Ten cycling weight-loss tips

 

Whether you're just starting out or want to utilize your cycling as a means to trim up and shift a few pounds, cycling can be a terrific way to lose weight. Nik Hart of Cycling UK offers his advice.

A calorie deficit (burning more calories than you consume) and long-term sustainability are the sole requirements for any weight loss regimen to be successful.

Depending on the rider's weight, speed, and style of cycling, cycling is a low-impact, flexible form of exercise that can burn 400–750 calories per hour.

If cycling is a new activity for you, you will probably burn more calories and lose weight as a result. The following advice will help you continue to lose weight by cycling, though, if that plateaus or if you're searching for variation in your exercise to keep things fresh.

Monitor your progress

A target weight, a more attractive physique, or a lower waistline could be the primary objective of weight loss. Recall that there will be ups and downs, good days and bad, and that weight loss is never linear. However, if you keep track of your progress, you'll be able to see how you're doing over time, and when you're having a rough day, you'll be able to reflect on your past successes, which will inspire you to keep trying.

Always keep an eye on your ride. There is an advantage to utilizing electronics to track your cycling, but sometimes we want to go out and ride for the freedom and to take in the beauty of the natural world around us. As Greg LeMond famously remarked, "it never gets easier, you just get faster." Although it may seem like we're not making much progress, you can identify where you've improved by using the statistics to compare your past rides.

Additionally, keeping track of when and how long you've been cycling can help you organize your training, manage your recovery and rest periods, and be a fantastic source of inspiration.

Sometimes you may begin a weight loss journey only to discover that the advantages of being healthier and fitter are just as significant to you. They all flow into one another, of course.

Because monitoring programs like Map My Ride, Endomondo, or Strava are free and simple to use on a smartphone, it may be done for little to no cost. The communal and social factors you get from meeting like-minded cyclists in your region are the other fantastic advantages of these applications.

Make use of your commute

What is your route to work? Why not give it a shot if it's not by bike? If your commute takes 15 minutes each way, Monday through Friday, you would meet the government's weekly activity requirement merely by traveling to and from work.

Ride to work already? Give your commute a purpose. If you ride frequently, it's likely that you take it for granted. Choose the hillier road or try a more roundabout way home. Alternatively, you might add intervals to the ride.

Intervals

One of the best strategies to get the most out of your workout, particularly if you're trying to lose weight or have limited time, is interval training. It basically entails alternating brief "intervals" of high-intensity work with rest or low-intensity work.

The primary benefit of intervals for weight loss is that they raise your metabolic rate over the next 24 to 36 hours. The issue is that they are highly disruptive to the body's healing process. Plan your training carefully because intervals cause considerably more damage to muscle fibers than steady-state training, and this damage can last up to 48 hours. If you have to ride the following day, you might find it challenging to complete lengthy or high-intensity rides.

There are numerous approaches to interval training that differ in terms of the quantity, duration, and difficulty of the "intervals."

They can be performed indoors on an exercise bike or turbo trainer, or outdoors on a bike for convenience and precision.

Push yourself and stick to your plan.

Since the secret to reducing more weight is to consistently push your body beyond its limits, basic workout regimens will always incorporate progression. It's simple to get into a habit by doing what you've always done. Always strive to ride more frequently, go a little faster, or go a little farther than you did the week before.

Engage in more activities that will assist you alter your body's response to exercise. In essence, the body will develop accustomed to its routine, thus if you bike at 10 mph for 30 minutes every day, your body will become proficient at it. To change things up, consider biking your usual route faster, longer, or more frequently.

A well-designed training program that incorporates progression can be a very useful tool for making sure you continue to get better, which will result in additional weight loss.

Disregard the "fat-burning zone"

Many cyclists and other endurance athletes who wish to reduce their weight frequently make the error of cycling for extended periods of time at a low intensity in the aptly dubbed "fat burning zone." Sadly, it's a myth for those who want a slow pace. Our bodies do primarily use fat reserves as fuel when operating at lower intensities, but since there is less effort, there will also be less calories burned overall. This implies that you would be better off making better use of your cycling time and that it won't yield greater outcomes than other training techniques.

Whether you are fueling yourself with fat, carbohydrates, or protein doesn't really matter if you want to lose weight because you will be in a calorie deficit. You'll lose weight much more effectively by concentrating on high-intensity, high-effort riding instead of the fat-burning zone.

Ride with others

There are several advantages to riding with others. If you're with other people, you'll probably ride harder and push yourself further. When you are riding with other people, it is much more difficult to stop, and you are far less inclined to cancel your ride for reasons like bad weather.

Riding with people who are fitter or better than you will help you quickly adjust and catch up with them, even if it may initially appear like it will be detrimental to your morale.

In addition, riding with like-minded individuals who share your weight reduction goals will provide you with support, guidance, and accountability. It's also frequently more enjoyable, and if you're having fun, you're more inclined to do it more!

Do you need assistance locating riding partners? Look for a local group.

Try riding while fasting.

The idea behind training while fasting is that since your body's regular supply of energy is low because you haven't eaten recently, it is more likely to use its stored fuel reserves, or body fat, as energy when you exercise. Although there is conflicting clinical evidence, fasting training clearly benefits certain individuals.

Go on your ride after more than eight hours without eating; there is no precise recipe. It's not as difficult as it seems; if you ride in the morning, you've probably skipped breakfast because you didn't eat throughout the night. Black coffee and water are acceptable, but stay away from other foods and beverages.

There is a catch to this. If you're not accustomed to working out while fasting, start out slowly rather than diving into a three-hour or longer workout. Bring food with you and know when to stop to refuel so that you can rapidly replenish your energy if you do start to crash. Some people simply need to fill themselves before doing out, so it's not something that works for everyone, but for others, it can be a highly effective way to lose weight.

Hills

Some natural climbers enjoy an uphill ride, but it's unlikely that they're reading an essay about cycling weight loss. For the rest of us, you'll likely fall into one of two categories: either you simply detest hills or you love to despise them!

The idea is rather straightforward: the gradient gets steeper as it rises. Because we are pedaling against the forces of gravity, our body must exert greater effort. The steepness of the slope, the amount of time you spend riding, your speed, the equipment you're wearing, wind resistance, and other variables all affect how many calories you burn.

This is beneficial for losing weight. Take the high road: If you're really serious, attempt a hill repetition workout, or take the uneven path over the flat on your lengthy rides: Choose a difficult climb and ride it several times (either up, down, up again, or find a short circuit where you may ride up and loop around to repeat the climb).

Avoid the cake and fully refuel.

After riding, it's simple to "reward" oneself, particularly if you've put in a lot of effort and wind up in a café (or pub), as bikers frequently do. Treating yourself occasionally is acceptable, but if losing weight is your main objective, think about giving up alcohol and sweets.

Don't develop the habit of overindulging and destroying your hard work because diet plays a much bigger part in weight loss than exercise. It's challenging since exercising increases hunger and makes you want to eat more. Keep in mind that weight loss depends on a calorie deficit, and almost everyone overestimates the number of calories they burn during exercise and underestimates the number of calories in their diet.

Recovery also depends on eating the proper foods to replenish your energy after a strenuous workout. To ensure that you can resume training, you must make sure you replenish lost carbohydrates, properly rehydrate, and consume enough protein to repair injured muscle tissue.

Get off the bike and train

Whoa! I hear you sobbing. I assumed the bike was the main focus. It is, but incorporating more exercises into your training regimen has several advantages.

Put simply, diversity. Try new things and engage in different forms of exercise to keep your mind active. Your cycling program will be complemented by other sports or exercises that need more upper body action, ensuring that you're getting a more comprehensive training regimen. There are many other activities, such as yoga and weightlifting, that can not only help you lose weight but also enhance your cycling skills, enabling you to cycle farther, faster, and maintain your fitness, all of which will aid in weight loss.