Great question; and one that you should look at when designing your exercise program! However, for me to give a complete answer the question needs to be completed. There are two ways the question can be looked at; “Should I Walk or Jog 1 Mile (or any specific distance)” and “Should I Walk or Jog for 30 Minutes (or any specified amount of time)”.

Question 1: Should I Walk or Jog 1 Mile?
In this case, since you are going to cover the same exact difference, the answer is…it doesn’t matter. You will burn the same number of calories walking 1 mile as you will by jogging 1 mile. So if there is a day when you don’t have the energy for a fast paced walk or a jog, then if you walk the same distance you will get the same calorie burning benefits.

Question 2: Should I Walk or Jog for 30 Minutes?

If you don’t have any medical conditions preventing you from jogging (i.e., back problems, knee problems, etc.) then you will benefit more from jogging 1 mile. By jogging, you will burn more calories and improve your cardiovascular endurance more than by walking. In this scenario you will cover more territory jogging than walking and hence you will benefit more from jogging.

Discussion: Which type of cardiovascular exercise do you prefer; walking, jogging, or running?  And why?