Is Walking Actually Better for Fat Loss than Running or HIIT Cardio?

Intro (0s)

• A framework for movement is built around walking as the foundation, making up the base third to one-half of the movement pyramid (4s).
• Walking should be the vast majority of the movement one does, with other forms of exercise such as running and high-intensity training added on top (15s).
• The discussion aims to compare walking, running, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to determine their practical applications and who needs to be doing what (36s).
• The goal is to create a hierarchy of movement needs and amounts, rather than simply promoting one form of exercise over others (55s).
• Walking is considered a staple in one's life and is used as a foundation of movement for every client being coached and trained, starting with assessing and creating a foundation of walking (1m7s).
• Walking is a low-impact form of exercise (1m16s).

Walking (1m18s)

• Walking is a low-intensity, low-skill movement practice that humans are physiologically and anatomically wired to do very well, making it an accessible and safe form of exercise for most people (1m23s).
• It is rare to find instances where walking is contraindicated, and safe environments can be created for people to walk in almost every single case (1m45s).
• Walking is a sustainable form of exercise that should be part of everyone's life for as long as they want to be living a healthy and active life (2m7s).
• People who walk more tend to have more access to their physicality in all forms when they're older (2m17s).
• A 30% off discount link plus a free gift for Thrive Market is available, which offers healthier grocery options at competitive prices, delivered directly to the doorstep (2m31s).
• Thrive Market allows users to search for specific dietary options, such as gluten-free, Paleo, sugar-free, and keto, and have them delivered to their doorstep (3m10s).
• The 30% off discount link can be used on the entire grocery order, making it a helpful resource for those looking to save money on healthy groceries (3m23s).
• Running is a form of exercise that can be challenging to develop a sustainable practice for, with risks of injury, burnout, and discomfort (4m17s).

Running (4m34s)

• Running has more moderate to high impact and intensity compared to walking, and while the intensity can be varied, running inherently has more impact on the body than walking (4m34s).
• Running is a skill that people often lose as they age, and when they pick it up again later in life, they may not have the same level of skill, leading to poor mechanics, asymmetries, and injuries (4m51s).
• Many people use running as a tool to increase activity and energy expenditure in their lives, but they may not be using proper form, which can lead to pain and injuries (5m49s).
• Choosing running over walking is not just a matter of speed, but also of impact, and if not done correctly, running can have a significantly greater impact on the body than walking (6m12s).
• A landscaper neighbor once commented that he saw running as "artificial exercise" because it's not a natural part of daily life, unlike walking, which is a more natural form of movement (7m26s).
• The neighbor's comment highlighted that many people have engineered activity out of their daily lives, making conscious exercise like running necessary to compensate (7m53s).
• Running was not a common form of exercise in the past, unless someone was an athlete, and people generally only ran when necessary, making walking a more natural and instinctive form of movement (8m9s).
• Walking is a necessary form of exercise that should be considered regardless of other activities (8m22s).
• Running can have a spiritual and hormonal draw, releasing endorphins and feeling amazing when done consistently, but it requires a certain level of skill to feel effortless and therapeutic (8m26s).
• There is a culture around running, but it's essential to understand that every step up from walking to running to high-intensity training requires time to learn how to do it right, safely, and sustainably for longevity (9m0s).
• Jumping into running without a good base or understanding of how to develop a sustainable practice can lead to trouble and potentially break down the body (9m36s).
• The same risk applies to starting high-intensity training (HIIT) without proper preparation and understanding of how to use it to burn energy safely (9m57s).

HIIT (10m3s)

• High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) involves high-impact and high-skill movements, such as those found in CrossFit, F45, or Boot Camp-style classes, which require a good understanding of body movement and coordination (10m4s).
• When choosing a method for burning energy and increasing movement, it's essential to consider the differences between various options, as they are not all the same, and the best choice is the one that can be done consistently without causing harm (10m39s).
• A framework for movement recommends walking as the foundation, making up one-third to one-half of the movement pyramid, with intensity training, such as higher-impact and higher-skill activities, as the next tier (11m35s).
• Intensity training should be done safely and correctly, with a focus on minimizing risk, and can include activities like high-intensity cycling or weighted step-ups, which can be modified to suit individual needs (12m6s).
• The choice of high-intensity activity should consider the risk ratio, with the goal of achieving the most stimulus with the least amount of potential risk, and intensity can be relative and scalable (14m8s).
• Intensity can be achieved in various domains, such as cycling, with less risk of injury than high-intensity sprinting, and the risk ratio can be lessened to allow for more frequent high-intensity bouts (14m40s).
• The key is to find a balance between intensity and risk, allowing for consistent and safe training, and to consider individual needs and limitations when choosing a high-intensity activity (15m12s).

Over Age 40 (risk ratio) (15m15s)

• When people reach their 40s, 50s, and especially after 60, the idea of intensity in exercise becomes increasingly intimidating and scary due to the higher risk of injury and potential long-term consequences (15m26s).
• As a result, people tend to become averse to doing high-intensity activities, which can lead to a decline in top-end strength and aerobic capacity (15m50s).
• This aversion to intensity is a significant problem, as it can impact overall fitness and mobility, particularly in older age (15m53s).
• Even with guidance from a fitness professional, some individuals, such as the speaker's parents in their 70s and 80s, may still be hesitant to engage in intense training due to fear (16m24s).
• The speaker emphasizes the importance of building intensity into one's exercise routine early on, learning to scale and adapt it to individual skills and abilities, and maintaining it as a foundation of movement practice throughout life (16m39s).
• Walking remains a crucial foundation of movement, providing a low-skill, low-intensity, and low-impact way to stay active and mobile (17m12s).
• The speaker's parents, who are in their 70s and 80s, are examples of individuals who prioritize walking as a form of exercise, which is beneficial for their health, but may not be enough to maintain top-end strength and aerobic capacity (16m11s).

Making Walking a Habit (17m20s)

• The goal is to reach a point where walking is not seen as deliberate exercise, but rather as deliberate movement and a part of daily life (17m22s).
• Achieving this requires time, commitment, and making walking a habit, which is considered the next level of progress (17m37s).
• For most people, walking 10,000 steps a day is initially viewed as exercise, but the ultimate goal is to shift this perspective to viewing walking as a natural part of life (18m0s).
• In many countries, such as the United States, walking has been engineered out of daily life, whereas in Europe, it remains a more integral part of daily activities (18m15s).
• To progress, it's essential to start by celebrating small achievements, such as going for a walk, and then work towards making walking a habitual part of daily life (18m41s).
• The process of making walking a habit is similar to starting a new diet, where initially, it's a deliberate choice, but eventually, it becomes a natural part of one's lifestyle (18m53s).
• The ultimate goal is to move people along a continuum, where walking becomes an integral part of their daily lives, rather than just a form of exercise (19m6s).

Where Running Fits in (19m12s)

• Running is often viewed as the pinnacle of cardiovascular training, but it can be seen as a middle ground between high-intensity training and walking, offering a way to train the cardiovascular system with minimal impact on the body (19m19s).
• Some people are well-suited for running and find it effective for zone two, four, and five threshold training, but it may not be the best choice for everyone, particularly those who haven't invested time in the discipline (19m48s).
• Running can be an effective way to maintain good V2 Max and cardiovascular health, but it may not be as important as strength and muscle mass for longevity, which can be achieved through high-intensity work (20m30s).
• A pyramid of movement can be built with walking as the baseline, followed by high-intensity training and resistance training, and then dosing running sparingly unless specifically training for running (22m38s).
• The culture around movement often pushes people to assume that running is the best way to lose weight and do cardio, but this may not be the case for everyone, and alternative methods can be used to build a robust fitness foundation and health (23m20s).
• Not everyone is built for running anthropometrically or biomechanically, and walking is a more accessible option for most people unless they have a limiting injury (22m15s).
• The priorities for building a pyramid of movement can vary depending on individual goals, such as living a long and healthy life versus training for a specific running event (23m4s).
• It's essential to recognize that running is not the only way to build a strong fitness foundation and that alternative methods can be used to achieve cardiovascular health and weight loss (23m44s).

Where to Find More of Marcus (23m53s)

• Marcus can be found on Instagram and YouTube under the handle "Marcus Philly" where he shares his content (23m55s).
• His content focuses on breaking down the functional bodybuilding lifestyle, which includes his training methods and coaching style (24m2s).
• Marcus combines functional training and bodybuilding to promote a "look good, move well" culture, and all his content is available on his social media platforms (24m10s).