How many calories are burned with 30 minutes of cycling?

Cycling is a very complete sport that allows you to lose weight while toning your muscles and joints

Playing sports outdoors has positive effects not only on the body, but also on the mind. The benefits are very wide, it allows you to achieve the goal of losing weight and toning up the body and, in addition, it is a great ally to release stress. Thus, one of the most recommended exercises to lose weight and improve blood supply is cycling.

It is one of the sports that provide the most advantages, it is a cardiovascular activity that tones the muscles, exercises the joints and reduces stress. In this sense, the World Health Organization points out that any cardiovascular exercise can help prevent diseases such as hypertension, diabetes or cholesterol.

This always has to go hand in hand with a healthy diet, which guarantees the nutritional balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

Benefits of riding a bike

Improves heart function: Cycling increases cardiovascular capacity and improves blood flow throughout the body, which strengthens the heart and lungs.

Protects the joints: as it is a low-impact sport, it is highly recommended to recover muscle atrophy after an injury, especially those that occur in the lower body. The movements are fluid and allow to improve the flexibility of the joints while burning fat, strengthening the cardiovascular system, increasing strength and aerobic capacity. As the saddle supports part of the weight, the pressure on the joints is less, which makes it a highly recommended exercise for people who are overweight or have arthritis.

Fights stress: facilitates the oxygenation of the brain and the creation of certain hormones such as endorphins, which produce a feeling of happiness and reduce negative emotions. This, together with the disconnection from the routine and the fact of being outdoors, helps to combat stress and improve the emotional state.

Tones the back: when riding a bike, the inclination of the body towards the handlebars encourages the muscles of the lower back to tighten and strengthen to protect the spine. This reduces back pain and the possibility of hernias appearing. However, you must pay attention to the posture that is adopted since, if it is not correct, it can cause discomfort in this area. Thus, it is important to look at the measurements of the bicycle.

Helps to sleep better: stabilizes the biological rhythm of the body and reduces levels of cortisol, a hormone related to stress.

For all this to be really effective, you have to set a realistic goal according to the capabilities of each person. Overtraining should be avoided, so it is ideal to consult a specialist to establish the best exercise routines. Likewise, it is advisable to rest between 8 and 9 hours to help the body recover and build muscle.

How much do you have to pedal to lose weight?

Weight and fat loss is directly linked to the time spent, the perseverance and the intensity of the exercise. In this way, the real caloric expenditure will not depend only on the hours in which you are pedaling.

Thus, with the practice of cycling, both mountain and road, there is a large energy expenditure. According to a study by Harvard University, in a standard way and taking into account that each person’s metabolism is different, with 30 minutes of this activity at a moderate pace, a 56 kg person will spend 240 kcal, a 70 kg person will burn about 288 and 336 one of 85.

A medium pace can mean a caloric expenditure of 360 kcal for a 56 kg person, 432 for a 70 kg person and 504 for a 85 kg person. And, finally, if you practice at a high pace, 495 calories are burned in the first case , 594 in the second and 693 in the third.

However, it must be clear that the body begins to burn a greater number of calories from the first 20-30 minutes, the ideal is to spend a minimum of 45 minutes at a moderate pace, in which no less than 15 km during this time, at least 3 times a week.

Is the stationary bike equally effective?

Stationary bikes allow you to obtain all the benefits of cycling without having to leave home or go to the gym. However, to achieve the goal you have to invest a little more time. Thus, according to the study cited above, 30 minutes of this exercise at a moderate pace can mean losing 210 kcal for a 56 kg person, 252 for a 70 kg person and 294 for a 85 kg person. , 215, 278, and 441 calories will be burned, respectively.