A stationary bike workout contributes to a rapid calorie burn to help you work toward your fitness and weight goals. They help increase your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and build stronger lean muscles that help you shed calories even after your workout session.
However, to get the most out of them on your weight loss journey, you must combine them with a healthy diet to maintain the ideal calorie deficit you need to lose weight. In the following sections, we discuss this and everything you must know about losing weight with a stationary bike.
Stationary Bikes and Weight Loss
Stationary biking is a cardiovascular exercise that elevates the heart rate and results in calorie burning. The latter is the foundation; you must burn more calories than you eat to lose weight. Regular biking can help by speeding up your metabolism, which means your body continues to burn calories even after exercising. This helps with long-term weight loss.
Additionally, when you bike, your body uses carbs and fats for energy. As your fitness level progresses, your body gets better at using fat, which helps you lose weight. I recommend adding interval training to your biking routine, switching between high and low intensity to enhance calorie burn during your workout and trigger the afterburn effect, scientifically termed as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).
The engagement of various muscle groups, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes, is another notable aspect of stationary biking. This facilitates muscle building and toning, leading to an increased daily calorie expenditure, as muscle tissue demands more energy at rest than fat tissue. It's essential to be consistent, eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of water, and do other types of exercise where applicable.
Types of Stationary Bikes
Stationary cycling bikes are trendy. However, they don’t all offer the same benefits for people trying to lose weight. Some are best for steady-state cardio, while others are great for high-intensity interval training. Here are the four types of exercise bikes—discussing how each variety can help you achieve your weight loss goal based on your fitness level.
Upright Bikes
An upright bike is a good option if you have a compact home gym. These bikes have a similar design to outdoor cycling bicycles and are excellent for high-intensity interval training.
These stationary bikes have various resistance levels that help you increase your strength capacity, strengthen muscles, burn body fat, and lose weight. Depending on your budget and personal preference, you can choose between magnetic and friction resistance exercise bikes.
Upright bikes also come with a two-way adjustable seat for a proper fit. So, remember to adjust both the resistance level and seat height for a comfortable cardiovascular workout session.
Recumbent Bikes
Recumbent indoor bikes have a more laid-back seating position with the pedals in front of you. This design ensures less strain and soreness on the shoulders and back while riding. They are ideal for the elderly and anyone recovering from an injury. Recumbent stationary bikes have larger and more comfortable seats than upright indoor bikes.
For weight loss, recumbent indoor exercise bikes have a few limitations. For starters, you will not burn as many calories due to the lack of involvement of your upper body. Your shoulders and chest are not engaged, and your arms are always relaxed. The primary muscles targeted are the glutes, shins, calves, hamstrings, and quads.
Air Bikes
Air bikes are best for total body aerobic exercises. They are fitted with a giant fan that depends on your pedalling efforts to create effective wind resistance. Thus, the faster you pedal, the more resistance you create and the more calories you burn.
Air bikes offer an efficient workout for losing weight. They target many muscle groups at the same time, burning more calories per hour. You engage your lats, chest, triceps, and biceps more than other indoor bikes.
Spin Bikes
Spin indoor cycling bikes are popular for a wide range of fitness levels. They offer a high-energy, high-intensity workout for burning calories, weight loss, and cardiovascular fitness. A spin bike often feels like riding a traditional road bike, which is excellent if you're transitioning.
Spinning bikes also have a heavier flywheel, making them tougher to engage the pedals. This means you will work out your leg muscles more than with a regular upright stationary bike. Besides, the pedals keep spinning even if you stop pedalling. This variable resistance control allows for very effective cardiovascular workouts.
What Type of Stationary Bike is Effective for Achieving Weight Loss?
The best form of exercise bike is one that you’re comfortable with. For instance, if you don’t have enough strength to use an upright, spin, or air bike, a recumbent bike will be an excellent choice. You must create a reliable workout plan that includes a consistent exercise routine and a balanced diet.
Upright indoor bikes can burn between 200 and 300 calories on average every half-hour, making them a more reliable option for cardiovascular workouts than recumbent models. Air indoor bikes offer a better aerobic capacity than upright bikes and will help you burn more calories.
Spin bikes are often the best option for weight loss and fitness. They burn about 300 to 400 calories per half-hour, and they offer many strength training and high-intensity interval training options.
Benefits of Exercise Bike for Weight Loss
Using an exercise bike can be an effective and convenient way to support weight loss. Here are some benefits:
Pro #1 - Low-Impact
Indoor cycling on a stationary bike is one of the best low-impact forms of exercise. It’s a non-weight-bearing workout that is easy on sensitive joints like the knees. The fluid motions you execute with a stationary bike help protect your ligaments and joints, helping you avoid muscle fatigue.
Stationary bikes are suitable for a wide range of fitness levels and are accessible to people who struggle with high-impact workouts like running. Riding a recumbent bike can also help if you’re pregnant, mobility-challenged, or recovering from surgery while burning calories.
Pro #2 - Convenient and Safe
Exercise bikes allow you to exercise regardless of weather conditions or time constraints. It’s also safer to cycle indoors than outdoors; you don’t have to worry about traffic, faulty brakes, or random punctures.
Many exercise bikes also include built-in workout programs that simulate different terrains and intensities. This variety and convenience keep workouts exciting and challenging, prevent boredom, and increase adherence.
Pro #3 - Customisable Intensity
Whether you're a beginner or an advanced fitness enthusiast, exercise bikes allow you to adjust the resistance levels to match your fitness level. This customisation enables you to increase the intensity as your fitness improves gradually.
Pro #4 - Weight Loss
Stationary bikes can help you burn a significant number of calories. A 70 kg person will burn around 252 calories in 30 minutes while cycling at moderate intensity and about 278 calories in 30 minutes at high-intensity intervals.
Likewise, an 83 kg person can expect to burn roughly 294 calories in 30 minutes while doing moderate-intensity cycling and around 441 calories in 30 minutes while riding at a high intensity.
Pro #5 - Fat Loss
Some people confuse weight loss with fat loss, but they aren't the same. Weight loss is a reduction in your overall body weight. This includes a reduction of fat, water, and muscle, among others. On the other hand, fat loss is just simply a fat reduction.
Research suggests that regular exercise and a low-calorie diet can help burn fat, including belly fat. Riding an exercise bike can help you stay in shape and strengthen your heart, hips, and abs. In general, 3,500 calories equals 450 grams of fat. This means you have to burn 3,500 calories more than you consume to lose 450 grams of fat.
Pro #6 - Cardiovascular Fitness
Indoor cycling is also an effective way to build cardiovascular strength and endurance. Regular exercise bike workouts train your heart muscles to stay in shape. By improving blood flow, they also help prevent cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack. A healthy heart induces a lower heart rate during exercise and at rest.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about stationary bikes and weight loss.
How long should I ride a stationary bike to lose weight?
The duration of riding a stationary bike for weight loss depends on your workout intensity, weight, body type, and workout pace. Generally, cycling at moderate intensity for 60 minutes can burn about 300 calories, which should be enough to create a calorie deficit in your body and decrease your weight.
However, other research suggests that riding a stationary bike for at least 30 minutes daily can lead to weight loss, especially if riding it at a more vigorous speed. We recommend riding at a moderate to high intensity for 30-60 minutes for best results. But if you're an advanced cyclist, you may want to ride your exercise bike for 45-60 minutes daily.
Can you lose belly fat by riding a stationary bike?
Yes, riding a stationary bike can help you lose belly fat. This exercise burns calories and can contribute to overall fat loss, including in the abdominal area. However, it's important to note that fat loss occurs throughout the body, not just in one area.
Combine regular exercise on a stationary bike with a healthy, low-calorie diet to enhance belly fat reduction. Likewise, maintain proper form on your exercise bike, such as tightening your abdominal muscles during exercise to strengthen your abs and stabilise your spine.
Remember, consistent exercise and a balanced diet are crucial to achieving and maintaining weight loss.
How long does it take to see results from riding a stationary bike?
The time it takes to see results from riding a stationary bike varies depending on your body profile, age, metabolism, and the intensity of your workouts.
- Generally, you should start seeing results after about a month of regular exercise with your stationary bike.
- You may also start noticing changes as early as two weeks. That is, after 3-4 weeks of using an exercise bike for 30 minutes a day.
- Others might be able to notice these results after 6-8 weeks.
Remember, results depend on how intensively you ride and your consistency. So, be patient, consistent, and realistic with your expectations.
Darren Sherwood
Achieve Your Weight Loss Goal
Exercise bikes are suitable for fat and weight loss. With a reliable, consistent cycling routine, a realistic maintenance calorie target, and adequate nutrition, you can create the caloric deficit you need to lose weight.
They also provide a low-impact workout routine that strengthens your leg muscles, boosts blood circulation and overall fitness, reduces stress, and improves mental and heart health. We recommend stationary bikes for their convenience, customisability, and safety.
