exercise bike to help with weight loss

emmadawson79
emmadawson79 Posts: 16 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone . I've been on my fitness pal for years but only just discovered this section.

Anyway, my goal is to lose a stone in the next 15 weeks , will using an exercise bike 3 times a week for about 40 minutes help me lose and tone . I need to be beach ready by May lol I'll do sit ups , planks , side planks etc after each session too. I'm just wondering if others have actually had success using a bike. I'm 10st 10 right now . I'd got down to 10.6 before Christmas from 11.6 just calorie counting.! I'm 5ft4 if that makes any difference.


Replies

  • roxielu0422
    roxielu0422 Posts: 102 Member
    any cardio is great, so I say yes.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    all depends on how fast you ride, what the tension is set up and how long you ride for. Extend the time of at least one of your sessions by 5 minutes each week.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Have you had weight loss luck with MFP in the past few years? Cardio helps you build a larger deficit, and eat more. I use a bike, but I'm also sure to keep my deficit. The calories burned I use as a padding just in case I mess up or overindulge during the week.
  • markiend
    markiend Posts: 461 Member
    exercise bike is exactly how I started. Got me back into moving myself after years of laziness. It can only help
  • emmadawson79
    emmadawson79 Posts: 16 Member
    I try to stick to my 1350 calories per day I rarely go over 1500.
    I have pre set programs on my bike so I choose different ones and so the tension is hard and easy throughout the workout. I usually do 45 ish minutes and days I can't be bothered I do 30minutes.
    Yes I've had success with MFP before, I lost a stone just calorie counting but then I lost my way over Christmas so I've started again.
    I'm hoping the bike will help tone and tighten me up a bit too. X
  • p90xtitan
    p90xtitan Posts: 1
    Diet is also quite important, probably more so than the cardio. Doing planks and perhaps trying to build up some chest muscle along with those legs from cycling will help burn calories long after your cardio is finished.

    For diet I think restrictive calories is good, but eat strategically to burn those calories. Try not to eat past 7pm so that you can fast overnight which burns calories. Try to eliminate all processed sugars and minimize fruit intake. Try cutting down on carbs as these turn to glucose. To burn fat you need to use up your glucose storage and this means that you have to reduce your insulin response and start producing keystones which burn fat. Look up keytogenic diet and consult your doctor about a short term trial of that diet vis a vise your health status.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    p90xtitan wrote: »
    Diet is also quite important, probably more so than the cardio. Doing planks and perhaps trying to build up some chest muscle along with those legs from cycling will help burn calories long after your cardio is finished.

    For diet I think restrictive calories is good, but eat strategically to burn those calories. Try not to eat past 7pm so that you can fast overnight which burns calories. Try to eliminate all processed sugars and minimize fruit intake. Try cutting down on carbs as these turn to glucose. To burn fat you need to use up your glucose storage and this means that you have to reduce your insulin response and start producing keystones which burn fat. Look up keytogenic diet and consult your doctor about a short term trial of that diet vis a vise your health status.

    What? OP, just eat what you want, when you want-at a deficit. Exercise if you want to. It's good for you.
  • RegisSantos78
    RegisSantos78 Posts: 2
    markie166 wrote: »
    exercise bike is exactly how I started. Got me back into moving myself after years of laziness. It can only help

    Works for me too. Exactly as you said. You need to put yourself back to move. And bicycling is a good start. Helps you from Cardio to fat burning. Go ahead!
  • macersboy
    macersboy Posts: 1 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Have you had weight loss luck with MFP in the past few years? Cardio helps you build a larger deficit, and eat more. I use a bike, but I'm also sure to keep my deficit. The calories burned I use as a padding just in case I mess up or overindulge during the week.

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    p90xtitan wrote: »
    Diet is also quite important, probably more so than the cardio. Doing planks and perhaps trying to build up some chest muscle along with those legs from cycling will help burn calories long after your cardio is finished.

    For diet I think restrictive calories is good, but eat strategically to burn those calories. Try not to eat past 7pm so that you can fast overnight which burns calories. Try to eliminate all processed sugars and minimize fruit intake. Try cutting down on carbs as these turn to glucose. To burn fat you need to use up your glucose storage and this means that you have to reduce your insulin response and start producing keystones which burn fat. Look up keytogenic diet and consult your doctor about a short term trial of that diet vis a vise your health status.
    Good first sentence but it went down rapidly after that - none of those rules are necessary and some are completely wrong, having to deplete glycogen to burn fat for example.

    OP - yes exercise can help you but be aware that MFP is designed for you to eat back your exercise calories. Cycling certainly helped me reach my fitness goals and also weight loss goals as I'm far happier with lots of exercise and lots of food rather than just reducing food intake to create a deficit. It's all about balance.

    Resistance based cardio can help you "tone" (not an expression I like!).
    I use indoor bikes a lot as part of my winter training but much prefer to be cycling outside.

    14lbs in 15 weeks is a reasonable goal. Good luck.
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 792 Member
    I have a recumbent for when it rains which is nice and I've found some interesting work out times but honestly I prefer to just walk my dog for cardio.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,091 Member
    edited December 2015
    p90xtitan wrote: »
    Diet is also quite important, probably more so than the cardio. Doing planks and perhaps trying to build up some chest muscle along with those legs from cycling will help burn calories long after your cardio is finished.

    For diet I think restrictive calories is good, but eat strategically to burn those calories. Try not to eat past 7pm so that you can fast overnight which burns calories. Try to eliminate all processed sugars and minimize fruit intake. Try cutting down on carbs as these turn to glucose. To burn fat you need to use up your glucose storage and this means that you have to reduce your insulin response and start producing keystones which burn fat. Look up keytogenic diet and consult your doctor about a short term trial of that diet vis a vise your health status.
    Actually, fat is used exclusively at rest regardless of how much glucose is in your body. One doesn't need to do a ketogenic diet for weight loss. They just need to ensure their calorie intake is less than they burn.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,091 Member
    A bike will help with total calories burned in a day. Just make sure you're eating a calorie deficit.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Fat loss occurs through calorie deficits. Cardio, such as an exercise bike burns extra calories, and is good for your health in other ways. So yes, an exercise bike has benefits.

    If you'd like to "tone" I'd suggest adding in strength training.
  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
    The brain normally derives almost all of its energy from glucose but can turns to the ketone bodies if needed. It is the only organ that's so picky.

    Yes, around 50lbs since 5/14 but been stuck the last six months trying to loss the last ten pounds. Was halfway until I caught a cold earlier this month and being lax over the holidays.

    I started with a trainer and moved to the outdoors after February. But since November, I been mostly on the trainer. I started doing about 4 hours a week and progressively increased to 12 hours during summer and fall. I'm ~300 miles shy of 7,000 miles for the year (and hope to reach it by end of the year). The year before I had around 2,000 miles over six months.

    However, I was at 1500-1700 calories net per day during the journey. I ate at or above maintenance thanks to the cardio. I didn't like feeling hungry.
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