Bike or run? Before you decide on which to settle for, you should read this article to know all there is to it.
What are the differences between the two?
Biking and running are two different exercises with different benefits, so choosing one will actually depend on what you are looking to achieve, although they are both recommended for weight loss. The number of calories you will lose with either exercise at a given point in time will depend on your level of fitness, your current weight, and the intensity at which you work.
A very significant difference between these two is that while running is more like a full body workout, biking works more on the lower body. It will require a lot of major muscles to run, and this also depends on your intensity. Biking on the other hand, builds more of your quads and legs, and little of the muscles in your upper body.
What are the benefits of biking and running?
The two options have great cardio benefits, as they help to strengthen the heart. They also increase mobility at the hip joint and reduce the risk of injuries. If done consistently over time, a common goal they both arrive at is improving overall health and also assisting in weight loss.
You may want to consider cycling if you want to put less pressure on your joints. Cycling is also great to strengthen the back and the legs. If you also want to consider running, take it one step at a time in order to build your muscles. You can start from walking or jogging, to running slowly if you are a beginner.
Your diet is very important
A common misconception about these two is that the kind of food you take in on a daily basis will have little or no effect on your results. It is important that you know that although you burn a lot of calories via these exercise, you are not licensed to eat just anything. For an effective result, you should undermine the progress of your weight loss by eating healthy. Eat more of vegetables, whole grains, fiber-rich, and protein-rich foods, to keep your immune system healthy and also boost metabolism. This will help you to lose more weight and ensure you are not losing muscle mass along with fat.
As stated earlier, these two exercises have their own benefits, but to yield the best results, you can incorporate the two into your fitness regimen and switch them often.
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