Can You Lose Tummy Fat on a Spin Bike?

A spin bike is a type of stationary cycle that helps you simulate outdoor rides without having to brave the elements. You can get a vigorous workout by adjusting the tension with a turn of a knob or pull of a lever to simulate windy conditions, hills and other varying terrain. Indoor cycling classes have a reputation for being high intensity and helping you burn a lot of calories, which may help with weight loss. Pedaling alone is probably not enough to shrink your waistband, but it -- like any exercise -- can help when combined with other weight-loss strategies.

Extra fat around your midsection puts you at risk for a number of diseases, including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, stroke and some cancers. Tummy fat is usually made up of visceral fat, which lies deep within your abdomen and encases your internal organs while secreting chemicals that cause inflammation. Tummy fat is also partly made up of surface, or subcutaneous, fat that lies just underneath the skin. Subcutaneous fat is unattractive but is generally not as dangerous as visceral fat.

Visceral belly fat is responsive to classic weight-loss measures -- particularly a healthy, portion-controlled diet and exercise. You cannot specifically target belly fat for loss -- when you lose weight, you lose weight all over including around your tummy. A study published in the November 2008 issue of “Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise” showed that intense cardiovascular exercise done at least three times per week for 16 weeks, in addition to two additional days of lighter cardiovascular exercise, helped obese women reduce overall abdominal fat more than exercise consistently performed at a light intensity. Intense exercise, according to the study, consisted of an hour session that burned about 400 calories.

According to Spinning.com, the official webpage for the Spinning program, you burn between 400 and 600 calories in a 40-minute class. This calorie burn could help contribute to an overall calorie deficit that will help you lose weight, including belly fat. You cannot guarantee that getting on an indoor cycle will help you lose weight, however. You can easily eat back all the calories you burn with a fancy coffee drink, a cookie and a soda. Monitor your intensity level while riding as well. If you don’t feel your heart beating faster, your breath coming heavier and some sweat starting to form -- you probably aren’t working at a point that will burn significant calories.

Including indoor cycling in your weight-loss routine is a start, but also take other measures to lose weight. Watching your portion sizes and choosing whole grains, lean proteins and leafy greens over white flour, sugar, saturated and trans fatty foods and processed products also helps. Including strength training along with your cycling will help you build lean muscle mass, which helps give your metabolism a boost. It also tightens the muscles underneath your belly fat so when you do lose your tummy, you look more toned.