Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

how much fat is burnt when cycling?

Options
  • 25-06-2007 6:41pm
    #1
    eurotrotter
    Registered Users Posts: 1,073 ✭✭✭


    iv been a cyclist for years
    but i dont know how much fat is burnt from cycling?
    how effective is cycling for burning fat?
    where does it rank compared to say swimming or running?
    thanks
    ed


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    zAbbo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,987 ✭✭✭✭zAbbo


    get yourself a HRM and see.

    You'll see how much cals, but not neccessarily fat


  • Options
    #3
    Cassiel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 346 ✭✭Cassiel


    It'll rank equally with swimming or running if you are working out at the same aerobic intensity as determined by your heart rate during exercise. Almost any HRM will have a rule of thumb calculator that takes your height and weight and determines calories burned by your % heart rate. If i remember rightly, the aerobic zone is 60 - 70% of your maximum heartrate, and that is the most efficient zone to be in to burn fat.

    An example would be I went for a spin today of over 2hrs, average heart rate was 82% and calories burned was 2100. My old HRM estimated that of the 2100, 30-40% of that would be from body fat.


  • Options
    #4
    Chips Lovell
    Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,269 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    I'd say cycling is more or less efficient than swimming or running depending on the intensity any of them is done.

    A HRM is handy, but I tend to take those calorie counters with a pinch of salt. I've come back from rides to be told I've burned five or six thousand calories in a matter of hours, which I wish was true but find hard to believe.

    As you exercise your body burns both fat and carbohydrates. The proportion of the two depends on the intensity. The higher the heart rate, the greater the proportion of carbs. That's why you'll see a lot of advice that cycling at 50% of max HR is most efficient for fat burning because the ratio is something like 50:50. However, riding at high intensity, while burning proportionally less fat, will burn a greater total amount of calories, which means you could still be burning a similar amount of fat. The downside is that your body only stores a limited amount of carbs, which means you'll bonk quicker. Riding a bonk will burn a lot of fat, but is a pretty miserable experience and I've read that it isn't good for your body. That's why its so important to eat while on longer rides.


Advertisement