Treadmills and stationary bikes provide convenient indoor workouts that can help you manage your weight and stay in shape year-round. You can get a moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic workout that will raise your heart rate and cause you to break a sweat on either the treadmill or the stationary bike. Check with your doctor before engaging in a new exercise routine.
Impact
Running on a treadmill provides high-impact weight-bearing exercise that can help you build and maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Walking briskly on the treadmill provides low-impact weight-bearing exercise that can also help you to maintain strong bones. If you suffer from osteoporosis or have other limiting physical conditions, however, you may need to avoid weight-bearing exercise. Riding the stationary bike provides a non-impact form of aerobic exercise.
Calories Burned
A 160-lb. adult can burn 183 calories with one hour of walking at 2 mph, 277 calories with one hour of walking at 3.5 mph, 292 calories with one hour of biking at less than 10 mph, 584 calories with one hour of jogging at 5 mph and 986 calories with one hour of running at 8 mph, according to MayoClinic.com. The calories you burn with treadmill or stationary bike workouts can help you manage your weight. To maintain your weight, you must burn as many calories as you consume each day. For each pound you want to lose, you need to burn a total of 3,500 calories more than you consume, according to MayoClinic.com. You can burn these calories over a period of days. For example, if you want to lose 1 lb. in a week, you'll need to burn 500 calories more than you take in each day.
Expert Insight
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, suggests to get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise each week. Getting even more physical activity may help you lose weight more successfully, and can also provide further health benefits, notes the CDC.
Benefits
Regular aerobic workouts that increase your heart rate can improve your health in many ways. Physical activity can help you manage your weight, lower your blood pressure and bad cholesterol, as well as lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic disorders and some cancers. Regular exercise can also improve your mood and help you sleep better, according to the CDC.
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