Commuting calories: walk, run or bike?
Most commuters strive to be as efficient as possible. To get the best workout, you're better off being inefficient.
New Jockology column now available here:
THE QUESTION
Will I get a better workout by walking, running or biking my 5K commute to work?
THE ANSWER
Most commuters strive to be as efficient as possible. To get the best workout (specifically, to burn the most calories), you’re better off being inefficient. [continue reading]
A couple of interesting points have already been raised in the comments section, including one about what “net” calories refers to. In brief:
“Net” is referring to the total calories burned while moving a kilometer MINUS the number of calories you would have burned during that time just by being alive (your “basal metabolic rate”). Otherwise walking gets credited with burning a bunch of extra calories just because it takes longer.
As a rough approximation, running burns about 50% more GROSS calories per kilometre than walking, but twice as many NET calories.
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