Why You’re Not Losing Weight With Peloton (and How to Fix It!)

Why You’re Not Losing Weight With Peloton (and How to Fix It!)

Why You’re Not Losing Weight With Peloton (and How to Fix It!)

why are my calories so low on peloton

You’re working out daily, eating healthy, and still not losing weight with Peloton. You bought a fancy Peloton bike, treadmill, trackers, Fitbit, smartwatches, and scales, but nothing seems to work. Super frustrating!

I get it – I was there too.

When I started focusing on this one thing, I started seeing results.

In this post, I’ll share my experience with losing weight when I started working out (and why I wasn’t losing body fat at first), how to lose weight with Peloton, and my favorite apps.

Understanding Weight Loss

I hit the gym hard 6 days a week when I started working out. I worked with a trainer, did intense boot camp classes, and tracked my workouts and calorie burn with gadgets.

After 3 months, I got frustrated – I was consistent with my workouts, but the weight didn’t budge. I complained to my trainer and he said one thing that changed my life: “You can’t outwork a bad diet.”

So, I learned about nutrition and joined Weight Watchers through the app. Once I learned about nutrition, the weight started coming off. I lost 45lbs in 3-4 months and maintained it for nearly 7 years.

It’s been a while since I did WW, but I still study nutrition and count macros. Understanding those calories in and calories out is so important for weight loss.

The Overestimation Trap

One of the biggest reasons people don’t lose weight with their Peloton workouts is their overestimating their calorie burn.

Suppose you use the generic calories burned calculator without any heart rate monitor; more than likely. In that case, Peloton is overestimating your calorie burn (the same is true for machines at the gym, other fitness classes, etc.).

The best way to get the most(ly) accurate calorie burn is to invest in a heart rate monitor like Scosche or an Apple Watch and have it sync with the bike.

It gives you a more accurate calorie burn because it is based on your actual heart rate (also note: make sure you’re consistently updating your member profile with your current weight on the Peloton bike or app.

The app and bike don’t sync with the health kit or any other apps to update your body weight automatically. Weight is used in the calculation for calorie burn).

The Caloric Surplus Problem

Another reason you might not be meeting your weight loss goals is that you might need to be more accurate in assessing how much you’re eating.

Dinner plates (and actually plates in general) and portion sizes have gotten so large over the years that it’s easy to underestimate exactly how much you’re eating.

Underestimating Your Food

Another reason you might not be losing weight is that you might be underestimating how much you’re eating.

Dinner plates (and actually plates in general) and portion sizes have gotten so large over the years that it’s really easy to underestimate exactly how much you’re eating.

The best way to get the most accurate information is to track your food and measure your portions using a food scale like this. That way you know exactly how much you’re actually consuming.

The most effective way to get the most accurate information is to track your food and measure your portions using a food scale like this. That way, you know exactly how much you’re consuming.

The Sneaky Impact of Untracked Food Intake

One of the most subtle yet pervasive reasons for not losing much weight is untracked food intake, leading to a sneaky caloric surplus. Let’s be honest: it’s easy to neglect those small snacks, the extra dressing on your salad, or the sweet treats you reach for absentmindedly during a Netflix binge.

Although these may seem insignificant in isolation, combined, they can add hundreds of extra calories to your daily caloric intake, effectively wiping out the calorie deficit you worked so hard to achieve with your Peloton classes.

The Power of Mindful Eating and Tracking Food Intake

This is where the importance of mindful eating and tracking food intake comes into play. Being conscious about what you eat encourages you to pay closer attention to your hunger signals, helping to avoid overeating.

Tracking your food intake, however, provides a clear picture of precisely what and how much you consume daily. Using a food-tracking app can simplify this process, making it easier to balance the amount of calories you consume with the calories you burn during your workouts.

This balance, or achieving a caloric deficit, is the key to successful weight loss. Remember, it’s not just about working out but also about fueling your body wisely!

Is Peloton Good for Weight Loss?

Peloton, just like any other workout, can be good for weight loss – if you’re eating at a deficit. The old saying goes, “Abs are made in the kitchen,” and it’s 100% true.

A workout can only get you so far – you really do need to tighten up your eating and nutrition to really see results.

Macro Counting and Peloton

Peloton, like any other workout, can be good for weight loss – if you’re eating at a deficit. The old saying goes, “Abs are made in the kitchen,” and it’s 100% true.

A workout can only get you so far – you need to tighten up your eating and proper nutrition to see results.

Macro counting is my favorite way to maintain or lose weight with Peloton, and once you get the hang of it, it’s super easy! Count macros – short for macronutrients – is when you track your protein, carb, and fat intake instead of the number of calories.

Often, nutrition labels are incorrect with their calorie counts (companies are allowed to be off by 10-15% on nutrition labels, as well as they can use net nutrition numbers instead of full to lower their calorie counts), so something you think is only 20 calories might be 70.

One example of this happening was with Body Armour Lyte. On the Body Armour Lyte bottle, it lists that the entire bottle is only 20 calories.

However, each bottle has 18 grams of carbs, making the entire bottle actually 72 calories (here’s how to do the quick math: 18g carbs x 4 calories = 72 calories).

How does Body Armour get away with advertising that it’s only 20 calories?

They’re likely using a metric called “net carbs” (carbs – fiber = net carbs) to calculate instead of total carbs.

This has become popular lately with diets that use net carbs to become more popular, like the keto diet.

If I were only counting calories, this would’ve added an extra 50ish calories that I wouldn’t have tracked.

Long story short: macro counting tends to be more accurate than calorie counting.

Benefits of Macro Counting

In addition to macro counting being a great way and more accurate than calorie counting, I also really like that it allows me to eat anything I want.

There aren’t “good” and “bad” food lists – if it fits into my daily macros, then it’s fair game.

Sure, I shouldn’t eat fried foods and ice cream daily, but sometimes you want those things.

With macro counting, I don’t feel deprived of treats and love the freedom of being able to eat what I want and still lose weight.

Best Apps for Macro Counting

My favorite app to use for Macro counting is 1st Phorm. I’ve been using it for a while, and I love that it’s not only a great option for macro counting app, but it’s also held me accountable. I have a coach who sets my macros for me (which is included in the app!), and she also has daily 5-minute lessons that have helped me keep on track.

Maximizing Weight Loss Potential with Peloton

Using the power of Peloton to its full potential for weight loss goes beyond just riding a stationary bike or participating in fitness classes. It encompasses a holistic approach that includes varied workouts, consistent tracking, and ample recovery time.

Varied Workouts

Peloton offers a huge range of workout options that go beyond cycling. From strength training to yoga and meditation, leveraging these resources can be a game changer in your weight loss journey. Incorporating different types of workouts prevents boredom and allows you to work different muscle groups, enhancing overall fitness and boosting metabolic rate, which in turn supports weight loss.

Consistent Tracking

Keeping track of your progress is critical for maintaining motivation and making necessary adjustments to your regimen. Peloton’s detailed performance metrics offer an invaluable tool for this.

Monitor your output, resistance, and cadence to understand your strengths and areas for improvement. It can also be helpful to note down how you felt during different workouts to make more intuitive connections between your physical state and performance.

Adequate Recovery

Rest and recovery are just as important as the workouts themselves. Overtraining can lead to injuries and may impede weight loss by causing excessive stress on the body. Peloton offers numerous stretching and yoga classes, perfect for recovery days.

Remember to listen to your body and take rest days when needed. Remember, the goal is sustainable progress toward your weight management goal, not short-term wins.

Best Peloton Workouts for Losing Weight

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to the best workouts for losing weight. In my experience, I’ve seen the best results when I combine cardio and strength training.

My favorite way to get into both is to follow the free Hardcore on the Floor Peloton workout calendar. Each month, the group puts together a month-long workout where they recommend a group (or “Stack“) of classes every day.

Generally, they’ll be 1 core workout, 2-3 strength workout, and then a cool down. They also suggest what types of rides to do before or after your strength workout.

The calendar is well balanced and dedicates a day to each muscle group and schedules active recovery and rest days.

The workouts are also customizable, so if you need more time to do the complete stack, you can at least do one or two of them.

To see the Hardcore on the Floor calendar and join the community, join their free Facebook group here or follow them on Instagram.

Best Macro Coaches for Peloton

If you’re like me and need accountability, hiring a macro coach might be a good idea. A macro coach will assign custom macros, check in with you, and provide guidance and support.

Recently, macro coaching has become super popular, and it seems like everyone offers the service.

Unfortunately, some of these coaches aren’t trained and can provide questionable advice.

I’ve found the most accurate place to get macro coaching is through an app called 1st Phorm. It’s an iPhone app that’s $13 a month and provides personalized macro coaching.

I’ve been using the app for a few months and love it! My coach, Jodi, is amazing, and she’s taught me so much. She also holds me accountable and calls me out when I’m just making excuses – something I really appreciate.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been using Peloton for your weight-loss journey but have yet to see the results on the scale, it might be time to take a closer look at your nutrition.

The good news is once you dial in on your nutrition and start tracking your eating, you’ll see better results in your overall health.

This post was last modified on December 6, 2024 6:32 am