So, you want to lose some weight. You exercise regularly, but you still can't seem to get rid of that stubborn body fat. If there is one cardio machine that will help you tone up the fastest, it's an exercise bike. Riding exercise bikes helps to burn calories and melt fat like no other machine out there. So if your goal is to lose body fat and tone up fast, this article is for you!

It all starts with an effective training plan. The most effective workout we've found is High Intensity Interval Training. You can do HIIT on exercise bikes by alternating between 30-45-second sprints and 1-2 minutes of easy pedalling for several rounds (around 20). Make sure you are pushing yourself during the intense intervals, but not straining so much that your form suffers!

HIIT is so effective because it is a form of anaerobic training. During HIIT you exercise so intensely that your body's oxygen supply can't keep up with the demands placed on it, forcing it to turn to other sources for energy - such as fat!

HIIT workouts are not just great for burning calories quickly. They also raise your metabolism for hours after exercise, so you will continue to burn fat long after your HIIT session ends.

HIIT workouts produce several benefits. They:

• increase exercise capacity (i.e., your endurance) and VO₂ max, which is important because the higher your exercise capacity, the longer you can exercise;
• burn more fat in less time than traditional cardio training;
• improve insulin sensitivity so that your body is better able to use carbohydrates for energy throughout the day and less likely to store them as fat;
• increase human growth hormone (HGH) levels, which help you lose weight by increasing lean muscle mass. HGH also helps protect your muscles from exercise-induced damage;
• encourages calories to continue burning even after exercise due to an engaged metabolism after fitness training;
• improve your cardiovascular health by increasing red blood cell production and lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol levels, type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome;
• increase endurance so that exercise becomes easier over time;
• reduce stress levels quickly;

While all exercise bikes can be used to burn fat effectively, some have certain advantages over others. For instance, upright bikes encourage a standing position and are great for targeting the upper body and core muscles while you ride. For those who have joint issues and would prefer a workout that is lower in impact, recumbent bikes are fantastic. Seat comfort can also be a huge deciding factor, as the last thing you want to be thinking about while training is a sore backside! It really depends on your individual needs, and there is no right or wrong answer.

Our personal recommendation for most users looking to smash their fitness goals are spin bikes. Spin bikes are incredible at burning fat because they most closely mimic real life road cycling, which is one of the best forms of cardio exercise out there. The reason spin bikes burn fat so well is because the natural motion of cycling effectively targets the largest muscle groups in your body, while engaging in a large range of motion than other bikes on the market.

Cycling on an indoor exercise bike rather than a real bike is a great way to remain in control of every aspect of your interval training. Don't get us wrong--outdoor cycling is great, but it's harder to the regulate intensity while interval training outdoors due to the varied inclines and uneven surfaces.

When choosing an exercise bike for your HIIT workouts, a deciding factor might be whether or not it has adjustable resistance. This way you can gauge how difficult each interval will be and ensure that the entire workout is challenging enough to help you achieve your fat-loss goals. If your bike doesn't have this feature, you could always attempt to match the intervals based on pedal and cycling speed.

Another factor you might want to consider when choosing an exercise bike for HIIT is the console and features. For example, exercise bikes with monitors that track your heart rate will be able to provide you with an even more effective HIIT workout by allowing you to maintain the right intensity throughout each interval. These bikes may have a higher price tag, but they are certainly worth the investment.

Don't just jump onto your exercise bike and start pedalling as fast as you can! A proper warm-up is essential for effective exercise, so spend about five minutes slowly warming up at low intensity before beginning each high-intensity interval. This is especially important if high intensity fitness is new to you.

A great starting point would be to warm-up by pedalling at a moderate pace for around five minutes. Then, increase your speed to a higher intensity (but one that you are still able to maintain) and continue with the exercise bike HIIT workout as described above.

The best ways to increase the effectiveness of your training session is by keeping each HIIT interval short, around 45 seconds long, but extremely intense--so that you are able to exercise at a much higher intensity than usual. This will ensure that your body is able to keep up with the increased demand for oxygen, while simultaneously adding an extra boost of exercise to burn through any stored fat in your muscles or blood stream.

So just to sum up some of the best practices for HIIT:

• Warm up and cool down thoroughly for five to ten minutes each, before and after training. This will ensure you don't strain your muscles, which is not very comfortable!
• Try to exercise at the same intensity during both HIIT workouts and non-HIIT workouts--this will help you monitor your progress more effectively.
• A monitor of some kind to track exercise intensity or heart rate will be a useful addition to any exercise bike while engaging in HIIT.
• Monitor each exercise bike interval for a maximum of 45 seconds and then rest for 15 seconds before beginning the next one. Keep this cycle going until all intervals have been completed!
• Don't forget about warming down--just as important as cooling down, take at least three to five minutes slowly bringing your exercise bike back down to a low intensity before stopping completely.
• Be sure that you are eating a healthy diet in addition to HIIT exercise on exercise bikes--this will help you get the best results! Also, find time to stay hydrated throughout the day.

If you're engaging in proper high intensity interval training, 30 minutes is more than enough! This is because HIIT is about the quality, not quantity of exercise. For a solid HIIT routine, we'd recommend training at least three times throughout the week for a minimum of 30 minutes each time. You don't want to overdo it either, as exercise is only beneficial to your health in moderation. You must allow your body to rest!

Remember, you will get the best results from HIIT exercise on exercise bikes when it's combined with an overall healthy diet--a combination that is sure to guarantee weight loss success!

Many studies in Australia and worldwide have found that engaging in intense cardio training in the morning before any meals is the most effective time to exercise. This is because your body's glycogen stores are at their lowest point after a long period of fasting (usually eight hours or more) while you sleep, making it easier for your exercise bike HIIT workout to burn through fat reserves rather than muscle tissue--giving you leaner muscles and better definition!

If you're unable to exercise first thing in the morning, however, don't despair! You can still get a great HIIT workout by performing interval training with an exercise bike later during the day--just be sure that your last meal at least two hours prior so that those glycogen stores are as low as possible.

As mentioned above, for HIIT training we'd have to recommend a good quality spin bike. Our top pick in terms of functionality, design and affordability would have to be FleetX FXB5 from the growing new cardio brand, FleetX. Other popular choices from more well-known brands include the GR3 from Horizon's line of Spin Bikes, or the IC2I from the German brand Schwinn. All of these bikes are available at Gym Direct, at some of the best prices in Australia.

The bike features a vertically adjustable seat, allowing for any user, regardless of their height to find the perfect seat position for a great, comfortable workout. The handlebars feature multiple positions depending on your riding style, and can also be adjusted vertically. This is especially important for those riders who engage in indoor exercise at home, as they won't be limited to the pre-determined riding positions found on spin bikes with fixed handlebars.

The FleetX FXB5 has a sturdy frame and features large pedals that help encourage an intense workout by providing more stability for your feet, which is especially important when you're pushing yourself hard during exercise. The frame itself is made from high-quality steel and has been designed to ensure it's as durable and long-lasting as possible.

Oh, and the best part? It's only $600.

To sum up, exercise bikes are a great choice for those looking to lose weight quickly and smash out their fitness goals. By engaging in HIIT workouts on exercise bikes, you'll be able to get the results you're after much quicker than by doing normal cardio exercise like jogging and other outdoor activities.

At Gym Direct, we have a huge range of exercise bike brands available online for every training style and budget. Our friendly sales team are available to answer any questions you have, to help you choose the right exercise bike to buy, with all of the features you need.

Happy Training!

Written by Gym Direct