Running vs Cycling for Fat Loss - What’s More Effective? 

The best exercise is the one you enjoy the most and can stay with. It doesn't matter the results.

Was a runner for several decades. I definitely lost a lot, primarily MY KNEES!!! Bike for me and my metal knees now.

I can run for 40-60 mins without straining myself at a moderate pace. I can bike for 2.5-3 hours without straining at a moderate pace. So volume wise, I can burn way more calories on the bike without risking an injury due to overuse.

I legit haven’t been able to run since the summer & I started gaining weight. Ironically I switched to indoor cycling… back on a low carb protocol & calorie deficit but man I would love to run again! My body won’t allow me to anymore! It always slimmed me down the best out of any other cardio session 😩

I'm currently doing a 7 day water fast with light cycling. thanks for all the knowledge you have shared over the years!

Thomas, I want to thank you for all the information you give us! Your transformation is motivation for me to become the physique I wish to have and again, thank you for helping me achieve this dream! Cheers Thomas!! Happy New Year!

We tackled assembling the bike as a family project. ru-vid.comUgkxzg0clhbtRf2gGxPkVETFKJJKGqdsorQu The package is heavy, but I have 2 teen boys that were able to move it. The written instructions were great- we didn't need to watch the videos, but it was good knowing that the option was there if we needed it. After we were able to get it set up, the boys each rode 3 miles and I rode 8 and the bike stayed quiet. The display is easy to reset, and you can put it on whichever setting you are using (time, distance, calories, etc). I will say that my butt is a little sore from the seat, but that could be because I haven't rode in a while. While it is comfortable for me, it was not comfortable with the seat position for my friend (could not move the seat back far enough and he slightly looked like a kid riding a tricycle that he had outgrown). He also said that the seat hurt his manly parts. We are going to look for a different seat that will be compatible with this bike for him.I did purchase the Wahoo Cadence sensor and strapped it to the crank of one of the pedals. This will sync with my Apple Watch, iPhone and will import data in to my Health app. Wahoo does have other sensors available other than cadence. I can also keep either my phone or my iPad on the display and they both feel pretty secure.

It's neither of these. Jump roping is king! Jokes aside, jump roping is super underrated and can be done literally anywhere which makes it perfect for people with a tight schedule. Incredible high intensity exercise

What an excellent video, Thomas! THANK YOU!

Been doing both a lot, I feel like biking targets the fat burn zone heartrate way longer than runs

Your videos always give me the motivation to get off my ass and go work out like rn🔥

ty Thomas! you have endless good video topics

Thank you so much for all your help!!! I’ve been following your guidance since 2017 and Fasting and low carbs have changed my physique. I’m 52 and I was able to recomp. I have more muscle than when I was younger. Last year I started running again. I would love to hear more about what you do as far as long distance running and fasting. I’m afraid to fast on running days because I don’t want to lose my hard earned muscles. I love your new cook book and ordered your IT book.

I think you missed the mark here. If you do HIIT on a bike you can push more power (without nearly the impact) than you can unless you’re sprinting to the max up a hill while running. I’m a spin instructor and a runner, and I push much more power on a bike in a HIIT class unless I find a mountain to run up. I do think you’re right about how you need to use more of your body to run, I just do t think it’s as easy to hit the same intensity for the same duration without destroying your body like you can on a bike.

Yep this is so key along with everything concerning diet and timing....an area in fact I should pay more attention to but it is also important to know our limits and at the moment I have recovering knees from a previous activity and so I will have to enhance the exercise, HIIT and continuous part to burning visceral fat when I am well rested and ready to be beat up again, like most things it's a process...thanks for today's motivational reminder and area of focus.

this answered a question i have been tryna work out for a few months now. thank you

Your are 100% right when you said "COMBINE"! Thats when i lost the most fat weight. Thanks for content.

I've been running 🏃‍♂️ for decades but the effects are more negative than positive I'm not able to express here what I've experienced ! My only advise is WALK DON'T RUN!

I can say from experience that running really cuts up the whole body. I never looked better than when I was running routinely. As with any exercise you gotta get over that mental road block. It takes time and discipline.

I’m a spinning instructor, but I love to run outdoors. I have slowed down the running and introduced more fast walking. Giving a try to zone 2 cardio.

Running is my go to. I am 47 years old and have lost 95 lbs of fat. I run half marathons once a month and about 80 miles per month. With a balanced diet and cardio + resistance training I have managed my overall weight and health. 👍🏻

Thomas, thank you for this. Could you compare indoor rowing to these as well? I would think for a low impact, total body workout, rowing would be the king.

I do both. If you cycle at a higher pace, with incline, you will most certainly drop gobs of weight. I see it all the time.

The disadvantage of running is that it wears down your joints and most people cannot keep running for as long as their muscles would allow because their cardiovascular system gives up too early. Especially for older people, running will not burn as much fat as they cannot run that long or that hard in HIIT. If you do HIIT on a bike, your joints are not suffering as much as there are no real impacts but a more or less smooth movement. World class cyclists burn up to a whopping 8.000 calories during a stage.

I've noticed my breathing is strengthened as I do cycling. It gets my breathing high, and I can concentrate on taking deep, full breaths while I am cycling more so than when I am running, because cycling is a lower stresser. And this strengthening of my breathing subsequently benefits me when I am running. So, the two forms of conditioning sort of work synergistically with each other. It may be of benefit, once done with strength training, to hop on the bike for 20 minutes, then go over to the treadmill and run a mile. You can get the benefits of all forms of training.

Would love to see comparisons between mountain biking vs running or elliptical with arm movement vs running!

Great video, have they done with this ROWING!! That would be interesting!

Amazing video

I've run all my life starting in high School and has kept me in great shape. But as I got older,for the first time started feeling it in my knees and ankles. You don't think about how how important it is to have good knees and ankles in everyday life until they start hurting. My suggestion run like the wind when younger and when you get older maybe combine them by doing wind sprints for hiit and switch to less impact like cycling and swimming for your longer-term conditioning

I've been thinking of getting a treadmil or an at-home bike. Thank you for helping me making a informative decision.

So overall would you recommend doing 25-30 min weights and hiit training over doing 60 minute boot camp style training?

Great info! Running has always been my go to Cardio workout - I’ve pretty much been in maintenance mode for the past few years (182 Lbs. at 5’9”), but since I started running regularly again 2 months ago, I am now down to 171. I’ve actually been at that weight for a month, but the running (just ran a total of 36Km for the week), combined with 2 resistance training workouts each week lets me know that that the fat is coming off and muscle is taking its place. My upper abs are already starting to peek out, and I barely have love handles to pinch anymore! Of course, this is all going with a high protein diet; keeping the carbs/sugars down has definitely been a part of my strategy as well. Good to see I’ve made the right choice all these years. At 57, I definitely don’t have the pace I had 20 years ago, but I’ll take the 6’40” per Km pace (over my 9K run this week) any day. I’ve always had strong legs, since I played Baseball for many years as a Catcher. Adequate stretching before/after, combined with at least 8 hours of sleep a night do the trick! I just did 7/8K runs on back-to-back days, and will probably run 12 on Sunday!

I lost 10kg in the last 12 months (90kg to 80kg) training for half marathons. I try to run three days a week(one long 15-20km) one 8km and one interval or 80^ park run. I also try do one gym weight and rowing or cycle for warm up a week to try an avoid injury. Some weeks, I do two runs and gym if I can't get four workouts a week. I think gym once a week helps with injury prevention and general improving body shape.

I like doing 4-hour rides outdoors at Zone 3 and 1.5-hour rides indoors at Zone 4. I've been riding about 7 hours a week on the average for the last 18 months. However, I wouldn't enjoy anything more than a 15-minute jog. I wish I liked running as much as I love cycling, but at least I have found the love of cycling.

I personally can’t run for ages, BUT got into a social Netball team to get my HIIT (go hard) but nothing beats cycling, everything from a long adventure, hour intense session or even commuting.

Recovering from a severe ankle sprain. Love running but looking into cycling as the alternative because since my injury I've put on some weight...😖😭

I've been doing the elliptical and running for my cardio for a while now, tomorrow I'm fasting and trying the cycling machine at the gym!

It's going to depend on which you can do harder for longer

I've been running and cycling on and off for 30 some years and only recently have found out about zone 2 training. essentially you need to run/bike slow enough not to go above your zone 2 HR. training in 1/2 is supposed to burn fat, 3 is useless and 4/5 is sugar. did the study take that into account?

I’m a big guy, I’ve struggled with fat loss since I was a teenager. I’ve tried running but like many other people have said, the impact hurts their knees. Unfortunately I have two bad knees as it is, surgery on one. My question is, would an elliptical be very similar to burning visceral fat as if you were out for a run?

Variables but guessing cycling... Interesting video and with trailing running and trail biking....somehow, I always feel like I am getting the better deal and safer-more relaxed-Enjoyed the video. Trail runner/hiker here.

How does rowing or swimming compare as well? I also have seen different data on fat burning and intensity. My understanding was that as your intensity increased - like in HIIT or around 85% - that you are burning more sugar vs fat?

What about indoor cycling. Routines that have you in and out of the saddle? Adjusting resistance? HIIT ROUTINES. Is that included in the research?

I always had a love for mountain running and step/hill sprinting but I noticed my legs began to get really heavy and knees started to crack so I started rowing and been doing that for 6 years now and if I was to compare the 2 the running was definitely more of a challenge and fulfilling but the rowing has done my body more good in the way my joints and legs feel alot more healthier and my heart rate is even lower than when I was mountain running, even though it doesnt feel as strenuous I feel its definitely a more demanding workout and overall you burn more calories rowing than running or cycling cause you engage alot more muscle groups at once and muscle burns fat in the long run

Lifting weights is always Nr.1 to focus on. I would never do a HIIT workout on any day, i rather simply do a lifting session wich also increases all good hormones + all muscle building benefits etc. Cardio always has to be not interfering with my recovery so either biking or simply walking, wich even boosts recovery and doesnt interfer with the main focus especially during a cut: your weight lifting

For the HIIT its about 15mins average per session and only 3 days a week. The HIIT intervention participants trained 3.3 ± 0.7 d per week, for a total of 95 ± 46 min per week. MICT participants trained 3.7 ± 0.9 d per week, for a total of 158 ± 46 min per week.

What about stress cortisol when running leading to fat storage ?

The idea that running is bad for your knees is largely groundless. In fact studies have just about definitively shown that running is beneficial to joints and even better for bone strength. I started running at age 16 and now I’m almost 65. I’ve run thousands of miles and I don’t have any issues with my knees.

Was a long distant runner for 25 years but the knees started barking and switched to biking. Miss running so much.

Dr. Sten Ekberg, another big RU-vidr and functional wellness guru scared me by saying that all the endurance training I’ve been doing for years was not a good idea. And Ekberg was an Olympic decathlete. I stopped my long runs, for awhile, but then I did more research and found endurance training has a very positive effect on insulin sensitivity. Thanks for reinforcing the idea that running is good for you.

What can I do to make my muscles stronger and pain free to start running again. I used to run 5 /10 K marathons at 68 years but lockdown happened and I could not do much training or excercise. I last race I ran was in March 2020 a few days before the big shutdown. I have been in pain and feeling weak in my muscles everyday since then!

We need some videos with workout recommendations for people with bad knees and bad backs

I use to live in a small town and use to run after I got out of marines . Then moved to a city and stopped . Started biking but the crazy school moms hit me and lots of close calls . So I started indoor biking but it’s not the same work out as outdoors or running

Wchich is better for heart health i.e bringing resting heart rate down?

I love Thomas and wish he could be my personal trainer. I am 59 years old but I know he is to busy. But I love Thomas and respect him so much.

There are other considerations: 1. When chronically stressed - running or high intensity may not be best + even detrimental + cause muscle breakdown 2. If the liver isn’t healthy then fat utilization will be reduced or mobilized in unhealthy ways 3. Also true for intestinal permeability - if digestion isn’t optimal, then this can and has created muscle loss, mineral depletion, hormone imbalance (including insulin) and so much more

Unfortunately I had to give up my stationary bike, which I loved, due to bad back pain. Running, yoga and weights for me...

I like running and jump roping. They are my favorite cardios

Vs. Rower? Please address!

Any advice on starting to run with bad knees? I lost 70lbs and my knees took a hit...

congrats for being so good at explaining this. you really have a knack for it. maybe cycling is also good for very overweight people? less impact on your knees? I heard that running is good for knees pain, to make it even more confusing.

I am wondering is there anything that shows what the difference would be using a rowing machine. That works most of your body also.

Hi, Is fasting started after the last bite? Thank you. Please answer

Running kills my knees and I suffer sciatica at age 30. Cycling for me

It's all about the row machine for me

I mostly cycle, but only because my knees and ankles take it much better than running. And although running gets more fat burning done, I do decent living in a hilly city. I am also able to do much longer sessions on my bike than running. I would struggle to do more than 30-40 mins of running but a bike ride of 1-2 hrs is very doable, at least for me

Running is what gives me the edge I need to get thru the day. Plus I feel running gives me more of a burn than cycling

Which burns more fat walking or indoor cycling?

Would rowing be somewhere in the middle of running and cycling then?

Call me grandma at 40, but I love anything low impact. Cycling for me please!! I love to HIIT in my soul cycle class. Makes my day 🤓🤓🤓🤓

Thomas!!! My guy Thanks for this breakdown I turned to biking & a pure veggies diet when I turned 40 Thank for the complete dissection of what has been on my mind, due to my love of running, BUT given my decay of my knees, biking has been a beautiful relationship with my joy of wellbeing Tnx for the vid !!!

Well I have a bad knee so I don't run. I have a exercise bike but I have to actually get on it for it to work LOL

I recently strained my hamstring it went down to my calf right now I can't run so I have to use the pool and bike riding is there anything else you recommend

Running can be really hard on the knees if a person is overweight.

Mountain biking

Tommyboi, can we can a 10 hour long supercut of you doing your Lou Ferrigno run, that way we can put it on a monitor behind our treadmills. 🙈

yes running destroys your joints but cycling doesnt

I even believe intense serious jump roping might be more effective than cycling.

Was that a mattress infomercial? Or an exercise video?

Best change I made was to start running on the beach. So much easier on your knees.

The problem we not talking about is how much is too much exercise and it's impact on the heart. Yes it's a real thing. Ppl develop heart conditions (large inner or outer hear muscle) which can lead to sudden death. My advise go yo a cardiologist or a pulmonary cardiologist before doing any kind of training. Ppl should be doing that anyway atleast once or twice a year

Every time I do cycling in the stationary bike, I get a wierd a pain underneath my sternum bone. Like in the stomach but it's not the actual stomach... it seems like a a vein or a muscle strain...has anyone else had have that problem?

For me, riding a bicycle was the go to for me, I used to live in SILICON valley and I used to do a lot of my riding in the mountains, to the east was MT Hamilton to the west was the Santa Cruz mountains, most of the time I opted for Santa Cruz up and down HWY 9, my rides from start to finish was all out from the flats then over the mountains to the coast was roughly 90 miles round trip, if I can do this ride one way to SC in roughly 2 hours then I'm good. I've been riding bicycles for well over 45 years and was always to very good condition, one time I was about to hit 220 lbs I decided that I wanted to drop off to 200, in 4 weeks of intense riding I dropped to 190, my cardiovascular is very good and my lung capacity is SUPER HUGE! I'm also going to the gym 8 to 9 times per week, different strokes for different folks.

What about walking on incline at brisk pace?

One of the issues with cycling is that you're seated, so lower blood flow to the lower extremities. And it's much harder on your lower back and posture. When I see bikers with their backs hunched over to "go faster" and be more aerodynamic like racing cyclists, I cringe at the curve in their back. It alwyas looks so unnatural to me. Also, remember, bicycles were originally invented because it was easier and more efficient to travel on a bike than walking. People liked bicycles so much because it made going from point A to point B EASIER than walking or running, in the days before cars. So yeah, of course running wins in the fat burning debate.

WOULD BE INTERESTING TO COMPARE SWIMMING, WATER RUNNING OR TREADING, WATER EXERCISES TO LAND- BASED RUNNING, EXERCISE, ETC. WHEN IT COMES TO FAT BURNING. DOES THE COOLER POOL TEMPERATURE AFFECT BROWN FAT CONVERSION...?

I usually just do 15 minutes of moderate running and right after about 30 minutes of fast pace cycling. My weight was around 308lb (140 kg) when I first began and now after around 6 months I am at 255 lb (115kg). My height is 6'2 just for reference. But if I had to choose I would definitely prefer cycling over running.

Plz reply me i have fistula issue can i cheat 1 day or not?

Not all cycling is the same. Example one of my bikes is a fully rigid single speed mountain bike. You really need to pick good lines on the trail and stand a lot when climbing hills. It is more of a full body workout vs. spinning on a road bike. It’s name is “The Punisher”😁

cycling is more gentle on my knees than running

Running and bicycling are high impact on my knees - rowing is best for me and, yes, you can do HIT. I do it everyday and it utilizes the whole body without pain.

Tie bow

can i run for an hour? yes. can i do it everyday? no Can i cycle for an hour? yes. can i do it everyday? yes ya boy has bad knees haha

this guy has the role model body sculpture that i want. i mean look at those biceps bruh

This is a long winded way of saying that cycling is a more efficient means of transportation than running which is why bicycles were invented in the first place. Exercising for fat loss is all about being as inefficient in your movement as possible such as sprinting really with weights attached, while running uphill, against the wind.

Running is great if you can do it. Unfortunately my janky left foot put a stop to that. I LOVE road cycling but I miss the runners high, especially on long runs. No way can you zone out on a road bike.

Hey Thomas what about a Assault Airbike

If you have a lot of muscle like me, i can say running will stress your system and tire you out much faster

Question- What’s the most effective form of training for fat loss? .. Running or Cycling?? Answer- Boxing!

Dr Berg did say the sprints were really good.