Cycling for weight loss: All you need to know

Gone are the days when cycling was considered just as a leisure activity. With time people have come to realise the importance of cycling in daily life and the plethora of health benefits it offers. In fact post COVID, many people have turned to cycling as a form of workout as it is safe and you can follow social distancing norms with ease.

01/ Cycling can help you torch calories

Cycling is an excellent form of aerobic exercise. That means your heart, blood vessels and lungs all work together when you ride a bike. Whether you are trying to get lighter or fitter, cycling can be a great alternative, especially at this current time when all the gyms are closed and people are looking for ways to pump up their cardiovascular system and burn some serious calories. We tell you all you need to know about torching the maximum amount of calories by cycling.

02/ ​Calories burnt

When biking at a moderate or steady speed, we mostly use our aerobic metabolism system. However, when biking at a higher speed, our body relies on anaerobic metabolism system.

This simply means that if you ride faster, you will be able to burn more calories as your body uses more energy. As per the Harvard University, riding a bike at a moderate speed of 12 to 13.9 miles per hour will help a person weighing 70 kilos shed 298 calories in 30 minutes. When riding faster at 14 to 15.9 miles per hour, a person of the same weight will burn about 372 calories.

03/ ​Check your posture

We all learnt how to ride a bicycle when we were kids and hardly paid attention to our posture while taking a ride. Now when trying it to shed kilos it is important to be careful about your form. Here are a few things you must be careful about.

Your body should be neutral from head to toe

Do not stiffen your shoulders. Keep them down in a relaxing position and away from your ears.

Your hands should be in a relaxed position and shoulders bent to act as a suspension.

Your hands from the elbows to the fingers on the brakes should be in a straight line.

Keep your back neutral and spine straight. Do not slouch in the riding position as this causes backache.

Make sure your knees are exactly above the foot or pedal. If your knees are inclined then it might cause leg strain.

04/ ​How should you cycle to shed kilos

It is important to continuously challenge yourself to torch more calories in a day. If your aim is to shed kilos then ride a bike every day for 30 minutes. You can add a different training session in your routine for maximum results.

Long rides for 60 minutes to increase your endurance

Hilly ride of 30 to 60 minutes to burn more calories

Cycling at a fast pace for your cardiovascular health.

05/ ​Best post-workout meal

The food you eat has a big role to play when it comes to shedding kilos. You have to maintain a nutritional balance of carbohydrates, fats, and protein to see changes in your appearance. You also need to cut down the intake of processed food to slim down. Recovery after a good cycling session matters a lot. If you think that you will be able to shed kilos faster by starving yourself, then you are wrong. These are some best food options to refuel yourself. Your meal should include 20-40 grams of protein and 70- 80 grams of carbohydrate. Try to eat lots of vegetables after your ride. You can have these food items in your diet:

Grilled Chicken

Salmon

Egg on toast

rice and vegetables

Sweet potato

Nuts and dry fruits

Smoothie

peanut butter with toast

Chia seeds, and fresh berries

Most important of all, staying hydrated is important to refuel and replenish your body.

from LifeStyle