Spinning is a trendy exercise so that gyms throughout the world include specially-crafted spin classes. At the same time, the retail of spin bikes has increased during the last few years.
But is spinning an excellent way to lose weight, or is it all just crafty marketing mumbo-jumbo? Yes, it is and we’ll tackle the issue in this article.
We’ll discuss how many calories you can expect to burn, why spin classes work, and how to lose belly fat with indoor cycling.
Keep reading below!
Table of Contents
How Many Calories do You Burn Spinning?
The average amount of calories you burn on a spin bike is 260 calories for 30 minutes of steady spinning, which gets you to 520 calories/ 60 minutes.
However, spin classes are much harder.
That means you can quickly get to 400-600 calories during a 45-minute spin class.
Of course, those numbers depend on several factors:
- Your current weight: if you’re overweight or obese, you’ll burn more calories than a person with an average BMI
- Your biological sex: males burn more calories than females
- Your age: younger people burn more calories
- Preexisting metabolic issues: people with endocrine conditions like untreated hypothyroidism will burn calories at slower rates
- Your muscle/ fat ratio: if you have more lean muscles, you can shed those pounds faster
That brings us to another question:
Are Spinning Classes Good for Weight Loss?
Spinning classes are excellent for weight loss for two main reasons:
Firstly, you can burn 260 for every 30 minutes of spinning steadily and 400-600 calories during a spin class. That’s the equivalent of an entire meal or 20-25% of your recommended daily calories.
Secondly, spinning builds lean muscles. As you know, muscles have a smaller volume and require more fuel compared to your fat stores. As a result, your lean muscle mass will accelerate your metabolism so that you’ll burn more calories when you’re resting.
Imagine those muscles as soldiers that fight the evil fat cells.
Well, spinning is what makes those soldiers strong.
But there’s another reason why spin classes are suitable for weight loss: you have incredibly high chances of sticking to them.
Because here’s the thing:
No exercise will help you lose weight unless you’re actually working out.
Most people don’t work out because they get bored fast and lack motivation, translating these factors into excuses. Common excuses include “I don’t have the time,” “I don’t have the money,” “Exercising isn’t for me.”
However, you will instantly fall in love with spinning, which will keep you going for longer.
The teachers know how to encourage people, and the community is amazingly supportive. Even online spinning videos transpire the same sense of empowerment.
How Often Should I do Spinning to Lose Weight?
The duration of your spin classes is essential in this weight loss process, but only if you take frequency into account too.
As you can imagine, going to a spin class just one day every month won’t bring you stellar results.
But neither will spinning for five hours every day.
You have to take care of your body and give it the right amount of exercise to see steady weight loss progress. So, you should do spin classes 3-4 times per week to lose weight.
Pro tip: Don’t spin for longer than one hour and take more rest days if your muscles feel sore. Otherwise, you’re just going to damage your muscle tissue, slow your metabolism, and increase your cortisol levels. So instead of losing weight, you’re actually going to gain weight.
How Much Weight Can You Lose Spinning for a Month?
Let’s say you’re taking 12 spin classes in a month – that’s three sessions for four weeks. Each session burns an average of 500 calories, so the total amounts to 6000 calories/ month.
So considering that 3500 calories burn equals one pound of shed fat, which means you’re going to lose two pounds of fat during one month of spinning.
If you want to lose more weight than that, you can try some dietary changes:
- Eliminate all processed food from your diet.
- Eat just lean protein, fiber, and healthy fat.
- Say no to simple sugar and trans-fats.
If you follow these tips, you can burn 5-10 pounds/ month.
How to Lose Belly Fat with Indoor Cycling?
Indoor cycling burns belly fat because it burns general body fat. So contrary to some preconceptions, you can’t get rid of fat just from one body part while ignoring your general body composition.
So the first way to lose belly fat with indoor cycling is to start pedaling.
If you want to see better results:
- Adjust your diet to reduce bloating. For example, replace simple carbs with fiber (e.g., eat more vegetables instead of white bread).
- Do some core-oriented exercises. Try planks, crunches, twists, and so forth. Don’t ignore your lower back muscles; a weak lumbar area can’t support the strength of your increased abs, and that can lead to hernias.
- Choose spinning routines that focus on your core. If you’re spinning 3-4 times/ week, make sure that two of those sessions are dedicated to core strength.
Spinning for Weight Loss Conclusion
Spinning is an excellent weight-loss tool, but you have to do it wisely. Adjust your diet, get plenty of rest, and do the work.
It’s essential to choose a spin class that motivates you, where you feel accepted and encouraged.
Alternatively, if you’re getting a spin bike for home use, you should pick one that suits your needs. Spin bikes come in different models, and not all are best for you.
For example, some spin bikes are better for muscle toning, others for burning calories. Some fit tall people; others have more adjustments, others are best for beginners, and so forth.
So, if you want to make the right choice, read a couple of articles about specific spin bikes you’ll want to consider according to your body type, budget, and fitness level.
Mary advocates for one powerful idea: fitness is about challenging yourself, but it’s not a race against the clock. She wants people to understand that the best fitness equipment doesn’t have to be expensive or very popular. The best workouts and machines should always fit your style and needs, not the other way around. So, Mary’s dedication and hard work are the engines that keep this website going.
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