If you're planning to lose a few pounds, indoor cycling is a great way to start. Have you ever observed the sporty silhouette of a cyclist: flat stomach and drawn muscles? Indeed, cycling is the ideal sport to burn a maximum of calories and shape the body. But how do you associate cycling with the loss of extra pounds? Can you work the whole body while pedalling? There are many frequently asked about the impact of cycling on cyclists' weight loss. This article will look into all those questions and share tips to help you lose weight with indoor cycling.

If you're wondering if cycling for weight loss is for you, read on!

Does Indoor Cycling Help You Lose Weight?

This is the question that comes up most often. The answer to this is yes because endurance pedalling influences weight loss.

The best way to lose extra pounds is to start an endurance sport. Indoor cycling is one of them, provided you pedal at the right pace.

Endurance is a moderate effort that allows you to practice your activity at a low heart rate over a long period.

Here, we're talking about fundamental endurance, which is between 60% and 85% of your maximum heart rate (HRMax):

• less than 75%, it is a light intensity;
• between 75% and 85%, this is the perfect basic endurance pace for efficient and long-lasting pedalling.

Heart rate is measured using a heart rate monitor or a GPS computer with a heart rate monitor. You can also use a smartwatch that has a heart rate sensor underneath.

Among the many advantages of this pace, you will note that endurance eliminates carbohydrates (sugars) during the first 20 minutes, then lipids (fats) beyond this time. 

Staying at a low heart rate (around 75% of HRMax) on your bike helps eliminate fat mass. So, forget about the full sessions "in the red"!

Not only do you traumatize your body, but you do not lose weight. However, you can integrate a short interval of 5 minutes at 85% or 90% to work your power.

Calories Burned While Cycling

Cycling has many benefits, including that of promoting weight loss. It suffices to observe the level of caloric expenditure for 30 minutes of cycling at different intensities for a person of 70 kg.

• Light-effort cycling bicycle ~ 147 calories approximately
• Cycling with average effort ~ 257 calories approximately
• Cycling with intense effort 22-30 km / h ~ 368 calories approximately

The more intense the cycling practice, the more muscle development and calories burned. In any case, you must combine regular cycling with good food hygiene. Below are some of the tips that will help you lose weight with indoor cycling.

Tips For Indoor Cycling

Be Realistic When Setting Your Goals

When planning your weight loss goals, you need to be realistic about your fitness level and weight, especially if you haven't tried any endurance sport before or are overweight. If that's the case, you need to realize that your results won't be the same as a person who has played sports for a long time but has gained weight due to quitting.

After you realize that, you need to devote time to cycling by cutting time on some of the activities that give you pleasure. Make cycling an excuse to let go of other unhealthy habits, such as watching TV for hours and hours on weekends and devouring snacks.

Be Consistent

Consistency is the most important factor in your weight loss journey. Regular cycling promotes the elimination of extra pounds. Regularity is a rule that you absolutely must integrate into your weight loss program. Two or three sessions in a week are better than a single weekly session of 3 or 4 hours. Your body will get used to the effort and draw on your calorie reserves during and after each session. You then see your body become more toned and sharpened over time. This is a great motivation to keep going on the bike.

Do you not have the time? Reserve time slots in your schedule: replace one or two Netflix evenings with 30 to 45 minutes of indoor pedalling.

Indoor Cycling Alone Doesn't Work: Food Hygiene Promotes It!

Diet is the other key to achieving your weight loss goal and staying in shape over the long term. If you regularly do cycling at a low frequency, but your diet is unbalanced, you will not get any results in your weight reduction. Eating fatty and sweets is harmful to the body, but this also applies when playing sports. It is, therefore, important to give up on junk food and replace them with fruits and vegetables, whole grains and a protein-rich diet.

Eat Properly and Before Cycling

Eating right doesn't mean eating less. You need to assimilate nutritional ingredients in order to help your body function, especially when you start your pedalling sessions. On the menu, plan carbohydrates (fast and slow), lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals and trace elements, all in a balanced way.

Contrary to popular belief that you lose more weight if you exercise on an empty stomach, make sure your body has enough energy to pedal hard and get the most of indoor cycling. Take something healthy 30 to 40 minutes before your cycling session, a small banana or a handful of grains. If you prefer to do it in the afternoon or evening, go with consuming protein and carbohydrates to get all the benefits of the Omega 3 fatty acids.

Remember, eating beforehand gives you energy for endurance and helps you burn extra calories, i.e., it works as a catalyst in the cycling process thanks to the thermic effect of food.

Vary Your Pace

Alternating your pedalling pace is a trick for burning calories faster with indoor cycling. Do not stick to the same pace for a long period if you do not have any health issues. Try to do it at varying degrees if you've been doing it for days now. Try doing harder pedalling bursts of pedalling at a comfortable pace.

Keep Your Body Hydrated

Hydration also helps your balance. Sport promotes sweating, so you need to replenish your water reserves after each session. Remember that you also lose mineral salts with sweating. Intake of water helps your kidneys flush toxins from your body. So, it would help if you got used to drinking 1.5 litres of plain water every day.

To Summarize!

You can see that getting started on a weight loss program is possible just by moving. Indoor cycling to lose weight is possible, subject to the agreement of your doctor, of course. If you respect the pace of endurance training, this activity will become a habit and, above all, a real passion! Share your indoor cycling experience and let us know if it helped you lose weight.