How to lose weight while cycling

Specific training plan and a balanced diet, which provides you with maximum energy with just the right calories, is all you need to lose weight while cycling. Get on the bike and start pedaling at the right pace.

Riding a bicycle is a complete aerobic exercise, perfect for keeping our cardiovascular system in good condition. In addition, it is a low-impact sport, so it is ideal for maintaining excellent physical shape, shedding extra pounds without damaging the joints. Regardless of the pace or intensity you apply, pedaling will always help you get rid of a few calories, but if you really want to lose weight with cycling you should be constant and follow a series of guidelines with which it will be easier for you to achieve your goal .

How to train cycling to lose weight

You have several ways to combine your workouts if you want to lose more kilos by pedaling. Keep in mind that any aerobic exercise involves a significant energy expenditure that, while practicing it, will burn calories and also accumulated fat, but how do you train so that this energy consumption is the maximum and you can take advantage of each pedal stroke? Take a good look at these tips to lose weight while cycling:

Long-distance race

For many physical trainers, doing a long run, one – two hours, at a light / moderate pace is the best way to lose weight on the bike because during the first 30 – 40 minutes, your body will turn to available glucose as “fuel” to perform the exercise and during the remaining time, you will begin to pull your fat stores. Thus, with each of these long-term workouts, you will not only burn calories, but also mobilize (and eliminate) accumulated fat. The result: weight loss and a slimmer figure.

Explosive or interval training

It is another effective way to get the most out of your performance while you dedicate yourself to training to lose weight with cycling. It is based on short runs that include high intensity intervals (HIIT) with the goal of reaching a heart rate of at least 75% – 80% for a few minutes. Training with intervals achieves a double objective: on the one hand, our body does not get used to exercise and maintains a high caloric consumption and, on the other, after the maximum effort involved in doing the interval, the body will continue to expend energy. To be able to recover, for a considerable time after the exercise is finished.

It must be clarified that the intervals do not always have to focus on speed. It is about varying the pace and increasing the effort and you can also do that by combining flat and uphill routes or including a mountain section in your circuit.

As you can see, you have several alternatives to lose weight while cycling. You don”t have to choose one type of training or another. On the contrary, to lose weight while pedaling, the ideal is to combine both. For example, you can plan the week by doing a shorter training with intervals on Monday and Friday, while on Wednesday you dedicate it to cross-country cycling.

Tips to lose more kilos with cycling

You already know the most favorable training options if you want to lose weight by cycling, but in addition to sports considerations, there are some tips that will help you achieve it:

• Get enough rest. It is about losing kilos but without neglecting your muscle mass. Remember that your body needs to recover after the effort of a hard bike race and that, in addition, your metabolism will continue to be active (burning calories) once the exercise is finished. Especially if you are starting in this sport, the ideal is to train three times a week on alternate days.
• Take care of your diet. If you train on the bike with the aim of losing weight, do not make the mistake of following a restrictive diet. To pedal with energy you need carbohydrates (sugars), especially slow absorption, proteins that take care of the muscles, especially your legs, and healthy fats , such as those provided by fish (Omega), which will protect your joints. In short, a varied and healthy diet.
• Cross training. If you want to enhance the effects of cycling when it comes to losing weight, try combining this sport with some strength training in the gym. This way you will be slimmer and also stronger.