Can You Lose Belly Fat by Cycling on an Air/Fan Bike?

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Individuals these days are interested in taking care of their health, and most of them train with cardio workouts. For that, using an air bike satisfies our requirement of cardio training.

Working on a fan bike is a great means to reduce lower body fat percentage, which helps decrease belly fat.

Also called an air resistance bike, exercising on this machine for around 30-45 minutes for 5-6 days/week at medium intensity shows concrete results in a couple of weeks.

Combined with a well-balanced diet plan, any individual following this routine can see visible results in 4-6 weeks.

What are the critical factors that make a fan bike an effective machine for losing body weight and slimming the waist?

How Does an Air Bike Help in Losing Belly Fat?

Any fat is fat, and belly fat is no different. It is no different from fat accumulation in other parts of the body, except that none of us love to see fat clinging onto the belly.

So, why do people crib about problems with reducing belly fat? Truthfully, ways to lose belly fat are similar to what we do with the rest of the body.

We don’t have the privilege to lose fat in specific parts of the body as weight loss doesn’t work in this manner.

Exercising leads to calories burned which in turn leads to burning fat. The basic logic behind weight loss is eating fewer calories than we burn all through the day. Our body burns fat to lose weight.

The regions where fat loss happens are mainly based on gender, age, hormone balance, and genetics.

One of the best exercise equipment that helps individuals lose weight and cut off body fat is the fan bike. But, remember one main condition—without a proper diet plan, it is next to impossible to witness consistent weight loss over type.

Also, there is no way to burn belly fat alone, and there are no exercises that help achieve this feat.

All that’s possible is burning overall body fat equally. Burning away more calories than what we consume is the key to reducing body fat percentage over time.

Such reduction automatically leads to reduced belly fat but to sustain this fat loss, and we must follow the exercise routine consistently as with every other exercise.

One of the key factors that determine faster calorie burning is higher resistance levels, and the fan bike is more than capable of providing an extensive resistance range.

Hence, the air bike can be a great choice for doing high-intensity workouts. At the same time, we can perform steady-state workouts, which maintain the heart rate at a specific level.

So, whatever might be the choice, both ways are good for burn calories. Accommodate the cycling activity for at least 30-45 minutes daily at either moderate- or high-intensity for around 5 days a week to witness steady body fat loss.

Again, combining the cycling activity with a nutrient-rich and balanced diet plan is necessary to achieve fitness goals.

What Make Air Bike an Excellent Choice for Losing Belly Fat?

The market is filled with various cardio-training machines, all of which increase the chances of burning more calories.

When that’s the case, what are the factors that make an air bike an excellent choice for losing belly fat? Let’s look at each one of them to understand the magic behind an air bike:

Compact: An air bike is a compact piece of equipment that’s much larger than a spin bike but matches the size of an upright bike.

So, if the home lacks much space, don’t worry, as setting up a fan bike is quite easy. The air bikes are also lightweight and can be moved around quite easily and set up in any part of the home without much worry about space.

Some models come with wheels which makes the transportation process even simpler.

Full Body: Generally, exercise bikes train the lower body, but a fan bike comes with arm levers (just like ellipticals) to provide equal workout to the upper body as well.

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This way, we use greater muscle mass, and this converts to higher calories burned per minute.

We can say that higher calories are burned, but this doesn’t mean that it is easy to burn calories as we must put extra effort to achieve this. Such levers also promote upper body strength.

Low Impact: Anytime we don’t take our legs off the pedals and levers during the workout. So, there is negligible impact on the joints and spine compared to other cardio equipment such as the treadmill.

Though many muscles undergo a higher impact on the air bike, the recovery rate is also faster than the joints’ recovery rate.

Smooth Resistance: The impeccable working mechanism of the fan bike matches the resistance offered by the fan blade.

Here, we don’t have provisioning for adjusting the resistance levels like the case in many other cardio machines.

When we pedal rapidly, the fan blades also spin faster, increasing air resistance multi-fold times.

The faster we pedal, the greater the resistance generated, and hence, this makes it even better for High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

So, we don’t have any buttons or dials but our own feet to push faster.

Make use of an air bike at medium intensity for around 30 minutes to burn 250 calories. The numbers might slightly differ depending on the bodyweight of the individual exercising on the machine.

Though the numbers might not seem great when we look at the treadmill and the rower, it is almost equivalent to the elliptical.

But, it is possible for those exercising at higher intensities to burn up to 380 calories in the same 30 minutes.

Some of you might be working out at the gym without any plans to buy an air bike for yourself. Try using the treadmill, the elliptical, and the rower for better results if you are one of those.

Being a low-impact machine, an elliptical can provide a full-body workout. It’s the same with the rower, too—we benefit from a full-body workout though the muscles in action are quite different.

Some rowers have air resistance like fan bikes and hence, work based on similar principles.

Exercising daily is recommended, and those planning to work out for 5-6 days per week are advised to choose an air bike over the treadmill to impose minimal impact on the joints.

Putting less stress on the spine and the joints are better for overall body health. Else, there are higher chances of injury due to overuse, and this can lead to missed workout sessions.

All these don’t happen on air bikes due to their low-impact effect, but the progression rate is similar to other cardio equipment.

There is no hard and fast rule that we must choose one machine over another. Finally, it depends on what’s interesting for you.

Choose an exercise that makes you happy. There are higher chances that we tend to stick with those exercises that we enjoy or find easy to do.

The machine picked might not be great with rapid calorie-burning abilities, but when used consistently, they bring better results than picking something that’s difficult but doesn’t help you work out consistently.

Always take care to avoid any machine that burns more calories but makes you tired after using it for just 5 minutes.

The best idea is to enroll for a gym membership just for a month, try using all the machines there, and then conclude on what’s best for you.

How Long Should You Use an Air Bike to Lose Belly Fat?

As we saw above, there is no single trick to focus only on losing body fat. Getting rid of body fat is dependent on the calories burned and the body’s overall fat percentage.

Hence, getting rid of body fat percentage helps slim down at the waist.

Make use of the air fan bike for 30 minutes a day, 5-6 days per week, at mid- or high-intensity to lose at least 2 kg (4.4lbs) per month.

The belly starts shrinking in 4-6 weeks, and all this is possible when we follow a proper diet plan.

Before starting to do anything, it is necessary to understand the concept of energy balance. Consume fewer calories than you burn throughout the day. While the concept seems simple, it is not so easy to practice.

So, to lose weight faster, you must maintain a diet as well and exercise regularly.

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The calories consumed depend on how much we eat and the type of food that we eat. The calories we burn depend on a person’s age, weight, gender, muscle mass, and the activity performed.

In general, we burn around 250 calories for a 30-minute workout session, but the numbers vary depending on the individual’s weight and workout intensity.

The heavier the person, the higher is the calorie-burning ability in the same duration.

The calories burned also increase when the intensity is high, and on the fan bike, the speeder you pedal, the more calories burned every minute.

Besides the pedaling speed, the heart rate is yet another good indication of the workout intensity. A heart rate between 50 and 70% of maximum heart rate denotes a medium-intensity workout, while heart rate numbers between 70 and 85% of maximum heart rate denote a high-intensity workout.

Again, the maximum heart rate numbers vary depending on the age of the person. Some models come with an in-built heart rate monitor, but if the bike doesn’t have one, it is suggested to purchase separately.

Every kilogram (2.2 lbs.) of fat contains around 770 kcal. So, eating 500 fewer calories every day than usual helps burn 1 kilogram of fat every 2 weeks.

Don’t dip beyond the 500-calorie deficit unless advised by a healthcare professional. The 500-calorie number is generally sustainable by most people and hence, can be continued for a long term than going for larger numbers.

So, a 500-calorie deficit helps to lose around 2 kilograms (4.4 lbs) every month (4 weeks). Although rest in between workouts is advisable, exercising for around 30-45 minutes is practically possible.

A 30-minute medium-intensity workout on the fan bike helps burn around 250 calories, but we want a 500-calorie deficit. So, what can we do to achieve this?

It is none other than following a well-balanced diet plan alongside exercising to create the 500-calorie deficit daily.

First, before planning the fitness routine, figure out how many calories you burn in a day without exercising. In other words, calculate the Base Metabolic Rate (BMR).

A person with a 2000-calorie BMR must eat only 1750 calories and cycle at a defined intensity and duration to burn another 250 calories.

In total, we have now achieved a 500-calorie deficit that helps in losing 2 kilograms (4.4 lbs) per month.

When the duration is increased to 45 minutes, the calories also burned increase to 375 calories, and hence, the intake could include a little more calorie-rich food.

Besides this, increasing the exercise duration helps in improving digestion, blood pressure levels, cardiovascular health, mental health, and many others.

There is no denying that cycling on an air bike for 30-45 minutes for at least 5-6 days a week has tremendous potential in reducing belly fat. It is additionally sustainable and a healthy way to lose weight, but we must take care of the diet and energy intake to lose weight consistently.

Following only a workout routine without a proper diet plan is not enough to achieve the fitness goal.

Ways to Reduce Belly Fat Effectively

Though belly fat is similar to fat in any other part of the body, most individuals often witness an extremely slow fat reduction in the belly area—this is even more true in the case of men as fat accumulation primarily takes place in the belly area.

Cycling is an optimal way to burn fat and calories, but when it comes to belly fat, other ways assist in reducing belly fat.

Genetics determines where fat loss happens first and last. Surprisingly, losing fat in the belly region is easier for some people than other parts of the body.

But, for some others, fat loss happens in every other part of the body before hitting hard on the belly fat region.

Though unfair, this is something that every individual must deal with patiently.  Don’t fret, and there are other ways to reduce the overall size of the belly. Factors such as core strength, diet, muscle mass, and bloating determine the overall look of the abs.

Core Strength

Individuals with a weak core, specifically the Transversus Abdominus muscle (a muscle that’s beneath the muscles responsible for the 6-pack look), can focus mainly on this area to reduce tummy fat.

Anytime someone tries pulling the belly button towards the spine, this muscle is used. Hence, when we strength train for this muscle, the belly button is pulled in automatically, making the belly appear flat.

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Any cycling equipment, especially those that require the individual to bend over more, engages the core muscles even more than others.

Still, this is not sufficient for a good core workout, and we must train separately, focusing primarily on the core muscles.

An air bike doesn’t focus on the Transversus Abdominus, and we must perform other core exercises to make the fitness routine complete and beneficial.

Bloating

Bloating is a common problem faced universally and one of the key reasons why the stomach looks bigger.

Bloating is the side effect of food intolerance, and surprisingly, there are many individuals intolerant to many foods without realizing it.

Bloating distends the stomach, and eliminating various food one by one is the best way to find whether or not you are intolerant to any of them.

Though exercise is a good way to eliminate bloating (as it improves digestion), sometimes, the problem persists even after working out regularly. During such times, it is better to consult.

Strength Exercises

Doing only cardio exercises isn’t good. Combine it with other exercises, especially strength training to achieve greater benefits, including weight loss, better physique, and improved health.

Strength training helps in building strength and muscles, which adds bulkiness to the muscles. Besides building an athletic body, bigger muscles are advantageous in many other ways:

  • When the muscles are bigger, the ability to burn more calories is higher. Adding intensity by pedaling harder and by using higher resistance levels helps in burning more calories
  • Increased muscle mass increases the BMR, which in turn assists in higher calorie-burning abilities
  • Bulky muscles in many other parts of the body help in making the belly look smaller comparatively

Above all, indulging in other exercises besides cycling helps us avoid boredom and monotony.

Pick from the numerous strength training exercises and equipment available to add fun and make the workout session more interesting.

The results are also better and quicker when we combine strength training with cycling.

Diet

The food consumed plays an equal role in determining weight loss. Numbers don’t tell the whole story, and we must look beyond the total calories consumed.

To achieve a good workout, we must provide our body with the right energy to keep going on. Pick the right ratio of macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fats) and try to get this from whole foods completely.

If not 100%, at least aim for 80% whole foods to substantially impact the fitness goal.

Beverages are an integral part of calorie calculation, but sadly, most individuals are unaware of this.

Try eliminating soda, creamy coffees, and sugary ice teas, replacing them with crystal clear water, black tea/coffee, and coconut water to save up to a few hundred calories every day.

Can We Get Visible Abs by Working Out Solely on Air Bikes?

Now we know that reducing belly fat is possible with cycling, but what about visible abs?

It’s the dream of many to get 6-pack abs, but not all individuals achieve this feat. So, can a fan bike help you with this goal?

Two key factors indispensable for visible abs include a low body fat percentage and big abdominal muscles ready to pop out.

Do cardio exercises regularly and follow a good diet plan diligently to lower the body fat percentage. The fat percentage is low enough that a 6-pack starts showing up.

For visible abs, men must have a body fat percentage ±15% or lower, while for women, it must be ±20% or less.

A medium- or high-intensity workout on the treadmill can help achieve this feat. Running involves the core muscles but is not good enough to build visible muscles (the Rectus Abdominis).

Secondly, for 6-pack abs, the muscles must be big enough to be seen. Hence, it is advisable to engage in exercises other than rowing to target the Rectus Abdominis.

Start with crunches, leg raises, and hanging leg raises that bring the chest closer to the legs or vice versa (such actions make use of the muscle).

When we use a fan bike, it is a great means to achieve visible 6-pack abs as the machine is effective for burning calories and helps lower body fat percentage.

By doing all this, individuals enjoy a skinny waistline.  Still, following a good diet plan and doing ab exercises helps individuals achieve 6-pack abs.