Cycling is a long-lasting physical activity that burns calories, especially if done with some intensity. The bicycle allows you to work different muscles, such as those of the thighs or calves, and also maintains cardiac activity.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an adult between the ages of 18 and 64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of intense physical activity per week. To achieve this, it is advisable to take more than 10,000 steps per day or participate in the sport of your choice. The bicycle can be a good option: in addition to being a more ecological means of transport than the machine, it also works the muscles of the lower body.
Cycling: Does this activity make you lose weight?
The bicycle attracts more and more people from urban areas. Helps avoid traffic jams or crowded public transportation. The bicycle can also be used for sports on the way to work or school. To understand the effects of cycling on the body and weight loss, researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine published a study in The Lancet. They compared the different means of transportation and the losses caused by each of them. Results: cycling burns the most calories.
For the purposes of the study, the researchers studied the profiles of 83,667 women and 72,999 men. They compared their body fat index (BMI) percentage and their body fat percentage. Scientists also asked volunteers about the type of transportation they take to get around on a daily basis.
The car was the first form of transportation for the participants. They followed her closely, walking and pedaling. Therefore, the scientists concentrated their research on these two so-called active means of transport. They found that the BMI of cyclists was lower than that of hikers.
Cycling enthusiasts weighed about 5 kilos less than hiking enthusiasts. Body fat was reduced by 3.26% among women who cycled and by 2.75% among men who practiced this sport.
What are the advantages of cycling?
Cycling is an endurance sport. Therefore, it is a moderate but constant effort. Cycling also helps you lose weight and gain muscle mass in the long term. Cycling helps develop the muscles of the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. When the rider enters a “dancer,” in other words, he removes his buttocks from the saddle while continuing to pedal, working on this area of the body. The abdominal belt is also stressed.
Cardiac activity is stimulated during a bike ride. Cycling promotes the proper functioning of the heart by increasing its contraction force. It also improves the flow of blood sent from the heart to the organs.
Regular cycling therefore promotes weight loss. Thanks to cycling, the body eliminates carbohydrates (sugar) and lipids (fats). Therefore, all bicycle trips are useful for health, as they help lose weight by strengthening the muscles and sculpting the silhouette.
How to lose weight thanks to cycling?
If you want to lose weight fast, cycling is more than just an interesting physical activity. Thanks to the bike, you can lose weight quickly and build your lower body. The key to seeing progress? Practice regularly. Every day, try to set different goals to improve yourself. Before starting a cycling workout, warm up for ten to fifteen minutes to prepare your body for exercise.
For example, you can start pedaling very slowly and then increase the intensity as you go. You can also stretch your legs and back before getting on the two-wheeler.
Mobile apps are also available to prepare you for training. Cycle Meter guides you through your routes and keeps track of your progress that indicates race time, speed, distance traveled and calories lost.
During training, vary the exercises to train each of the muscles. You can start slowly, before leaving your comfort zone, taking paths or routes that offer different changes in altitude.
Another tip to burn calories on a bike: divide your efforts. To achieve this, moderate and intense efforts must be alternated. For example, you can pedal intensely for about 20 minutes before continuing with five minutes of moderate effort, etc.
Regular cycling, therefore, helps burn calories. It is recommended to cycle once or twice a week to see the first effects. Every day, you may want to consider going to work or school.