Exercise Bike For Weight Loss

The Calorie Factor

In a study conducted by Nordic Track, young, healthy people used a variety of exercise machines and went through various workouts designed to test cardio response and overall fitness. Although the participants felt they used the same intensity on all machines, the studies showed that the young people burned the most calories on treadmills and ski machines.

On average, most people burn about 750 calories per hour on a treadmill. The same people are likely to burn about 550 calories per hour on an exercise bike. But before you decide that this result alone makes the treadmill the best choice for exercise equipment, consider a few other benefits and results.

It may be best not to get caught up only on which machine burns the most calories. There are other factors to take into consideration. For example, how likely are you to continue a treadmill exercise routine as opposed to an exercise bike routine? Exercise bikes are often seen as more enjoyable than treadmills. Therefore, users are more likely to stick with a stationary bike program long-term. Though an individual can burn more calories on a treadmill, they are more likely to stop using it altogether if they can't enjoy it.

Most good exercise programs work only in the long term, so both a treadmill or bike routine will probably have to be continued over several weeks or months to get the full benefits. However, many people find it easier to work out for 20 minutes on an exercise bike, for example, as opposed to 20 minutes on a treadmill. If a daily routine on the treadmill lasts only 10 minutes, while a regular program on an exercise bike lasts 20 minutes, the result is that you will burn more calories per session on an exercise bike. If you get bored easily, or have tried and failed to stick with exercise routines in the past, you might want to consider burning less calories per hour in favor of a sustainable long-term exercise bike regimen.

If you decide to get an exercise bike with dual-action (upper and lower body) you can burn more fat than on a treadmill. But there are advantages with both types of exercise equipment, so every individual should carefully consider the goal of an exercise program before choosing one over the other.

Both the treadmill and the exercise bike have benefits that make them popular choices for home fitness equipment. While the treadmill continues to be the most popular piece of home gym equipment, many people report that they are more likely to use an exercise bike consistently. This means an exercise bike may be less likely to gather dust and more likely to contribute to your health and fitness.