walking vs running

I have been told twice this week that running and walking the same distance burns the same amount of calories. This was such a revelation to me. I know that those of us who aren't an amazing runner beat ourselves up because we could have such a better workout if we were running. While it may take a little longer to walk the same distance I know that I can go for a farther distance if I am walking and if your heart rate is lower you will burn more fat. I am talking about still pushing myself not just taking a stroll. When I was in college I went for a four mile walk almost everyday with a friend, I can't tell you how great I felt that summer. I also lost 17 lbs without doing changing anything else. That means that I was dropping almost 1.5 lbs a week.

I am hoping that I can do the same thing this summer and get to my goal weight. We have the most amazing trail that winds 66 miles though out Denver and it's suburbs.

My favorite section starts at one of the rec centers, winds past some amazing houses giving great glimpses of the backyards and has the canal flowing with water next to it.

It is most likely my favorite place in Colorado. Nothing is better than spending an hour with a girlfriend or Hubby in the cool evening air on the trail.

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The summer hubby and I started dating I was planning on spending my summer evenings walking four miles like I did the previous summers. He unexpectedly asked me out Friday of Memorial Day weekend, I thought I would have another carefree single summer. I tried to get him to join me but he wanted to just take a very slow more romantic walk. We ended up spent almost every evening eating out and getting cold stone after dinner. Do you know that a small (like it) of cake batter is 14 points before add ins. I could have eaten that and the frozen coffee I was enjoying everyday and be at my daily points. I have no idea how I slowly gained weight that year but rapidly put it on the year after we got married when I wasn't eating that way everyday.

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I plan on once again walking on the canal in the evenings this summer. I am hoping that if I start going by myself Hubby with soon want to join me.

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Remember that when you are adding exercise you don't need to add extra calories. Unless you are working out for hours everyday your body will function just fine. I find though that when I workout I am less hungry that day.