If you’re a woman in your 40s, 50s, or 60s, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of doing everything right—logging hours of cardio, hitting the gym, taking cycling classes—and wondering ‘is biking good for weight loss?’
Yet, still not seeing the results you want. It can feel like no matter how much effort you put in, the extra weight just won’t budge, especially around your belly and hips.
This struggle is all too common for women going through menopause or dealing with hormonal changes. The methods that worked in your 20s and 30s—like cardio and dieting—no longer seem effective.
Instead of feeling fitter and healthier, you’re left wondering if this is just part of getting older.
At Trinity Transformation, we understand these challenges. We’ve helped thousands of women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s finally lose weight and feel confident in their clothes again.
Our Fit Over 40 program is specifically designed to work with your body’s changes—not against them—using science-backed methods to help you drop 1-2 dress sizes in just 12 weeks.
In this article, we’ll look at the benefits of cycling, why it’s not always the most effective strategy for fat loss, and what works better.
Benefits of Cycling to Lose Weight
Low impact exercise
Cycling is easy on the joints, making it a good option for women over 40 who may experience knee or joint pain with high-impact activities like running. It allows you to stay active without putting too much strain on your body, which is particularly important as you age.
Improves cardiovascular health
Cycling is an excellent way to boost your heart health. Regular cycling helps strengthen your heart, improve lung capacity, and lower blood pressure. Over time, this can reduce your risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular issues.
Burns calories
While it’s not the most effective way to lose weight, cycling does burn calories. If done consistently and at the right intensity, it can help contribute to a calorie deficit, especially when paired with a healthy diet and strength training.
Great for mental health
Cycling can be a stress-relieving activity, especially when done outdoors. It helps release endorphins, the body’s natural mood enhancers, which can improve your mental well-being. It’s also a great way to clear your mind and enjoy some time to yourself.
But—and it’s a big “but”—while cycling does help you move your body and burn some calories, it might not be the most efficient way to lose weight, especially if you’re struggling with hormonal changes related to menopause.
Is Cycling Good For Weight Loss?
Here’s the truth: if you’re hoping to drop significant weight by just hopping on a bike a few times a week, you might be disappointed.
The key reason? Cycling is mostly a form of cardio exercise, and while cardio burns calories, it’s not always the most effective approach for long-term weight loss, especially as you age.
Here’s why:
1. Burns Fewer Calories Than You Think
Many people overestimate how many calories they burn while cycling. Unless you’re cycling at a high intensity for a long period, the calorie burn is often low, which makes it harder to create the calorie deficit needed for weight loss.
Research shows that moderate cycling burns roughly 300-600 calories per hour, depending on your weight and intensity.
However, there’s more to consider when it comes to effective, long-term weight loss. For example, a 155-pound person burns around 260 calories in 30 minutes of cycling at a moderate pace, while a 185-pound person burns approximately 311 calories in the same amount of time. But, this calorie burn ends once you get off the bike.
Whereas strength training helps build lean muscle, which boosts your metabolism. Muscle burns more calories than fat, even at rest, meaning you’ll burn more calories throughout the day—not just during your workout.
In fact, after a strength session, your body continues to burn calories for hours due to the afterburn effect (also known as EPOC). Which isn’t the case with cycling.
And to add to that, people often underestimate the calories they consume in their diet, which can easily offset the calories burned from cycling, making it difficult to achieve weight loss goals.
2. Doesn’t Build Muscle
When you rely solely on biking to lose weight, you miss out on one of the most critical factors for weight loss after 40—building and maintaining muscle mass.
Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, so the more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn, even when you’re not exercising. However, cycling is not a strength-building exercise; it primarily targets endurance.
While it can tone your legs to some degree, it doesn’t challenge your muscles enough to build significant muscle mass.
Studies support the idea that strength training is key for effective fat loss. Low Impact Strength Training (LIST), like we use in the Fit Over 40 program, helps build lean muscle, especially in the areas where women over 40 tend to gain weight, such as the belly and hips.
3. Won’t Fix Hormonal Fat Storage
After 40, your body undergoes hormonal changes, especially during menopause. These shifts, particularly a decrease in estrogen levels, make it easier for your body to store fat—especially around the belly (known as visceral fat).
Belly fat is not only hard to lose but is also linked to increased risks of conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Cycling helps burn calories, but it doesn’t address the hormonal imbalances that cause this type of fat storage. Studies show that lower estrogen levels lead to changes in how fat is distributed in the body, contributing to abdominal fat gain.
4. Limited Long-Term Fat Loss
Cardio exercises like cycling are great for short-term calorie burn but aren’t as effective for long-term fat loss as strength training. Cycling primarily burns carbohydrates for energy, especially at moderate or higher intensities, as shown in the study mentioned earlier.
This reliance on carbs, rather than fat, limits how much fat you can lose during cycling sessions.
Strength training, on the other hand, offers long-term fat-burning benefits because it helps you build muscle mass. More muscle means a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the number of calories your body burns at rest.
A study found that participants who engaged in resistance training increased their muscle mass and resting metabolic rate, resulting in more fat burned throughout the day—even when they weren’t working out.
This means that while cycling may help you burn calories during exercise, strength training increases your overall calorie burn, leading to more effective and sustained fat loss.
5. Your Body Adapts Quickly
If you’ve spent years doing the same type of cardio—whether it’s running, biking, or even swimming—you might notice that your body no longer responds as it once did. This is because the body is incredibly efficient at adapting to repetitive activities.
As your body adapts to cycling, you begin to burn fewer calories over time because the activity becomes easier for your body to perform.
Whereas, strength training continually challenges your muscles, leading to ongoing improvements in strength and metabolism. Each time you increase the weight or change the exercise, your body must adapt, which keeps your metabolism high and helps you burn more fat.
This makes strength training a more effective way to prevent metabolic adaptation and maintain steady weight loss over time.
So, while cycling for weight loss has its perks, it’s not enough on its own to see the kind of results you want—especially if you’re over 40 and dealing with stubborn fat that won’t shift.
Tips For Cycling For Weight Loss
- Incorporate strength training: Aim for at least 3-4 sessions of Low Impact Strength Training (LIST) per week. You don’t need to lift heavy weights—just focus on using your body weight or light weights to build lean muscle.
- Use cycling as a tool: Biking can still be a great way to stay active and improve cardiovascular health, but use it as a complement to strength training—not your main form of exercise.
- Focus on nutrition: The key to weight loss is creating a calorie deficit. That means eating fewer calories than you burn. Focus on eating lean proteins, fruit and vegetables, and cutting down on processed foods.
- Hydrate: Drink plenty of water to reduce water retention and keep your metabolism running smoothly.
- Prioritise sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to support weight loss and hormonal balance.
- Stay consistent: It’s easy to get discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. Remember, your body takes time to adjust—stick with it, and you’ll start to see progress.
Cycling Vs Strength Training For Weight Loss
At Trinity Transformation, we work with women over 40 to help them lose 1-2 dress sizes or drop 15-25 pounds in just 12 weeks.
And guess what?
The key to their success isn’t hours on a bike or treadmill—it’s Low Impact Strength Training (LIST) combined with smart nutrition strategies.
Here’s why strength training is better than cycling for weight loss:
- Builds muscle, which burns more calories: Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does. So, when you build lean muscle with strength training, you increase your metabolism, making it easier to burn fat all day long.
- Targets stubborn fat: Strength training is especially effective at tackling belly fat—something most women over 40 struggle with.
- Improves bone density: After 40, bone density decreases, especially during menopause. Strength training helps improve bone health, which is essential as we age.
- Balances hormones: Strength training helps regulate hormones like insulin and cortisol, making it easier to lose weight and keep it off.
So, you can see, whilst biking is good for weight loss, it’s even better when paired with a strength-training routine that’s tailored for women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s.
Is Biking Good for Weight Loss? Final Thoughts
While biking is good for improving cardiovascular health, strengthening your legs, and staying active, it may not be the most efficient method for fat loss, especially for women over 40.
For effective, sustainable weight loss, especially as you navigate the hormonal changes of menopause, it’s essential to combine biking or cardio with strength training and a balanced diet. Strength training helps build lean muscle, which boosts your metabolism and encourages your body to burn more fat.
If you’re looking to lose weight, focus on a well-rounded approach that includes both cardio and resistance exercises, smart nutrition, and staying consistent.
Looking To Make a Change?
At Trinity Transformation, we specialize in helping women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s lose weight and feel amazing again. Our Fit Over 40 program combines:
- Tailored exercise plans that focus on Low Impact Strength Training (LIST) to help you build lean muscle, increase your metabolism, and shed fat in a way that works with your changing body.
- Personalized nutrition advice to help you eat smarter, create a healthy calorie deficit, and nourish your body without starving yourself or following restrictive diets.
- 1:1 coaching and support to keep you motivated, accountable, and on track to reach your goals. You’ll never feel like you’re doing this alone!
If you’re ready to finally break free from frustration and see real, lasting results, we’re here to help.
- Download our free guide to get started
- Join our free training for insider tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but only if you’re also in a calorie deficit. While cycling can help burn some calories, it’s not the most effective for significant weight loss on its own.
Can You Lose Belly Fat By Cycling?
Cycling can contribute to overall fat loss, but it doesn’t specifically target belly fat. Strength training and proper nutrition are more effective for reducing belly fat.
Is Cycling Better Than The Gym?
Cycling can be a great part of your routine, but the gym offers a wider variety of strength training options, which are more effective for long-term weight loss and muscle building.
Is Cycling Better Than Walking?
Cycling burns more calories in a shorter amount of time compared to walking, but both are low-impact activities that can be useful for overall health. However, neither is as effective for weight loss as strength training.
