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In this post with videos we share 5 quick and easy tips to help you lose weight cycling. Most of these tips require only minor tweaks to what you are already doing. One of them even encourages you to eat more! Watch the video from the good cycling people of GCN, and then review the quick and easy cycling weight loss cheat sheet that follows. At the end of the post is an inspirational video showing how one young woman lost weight cycling – and had a good time doing it too!
Contents of this Post
- Video Showing How to Lose Weight Cycling
- Tip 1 to Lose Weight Cycling: Do High Intensity Training (HIT) on Your Bike
- Tip 2 to Lose Weight Cycling: Drink Water Strategically
- Tip 3 for Weight Loss: Eat on the Ride
- Tip 4: Incorporate Hard Efforts at the End of Your Bike Rides
- Tip 5: Set an Achievable Goal
- Keep a Diary of Your Training and Progress
- What NOT to Do to Lose Weight Cycling
- Inspirational Video Showing One Woman’s Cycling Weight Loss Transformation
Video Showing How to Lose Weight Cycling
As noted in the video, cycling is a fantastic way to lose weight. And as a bonus: if you lose weight while maintaining your power, you will become faster on your bike.
Tip 1 to Lose Weight Cycling: Do High Intensity Training (HIT) on Your Bike
Most of us remember that back in the day, the usual advice for losing weight was to do long hours of low-intensity cardio, such as easy to moderate cycling. The theory was that you burn a higher proportion of fat than carbs while doing low intensity exercise.
But the reality is that most people just don’t have endless hours. Plus, research has shown that that advice was incorrect, anyway. Our bodies actually respond better to high-intensity exercise, especially the kind that you do when interval training. This is also known as High Intensity Training, or HIT.
Our post, a Complete Guide to Bike Training, explains in very simple terms how to get started on interval training today.
You will burn up way more calories in an intense hour of cycling. As compared to a gentle hour meandering down country lanes, smelling the roses!
Also, there is an added benefit: you usually feel a bit less hungry after an intense bike ride than after a long, slow ride. So, you are far less likely to make that classic mistake: binge eating more calories after a bike ride than you actually burned up on the ride!
An ideal way to do a couple of high-intensity cycling workout is to do a structured HIT (high intensity training ) session at home. We have a post that is useful for that:
Bonus: HIT will Get You Fit Fast!
Another huge advantage of interval training is that it is the quickest way to get dramatically fitter, as explained in this post, 7 Reasons to do High Intensity Training on Your Bike – And How to Add Interval Training to Your Cycling.
As explained in that post, it has been shown that it is possible to get just as fit in 30 minutes a week as in two and a half hours per week! This breaks down to three 10-minute workouts, as compared to three 50-minute workouts. No, it’s not another crazy get fit fad, and you don’t have to buy anything – it’s simply more proof of the enormous health and cardiovascular benefits of HIT (i.e., exercise sessions that include very short bursts of very intense effort).
Tip 2 to Lose Weight Cycling: Drink Water Strategically
Drink a big glass of water as soon as you get home, and before you have a post-workout snack. This will make you tend to eat less. Here’s an extra hack: you can also do this before all your meals.
Water is good for you, and it will help you feel full quicker – there are no down sides to this one!
Tip 3 for Weight Loss: Eat on the Ride
Yes, that’s right. It’s counter-intuitive, but eating a bit more on your long bike rides will help you to lose weight. This is better than doing the opposite. Some people who are trying to lose weight cycling will not eat anything at all on a long bike ride.
But small snacks at frequent intervals on your long bike rides (over 90 minutes) will mean that you will be much less hungry when you get home. This will therefore make you less likely to binge eat.
Tip 4: Incorporate Hard Efforts at the End of Your Bike Rides
Throw in a couple of high-intensity intervals just before you end a regular (long, steady) bike ride. Studies have shown that post exercise oxygen consumption can promote the burning of fat. The easiest way to get into that state is to do some high intensity exercise near the end of your ride.
This way, you will still be burning a lot of calories, even when you are relaxing on the sofa.
Tip 5: Set an Achievable Goal
Set yourself a realistic, achievable goal and write it down. Leave this out where you can see it. For example, paste it to your fridge. This will help keep you motivated on your journey to lose weight cycling.
Make sure you set SMART goals.
What is a SMART Goal?
S: Specific
M: Measurable
A: Achievable
R: Realistic
T: Timely
For example: My goal is to lose 10 pounds in one year, and become 5% faster on my bike rides.
This goal is SMART, in that most people can lose 10 pounds in one year. It is easy to measure your progress, using a scale and a bike computer.
This goal is also achievable, because cycling can be a whole lot of fun.
Keep a Diary of Your Training and Progress
It will help you to achieve your goals if you record your progress, i.e. your training rides and your weight. If you record your weight on a chart, you will be motivated by seeing your progress towards your goal. Set up a regular time interval to weigh yourself. Many people suggest that you don’t do it every day, as weight fluctuations can be discouraging. Once a week is ideal for most people. However, if it helps you to weigh yourself every day, then by all means, go right ahead!
The easiest and best way to keep track of your training rides is to wear a smart watch that records your bike rides and your heart rate. That way, you can look back on your progress. I use my stats on Strava to motivate myself to always do a bit more this month than I did last month. That way, I keep making progress!
What NOT to Do to Lose Weight Cycling
Some people wear extra layers of clothes when cycling so that they sweat more. This does cause instant weight loss. However, don’t be fooled. It’s all water, not fat. So, this practice is both pointless and even potentially dangerous. And as soon as you re-hydrate, all of the weight will come right back.
Inspirational Video Showing One Woman’s Cycling Weight Loss Transformation
Related Posts:
Inspiring right? The best thing is that Katie seems to have had such a good time on her weight loss journey.
So, there you have it – five simple, easy but effective tips to help you successfully lose weight through cycling. Good luck, and have fun!
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