Which Burns More Calories, Walking or Water Aerobics?

In general, walking burns about as many calories as water aerobics. However, the exact amount of calories you’ll burn exercising depends on your body weight, workout intensity and the duration of your workout. The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans suggest that all adults participate in 2.5 to five hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as walking or water aerobics, each week.

  1. Water Aerobics

    • If you weigh 155 pounds, you’ll burn about 298 calories participating in water aerobics for one hour, according to Harvard Medical School. The more you weigh, the more calories you’ll burn performing at the same intensity and duration as a smaller person. While a 125-pound individual will burn 240 calories per hour, a 185-pound person burns about 356 calories doing water aerobics for one hour, reports Harvard Medical School.

    Walking

    • If you walk at a pace of 3.5 miles per hour, you’ll burn about the same number of calories as you would participating in water aerobics. Harvard Medical School reports that a 125-pound person will burn 240 calories, a 155-pound person burns 298 calories and a 185-pound individual expends 356 calories walking for one hour at a pace of 3.5 miles per hour. However, if you boost your speed to 4 or 4.5 miles per hour, you’ll burn additional calories.

    Bottom Line

    • Both walking and water aerobics are excellent cardiovascular exercises that help you burn calories and reduce disease risks. Your exercise intensity level and duration determines your total calorie expenditure. The harder you push yourself, the more calories you’ll burn, regardless of the type of exercise you choose. Although walking is a low-impact exercise, water aerobics is even easier on your joints, making it an excellent choice for obese individuals, people with joint problems or those recovering from an injury.

    Healthy Weight Management

    • Walking or participating in water aerobics for an hour most days of the week will help you achieve or maintain a healthy body weight. A review published in a 2009 edition of “Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise” reports that exercising in amounts greater than four hours per week is associated with significant weight loss. If you keep your calorie intake constant, burning an extra 250 calories a day will help you lose one-half pound per week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest participating in 60 to 90 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week to help maintain a weight loss long term.