Calories Burned Per Hour of Biking
Biking is enjoying a surge in popularity, thanks to its combination of eco-friendly transportation and healthy exercise. Not only does biking cut back on carbon emissions and reduce the number of cars on the road, it can also be part of a healthy weight loss plan.
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The Facts
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An average 140-lb. person burns about 508 calories riding a bike for an hour at a moderate pace. People who weigh less will burn fewer calories; heavier people will burn more calories riding the same distance.
Function
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If you are trying to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume each day. To lose 1 lb. of fat, you need to burn about 3,500 calories more than you have consumed. A biker going at a moderate speed needs to ride about 7 hours to lose 1 lb.
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Types
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There is a difference in the number of calories you burn riding a stationary bike instead of a traditional bike. You can actually burn more calories on a stationary bike than on a regular bike. Vigorously riding for an hour on a regular bike burns about 636 calories for an average 140-lb. rider. The same person riding a stationary bike at the same speed burns about 667 calories. Mountain biking burns fewer calories than regular or stationary biking.
Considerations
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The exact number of calories you burn during a bike workout depends on your specific situation. If you are heavier, you can burn more calories simply because you are moving more mass over a given distance. Because men usually weigh more than women, they can usually burn more calories than women who cover the same distance on their bikes.
Enhancements
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If you want to increase the number of calories you burn while biking, increase the intensity and speed of your ride. For instance, a 180-lb. rider can burn 531 calories when riding at a leisurely pace, but if he increases his workout to a vigorous ride, he can burn 885 covering the same distance.
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