How Many Calories Do I Burn on an Exercise Bike? – A Better Answer

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woman riding on an exercise bike

Calories burned while utilizing your favorite stationary aerobic exercise bike can vary based on your body weight, Level of intensity, and the length of the workout you are doing. However, generally speaking, it is not quite uncommon to burn more calories than 300 in thirty minutes of moderate workout on an exercise bike.

Stationary biking might not be the most popular kind on the Gym floor these days, but it is sometimes a very good buddy if your goal is to perform a cardio workout. You can find our picks on the best folding exercise bikes reviews very thoroughly. As a beginner-friendly machine, it’s possible to adjust the intensity of workouts to meet the fitness goal you require, so both beginners and gym rats can achieve a solid session if they please.

If your intention is to encourage a large calorie burn off, you definitely can achieve this using the stationary cycle, but you are going to need to pedal intensely for the entire 30 minutes of your workout secession to be able to make it as effective as with other cardio activities.

In addition to calories burned, exercise on a stationary bike works on your knees, ankles, and hips. However, the calories burn is not something to sneeze at. You will drop at least two times as with a well-built stationary bike compared to some brisk walk, according to Harvard Health.

Obviously, the amount of calories that you burn on a stationary cycle varies, depending upon so many factors, however, improved cardio health, increased physical endurance, reduced stress levels and other wide-ranging benefits could be felt throughout the board, providing you plenty of reason to do that pedal.

Average Calories Burned on Stationary Bikes

Though every individual’s weight loss outcomes and their conditions are bound to vary, it is possible to have a peek at calories burned on the stationary cycle in terms of several reputable averages.

Based on Harvard Medical School data, a 155-pound person who bikes vigorously for 15 min on a stationary bike burns off roughly 195 calories.

The estimates line up pretty well with data provided by ACE (American Council on Exercise) on stationary cycling, which is roughly 210 calories burned every 15 minutes of cycling at a pace of 16-19 mph (by a 155-pound person). This is race-worthy and counts as a pretty vigorous cycling speed.

To put figures into context, the rule for losing one pound of your body weight would be to decrease your calorie intake by a staggering 3,500. For instance, this can be done in a much more healthy fashion by reducing intake by 250 calories and increasing your caloric expenditure by 250 calories every day and 7 days a week. Keep in mind that calories are a measure of energy, not nutrition or weight. Obviously, these average estimates are only one tiny slice among a larger spectrum of possibilities.

According to Mayo Clinic, your age, sex, body composition, weight as well as RMR (resting metabolic rate), amongst other major factors, affect the way you burn calories. When exercising on a stationary bike, as is the case with all additional forms of strength training, low impact exercise, and cardio exercises, another thing that has a substantial impact on your calorie burn is the duration and intensity of the activity you are doing.

Variables matter

The Numbers you should know

A 130-lb person burns about 81 calories each 15 minutes of pedaling in light intensity on the stationary bike while working out in moderate-intensity sheds about 103 calories. If you set virtually no resistance on this bike, the exact same person will burn only 44 calories in precisely the exact identical quantity of time. Should you push for more vigorous intensity, you can burn off between 620 to 738 calories in an hour. Here is a chart.

calories burned on an exercise bike

Your Size – Take it into consideration

You burn off more calories on the bike when you weigh more as your body has to fuel a larger engine metaphorically speaking. For instance, a 155-lb person burns approximately 123 calories through 15 minutes of biking at a moderate intensity as a 205-pound person burns around 163. Using vigorous intensity, the 155-pound person burns 185, whereas the 205-pound person can burn around 244 calories.

Different Classes of bikes- Try them out

Stationary bikes come in two different variations; one is the motorized version you find in the gym, and the other is the weighted-flywheel versions you encounter in indoor group cycling classes. Spinning.com states you can burn off between 400-600 calories at a typical class of 40-minutes. Should you choose to stay for only 15 minutes, then you can expect to burn off between 150-225 calories.

Compare Activities Stationary Bike vs. Others

The stationary bike, if you push the intensity, provides a good calorie burn off plus a better cardio challenge. If a 130-pound person does one hour of jogging at 5 mph, he can burn 236 calories, which is significantly less than the vigorous-intensity session on the exercise bike.

As an example, a 130-lb person running at 8 miles per hour burns 796 calories in an hour, but they’ll experience an increased impact on their joints. Also, note that running at 8 mph will require a much higher level of skill and physical fitness.

When compared to other low-impact exercises in terms of calorie burn, like walking, riding a stationary bike is comparable. A 15-minute workout session of slower freestyle laps burns 103 calories for a 130-pound person, even though a brisk 4.5 mph walk burns around 93 calories.

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