How Much Weight Can You Lose Riding A Stationary Bike?

Riding a stationary bike is an effective way to include aerobic workouts in your exercise plan. Cardio exercise is essential if you want to lose weight because of the high calorie burn. This type of exercise can burn calories and, when combined with a proper diet, help you lose weight, which in turn can lower your risk of health problems such as heart disease and diabetes.

Calorie Burn

The intensity of your bike riding will determine your calorie burn. A 150-pound person biking at a moderate pace will burn about 477 calories an hour, according to Health Status. If you increase your intensity to vigorous, you will burn up to 773 calories an hour. If quick weight loss is your goal, more intense workouts are essential. You can increase the intensity by ramping up your speed or increasing the resistance on your stationary bike.

Weight Loss

Long-term weight loss requires a commitment to regular exercise on your stationary bike. The American Council on Exercise recommends at least 30 minutes, five to six times a week for weight loss. As you become more fit, you can increase exercise time to 45 minutes or more. The important thing is consistency with your aerobic workouts.

Benefits of Biking

Riding a stationary bike provides the added benefit of helping you build on the consistency of your workouts. You can always ride, regardless of the weather or traffic conditions. If you already have a road bike, you can purchase a stand to use your bike indoors during the offseason. Riding a stationary bike offers a way to work the large muscles of your lower body, which makes it effective for losing weight.

Long-Term Effects

With regular exercise sessions on your stationary bike, your body will respond by increasing its efficiency, which will allow you to increase your weight loss. Over time, your body will adapt to exercise by burning fat, rather than depleting the sugar in your bloodstream. Fat loss can help build definition in your legs, which can further motivate you to staying on track with your weight-loss efforts.

Intensity Matters

The intensity of a stationary bike workout matters when it comes to losing weight. A study conducted by Anne Lusk of the Harvard School of Public Health, and published in the June 2010 issue of the "Archives of Internal Medicine," found that premenopausal women who bicycled at a moderate-to-intense pace were more successful at preventing weight gain.