Cycling only burns off approx. 500 calories per hour. If sitting around doing nothing burns 1500 calories or less, and a person gets up and cycles for 1 hour a day, that's a total of 2000 calories burned (or less) per day.

If that person eats 2200 calories ... or 2500 calories ... or 3000 calories or more ... that person is going to gain weight even though they are cycling for 1 hour per day.


You say "I still don't understand why they would be so fat if they are cycling so much" but my question is ... are they cycling that much?



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There was a recommendation several years ago that people should do 90 minutes a day of moderate exercise ... not necessarily 90 minutes all at once as in a bicycle ride or jog, but 90 minutes throughout the day as a part of an active lifestyle.

For example: 15 minute walk to work + 15 minute walk after work + 30 minute walk at lunch + 30 minute bicycle ride after work ... or 30 minute walk at lunch + 60 minute bicycle ride after work ... or 15 minute walk at lunch + 15 minutes walking around getting groceries + 30 minutes playing ball with the kids in the park + 30 minutes on the trainer.

The recommendation encouraged people to do things like taking the stairs, parking some distance from where you want to go and walking, walking or riding a bicycle instead of driving, getting outside and playing with the kids instead of sitting in front of the TV, etc. and of course it also recommended taking up an activity such as cycling, running, swimming, weightlifting, etc.

But there was such an outcry against the idea of doing 90 minutes of exercise a day that you don't hear much about it anymore. Instead you hear the benefits of doing 30 minutes of exercise a day ... or 1 hour 3 times a week ... or 10 minutes a day.
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And with regard to the running, it's a good idea to mix it up and do a variety of things.