Calories Burned Using Exercise Bikes
Nowadays everyone has become very health conscious. All of us want to lose weight fast, look good and most importantly feel good. In today's fast paced life, we are always on the go and don't always have time to go to the gym. Though there are hundreds of choices in exercise equipment for home gyms, one of the best and effective ways to lose weight at home is by using an exercise bike. Many different exercise equipment are introduced daily in the market, but because of its infinite benefits, exercise bikes are always in demand. Calories burned using exercise bikes varies from person to person, their speed, fitness level and their weight.
There are different kinds of exercise bikes, but the principal kinds are recumbent exercise bike and stationary exercise bike. A recumbent exercise is one which has a support or a back rest. It is more comfortable as compared to the stationary bike though a stationary bike can be more user-friendly. No matter what kind of exercise bike you choose, biking is a great way to tone up and get rid of that extra fat. It also strengthens your heart and lung capacity. It is a great exercise for anyone, because you can decide what level you want to work out at, the speed and choose from the various programs like sprint, pedal, uphill or even the random programs which will definitely prove to be quite interesting and yet beneficial. But most importantly, while using an exercise bike, calories burned are almost the same as while using a treadmill and definitely easier and fun than a treadmill, because you can watch your favorite soap opera or even read while cycling, so you don't feel like you are actually working out.
Calories Burned by Using Exercise Bike
If you would like to know how many calories are burned while riding a cycle, you can refer to the following chart. It depends on your speed and level.
| Cycling (1 hour) | Person Weighing 130 lbs | Person Weighing 150 lbs | Person Weighing 190 lbs | Person Weighing 225 lbs |
| 10 -11.9 mph, light workout | 354 cal | 422 cal | 518 cal | 593 cal |
| 12 -13.9 mph, moderate workout | 472 cal | 563 cal | 690 cal | 891 cal |
| 14 -15.9 mph, vigorous workout | 590 cal | 704 cal | 863 cal | 1080 cal |
| 16 - 19 mph, fast workout | 708 cal | 844 cal | 1035 cal | 1220 cal |
| 20 mph and above, very fast workout | 944 cal | 1126 cal | 1380 cal | 1540 cal |
Some bikes do have an inbuilt calorie counter. But always remember to enter your weight before starting the workout. Some machines don't ask for the weight, but you should not trust the calories burnt in such a case, because your weight plays a crucial role in calculating exercise bike calories. However, if your bike does not have a calorie counter, you can calculate it online. There are tons of calculators online, which are very precise in calculating calories burned. While calculating the calories burned by using an exercise bike, you have to take into consideration your weight, height, time of workout and the speed at which you have worked out.
Some Tips For Maximum Exercise Bike Calorie Loss
- For maximum calories loss, it is important to know what is the best exercise bike workout that is appropriate for you.
- While biking, it is important to increase your speed gradually. Do not keep your speed constant.
- You should set out goals for yourself, for example, try cycling a particular distance each time. After a while you will be able to cover the same distance in less time.
- Try to use resistance in your workout. It will push you to your limit and you will lose maximum calories.
- The most important tip is to use intervals. They can be high intensity intervals or low intensity intervals. For example, you should ride your bike as fast as you can, for about 15 seconds and then ride it slowly for 45 seconds and then again fast for 15 seconds and so on. Here even though you will be riding slowly for 45 seconds, it will actually be an active rest.
- It is very important to be realistic with your goals. If you are a beginner, its good that you are excited, but you have to remember that you are not Lance Armstrong... well not yet anyway! For your long-term success, it is better to start off slow.
- Figure out a time of the day when you work the best. Some people are morning people while others are night owls. It's best to exercise during that time, so that you are motivated and you will automatically lose more calories.
