Best Tips to Shed Killo’s Just by Doing Cycling

How to Lose Weight Through Cycling?

If you’re looking to get fitter, trimmer and lighter – not to mention healthier – then cycling is a great way to lose weight.

Cycling for weight loss is efficient, enjoyable, easy to slot into a busy day and, best of all, has emotional and mental benefits as well as physical ones. What’s not to like?

How to Lose Weight by Cycling

Set a Healthy Weight Loss Goal

First, you’ll need to set a realistic cycling weight loss goal. Generally, health experts recommend aiming to lose one to two pounds per week. To do so, you’ll need to burn about 500 to 1,000 more calories than you consume daily.1 Regular physical activity and a healthy diet will help you gradually progress toward your goal.

Include a Few Weekly HIIT Sessions

HIIT cycling workouts can help improve your cardiovascular health to help your body burn more calories while trying to cycle for weight loss. You can swap out one of your regular rides for a HIIT session or tack on a HIIT ride to the end of a moderate one.

For HIIT cycling workouts, you’ll need to bike at a pace that’s 70 to 90% of your maximum heart rate. The structure of these sessions should be short bursts of cycling at an intense pace with alternating intervals of low-intensity riding. Repeat the pattern for 20 to 30 minutes.

Pick Up the Pace (When Required)

Riding your bike leisurely for fun is very different from cycling to lose weight. You’ll have to pick up the pace if your goal is to cycle to lose weight. Riding faster and harder will push your body and burn more calories.

Riding at a moderately challenging pace will help you burn more fat. Ideally, you should ride at a pace that’s about 68 to 79% of your maximum heart rate. However, overtraining can do more harm than good, so make sure you don’t overdo it.

Maintain a Good Diet

No matter how much you exercise, if you’re fueling your body with junk, it will be challenging to meet your cycling weight loss goal. Instead, focus on eating lean protein, fresh fruits, and vegetables, and limit all processed and sugary foods. Many cyclists also prefer to eat small meals, often throughout the day, to boost their metabolism.

The worst thing you can do is reduce your caloric intake too much. Try to resist the temptation to undereat because your body needs all the energy it can get to fuel your rides!

Do Cross Training

Cycling is excellent for weight loss, but if you combine cycling with other exercise types, you can lose weight faster. On the days you don’t bike, go for a run or do a strength training workout to burn additional calories.

Keep Things Fun

A cycling workout routine for weight loss is much more sustainable if you enjoy it. There are plenty of ways to make cycling more fun, including riding with a group or exploring new parks and trails outdoors.

Transitioning to indoor cycling can sometimes be challenging, especially if you’re used to biking outdoors. If you decide to ride indoors, you can listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks while you cycle to keep things interesting.

Track Your Progress

Monitoring your progress will help you stay motivated as you work toward your weight loss goal. Recording the following metrics may help you gauge your progress and identify areas of improvement:

Weight: Weigh yourself once a day or once a week at the same time of day. First thing in the morning, before breakfast, is a popular time.
Body fat percentage: Skinfold calipers are the least expensive way to measure body fat. However, you can also use a body fat scale or smart scale to determine your body fat percentage.
Body measurements: Measuring parts of your body (in inches) is another good way to track your progress.

Cycling Options: Indoor vs Outdoor

Indoor Cycling

With indoor cycling, you don’t have to worry about the weather you can cycle no matter what! Additionally, most gyms or fitness centers will have several exercise bikes available, so you don’t need to invest in your own equipment.

Outdoor Cycling

One of the major benefits of cycling outdoors is that it’s free! You don’t have to pay for a gym membership or buy a fancy exercise bike. All you need is a good-quality bicycle and away you go.

Cycling outdoors also gives you the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air and scenery as you pedal your way to better health.