Stationary biking is an ideal exercise for people of all ages and fitness levels. This convenient machine takes up minimal space and offers plenty of health benefits without requiring too much of your time. But can you burn fat riding a stationary bike?
Read on to discover the answer to this question and find out how you can benefit from riding a stationary bike.
Can You Burn Fat Riding a Stationary Bike?
Riding a stationary bike engages all the major lower-body muscle groups, making this exercise perfect for boosting strength. On top of that, cycling at a higher intensity improves your cardio fitness, increasing the number of calories burned during a workout.
This unique mixture of strength and cardio training is the winning combination for burning body fat. Therefore, the answer to the “Can you burn fat riding a stationary bike” question is a resounding “Yes.”
A 2010 study found that riding a stationary bike is highly effective in reducing body fat and weight when combined with a low-calorie diet. The participants achieved impressive results after cycling for 45 minutes, three times a week, for 12 weeks in total.
The efficiency of indoor cycling in burning body fat was further established by a 2019 study published in the Medicina journal. This study showed that regularly riding a stationary bike can reduce fat mass and improve your overall aerobic capacity.
While these results are extremely promising, you should remember that each person’s body is different. Your body fat burn will depend on several factors:
- Biological sex
- Weight
- Age
- Body composition
- Basal metabolic rate (BMR)
Still, there are some things you can do to ensure you’re getting the most out of indoor cycling for burning body fat.
How Can You Burn Fat Riding a Stationary Bike Faster?
The first thing to remember is that no exercise can produce results overnight. Don’t get discouraged if it takes a while to see a change in your body composition. Here’s what you can do to try and speed up the process as much as possible.
Be Consistent
If you stay consistent with your biking workouts and eat a healthy diet, you’ll likely be able to notice a change after a month. The exact workout routine will depend on your fitness level but try to squeeze in at least a 30-minute ride every day. Maintaining a regular workout routine will yield the best results and get you to your ultimate goal faster.
Perform Interval Training
Simply pedaling for 30 minutes a day won’t do much for your body composition. If you aim to lower your body fat percentage, interval training is the way to go.
Interval training consists of longer steady intervals and shorter bursts of high-intensity exercise. While the former gets you started with fat loss, the latter is what turns your body into a fat-burning machine. According to the American Council on Exercise, interval training increases the production of fat-burning hormones while also burning more calories in less time.
There’s no need for this intensity to scare you. Not every biking session has to include interval training. To avoid burning out, you can perform interval training two to three times a week. The remaining sessions should be moderate-intensity pedaling. The same rule applies to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) training.
Use Resistance
Most stationary bikes offer a variety of resistance levels that can help you easily adjust the difficulty of your workout. The higher the resistance, the more body fat you burn.
However, it’s best to avoid increasing resistance dramatically if you’re just starting out with indoor cycling. Otherwise, you risk injury and muscle fatigue.
Eat a Healthy Diet
While exercising is a key component in the weight and fat loss journey, it can’t do all the work. A calorie-controlled diet will help you achieve your fat loss goals much faster by giving your body the fuel it needs. For best results, consider the following:
- Eat more good fats, such as avocados, olives, and eggs
- Say goodbye to refined sugars and processed foods
- Avoid drinking highly-sweetened liquids like sodas and alcohol
- Amp up your protein intake
- Eat more fiber-rich ingredients, such as oats and legumes
Other Benefits of Riding a Stationary Bike
Now that we’ve answered the “Can you burn fat riding a stationary bike” question, let’s explore what else makes this machine the right choice for you.
Riding a Stationary Bike Boosts Your Cardio Fitness
Indoor cycling is a great way to get your heart pumping. On top of that, it will help strengthen your heart and lungs.
The improved blood and oxygen flow can benefit you in many ways:
- Improving your memory and brain function
- Lowering your blood pressure
- Helping you sleep better
- Decreasing your blood sugar levels
- Building a stronger immune system
- Improving your mood
- Lowering your stress levels
- Giving you more energy
A Stationary Bike Enables a Low-Impact Workout
Indoor cycling is a low-impact exercise that doesn’t put too much pressure on your joints and bones. In contrast, other common cardio exercises like jogging, running, or jumping can put your hips, knees, and ankles under a lot of stress. Therefore, riding a stationary bike is an ideal workout option for people recovering from injuries or experiencing any joint issues. Although less high-impact, it’s still a challenging and effective workout.
Indoor Cycling Strengthens Lower-Body Muscles
Apart from losing weight and body fat, a stationary bike will help you build strength in your legs and lower-body muscles, especially with higher resistance. All that pedaling will do wonders for your:
- Calves
- Hamstrings
- Quadriceps
- Core
- Back
- Glutes
If you don’t want to neglect your upper body, you can use a stationary bike with handles. Additionally, you can throw in a pair of dumbbells and work on your shoulders, biceps, and triceps.
Indoor Cycling Is More Convenient Than Road Cycling
Unlike road cycling, indoor cycling isn’t dependent on the weather conditions. You’ll never have to force yourself to cycle during hot and humid days or be confined indoors when it’s raining. As a result, you can stick to your workout schedule and stay consistent.
Furthermore, outdoor cycling comes with certain hazards that can make this great exercise quite dangerous. When you’re cycling outside, you have to be mindful of:
- Inattentive drivers
- Poor visibility
- Uneven road surfaces
With indoor cycling, there are no road conditions, traffic, or elements to worry about. You can play your favorite music, set a comfortable temperature, and safely cycle away.
Start Your Fat Loss Journey on a High Note
While a healthy amount of body fat is necessary for your body to properly function, carrying too much fat can cause various health concerns. If you’re looking for an accessible and effective way to get rid of this problem, you might’ve wondered, “Can you burn fat riding a stationary bike?”
Now that you know the answer is positive and that burning fat isn’t the only benefit of this machine, there’s nothing left to do but saddle up. Find a fun workout routine and the tempo that best suits you, and start working on your fitness goals one day at a time.