Walk Smarter: Intervals Burn More Calories Than Speed

New research suggests that varying walking pace is more effective for calorie expenditure than simply walking faster. A study from Ohio State University found that people burn more calories by incorporating pace changes rather than maintaining a constant speed. This finding aligns with real-life walking patterns, which naturally include variations in speed.

The 'Japanese walking' method, which alternates three minutes of slow walking with three minutes of fast walking, has shown promise. Research indicates this interval approach can improve cardiovascular fitness by approximately 14 percent more than steady-pace walking. A single session of interval walking can burn between 200 and 300 calories without requiring any special equipment.

Furthermore, walking has a distinct fat-burning advantage. French sports physician Dr. Stéphane Cascua noted that walking burns around 45 percent fat, compared to 35 percent during jogging and 25 percent during running. This highlights that slower activity can be highly effective for fat metabolism.

While increasing speed still contributes to calorie burn, the most significant difference is observed when intervals are layered on top of speed variations. This implies that integrating pace changes, and potentially inclines, can make existing walking routines more powerful for fitness and weight management goals.