How to burn more calories with indoor cycling

- ICI staff

Indoor cycling is an excellent way to lose weight, and it has numerous other benefits. Not only does it help you shed those extra pounds, but it also helps you improve your cardiovascular health, reduce insulin resistance and strengthen your muscles. But how you go about it will determine how much weight you can lose. Here are some factors to consider:

Intensity and cadence: The intensity of your cycling workout determines how many calories you burn. With indoor cycling you’re not covering distance, but using a safe and effective level of resistance combined with a sensible pedalspeed with indoor cycling will increase the calorie burn. You can increase the intensity by pedalling quicker (but don’t go beyond 110rpm, and always ensure that you’ve got a challenging level of resistance that’s appopriate to your cadence). Try incorporating high-intensity interval training (HIIT) into your cycling routine to maximise weight loss. Adding resistance to your cycling workout helps to strengthen muscles, which leads to increased metabolism and more calories burned at rest.

Duration: The duration of your cycling session is essential for weight loss. Results come with time in the saddle, so you’ll need to enjoy the process. If you’re riding in the studio, don’t do too much to start with, just focus on enjoying riding with others, enjoy the music and the experience, and enjoy tired legs at the end. When you’ve built a healthy habit of riding 2–3 times a week, you can then start to push yourself a little more. That’s going to increase your results — ride more often, ride for longer, rider with more resistance.
Don’t forget that proper nutrition and hydration are also essential for weight loss — don’t undo all your good works in the saddle with crazy eating habits. Make sure you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet that’s high in protein and low in processed foods. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water before, during, and after your cycling sessions.

If you're new to indoor cycling or unsure, find a reputable instructor who will be able to provide you with varied workouts and advise you on technique and how hard you should be working - it's not the case that the more hell the workout the more the calorie burn!

Tips:

1. Mix up your cycling routine by adding different workouts to keep it challenging and interesting.
   
2. Get a bike setup/bike fit so that you’re comfortable.
3. Start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your cycling sessions to avoid injury and burnout.
4. Listen to your body and rest when needed. Recovery is just as important as the workout itself.
5. Maintain a healthy, balanced diet — moderation in all things!