By Barbara Broggelwirth, RDN, CDN

Are you exercising consistently and watching what you eat but still have hit a weight loss plateau? What if I told you that you can blast through that plateau by changing up HOW you exercise? You can spin yourself thin!

That doesn’t mean you can abandon all of the changes you have made thus far, but a 30-minute workout on a spinning cycle can burn as much as 250-300 calories.  Increase that time to 45 minutes and you could burn up to 400-450 calories (results can vary by individual).  

So what is spinning anyway?  Spinning is an instructor-led cardiovascular cycling workout on a stationary bike on which the tension can be increased and decreased based upon the trainer’s instructions.

Why does spinning burn so many calories?  The secret is high intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT entails varying an exercise routine to include short periods of increased intensity.  Research shows that HIIT can increase your metabolism, burn calories from fat and carbohydrates and keep burning calories long after you finish working out.

Is it SAFE?

According to the American Council on Exercise, “HIIT has been studied as a training method for people with heart disease and congestive heart failure. Under clinical supervision, subjects not only tolerated high-intensity intervals, they experienced bigger improvements in cardiovascular function compared to those undergoing continuous moderate-intensity training”.

But besides burning a tremendous amount of calories, spinning offers other benefits as well:

  1. You don’t have to be coordinated or follow complicated routines. Beginners welcome!
  2. Significantly increased aerobic and anaerobic fitness
  3. Decreased fasting insulin and increased insulin sensitivity
  4. Reduced abdominal and subcutaneous (just under the skin) fat

References:

  1. Author American Council on Exercise Contributor Read More Less. “High-Intensity Interval Training.” ACE, American Council on Exercise, http://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/6752/high-intensity-interval-training.

Barbara Broggelwirth is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who is currently working with Bariatric and Medical Weight Management patients.  She works with patients to help them achieve their health and weight loss goals.