How to Calculate Calories Burned When Cycling

cycling, concept image by JoLin from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>

Keeping track of your calorie consumption and expenditure can be a useful way of maintaining a healthy weight. Counting calories is one way that you can balance your physical activities versus eating habits. The amount of calories burned is individualized because people burn calories depending on a number of factors. The most reliable estimate can be derived from calculators that take into account factors like gender, weight, age, height, specific activity, activity duration and activity intensity.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Weight scale
Tape measure
Timer

Step 1

Obtain your weight by stepping on the scale.

Step 2

Use the tape measure and measure your height.

Step 3

Time your next cycling session and pay attention to the intensity level of your exercise. Intensity level can range from light, moderate to vigorous. If you use a stationary bicycle, notate the wattage.

Step 4

Access the Internet for a credible website to calculate the calories you burned during a cycling session (see Resources.) These sites have calculators that estimate the calories burned by using regression formulas derived from sources like the Food and Nutrition Board of Institute of Medicine.

Step 5

Plug in your weight, height and other information to obtain the estimated calories burned during your cycling session.

Tips & Warnings

Know that accurate determination of calories burned can only be accomplished by individual physiological examination. Tools found online and from other resources only provide a reasonable estimate of the calories you burn.

Resources

Article Written By Rona Aquino

Rona Aquino began writing professionally in 2008. As an avid marathon runner and outdoor enthusiast, she writes on topics of running, fitness and outdoor recreation for various publications. Aquino holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications and English from the University of Maryland College Park.

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