what's a better buy.. a treadmill or a stationary bike?

Question

my parents wanna get me an exercise bike cause i want one..
but are you really losing much weight sitting on your butt? what exactly muscles are being worked when you use a stationary bike?
would a treadmill be better? or should i just take up jogging or something?

Answer 1

definitely a treadmill, with a treadmill you can variate speed, incline, even set workout programs at home, better than a stationary bike or running outside your home, which youd most likely be tempted to pass up

Answer 2

If you have the time join the local YMCA and make use of the many exercise machines they have. Or take up jogging. But a treadmill is better than a stationary bike. With a treadmill you are working more muscle depending on the incline of the treadmill and the rate your going. You can also multi-task while on the treadmill by carrying weights.

Answer 3

Jogging/walking is as good but between the treadmill and bike the treadmill is better.

Eat nourishing food with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables being part of it. Chew each morsel at least 32 times. This will activate signal to the brain as soon as u have had enough. Besides this change in eating style, take regular light exercises and brisk walks every day. U will be able to gain/shed all extra weight gracefully and in a reasonable time span. No food or drink in between the food and not more than three meals a day, unless u r diabetic.

Answer 4

I have always been on a diet and finally decided that I am hopeless at it. Diet alone did not work but my husband and I bought a treadmill. It is in the lounge room and we use it both morning and night. The morning run is tough but starts the day off well. I do 30 minutes before my shower and then head off to work with plenty of energy and because I have put in the effort to exercise I don't nibble all day because I feel positive about myself and make good food choices. I do another 30 minutes after work before I cook tea and this again encourages me to make good food choices. I am not into heavy exercise, just walking a comfortable pace and watching something on the TV that interests me makes the time go quick. We have had the treadmill for 5 months now and try to use it regularly. We have both lost 5 kilos and it has been great. We both have 10 kilos each to lose but it doesn't seem like we are punishing ourselves. Good luck.

Answer 5

honestly, unless you're willing to shell out over 1000 bucks, i wouldn't even consider a treadmill. a cheap treadmill is awkward and unstable and you'll never want to use it. the parts for an exercise bike are cheaper so you can probably buy a good bike cheaper.

personally i say you're better off joining a gym. if you want to lose weight you'll lose the most by combining cardio exercise like cycling with light weight-training. lifting weights will boost your metabolism without making you bulky. plus at a gym you'll have the variety of swimming, stair-climbing, jumping rope, classes, etc. my fave is the elliptical machine--as strenuous as a treadmill but much easier on your joints. the newer models have arm rails that go back and forth like Nordic-trak so you're working both upper and lower muscles. A bike is only going to work your legs and glutes

good luck :)

Answer 6

Their both very good for you and since you already have the stationary bike, just stick with that. Perhaps in the future you will have the space for a treadmill.

Answer 7

It depends on what kind of shape you are in. It also depends on your knee stability. That is to say, if your knees crack and moan when you walk and if you are 30% ovr your target weight and haven't exercised regularly, you are going to need to go with a stationary bike or an elliptical to care for your joints.

If you want to get to where you can run a couple miles in the cool air conditioning before braving the elements choose the treadmill. Regardless, any are a great step to the new year and new you.

I like the bike. My knees are horrible...so what I do is use the bike to get my heart rate going and then I can stabilize it and take it to plateaus without any button pushing or "getting my nerve up".... I just peddle harder and faster and I am there...it is better in my view. And after I rode the bike for a year, and worked on my leg strength with gym leg equipment for quads and hams...I can run on a treadmill for a mile or two without feeling pain...but I still prefer the ellipticals with a long gate to keep my joints from pinching.

Regardless of what you choose, though...STRETCH. If you can afford a bike, that means you are probably over 25, so don't be bashful or ashamed of the need to stretch. Take ten minutes and stretch out, throw in about 5 minutes of squats and calf raises to get your legs warmed up, take an aspirin before and after to get an analgesic effect (more oxygen to muscles), and workout until you are exerted, not until you hurt. Start slow...very slow. Slower than you think you need to. Chart it. Get serious about it. Keep a personal diary of your progress. And smile all day every day, knowing that you pushed a little harder and farther than the day before. Throw in an ab routine twice a week after a couple warm up weeks...then pop on the upper body nautiluses to tighten the upper body.

Relax. Focus. Zen. What have you. It will take you four weeks to train your body to accept a higher metabolism as the norm, and when your body does that, you will lose weight sitting still.

Read Atkins...know that if you starve your body for a couple days you will go into starvation mode, but if you eat ONLY MEAT for a few days, you will go into what is called Ketosis, where you are burning ketones (burning fat through increased metabolic rate).

Personally, after the holidays, I pile three days of work in front of me and do it while drinking only water and taking a multivitamin or two a day. After two days I will lose five to ten pounds of water weight (holiday excess), then I can grab a tasty one pound sirloin or ribeye for Iron and Protein and hit the gym with abandon to get my body into full blown ketosis and drop another 5 pounds or so in a couple of days. ( I weigh 225 to 240)

Processed sugar is your enemy. Drop processed sugar and bread and you will have been served by reading this oped.

Answer 8

Bikes are known to do damage to your knees because of friction, especially stationary bikes.
Treadmills are much better.
But the best exercise you could do is swimming or going to the gym.
Swimming will work your whole body and many people find it fun.
Going to a gym allows you to chose among many different programs for whatever your goals may be.

Answer 9

to me its always seemed to be harder on my legs to ride a bike than to just walk all day. im sure you work all of the muscles in your legs when you ride a bike as well as some of your stomach and lower back muscles (don't hold me to that). but honestly i don't think it would really matter too much. personally i would go for the bike because walking is boring, but either way pick something that you will be happy with and will actually use. not just use it to hang clothes on.

Answer 10

As much as I love exercise machinery, i'm going to suggest not to waste your money.
Buy a second-hand bike or take up jogging, it's so much more exhilerating than sweating it out in your lounge room.