Is cycling or running better for weight loss?

Question

I'm watching what I eat and following a low carb diet. However, exercise is also necessary for weight loss.

I can do either exercise, I'm just wondering which is more effective to lose weight and keep it off.

Answer 1

Any form of exercise and a sensible diet, will aid weight loss!

I am not a big fan of running, it damages tendons, ligaments and all sorts!

Call be biased but cycling is better for you.  Combine a healthy diet with cycling and swimming and you have a good all round fitness programme!

EDIT: Crash diets and 'Loose-30lbs-in-a-day!' exercise programmes, only work in the short term! the secret to losing weight and keeping it off, is to take it steady.

If you like hamburgers . . then have a hamburger but not all the time! You must remember that if you consume calories, then in order to lose weight you need to burn off more than you eat!!!! - Simple innit?  

Take a form of exercise that you enjoy, be it: Running, Cycling or Morris Dancing!

If your exercise programme is too intensive and your diet too restrictive  - then you won't stick at it!  - Result?  . . . .  failure!

I wish you the best of luck.

EDIT: Silverbullet - you struggle too much!!! This is me on a 95Miler (forgive the leggings, it was cold at the start)

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm236...

EDIT: I agree Silverbullet!

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Answer 2

A lot of times you can get your heart rate up for much longer periods of time on a bike making it better for you body and joints. I know this is not an option but swimming is probably the best exercise for weight loss because you are constantly using all of your muscles and you are just going against the water so it is very rare to to pull muscles or strain anything.

Answer 3

Running is harder on your joints, but burns more calories, gets your heart rate up higher and you use your whole body.

Running is better.

Cycling may be more pleasant, but the facts are that you have to work three to four times harder to get the same results.

Answer 4

I would suggest whatever one is more likely to build up muscle. Muscle is a very active tissue, so burns fat even while resting. You need to have a certain amount of muscle in order to burn fat efficiently. Every pound of muscle you have will burn 50 extra calories per day.

If you want to, follow the link and check out Burn the Fat and Feed the Muscle. It is the best weight loss book on the market and has some great suggestions for exercises that aid in weight loss.

Good luck and all the best with your weight loss goals

Answer 5

Bicycling is better, because you see more country than running in a given period of time, thus keeping it more interesting. Also, you can commute to work by bicycle in a reasonable amount of time unlike running.  

Answer 6

You will burn more calories in 30 minutes of running than you will in 30 minutes of cycling.  I think that's what you want to know.

And if you don't cause yourself any injuries running, it is probably the best exercize of the two for keeping the weight off because it will build more muscle.  The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn, with or without exercise.  

But the ones who say cycling is better are definitely right.  Far fewer injuries from the exercize itself.  And while you might actually run 30 minutes a day, you might cycle 1-2 hours a day, especially if it can replace the use of a car or public transportation for your daily commute.  And that would be just as good as the 30 minute run.

Answer 7

Eating less is best > from those 2 i would chose running .  

Answer 8

I've found it best to do both.   A hard 50 mile ride to get you to the edge, followed immediately by a 10 mile run to push you over.  A few days in a row of that will get your weight rolling down hill.  You won't have to worry about calories too much because you'll fall asleep before you get around to that late night snack.

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Edit:  Nice pic Mr. G.   Its rare to get decent action shots.  

Struggle? not really.   That's what it really takes if you don't want to count calories.  Actually, that's a workout I do a couple times a week, in addition to the normal rides, runs, and pool sessions.    

My intent was to provide a counterpoint to the "30 minutes 3x a week nonsense".