There are several reasons to be completely in love with cycling. Some find themselves free as a bird when they cycle, some find peace. Some people use it for recreation while others use it for workout purposes to burn calories. Those that cycle for fewer workouts may wonder how many calories does cycling burn in 30 minutes. We will get to that in a while.
Cycling is something that you can do indoors or even outdoors. Gyms have stationary cycles that allow you to peddle indoors and burn calories. For those of you who love being on an adventure every time you cycle will probably enjoy outdoor cycling more.
Cycling helps you strengthen your leg muscles. It strengthens your calf muscles in particular. Some people often wonder if the calories burnt by cycling in 30 minutes are enough to make them lose any weight.
So how many calories does cycling burn in 30 minutes?
This depends on a few factors. The amount of weight you lose from cycling 30 minutes a day depends on your weight, the intensity of your cycling, and the resistance of your cycling. 30 minutes of cycling usually burns about 200 calories for an average person. This number is not absolute and subject to all the factors mentioned above.
When you cycle outdoors the intensity of your cycling is controlled by the terrain you cycle on. To increase your intensity outdoors you can try pedalling harder and faster and rising from your saddle.
How many calories does cycling burn in 30 minutes for stationary biking?
The number of calories you burn on a stationary bike for 30 minutes differs from person to person. You have the option of switching up or switching down on your cycling intensity depending on your fitness goal.
Stationary bike workouts are advantageous because no matter what the weather, you’ll always be able to hop onto your bike indoors and have some fun!
When you work out on your stationary cycle your body utilises energy from proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Along with weight loss, cycling helps you meet your daily activity levels.
Cycling is regarded as a low-intensity workout. Cycling engages your glutes, quads, and calves in the downstroke during pedalling. It engages hip flexors and hamstrings during the upstream of pedalling. Cycling also works your abdominal muscles. Intense cycling helps you get those abs on your stomach. Cycling pumps blood to your heart muscles and releases endorphins during your workout. This regulates your mood and contributes to your emotional well-being.
Cycling is an ideal workout even for older people as it teaches you balance. This helps older people retain their balance while they climb stairs or walk.
Cycling calories burned calculator
There are several calorie calculators available on the internet that lets you calculate the number of calories you burn cycling. All you have to do is enter your weight and the time you covered cycling on your calorie calculator. In case you know your distance, you can enter that on your calculator as well. If you don’t, then don’t worry about it. You can just input your speed on the calculator in this case. The outcome of the calculation on your calculator will give you the calories you burn.
There are some pointers you should keep in mind before you use the cycling calculator. More weight will require you to use more energy to move your bike. The faster you pedal in 30 minutes the more calories you’ll be burning. The duration on your bike also matters. The more time you spend on your bike, the more calories you burn.
According to experts from Harvard, a person of 155 pounds on a bike will burn 260 calories approximately if he pedals at a moderate pace. A person of 125 pounds on a bike pedalling at the same pace will burn 210 calories instead. Similarly, a person of 155 pounds will burn somewhere close to 391 calories if they cycle aggressively. However, a person of 125 pounds will burn somewhere around 315 calories cycling at the same pace.
From the above study, it is evident that how many calories does cycling burn in 30 minutes depends on the intensity, weight, speed, and time that an individual spends on their cycle.
How to switch up your stationary bike workouts?
- You can consider taking cycling classes with an instructor in a cycling studio. Your instructor will help keep you motivated.
- Going to a different gym than you go to and trying out a different bike will help change your scenery.
- You can consider purchasing a home workout stationary bike and stream live classes with a cycling instructor.
The role of nutrition in losing weight with cycling
Unless you are cycling at a very high intensity, only cycling will not help you lose weight if that is your goal. You need to fix your diet. You will need to eat a lesser number of calories than the number you burn.
Eating less calories on your weight loss journey does not mean you starve yourself to death. You need to include healthy food in your diet. Eat a good amount of protein and healthy fat. You can consider having lean meat if you’re not vegan. Have plenty of fruits, green vegetables. For carbohydrates in your diet only reach out to complex carbohydrates as a healthy option. Drink lots of water and avoid sugar.
Safety during biking
Always remember that prevention is better than cure. Therefore, always be safe during your cycling sessions. If you’re new to cycling, do not increase the intensity before you get the hang of cycling. Always wear a helmet to protect your head. Keep yourself hydrated during your sessions. Always check that your bike is in a workable condition before you decide to ride it outdoors. Have a front light on your bike or a reflector so that you are visible to vehicles in the dark.
Final thoughts
We hope that your question of how many calories does cycling burn in 30 minutes has now been answered. Remember to pay attention to your diet and safety during riding your bike. Have fun cycling!
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