Spinning for weight loss?
 

Hello :o I am embarrassed to admit, it's been quite awhile since I've been here! I am back and trying to lose some weight sensibly for my health... I am currently 213 lbs and have been asked to be a bridesmaid in my sisters wedding July 30 th. I would like to lose 25 - 28 lbs by then and drop some dress sizes to feel better in the bridesmaid dress I ordered. I have 4 months to make a good dent in my weightloss goal. I was looking at my gym drop in schedule, and I am contemplating three spin classes per week. Those who have tried spin, did you have positive weight loss with using this as your main source of cardio? My husband has agreed to come to spin with me, and it works well for timing, as I can go to the gym after work and just get it done! I hope this will help me budge that scale downwards.
Thanks for any experiences you can share!
Marie

Spinning is good exercise. I usually burn 500+ calories for a 60 minute class. I take it a couple times a week. I think it's fine to use as your main source of cardio but it isn't magic and won't help you drop weight if you aren't also watching your food intake.

Hi Marie,
Spinning is a great way to lose weight but how much you lose is going to depend on how much you'll put into it. You'll have control over the resistance on the cycle which is both good and bad in that you'll be working at a resistance you feel comfortable with but it will take a little discipline to push yourself. Still, in an hour of spinning you should burn about 500 calories. Your legs will be toned as well. Make sure you finish your session with a cool down and at least 5 minutes of stretching.

Thanks for your reply, Spooky:D definitely will be watching my eating too, I know that is a huge part of the equation :)

I hope I can keep up in class as my cardio has been non- existent for the last couple yrs. I am basically starting again at ground zero...which is sad, as three yrs ago I had lost over 50 lbs to join the military, went to basic training, hurt myself, released from the military and pretty much gained all the weight back again. I am now doing this for my health ( even have a higher goal weight...used to aim for 150) but now I just want to feel better and refuse to set myself up for failure by trying to reach some magic number on a scale. If I feel comfortable in my clothes, and in my daily life (ie. Not breathless, have energy) then I will be satisfied :) right now, I don't feel good in my skin and with this wedding coming up, I want to make a dent in losing some of this weight :)

Definitely do the spin classes, but work out a bit every day -- take a brisk walk so that you're just about huffing and puffing, but not quite, take the stairs, and so on. If you make activity part of your daily routine instead of a chore to get done, you'll end up eating better, keeping your heart rate up, and enjoying weight loss more as a lifestyle change. What has helped me is wearing sneakers all the time and just jogging around all the time (including to the gym, where I do spin and yoga classes).

Possible downsides to spinning:
• You EARN those 500 calories. It's really hard work... and tempting to turn the resistance down instead of up.
• You will develop sore bums... or you could spend $50 on shorts (I haven't yet, but soon will).
• You can injure yourself in odd ways... I've bruised my inner knees on waterbottle holders (true story).

Upsides:
• You burn lots of calories if you do it right -- 500 to 700 per hour. Zumba and other classes promise a similar burn, but serious cardio like spinning, running, and swimming has been shown to be more effective.
• You tone your legs and butt!
• It's easier to stay in control with eating when burning calories is so painful. Hah.

Spinning has been a gift from god for me! I LOVE IT and I get a great workout. If you are new to spinning committ to going even if you hate the first class. It burns a TON of calories! I contribute a lot of my success to spinning. 3X a week is great... but sometimes I go 5 and 6 times a week!