How Long Should You Ride a Stationary Bike to Lose Weight?

A stationary bike is one of the best workout tool options to lose weight. It lacks technical complexity and is extremely easy to use the machine. Its compact footprint and convenient build make it a popular choice for many avid exercisers. However, if you want to ride a stationary bike to lose weight and get in shape, special attention needs to be paid to the duration of your workout, as well as the intensity. How long should you ride such a bike to lose weight? Well, that’s a pretty difficult question to answer directly. A lot depends on some related factors like your workout intensity, your weight and body type, workout pace, etc.

In general, by cycling at moderate intensity for 60 minutes, you can shred about 300 calories. This calorie burn should be enough to create a calorie deficit in your body and decrease your weight.

Advantages of using a stationary bike

1. Reduced Impact Workout

A stationary bike workout is a great low-impact exercise. You only need to pedal with your legs, so you are saved from the continuous building workout impact. The risk of injuries and wounds is also minimized in this workout form.

2. Cardiovascular benefits

Besides being a reduced impact workout, it offers plenty of cardiovascular benefits. It is a decent form of aerobic exercise. Your heart becomes pumped and active through frequent cycling on a stationary bike. Thus it results in increased blood circulation and improved cardiac health. Side by side, exercise bikes contribute to regulating hypertension and improving respiratory health.

3. Scorches Calories and Fat

Pedaling through your stationary bike every day for a couple of minutes will slowly burn all your extra calories and fat from your body. The speed of your pedaling will influence your calorie burn directly. Also, the level of resistance at which you workout has a say in this. Nevertheless, you will become lean and fit in no time. Your body will be toned to perfection.

4. Strengthens muscles

The main groups of muscles on your hamstring, legs, thigh, and back are targeted by stationary bikes. The two distinctive strokes of the bike, push and pull, work in different manners to work on different muscle groups. The quads are strengthened by pushing the pedals down, and the hamstrings are strengthened by pulling them up. An extra advantage is reduced stress on your knees and joints, so you don’t have to fear injuries.

5. Easy on joints

Jogging, sprinting, or running on a treadmill is harsh on the joints sometimes due to the excess strain and stress involved. If you use an exercise bike for the workout, you can pleasantly amp up your heart rate without risking that additional impact on your joints and knees. Your ankles, knees, hip, and back are even less stressed by a bike in comparison to walking.

6. Convenient

One of the greatest plus points of having an exercise bike is its convenience. It can be used anytime and anywhere. You don’t have to skip your workout sessions owing to rainfall, thunderstorm, scorching heat, fog, or cold. You can always have a few minutes of exercise on your personal bike after the meals while watching your favorite tv programs or keeping an eye on your kids.

7. Boosts energy

A 20% increase in energy level and 65% decline in fatigue is caused by workout on exercise bikes, as per the study published in a journal named Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. Cycling induces your brain to produce increased levels of dopamine, contributing to your uplifted moods and energy levels.

Factors that influence your weight loss

1. Workout duration

The more time you spend exercising on your stationary bike, the more calories you will shred, of course, provided that your intensity remains the same throughout the entire session.

2. Workout Intensity

The key point of focus during the workout on any exercise equipment ought to be your workout intensity. Your intensity will determine how many calories you will burn in a fixed interval workout session. Less intensity means decreased calorie burn, whereas more intensity signifies increased calorie burn.

3. Level of Fitness

Your present level of fitness is also going to have a significant impact on your weight loss. If you are a beginner, you won’t be able to sustain a much faster workout speed for a long time.

4. Fitness goals

Your specific fitness goal will also influence your weight loss journey. A high level of resistance and decreased workout speed is required if your target is muscle building. On the other hand, if maximum fat burning is your goal, try to increase your workout intensity, even if you have to decrease resistance level.

5. Type of bikes

Stationary bikes are of different types, like the spin bike, upright bike, and recumbent bike. If you need a high-intensity workout for losing weight quickly, a spin bike will be more suitable for you.

How many calories will I burn on an exercise bike?

The net amount of calories burnt in the workout is dependent on your workout intensity, workout duration, and your weight.
According to a study conducted by Harvard Health Publishing, the following statistics have been derived about calorie burning and weight loss through stationary bikes.

• By cycling at a medium intensity level for around 30 minutes, a person weighing 155 lb can shred 260 calories.
• Again at the same intensity and time period, a person weighing 125 lb can shred 211 calories.
• For a 185 lb person, the number of calories shredded will be 311.
  These figures convey the message that an inherent relationship exists between the number of calories burnt, workout duration, workout intensity, and the weight of the individual.

Workout plans for various fitness levels

Beginners

As beginners in the fitness arena, you should start slowly and steadily, gradually try to add more time and intensity to your workout routine.
You can initiate with a 25 to 35 minutes workout session, and slowly increase by 1 minute, as you progress.
A sample layout of the workout for beginners is as follows.

Weight Loss

If weight loss is your prime reason behind using a stationary bike, the following layout can come in handy to you.

Interval Training

After building fitness, some may desire to have a boost of stamina and strength. Interval training will help them to achieve the same.

Some Tips to remember:

• Look after your diet
• Adapt the habit of eating timely
• Remain metabolically active
• 6-7 hours of sleep every day is a must

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can you lose belly fat by riding a stationary bike?

Ans.: Yes, riding a stationary bike is a very efficient form of exercise to burn all those extra calories and fat. By easily switching between cardio exercises and HIIT exercises, you can lose your belly fat in no time.

➥ If you’re someone who regularly uses the treadmill regular basis and wants to know, how exercise bikes compare to them, then, have a look at the comparison between treadmills and exercise bikes

Q2. Is it okay to ride a stationary bike every day?

Ans.: Cycling on your stationary bike every day has numerous benefits and advantages. Your cardiovascular health will be improved, your mental health will be uplifted, your strength and stamina will be boosted. However, just because you are cycling every day, don’t ignore your diet. If you don’t pay attention to your diet and indulge in overeating, regular cycling will not help you get rid of the excess weight. In fact, you might gain a few pounds even.

Q3. How far should I ride my exercise bike to lose weight?

Ans.: You can burn approximately 300 calories by 1 hour of medium-level cycling. If you amp up your workout intensity, you can lose even more weight in this duration. A study published in the Harvard Health Letter depicts that, around 298 calories can be burned by a person weighing 155 lb. if he/she uses a stationary bike for 30 minutes. [Source]

Conclusion

Stationary bikes are a great option for weight loss. They occupy less space at home, are super easy, and super convenient to use. In no time these get you moving and shredding calories. What’s more, they don’t waste much of your precious time as these are really innocent workout machines. If you really want to lose weight and become slim and trim, try giving stationary bikes a chance and start cycling today!