Does Cycling Help You Lose Weight? 7 Important Dos and Don'ts

When faced with so many methods of losing a few extra pounds, one of the questions that many people ask is “Does cycling help you lose weight?” This is the question that this article is going to answer. 

Problems with weight gain are very common among office workers whose type of work forces them to sit behind a desk for the greater part of each day. Such a sedentary lifestyle can easily lead to obesity and the accompanying health problems, such as diabetes and increase the chances of suffering from a heart attack. 

Older workers, especially, need to take very good care of themselves, watch their weight closely, and work on developing healthy office habits. The chances of suffering the health problems mentioned above increase dramatically with age. 

Considering the negative impact that a disease such as diabetes can have on a person’s quality of life, it is important to prevent such problems from ever occurring, rather than try to cure them. One of the ways you can keep fit even if you work in an office all day is to invest in a stationary bike for weight loss. 

These days, you do not necessarily have to go to the gym just to help you stay in shape. There are a variety of great office exercises that you can try. You can even cycle while you work, a practice that will be great for your health and help you maintain focus and remain productive at work. 

Does Cycling Help You Lose Weight?

The short answer is yes, cycling for weight loss is a very effective exercise that has helped millions of people around the world manage their weight and stay in shape. In general, any aerobic exercise can help you to lose weight when done correctly and consistently. The goal is to try to burn more calories than you take in, and cycling is effective enough to do that. 

While more intensive aerobic exercises, such as running may be more effective when trying to lose weight, cycling has the distinct advantage of being a lot gentler on your joints. Rather than pounding the pavement while running every day, cycling produces a much smoother movement, which does not leave any lasting impact on your knees. 

It is difficult to estimate just how much cycling you will need to do to reach your target weight because everyone's body is different. However, going from not exercising at all to cycling for a short time each day will still achieve measurable results. It is best to monitor your progress until you determine the right exercise intensity for your needs.

Do's and Don'ts of Cycling to Lose Weight

While cycling has a lot of benefits, it is only effective when done in the right way. Knowing what to do and what to avoid can make your exercise journey a lot more fun and produce better results. 

Consider the following dos and don’ts of cycling to lose weight: 

1. Do Get a Good Bike

Your journey to shedding a few pounds starts with getting your hands on the right bike. Decide where you will be doing most of your cycling and buy a bike that is suitable for that terrain. With the wrong type of bike, you will find that cycling to lose weight will be difficult and, possibly, even risky.

2. Do Stay Realistic about Your Goals

You did not gain weight overnight, so you should not expect to lose it all in one day either. It is possible to cycle for a few days without noticing any significant change in your weight, but you have to be realistic and stick to the program.

3. Don’t Diet

When bike riding for weight loss, your body will need a lot of energy to keep up with the exercises. Many people are tempted to go on a diet while putting their bodies through so much strain, which is not a good idea. Rather than dieting, you should be eating enough food to provide enough fuel for your body. 

4. Do Try High-intensity Workouts

High-intensity workouts are a lot more effective when trying to lose weight. Try cycling as quickly as you can up an incline to force your body to burn as many calories as possible in a short time.

5. Don’t Over-exercise

Even on an indoor cycle for weight loss, it is possible to overdo your exercises and end up straining or even injuring yourself. Keeping your workouts moderate is the best route to take, especially at the beginning of your journey, when your body is not yet used to regular exercise. 

6. Do Keep Track of Your Progress

Remember that you are not just doing all this for fun. You need to see progress from your exercises, so when cycling for weight loss, always keep track of your achievements. There are many handy tracking apps that you can use, and some under-desk bikes even come with a built-in tracking feature.

7. Do Get Enough Sleep

Even with the best fitness equipment in the world, if you do not allow yourself enough time to sleep, you will find it difficult to achieve your goals. Your body needs enough rest to recover from an intense workout session and also repair any damaged muscles.

Can You Incorporate Cycling into Your Workspace? 

Yes, these days you can easily incorporate cycling into your workplace without disturbing your colleagues or causing major disruptions in your productivity. The best way to do this is to invest in a bike desk or under-desk bicycle. 

Rather than waste any more time asking “Does cycling help you lose weight?" invest in the right desk exercise equipment right now and start taking steps towards a healthier lifestyle. 

The type of bike desks that you can buy are not as big as the huge stationary bikes you see in commercial gyms. These are much smaller and compact, allowing you to slide them discreetly under your desk. When the small size and effectiveness of the under-desk bicycle are combined, you get a very effective way to manage your weight while at work.

Advantages of Bike Desks and Under Desk Bicycles

The advantages of cycling to lose weight are well documented. However, this used to be something you could only do outside on a regular bicycle or an exercise bike at the gym. With the development of smaller and more effective office exercise equipment came the under-desk bicycle. 

This innovative piece of equipment has many advantages, such as: 

• Small enough to fit under your desk
• Allows you to continue working while exercising
• Is less expensive than a regular exercise bike
• Give you more freedom to schedule exercise sessions
• Burns calories while helping you improve your productivity
• Improves mood and boosts energy levels
• Can be easily carried from home to work
• It is a fun way to exercise and lose weight
• The cycling motion does not strain your joints

5 Best Bike Desks and Under Desk Bicycles in 2023

One of the most important decisions you will need to make when cycling for weight loss is to decide which type of under-desk bike you will choose. There are many options to choose from, so you have to consider your needs very carefully. 

Do not waste any more time wondering “Do under-desk bikes work?” Many office workers around the world are already managing their weight in a fun and effective way using any of the following great desk bicycle options: 

1. Wagan Healthmate EL2773 Mini Cycle

Considering the small and compact design of the Wagan Healthmate EL2773 Mini Cycle, it manages to produce exceptional results when used consistently. Once you slip it under your desk, no one will even know that it is there, which is great when working in open-plan offices. 

Regularly using this stationary bike for weight loss has been shown to improve blood circulation and help tone your muscles. As a bonus, you can place the small Wagan Healthmate EL2773 Mini Cycle on your desk and use it to exercise your arms. The cycle is light enough to avoid damaging your desk while you work on getting those arms in shape.

This handy little under-desk bike comes with a digital display to help you keep track of a wide range of exercise parameters, such as time, calories burnt, distance pedaled, and the number of cycles pedaled per minute.

Wagan HealthMate EL2773 Mini Cycle

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2. Lifespan Fitness Unity Bike Desk

When using the Lifespan Fitness Unity Bike Desk, bike riding for weight loss becomes more than just an essential exercise. It becomes a fun activity that you will look forward to every day. 

This easy-to-use, cordless bike will look right at home in your office. While it is not small enough to fit under your desk, the Lifespan Fitness Unity Bike Desk comes with its own desk, meaning you can easily carry on working while you exercise. This feature makes it the ultimate multitasking tool for your exercises. 

To help you exercise in the office without disturbing your colleagues, the Lifespan Fitness Unity Bike Desk is ultra-quiet. It is adjustable for up to 11 different sitting positions, meaning it can accommodate different people and also allow you to target different muscle groups while cycling.

LifeSpan Fitness Unity Bike Desk

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3. DeskCycle 2

One of the most fascinating features of the DeskCycle 2 is that you can connect it to your phone and use your mobile device to link to the under-desk bike. This is because the DeskCycle 2 has an advanced companion app that is a great tool when you want to keep track of your progress. 

To help you keep pushing your limits to gain more from your exercise sessions, the DeskCycle 2 has adjustable resistance and height setting. This means, after using it for a while, if you feel you need something a little bit more challenging, you can simply increase the bike's resistance and go for it. 

The DeskCycle 2 has a very quiet motor, making it ideal for the office. However, It is quite heavy, so you may have to re-think moving this device constantly between your home and the office.

DeskCycle Under Desk Bike Pedal Exerciser

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4. Cubii Go

One of the problems many people face when starting on their exercise journey is knowing which leg exercise, while sitting, is the best option for their needs. Luckily, the Cubii Go comes with over 300 pre-programmed exercises to choose from. 

With so many great options, you will be able to switch things up regularly so that you keep your daily exercises both effective and interesting. The Cubii Go can be adjusted to offer a wide range of resistance levels, which is great for maintaining good progress in your workout. 

If you have been struggling to find the best under-desk bike for your needs because you have a large shoe size, the Cubii Go, with its large pedals, is the best option to consider. It also has a very convenient handle that makes carrying it around much easier.

Cubii Go

Portable Elliptical with a Large Illuminated Screen

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5. JFit Under-desk Mini Elliptical

When looking for the right stationary bike for weight loss, one of the things you should consider is whether it can be used while seated or standing up. This is because you need to make sure it is a suitable bike for any standing desk exercises you might have. The Jfit Under-desk Mini Elliptical is perfect for this. 

The bike has pedals that offer excellent grip, meaning you have very little risk of slipping and falling even if you choose to pedal while standing up. Setting up the Jfit Under-desk Mini Elliptical is an easy process that will take up very little of your time. It also comes with two handles, making it easy to lift and carry to a different location.

JFit Under Desk and Stand Up Mini Elliptical/Stepper

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Exercise While You Work!

Cycling for weight loss is one of the best ways to exercise effectively while you work. You do not need to worry about disturbing anyone and you can easily get lost in your work while burning those calories. If you want to counter the effects of a sedentary lifestyle, get your hands on any of these great under-desk bikes today.