Running vs. Cycling — Which is better for weight loss?

Cycling and running are the two most highly recommended aerobic activities for weight loss. While both these activities help you stay slim and fit, a question that often pops up is which one burns more calories. Here are factors that will determine which activity is most effective for weight loss.

Body weight

The numbers of calories you burn in a workout session depend a lot on your body weight. If you weigh more, you are expected to burn more calories with running. In general, running burns more calories because it requires you to support your body weight. A person weighing 68 kg is expected to burn 500 calories in a 40-minute run while cycling will help him burn 400 calories in 40 minutes. Being a weight-bearing exercise, running has an additional benefit of helping you build stronger bones. Also read if jogging or running is better than a treadmill for weight loss.

Intensity

Increasing the intensity of your exercise will help you burn more calories. Challenge yourself to climb the hills running or cycling. As uphill running requires greater force, it can engage the muscles of your inner thighs, glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps. You will also burn more calories in the process, as your muscles require more energy to run. While you are cycling uphill, you are not only working out your lower body parts but the muscles of your abdominals, triceps and shoulders are also engaged.

Fat burner

Running helps you burn more fat as it is a more vigorous exercise, compared to cycling. Running can also help facilitate fat oxidation in the muscles, breaking down the fat more efficiently. Being a high-intensity activity, it can also help improve your metabolism, helping you burn more fat. Here are more reasons why you should run everyday.

Speed and time

Running or cycling for a longer time will help you burn more calories. Increasing your speed can aid you in burning more calories in a short period of time. A person running 10 minutes per kilometer can burn as much as 900 calories in a 90-minute run. Similarly, when you are cycling, increasing your pace to the range of 25 km per hour can help you burn 892 calories.

Considerations

If you have just suffered a knee or back injury and you have significant amounts of weight to lose, then cycling could be appropriate as it puts less pressure on the joints. Cycling can also be ideal if you are overweight or are a beginner as it is a low impact exercise, compared to running.  However, incorporating both these activities in your daily exercise regime will help you yield better results.

---

For more articles on weight loss, visit our Weight loss section. For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter.

1. Prev:Bhekasana or frog pose — A yoga asana to tone your hips and buttocks
2. Next:Want to lose weight? Try these delicious low-calorie recipes