Slow Walking Burns More CaloriesSlow walking not only burns more calories per mile, it may also save wear and tear on the joints of those who are obese. Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder confirmed that people burn more calories per mile walking a very leisurely 2 miles per hour than walking a moderate to brisk 3 to 4 miles per hour. Why Do You Burn More Calories at Low Speed?At low speeds, you lose the efficiency of already being in motion (momentum), as one step is the springboard to the next step. This makes your muscles work a little harder with each step. Researcher Ray Browning also noted a surprise finding, that obese people have modified their body movement so that they are energy-efficient walkers. While they burn more calories per mile due to moving more weight over that distance, the calories burned per pound of body weight was similar to lean people. Other good news is that walking slower also reduces the loads on the knee joints by 25%. This can be important for obese people who take up an exercise program to burn calories while reducing the risk of injury. "The message is that by walking more slowly, obese individuals can burn more calories per mile and may reduce the risk of arthritis or joint injury," said Ray Browning. Walking with fitness poles has a similar effect, burning more calories per mile while taking pressure off the knees and joints. Slower walking has one drawback; it doesn't give the aerobic training effect produced by walking fast enough to raise the heart rate. Browning recommends adding other vigorous lower-impact activities like swimming, cycling, step routines and elliptical training workouts. 09/05/05
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