Why You Shouldn’t Stop Spinning

Lately, many girls I know have been in a panicked frenzy about the recent articles claiming that spinning causes you to put on weight instead of burning it off. While this is true to an extent, the way many of the articles portray spinning makes it seem as though the exercise will actually be counter-productive and make you fat. That’s not true at all. No form of exercise makes you fat. The weight gain is caused by muscle growth from performing the exercise. However, its not spinning itself that contributes to the growing circumference of some women’s thighs or any weight they gain, it is their overall nutritional lifestyle. Many articles do not touch on this, which causes readers to believe that spin is the only factor.

With all the differing opinions, it’s hard to know what to believe. Here are the facts:

1. Eating habits matter.“I worked out really hard earlier, so eating the mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and an ice cream in the dining hall is totally okay.” We have all rationalized this way at some point. However, we all secretly know that this makes no sense. Spin normally burns 500 calories in forty-five minutes.  There are 3,500 calories in one pound. To lose one pound a week, one needs to eat 500 calories less every day. Therefore, eating back what you burnt, or more, will have the opposite effect on your body. It’s usually not spinning that makes one obtain larger thighs, it’s that the person tends to eat like a bodybuilder right afterwards. By spinning constantly and then eating the equivalent of the fat you burned off, you could develop a lot more muscle than intended. This occurs because the returning fat will not be permanently burned off, but instead turn to muscle each spin session. This is what could cause one’s legs to look less lean and more bulky. Therefore, a nutritional diet of vegetables, fruit, grains, and good fats (such as avocados or fish and chicken) is essential.

1. Obtaining huge legs from spin alone is usually not possible with the average person’s body type.According to Cedric Bryant, the CSO (Chief Science Officer) for the American Council on Exercise, spinning will not cause the effects these articles claim it will. “Unless that person has a significant predisposition for laying down muscle mass, it’s very unlikely spinning will result in massive quads or change in scale weight. The average person doesn’t have the generic capability of developing that kind of mass even if they work out really hard,” says Bryant. Most people who spin are not born with the body type of a top cyclist, so they are not at risk for massively bulking up.

1. Workouts need variation.The reason spin may not have the effect some people want is because constantly repeating one form exercise is never that effective.  First, your muscles get too used to what you are doing, no matter how much resistance you use. To have productive workouts, one needs to shock their bodies with new exercises. Both resistance training and cardio are essential for getting into really good shape. There needs to be a balanced combination. Also, spin is mainly aimed at strengthening your legs and core. A series of different exercises that challenge all the different parts of your body is most effective for achieving overall weight loss.  

1. Too much of one exercise is never a good thing. Too much of any health craze is not the best thing for your body. For instance, juice cleanses are great every once in a while to clear out toxins and jump-start weight loss. However, doing juice cleanses too much keeps you from obtaining enough nutrients. Similarly, doing the same thing over and over causes the body to get used to the exercise. It can also lead to muscles burning out or even an injury. Still, spinning every day may not be the best thing, but including spin in a varied workout schedule is a good thing.

   Because so many media outlets have warped her opinion, even Tracey Anderson has clarified her statements that constant spin “bulks up your thighs.” “I’ve never said that spinning makes you gain weight,” said Anderson to ABC News. “What I’ve said is that spinning creates an imbalance in the muscular system. It bulks the thigh and butt muscles. You develop mass by working these same muscles over and over.”

   With all these differing opinions circulating, it’s hard to know what to do. Considering all aspects, I wouldn’t give up spinning altogether. It’s a good idea to get in 45 minutes of cardio 3-5 times a week, so a mixture of spin classes and running or kickboxing is probably the best cardio combination for burning fat all over your body. However, adding resistance training at least 3 times a week is important as well.

   Northeastern offers sculpting classes as well as classes aimed specifically at toning your lower or upper body. Instead of taking spin each day, alternate with spin and one of these other classes. Also, make sure to eat right–no matter how much you are working out–so that all the work you do at the gym is not counteracted by overindulging in the dining hall. Most importantly, don’t give up an exercise you love, especially when a moderate amount of it (mixed with other workouts) will get you into amazing shape.

Sources: ABC News and The Examiner

• exercise
• fitness
• habits
• health
• spin