As of 2008, more than 34 percent of American adults were overweight, and more than 33 percent were obese, according to a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With this growing trend of unhealthy weight, activities that promote fat loss, such as cycling and running, are necessary. The intensity of the exercise and your current body weight will determine the amount of calories you burn during either of these exercises as well as the time it will take to lose weight.
Burning Fat
To lose 1 pound of fat, you must burn 3,500 more calories than you consume, according to MayoClinic.com. While numerous activities help you use calories throughout the day, cycling and running enable you to potentially burn large numbers of calories during cardiovascular workouts. The American College of Sports Medicine notes that to lose weight, you might need to perform 60 to 90 minutes of exercise per day.
Light Cycling and Running
Biking at a speed of 10 to 11.9 mph burns nearly 500 calories per hour for a 180-pound person, according to NutriStrategy. Running at a light speed of 5 mph burns about 650 calories in an hour for a person of the same weight.
Moderate Cycling and Running
Slightly increasing your speed can have a significant effect on the number of calories you burn during either activity. For example, a 180-pound person burns more than 650 calories per hour cycling at a pace of 12 to 13.9 mph. Likewise, running at a moderate pace of 7 mph burns nearly 950 calories an hour for the same person.
Vigorous Cycling and Running
Performing either activity at a vigorous pace will help you burn the most calories possible during a workout. If you weigh 180 pounds, you can burn more than 800 calories per hour cycling 14 to 15.9 mph. Alternately, the same person can run at a vigorous pace of 9 mph to use more than 1,225 calories in an hour.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; NCHS Health E-Stat -- Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Extreme Obesity Among Adults: United States, Trends 1960–1962 Through 2007–2008; Cynthia L. Ogden, Ph.D., et al.; June 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Exercise for Weight Loss -- Calories Burned in 1 Hour; December 2009
- NutriStrategy: Calories Burned During Exercise, Activities, Sports and Work
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity & Public Health Guidelines
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