If you've finally decided to put an end to the bit of excess flab that rears its ugly head whenever you button up a pair of tight jeans, finding a vigorous aerobic exercise is a step in the right direction. Taking a spinning class or going for an uptempo run are both logical options. Each activity helps you burn several hundred calories in less than an hour, although running will burn slightly more calories than spinning.
Spinning Calories Burned
If you haven't checked out a spinning class at your gym, give this exercise method a shot to burn calories quickly. According to HealthStatus, you'll burn about the same number of calories during a spinning class as while riding a stationary bike, although the calories you can expect to burn depend on your intensity. A 185-pound person who pedals moderately in a 45-minute spinning class will burn 441 calories. If the person pedals vigorously for 45 minutes, she'll burn 715 calories.
Running Calories Burned
Harvard Medical School notes that running at a 9-minute pace equates to a speed of 6.7 mph. A person who weighs 185 pounds will burn 488 calories in 30 minutes of running at 6.7 mph, which means that the person will burn about 732 calories if she can sustain this pace throughout a 45-minute run. If so, she'll burn just a handful more calories than a vigorous 45-minute spinning class.
Calories vs. Fat
Understanding the connection between calories and fat is important if you choose to exercise with the intention of slimming down your body. You lose 1 pound of fat, you must burn 3,500 calories more than you consume through food and drink. MayoClinic.com recommends breaking the 3,500 calories down according to the number of days you exercise to set a realistic weight-loss goal. For example, if you plan to exercise five days a week, try to burn 700 extra calories per day to lose 1 pound per week.
Exercise Considerations
You don't need to work out daily to lose fat, but it's important to exercise regularly to meet the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' recommendations. Adults should aim to get 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise or 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week. Depending how often you take a 45-minute spinning class or go for a run, it's easy to meet the department's guideline in just a few sessions.
