The best solution for losing weight is a combination of exercise and reduced calorie intake. Although it is possible to lose weight through diet alone, you will have a hard time keeping it off. Regular physical activity is the key to long-term weight loss. Exercise not only burns calories, but increases your metabolic rate during rest and helps maintain muscle tissue. The harder and longer you exercise, the more calories you burn.A typical cycling workout will require about 10 calories per minute depending on intensity and your body size.Even after you finished intense training, you continue to burn calories at a faster rate using stored fats as energy source. Incorporate resistance training exercises to build and maintain muscle, your primary calorie burning tissue. Exericise is important, but it must be combined with a healthy diet.