Does cycling help lose weight?

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If you're looking to lose a few pounds, cycling is great, and fun too! Cycling and going long distances, or short and fast are both good for your health and bring joy into your life. What you eat is also important, although you don't necessarily have to give up your favorite foods to lose weight. Here is information to help you understand the weight loss effects of cycling.

1. 15 benefits of cycling

Everyone knows that cycling can bring many positive effects to health. Here are the top 15 benefits of cycling:
1.1. Cycling improves morale A YMCA study found that people who lead an active lifestyle have a 32 percent higher well-being score than those who are inactive. There are many ways exercise can improve one's mood: it's the basic release of adrenalin and endorphins, and confidence improves when new things are achieved (such as completing a sport or get closer to that goal).
Cycling combines fitness with outdoor activities and explores new perspectives. You can ride alone to give you time to process your worries or concerns, or you can go with a group to increase your social connections.
1.2. Strengthen your immune system by cycling This is especially important in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. David Nieman and his colleagues at Appalachian State University studied 1000 adults up to the age of 85. They found that exercise has huge benefits for upper respiratory system health - thus reducing cases of the common cold.
Nieman says: “People can reduce their sick days by up to 40% by doing aerobic exercise most days of the week, while also getting many other exercise-related health benefits. ”
Professor Tim Noakes, of exercise and sport science at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, also told us that gentle exercise can improve our immune system by increasing production secrete essential proteins and awaken inactive white blood cells.
1.3. Cycling helps to lose weight Weight loss is one of the benefits of cycling. The simple equation, when it comes to weight loss, is "calorie intake must exceed calories intake". So you need to burn more calories than you consume to lose weight. Cycling can burn between 400 and 1000 calories an hour, depending on the intensity and weight of the rider.
Of course, there are other factors, but overall, cycling is one of the sports that help burn the most calories.

1.4. Cycling builds muscle The resistance factor of cycling means that it not only burns fat but also builds muscle - especially around the glutes, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. People with a higher percentage of muscle burn more calories even when they are sedentary.
1.5. You can enjoy a second breakfast after cycling If you decide to cycle to work, you'll have a great excuse to add a few snacks to your menu. Since a half-hour ride to work burns between 200 and 500 calories, that allows you to add a little extra energy with a 2nd breakfast at your desk
1.6. Promotes Respiratory Health A recent study found that cyclists are actually exposed to less dangerous smoke than people who ride in cars. Research by the Healthy Air Campaign, King's College London and Camden Council, shows that air pollution detectors are fitted to motorists, bus users, pedestrians and cyclists on busy roads through central London.
The results show that drivers will have 5 times more pollution than cyclists, as well as 3 times more than pedestrians and 2 and a half times more than bus users.
1.7. Cycling reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer Cycling increases the heart rate and pumps blood around the body, while burning calories, limiting the possibility of being overweight and obese.
New evidence has come in the form of a study by the University of Glasgow conducted earlier this year. Researchers studied more than 260,000 people over the course of five years - and found that cycling to work can halve a cyclist's risk of developing heart disease or cancer.
1.8. Low risk of injury Running puts your feet under pressure from your body weight, but cycling does the exact opposite.
When scientists compared groups of exercisers with long-distance runners and cyclists, they found that the runners suffered 133-144% more muscle damage, inflammation and 87% higher DOMS compared to cyclists.
The lack of weight tolerance also means that cycling doesn't increase bone density as much as other sports - so cyclists need to be careful about getting calcium from other sources.

1.9. Cycling saves time Cycling not only saves money, but also saves time. Cycling can help us avoid traffic jams when commuting to work.
1.10. Cycling improves navigation In the world of car navigation devices and Google maps, sometimes there's not much incentive to sharpen your natural directional abilities
Unless you've Investing in a GPS cycling computer with mapping capabilities like the Garmin 1000, getting out and about and exploring the lanes can provide the necessary exercise in mapping the inside of one's head, helping They have a better understanding of the paths they take.
1.11. Cycling improves sex life Most of us know that sex is a good thing, but not everyone knows that it is actually good for your overall health. In fact, regular sex can actually prolong a person's life.
Dr. Michael Roizen, president of the Institute of Health at Cleveland Clinic, said: “Strong men have 350 orgasms per year, compared with the national average of about a quarter, they live longer. about four years”. Similar findings were found for women. It is important to know that all the muscle groups involved in intercourse are active when we ride a bike.
1.12. Improves Sleep Researchers at the University of Georgia studied men and women ages 20 to 85 over a 35-year period, and found that a 2% drop in fitness for men and 4% for women leads to sleep problems. Looking for the reason behind the link, which scientists think may be the reduction in anxiety brought by exercise, helps increase the ability to sleep. Exercise also counteracts age-related weight gain, which is another cause of sleep dysfunction.

1.13. Cycling boosts brain performance Consistent exercise is linked to brain health – and reduces cognitive changes that can make us more susceptible to dementia later in life.
A 2013 study found that during exercise, blood flow in cyclists' brains increased 28% and up to 70% in specific areas. Not only that, after exercise, in some areas, blood flow was still increased by 40% even after exercise. Improved blood flow is good because the red stuff provides all sorts of supplements that keep us healthy
1.14. Cycling improves spatial awareness Cycling isn't just about getting your heart rate and breathing up, but it also teaches you to use your body weight to get the bike to where you want it to go.
1.15. Develop social skills Cycling is an extremely sociable sport. Joining a cycling club or group is a great way to develop one's social circle and if you're new to cycling - you'll probably find all sorts of maintenance tips and training from these clubs.

2. Does cycling help lose weight?

Cycling is a great exercise for the heart. It can help boost your heart and lung health, improve blood flow, build muscle strength, and reduce stress levels. In addition, cycling can also help the body burn fat, burn calories and lose weight. However, to make this happen, there are a few things you need to know for an effective cycling workout.
Cycling is often touted as a safe and good option for aerobic exercise. It allows the body to raise the heart rate with less risk of damage or wear and tear to the knees, ankles and other joints compared to jogging or walking. Cycling is also a good way for those who need to lose weight. That's because the body can burn an impressive amount of calories while cycling, even in the case of very slow cycling.
If you are looking to lose a few pounds by cycling, here are the four main methods to lose weight.
2.1. Increase the intensity Cycling at a slow pace probably won't help with weight loss. However, someone with a desire to lose weight fast can push themselves to work harder and increase their cycling intensity, which will then make them make more progress towards their weight loss goals. As a general rule, the faster you cycle, the more calories your body will burn. That's because the body uses more energy to accelerate. And the more calories your body burns, the more weight you can lose. Cycling at a steady, moderate pace can burn about 300 calories in 60 minutes, but you can burn more than that if you increase the intensity.
In fact, according to Harvard Health Letter, a 70kg person can burn 298 calories in 30 minutes of cycling, if they pedal at a speed of 20-25 km/h. While a person weighing 85kg can burn 355 calories by cycling at this speed. And, at a faster pace of about 30-35 km per hour, a 70kg person can burn up to 372 calories in just 30 minutes, while a 85kg person can burn 444 calories in that time.

2.2. Choose a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Solution High-intensity interval training can be a great way to challenge your body and can even lose fat and lose weight quickly. Intermittent high-intensity training consists of periods of high-intensity training alternating with periods of low-intensity exercise. With cycling, the HIIT exercise can be done as follows:
Cycle as fast as you can for about 30 – 60 seconds. Then do 2 to 3 minutes of gentle cycling with low resistance. Repeat this pattern for the next 20 to 30 minutes. This type of exercise can help the body burn more calories in less time as well as improve heart health and aid in weight loss. According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, both high-intensity interval training and continuous moderate exercise can reduce body fat. But compared to regular, moderate exercise, HIIT helps reduce up to 28.5% fat mass.
The benefits don't stop there. When cycling is stopped and the workout is over, the body's metabolism continues. This means that the body continues to burn calories at a higher rate, even after the workout is over and the body has returned to its normal resting state.
2.3. Endurance training Research shows that endurance training can help burn fat very well, helping with weight loss. Ideally, a person should start slowly when trying to build endurance. So, if you start with 10 to 15 minutes of cycling in a session, then you can slowly add a few more minutes to each session until you reach at least 150 minutes of cycling in a week.

2.4. Alternate Exercises People can completely avoid the boredom of doing just one or two exercises over and over by alternating activities. For example, it might be possible to ride a bike for a long day outdoors, then hit the gym to lift weights the next day.
To lose weight, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) says you need to cycle at a moderate level for at least 30 minutes at a time. To burn even more calories, the time needed to increase. The American Council on Exercise also recommends combining two activities into one workout to enhance weight loss. For example, you could cycle for 20 to 30 minutes, then try another activity for 20 minutes later.
If you are trying to lose weight or want to maintain the weight loss you have worked so hard to achieve, cycling can be a great way to achieve this goal. To maximize weight loss and fat burning, try to increase the intensity or duration of your bike workout. In addition, interval training and interval training can help with weight loss and fat burning. If you have a chronic health condition or haven't exercised in a while, be sure to talk to your doctor to make sure cycling is safe for you.

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References: healthline.com, verywellfit.com, bicycling.com