Recumbent bike and weight loss?

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  • Meadows_Mommy05
    Meadows_Mommy05 Posts: 133
    I've been using my Schwinn recumbent more than anything else for exercise since January 1, 2011 and I've lost 120 pounds, as of this week.

    That's the kind of info I was after, personal experiences doing this. Thanks for sharing! That's good motivation for me, 120 pounds is awesome!

    I am a member at a gym too, I just find it more convenient (and admittedly much less intimidating) working out at home. I think i'll try to push myself to go to the gym at least once a week though, and try and increase the frequency as I get more fit and confident.

    Congrats on your weight loss and thanks for the information. I am looking into buying one too, and I have 122lbs to lose!!!
  • lilojoke
    lilojoke Posts: 427 Member
    I lost 100 pounds by just doing lifting every other day and doing recumbent for up to an hour every day. I did this for two years with fantastic results. I am not much of a walker but like my bike.

    The key is to change up intensity every now and then!
  • builtforlife
    builtforlife Posts: 259
    Make sure to keep your workouts fairly intense, that's the main part. You don't have to be totally out of breath about to faint and puke from the intensity...but make sure you aren't just sitting there with your legs moving. You should be breathing hard enough to really feel like you're WORKING. :)
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,320 Member
    The last time I lost weight, I used only a recumbent bike and I lost 40 pounds.
  • Meadows_Mommy05
    Meadows_Mommy05 Posts: 133
    Does anyone have any suggestions on what brand to buy for the (stationary) recumbent bike? I Don't want one that is a POS but can't afford an expensive one either. Also I'm need to lose 122 lbs to get to my ideal weight so I need one that will hold my weight right now.

    I've been looking online at reviews and it is frustrating because the bad reviews make me worry about the bike being too cheap..but then when i read the good reviews I'm thinking....are these the same exercise bikes??? LOL

    Thanks
    Lynn
  • Salondlali
    Salondlali Posts: 3
    What kind do u have
  • doggiesnot
    doggiesnot Posts: 334 Member
    Do you mean an indoor stationary recumbent bike? If so, I think I know what you mean because it feels like you're not working out at all. I've used this and I'm losing weight. It's also not the only thing I do. You can do interval training on it (HIIT) and also if you do it for about an hour, you will (or should) notice that you've worked up a good sweat!

    At the risk of over-simplifying, remember strength training + cardio + eating the right foods at a 500 cal/day deficit = weight loss! :flowerforyou:

    You may not be out of breath or feel like you're pushing yourself, but you are burning calories nonetheless. Granted, you will burn them faster with jogging or other exercises, but yes, of course, you can lose weight on a recumbent bike.
  • x_JT_x
    x_JT_x Posts: 364
    Our doc told my DH he was borderline diabetic about a year ago and told him to start exercising. He's a computer programmer and sits at a desk every day and the only exercise he got at the time was typical household stuff.

    He had bought a recumbent bike a few years ago and it was just sitting in the basement so he started using it. It's the only exercise he does. He typically bikes about 45 min three times a week. He eats whatever he wants but since the doc told him about the diabetes he's tried to be a bit more careful. He went for a checkup and blood tests last month and the doc told him was down 15 lbs and no longer pre-diabetic. So yes, it does work. He does pedal at a pretty good rate but as with anything, you're going to get out of it what you put into it.
  • shanik23
    shanik23 Posts: 1 Member
    I have a friend who lost 80 lbs doning 8-10 miles a day on the bike...
  • ShrinkinAmberina
    ShrinkinAmberina Posts: 16
    Yes , it works very well for exercise. If you do the proper research (not saying you havent )... you will read that its equivalent to running and other cardio exercises just without the impact... as long as you keep pace and watch your heart rate then you are doing an amazing job...

    Its silly for others who say you can not lose weight in this "position" no only does it work almost every muscle in your legs but you can also feel it in your core. If you use a bike w/ a screen that requires base steering it even helps with balance and some arm strength
  • kingsarge
    kingsarge Posts: 1
    Um... the body burns calories during sleep, so OF COURSE it burns calories while exercising in the recumbent position
  • nwg74
    nwg74 Posts: 360 Member
    Due to medical reasons, I can't do any exercise other than walking and the exercise bike. I started with the recumbent bike a couple of years ago. It was bought before that but didn't take it seriously for very long. I lost most of my weight on it and now I am a lot lighter, I have a upright bike. The recumbent bike broke as it was too hard to peddle. I ended up getting a second bike off Gumtree for £20 and I am using that now.
  • IIISpartacusIII
    IIISpartacusIII Posts: 252 Member
    I was wondering if anyone has any personal experience losing weight using a recumbent bike for exercise alone?

    For the last week I have used mine 4 days a week, doing about 10 miles per day, and I want to continue with this routine. I am wanting to lose ideally about 60 pounds eventually. I aim to strictly stick to my daily caloric limit also of course too. I hope this will be enough!

    Any info and personal experiences with doing this?

    Steady state cardio requires you to invest a lot of time and get very limited results. Recumbent bikes do however afford you the opportunity to do some HIIT cardio that can help you get what you want. A grueling 14 minutes a day could save you a lot of time.

    Here's an interesting podcast / internet radio segment on HIIT:

    http://webtalkradio.net/internet-talk-radio/brink-zone-radio/
  • Yarnball78
    Yarnball78 Posts: 1
    I'm not sure how old this topic is, But when I had first gotten my recumbent cycle I rode it 99 minutes (meter maxes at 99) every day for 4 months. Difficulty 7 of out 8 at 80 rpm. I lost 80 lbs. and that 80 lbs. never came back (still not and its been probably 6 years) I never changed my diet, I didn't quit smoking, I didn't quit drinking, the weight just stayed off. So yes, you can lose weight with a recumbent cycle in the recumbent position (this was the only option I had for machines because of my back being so messed up) I do suggest some HIIT sessions (I didn't know about HIIT back then) The proper way to do HIIT is only to go as fast as you can (as fast as you can) for a short time 30-60 seconds, then give your body enough time to fully ( I stress fully) recover from that before you do it again.
  • shellyruth
    shellyruth Posts: 6 Member
    Due to back and hip issues my doctor recommended me to get the Recumbent bike. I am praying it helps me to lose weight too. I will be trying the high intensity intervals with the bike. But I really have to start very slow and stay steady. I would love to know how you are doing with your weight loss on this exercise regime.

    I just bought a Recumbent bike off the Walmart website for $169. This bike is called eXerpeutic Therapeutic Fitness. This bike had over 350 4-5 star comments and maybe 1-2 lower stars. They delivered it to my home within about 1 week from the order date to getting the bike. The bike has an instruction manual which was very helpful. The bike came in one box, with several large pieces to put together and about 100 small pieces to put together. The bike once put together is very heavy. I am a 61 yr old obese women with autoimmune diseases that made me retire 4 years early. I am also not mechanically inclined. If you order online, accept the fact that you may need help getting it off the ground. Thankfully my dear son is here and willing to help with those kinds of things. Best of luck to you.
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