Cycling can be a very effective physical activity to help you lose weight, but the result depends on several factors, including the duration, intensity and regularity of the workout, along with a healthy, balanced diet.
Cycling can therefore help you, being an aerobic sport, to lose weight.
- Burn calories: Cycling is an aerobic activity that can burn a lot of calories. The amount of calories burned will depend on the duration and intensity of the workout. Losing more calories than you consume can create a calorie deficit that leads to weight loss.
- Improving metabolism: Regular bicycle training can increase your basal metabolic rate, which means your body will burn more calories even at rest.
- Muscle toning: Cycling involves the muscles of the legs, buttocks and core. Consistent training can help tone these muscle areas, improving body composition. By increasing body composition, thus more muscle and less fat, our basal metabolism in turn will need more energy to function thus triggering a weight loss spiral.
- Increase endurance: Gradually increasing the distance and intensity of your workout can increase your endurance, allowing you to ride longer and burn more calories.
- Vary the intensity of your workout: Never stall your results. The body is a perfect machine that adapts to your lifestyle. The more you are trained the less effort you will make and the fewer calories you will burn. So differentiate your workout by changing your pedaling pace and trying to stress your metabolism to better performance. Help yourself with a heart rate monitor and keep track of your heart rates.
How many times a week should you cycle to lose weight?
How often you should cycle to lose weight depends on several factors, including your weight loss goal, your current fitness level, and the duration/intensity of your cycling sessions.
- Consistency: To see significant results in weight loss and fitness improvement, it is important to be consistent in your training. Therefore, try to cycle at least 3-5 times a week. This will give you a solid base to start with.
- Duration: The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week for health benefits. You can spread these cycling sessions over several days, for example, doing an hour of cycling 3-5 days a week.
- Diet: Remember that weight loss also depends on your diet. It is important to maintain a negative calorie balance, that is, to consume fewer calories than you take in. Combining bicycle training with a balanced diet can accelerate your weight loss progress.
We always recommend that before engaging in any kind of sporting activity you consult a doctor and a nutritionist, they will be able to best advise you on how best to embark on your path to a healthier, healthier lifestyle.
