a good weight loss tool -- but using it can get tedious. "We're all creatures of habit," Henkiel points out. "We're going to the gym or meeting girlfriends on the hike and bike trail. If you do the same thing, it's not that you won't see improvements, but at some point, you're going to reach a plateau." To break up monotony and challenge yourself, "Try cross-training, or do whatever you need to do to get a new lifestyle established," Henkiel advises. If you're just starting out, she advises you lto ask a fitness professional to design your exercise program. "That way, you already know what you're going to do before you get to the gym," she says.