Cycling is an excellent way to help lose weight. It is one of best exercises to enable exercise at that ‘fat burning’ level of around 60-65% max heart rate. The great thing with cycling is that you can lose weight without too much counting calories or restricting your food intake. However, any weight loss will be more effective if you also turn to eating a more healthy diet. Another thing about being a keen cyclist – is that it provides a constant motivation to keep excess fat off.
Cycling is a great low impact way for aerobic exercise.
10 Tips for Losing Weight Through Cycling
- Don’t skip meals to lose weight. It is better to eat frequently and in moderation. Keep it simple – choose healthy foods, and avoid high fat sugary foods (see end)
- Keep Riding. Cycling is one of the best ways to burn calories. Look for ways to spend more time on the bike – cycling to work, to the shops, cycling on holiday.
- Remember the amount of time you will be able to save by losing even a modest amount of weight. Lose 4KG, and you will be able to climb Alpe d’Huez 4 minutes quicker! (see: Time saved from weight loss on bike)
- Prepare your food cupboards in advance. If you run out of food, you tend to end up buying junk foods because these are more convenient. If you go travelling, prepare some convenient healthy snacks.
- Take it slow but steady. Weight loss is not about the fastest way to shed pounds, but, about permanently changing eating / exercise habits to gain a lower long term weight.
- Avoid ‘instant diet plans’ The great thing about cycling and weight loss is that it is a long-term sustainable weight loss that we are seeking not crash diets which soon evaporate.
- Give yourself goals for both losing weight and cycling specific goals e.g. doing a local hill climb, hilly sportive at the end of the season.
- When you are training hard, don’t starve the body of the carbohydrates and protein it needs to replenish lost energy.
- Know which supplements to take. Most diet pills are a waste of time. But, some can be of some help. A friends site, Practical weight loss has reviewed many of diet pills on the market.
- Enjoy cycling and you have a great practical aid to weight loss. Make sure you keep cycling enjoyable by doing manageable efforts. Don’t be put off by going out cycling with lots of really fast skinny people (like me) who irritatingly drop you on any incline. Also, try to avoid the indoor cycle trainers – it’s hard to do too much on their.
- Don’t just rely on fat burning rides. Try some harder intervals. When you train really hard, you really shift some calories and this is effective for losing weight (though you might need to build up to this)
Good Diet Involves
- Eat More low GI foods. These help in two ways. Firstly, they have a slow release of energy which helps avoid spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. This is helpful even if you’re not trying to lose weight. Also, they tend to be more fibre rich so it helps you feel fuller.
- Low GI index foods like wholemeal bread, lentils, beans, pulses.
- Raw food, especially fruit and vegetables. is an excellent way of getting nutritional value and avoiding processed fatty foods, which are the easiest to gain weight. If you develop a taste for raw and healthy food, you will find it more instinctive to eat a healthy diet.
- Eat more whole grains with low GI index.
Foods To Avoid
- Fast Foods with high saturated fat content.
- Excess of processed sugar.
- Drinks with high sugar content
- Be careful with alcoholic drinks which contain a lot of hidden ‘calories’
FAQ
Will Cycling Make me Very Muscular?
e.g even Victoria Pendelton, a sprinter has great shape
Some sprinters may develop big thighs. These cyclists do a lot of weight training and very high level workout on the muscle side. Your average cyclist will not be doing this. If you look at your average professional cyclist, I would say their muscles become well-toned – there is no bulking.
Will Cycling Remove my Pot Belly?
I’m afraid I’ve seen enough cyclists with a pot belly to prove there is no guarantee! However, it can definitely help amongst other contributory factors. Unfortunately, at a certain age and with a certain metabolism, some people find it harder to shift those extra pounds, especially from around the tum.
How Many Calories does cycling burn?
It depends on your weight, heart rate and effort level. But, if you are cycling moderately hard, you might be burning in the region of 500-700 calories an hour. (Calories when cycling)
How Do Pro cyclists lose weight?
Some pro-cyclists make very carefully planned strategies to lose weight before a big event like the tour de France. At that level even 1KG can make a big difference. Lance Armstrong used to carefully weigh his food and go out training between 11am and 4pm. Pro cyclists – weight loss However, it is a fine balance as if you lose too much power will decline. Bradley Wiggins used to train hard early in day, before breakfast to speed up his metabolism. Wiggins also avoided alcohol and gluten (found in wheat / pasta)
I’ve Tried and Failed, are There are any Benefits of Being an Overweight cyclist?
There is the occasional downhill race – You descend a climb and see how far you can freewheel without pedalling. This gives a definite advantage to ‘well built’ cyclists. Some clubs have it on the same day as their hill climb – kind of evening it out between the weight weenies and weight maintainers.
Other Benefits of Cycling
Cycling has many other benefits, such as being cheap, being environmentally friendly and a good way to see the landscape.10 Reasons to take up cycling
Related
- Confessions of a weight loss cyclist - how 21 stone Frank got on his bike and lost several stone over a period of four years.
- Running v Cycling
Photo of Victoria Pendleton (Tim Redgrove)
originally published 2009, updated 2012
Yes I completely agree that cycling is one of the most effective way to lose weight. These are some valuable weight loss tips through cycling. People can also get some food advices that should be avoided at the time of reducing weight through your article.
Pannier or a backpack with 10kg and you really see the difference uphill-good training idea?
But can you imagine having the excess weight on your body while riding? Also while training uphill with larger body fat-you work harder, so when you are lighter from eating healthy and training-hills are fun.
Some people complain lack of time, thats when a good 1 hr sprint session may help-uses loads of kcal/Kj in such a short time too.
Hi Simon,
In the UK, there is a season of hill climbs. Short races up hills, they are usually in September and October.
e.g.
http://cyclinginfo.co.uk/blog/cycling/hill-climbs/
Hi. Great article. What is an October Hill Climb? Is this an event with your club or something else? Cheers, Simon