How to Lose Ten Pounds Riding Your Bike
How does losing ten pounds just from riding your bike sound? Using this easy plan, you can take off ten pounds without changing your diet. All you need to do is commit to riding your bike three times a week.
If it has been a long time since you last exercised, then cycling is perfect for you. Cycling works as both a low-impact and a high-impact sport. You can work at whatever level is right for you. As time goes on and your fitness improves, there is always another challenge waiting on the horizon.
Weight loss comes down to the simple equation of energy in versus energy out. One pound of body fat is equal to around 3500 calories. This means that to lose a pound, you need to burn an excess of 3500 calories, either through changing your diet or increasing your exercise.
On average, cycling burns 500 calories per hour. This can change depending on your weight and height, the kind of bike you ride, and the speed and incline of your course. Three one-hour rides would add up to 1500 calories. This means that in just over two weeks of riding you will have lost a pound.
If you continue to ride your bike three times a week for an hour per ride, in 4 months or 23 weeks you will have lost ten pounds. Not only will you be slimmer, but you will notice a huge increase in your cardiovascular fitness. You will also improve your muscle tone, particularly in your legs.
Of course, it's easy to adapt this plan to your own needs. Longer, harder rides will see you shedding pounds faster. If you want to fit in cycling with a busy lifestyle, you may only be able to ride once per week. You will still lose weight, but you'll need a little more time to reach your goals.
Cycling is a low-impact activity. There is a smaller chance of damaging joints or tendons compared to activities such as running. If you already have an injury, you may find that while other sports may aggravate the injury, cycling does not.
This may seem like a slow way to lose weight compared to dieting, but this plan does boast many advantages. Dieting may help you to lose weight faster, but it is difficult for many people to keep up drastic lifestyle changes over the long term. Making sensible food choices and increasing your exercise is a great long-term approach to losing weight and improving your overall well-being. Plus, bicycling is fun.