I’m sure everyone has heard of cardio exercises when it comes to losing weight. Yes, cardio is a great way to trim down for all ages at most conditions. After all, the whole premise of losing weight relies on losing all those extra calories. And the two best methods to help you achieve this, without a doubt, are cycling and walking.
Which one should you go for? Click here.
With this you also have more insights to help you make a more informed decision. Once you get started on an exercise routine of your choice, it’s best that you stick with it. That way, it’s going to be easier for you to evaluate the results you wish to achieve.
Before starting the debate between walking and cycling, we should acknowledge that successful weight loss requires good mind-body connection. This connection is only achieved when a person incorporates into their lifestyle a healthy diet, caloric balance, and an overall sense of feeling fit. One needs the right mindset as much as the right exercises.
Before you get started, make sure that whatever method you decide on is something that you’re fully committed to. If you’re half-hearted about it, the likelihood of success in the pursuit remains slim.
With this in mind, let’s jump into the debate!
Benefits of Walking
Walking is second nature to human beings; our legs are naturally adapted to carry the body around. To lose weight, all we need to do is walk and walk some more. Increasing intensity to cut weight can also be achieved by walking uphill or along a steep road.
For a 155-lb. person, at about 5 kmph for an hour would burn 232 calories. Moreover, walking is a safe exercise that will always stay under your control. It is also doable within small areas; you just need to cut a shorter circuit.
Walking is the most affordable exercise one can perform on a daily basis for a lifetime. All that is needed is a pair of good walking shoes and you are set for days. According to Mayoclinic.com, walking improves balance and coordination of the entire body, which is a great way to develop basic mobility.
Plus, walking is also very versatile. If you don’t have the time to walk physically outdoors, you can walk right in the comfort of your home. You can even do this while multitasking, such as watching TV to pass the time. A good example would include treadmill workouts to lose weight.
Benefits of Cycling
Cycling is another wonderful cardio that works great when it comes to cutting that extra fat. Oh, and cycling burns more calories than walking while requiring less muscle engagement. Cycling at less than 15 kmph will burn 281 calories for a 155-lb. person.
The difference is: cycling requires less effort to go at 15 kmph than walking, which takes 5 kmph. If you have a surplus of energy, cycling can help lose weight faster. Moreover, it’s great for building muscles like hamstrings, glutes, and rectus femoris.
Last but not the least, researchers from the University of Illinois found that cycling as a cardio-respiratory exercise helps increase your brain power. They concluded that a 5% increase in cycling improved 15% (three-fold) in mental strength.
Because cycling moves so many parts of the body, this makes it one of the best kinds of exercise, not just for losing weight, but for improving your overall health in general. If you can’t go out, you can go for indoor cycling, which is also just as fun and effective.
Walking Drawbacks
Because walking involves just the body, it has a few drawbacks depending on certain conditions and situations. Like for someone who has joint pain or weighs way above average, walking might cause joints to ache and set back recovery from injuries if done for a long period of time.
Hence, for a heavy person with less mobility, walking might become discouraging. Walking puts a lot more weight on your legs and spine to keep you up and going as opposed to cycling.
Cycling Drawbacks
Just like any other form of exercise, cycling has its own fair share of disadvantages as well. Some of these disadvantages include:
- The first thing one needs before cycling is to learn how to cycle. If you don’t know how to cycle yet, then this becomes a drawback. It can be quite tricky to learn how to balance, and this may take time. Plus, you also have to be ready for a few bumps here and there.
- Next, cycles need to be rented if not bought. Adult bicycles can be quite expensive, even if you were to buy a cheaper variant. If you can find good quality secondhand ones, then these could be worth looking into as well.
- Moreover, maintenance is part of the package for a prolonged lifetime of cycling. Depending on the extent of the maintenance job that has to be done, it’s a regular expense that could easily add up.
Hence, we can clearly identify the situations where one might choose walking over cycling. Cycling is often a harder option for individuals who don’t want to spend on a cycle or live in a cycle-friendly neighborhood. Moreover, a cycle would need regular maintenance if you want it running anytime, anywhere. Next up is the risk of cycling. Depending on the age and condition, like for older people and immature drivers, cycling can be dangerous.
The Decision
Finally, it’s time you fit yourself seamlessly into a weight loss program with the right cardio. Whether it’s cycling or walking, the choice is really entirely up to you. To help in your decision, you might want to go through the following touch points: caloric burn, expense, convenience, and body weight. Fitness blogs such as adamantgear.com or fitnessontoast.com can also help you make better exercise decisions.
If you can ask people for their expert and personal opinions on which would work best, and how you should go about it, then consider that feedback, too. That way, you can give yourself a higher assurance that your chosen workout will be the best one for you. We should keep in mind that in relativity, neither of the exercises has any drawbacks. It all comes down to you and only you.