How to lose weight by cycling

If you’re one of those people who love the outdoors and hate to sweat it out at the gym, try cycling to lose weight! It does not impact your joints, which means that even the heaviest of people can cycle without any problem. Cycling for long distances will also help build more the largest muscles of your body (in the legs) and the capillaries or blood vessels in the area, which will increase the flow of oxygen to your muscles. This means that you will continue burning fat long after you’ve cycled.

But remember cycling at a leisurely pace won’t do it for you. Follow these tips and see a whole new you:

1. Do interval training

Don’t keep cycling at the same pace in a relaxed manner if you want to lose weight. Alternating between short bursts of high speed cycling with low speed cycling will increase your heart rate and help you burn more calories.

2. Keep increasing your goals

According to Kunal Gandre, a cycling enthusiast, ‘The distance you should start off with is 5 km at a speed of 15-20 km/h. After that, you can gradually move on.’

Start by cycling on a flat road, but over time you can start cycling on hills (if there is one near where you live). Also, you can increase the distance you travel as the days go on. This will not only help you lose weight, but also improve your endurance which is great for your brain too!

3. Buy the right kind of cycle

There are several types of cycles available in the market, and it is important that you buy the right one for your weight loss needs. According to Kunal, ‘I would suggest buying a racer cycle as you tend to travel longer distances with it.’

4. Maintain the right posture

‘Different bikes require different postures, but it is important to keep the back straight’, according to Kunal. Even if you are on a racer cycle and have to lean, you should still keep your back straight and keep your core muscles engaged. The right posture will improve your performance, and also work out more muscles.

4. Find a cycling buddy

If you can find a cycling buddy who wants to lose weight too, it is great. Another person will make you more accountable and keep you away from skipping sessions. Additionally, you can participate in races which will inspire you to push your body and make your workout fun. That said, make sure you don’t race with a bicycle on busy roads as there is a chance that you might have an accident. Do so only on a safe park at a time when there aren’t many people.

5. Do not decrease your food intake drastically

You might think that dropping your food intake drastically will help you lose weight faster but this notion is not true. What will happen is that your body will think it is starving and store the fat for future use. Instead of losing fat, you’ll lose muscle. Once you resume your normal diet habits, you’ll regain all of the lost weight. Therefore, it is important that you shift to low calorie foods once you’ve incorporated cycling in your lifestyle. Read more about why you should never starve to lose weight. 

6. Keep yourself hydrated

Water is the fuel that’ll keep your body from breaking down while you cycle. When you exercise, you’re likely to lose water through sweating and if you don’t drink enough water, then it can lead to cramps and leave you feeling fatigued. Also, some people confuse thirst with hunger and end up eating a lot after a strenuous session of cycling, so don’t go easy on the liquids. 

7. Indoor Cycling Tips 

In case you don’t like the great outdoors, there’s always the computerised indoor cycle in the gym. These machines are quite nifty which come with a heart rate monitor and can accurately tell you how many calories you can burn. You can also set the resistance level (like it goes up when you’re cycling uphill) and choose from various preset programs. These programs are designed to achieve different goals like weight loss, build up endurance or for a fitness test. There are also preset programs for interval training, hilly terrain and more. Choose a simple regime and start upping the resistance as you get better. 

 

You may also like to read:

 

• Fun ways to exercise and lose weight
• Lose belly fat with exercises by Hrithik’s trainer Kris Gethin
• Can weight training help you lose weight?
• Walking for weight loss
• Get fit at your workplace with these expert recommended exercises and tips
• Why is high intensity interval training better (HIIT) for weight loss?

 

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