Running and bicycling are two of the more popular activities for aerobic fitness and weight control. Each will help a person lose weight if combined with a proper diet. Both are excellent for cardiovascular training, to improve heart and lung function. Cycling puts less strain on joints and muscles and is best for heavy people or those with joint problems. Running takes less time and can be done almost anywhere.
Factors Affecting Calorie Consumption
Calories burned per hour of workout vary in either running or bicycling by the weight of the person, the intensity of the workout and its duration. Both running and bicycling can be done at slow, moderate or intense speeds. A heavier person will burn more calories in the same exercise with the same intensity than a smaller person because it takes more energy to move the larger body.
Figuring Consumption
There are many ways to calculate calorie consumption by activity. A Mayo Clinic table shows leisurely bicycling -- 10 mph -- will burn from 292 calories per hour for a thin person to 436 for a heavy person. Jogging at roughly 10 minutes per mile will burn 584 to 782 calories for comparable weights.
Another View
Another medical authority, Dr. Edward Coyle of the University of Texas, found in a study that riding a bicycle 20 miles at 15 mph will burn the same number of calories as running 5.6 miles at any speed. This study found that running tends to burn the same amount of calories at any speed, while bicycling calorie consumption varies more with speed because of wind resistance.
Speed Matters
The Mayo Clinic found a greater variation in calorie consumption in running as opposed to jogging. Running is generally defined as moving at an eight-minute per mile pace or faster. Mayo says running an hour will burn from 986 to 1,472 calories, depending on weight. A government fitness table on vigorous activities rates bicycling at 13 mph as burning 612 calories per hour and jogging at a 10-minute pace at 654.
Frequency Matters
Length of workouts and frequency also affect calorie consumption. It is fairly easy to ride a bicycle 10 miles a day at a 10-mile pace, but only runners in serious long-distance training will run 10 miles a day every day. Cyclists also can often ride 40, 50 or more miles in one day, especially on popular touring events. Runners, except for marathoners and triathletes, rarely run more than 10 miles at any one time and five or six is a usual distance.
References
- Dr. Mirkin.com; Calories Burned in Running vs. Cycling; Dr. Gabe Mirkin
- Mayo Clinic: Exercise for Weight Loss
- Get Fit Guy; Which Exercise Machine Burns the Most Calories?; Ben Greenfield
- Bodybuilding.com: Which Cardio Methods Burn Fat Fastest?
- Fitness.gov: Exercise and Weight Control
- American Council on Exercise: Physical Activity Calorie Counter
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