Riding a bike can be an enjoyable and beneficial way to lose weight. Many men prefer it to running as it’s easier on the knees and causes fewer injuries.
Cycling is excellent for the health of your heart and can provide a way to get around your neighborhood that’s cheaper than taking your car everywhere you need to go! Cycling can be fun too. If you can find a form of physical activity that provides a pleasurable form of recreation then staying motivated is much easier to accomplish.
Start your cycling routine with some simple breathing exercises that will prepare your lungs for the workout to come. Then cycle for an average of 20 minutes at a time and intersperse the time with interval training on the bike. This steps things up a notch and challenges your body to work harder to burn calories, and avoids the trap of trying to burn fat during your exercise.
Causes of Weight Gain:
Weight gain can be blamed on three factors. The first cause or factor is a reduced level of energy that comes about due to decreased activity. The second cause is when a lack of physical activity is coupled with not changing the amount of food you eat on a daily basis. The third cause is simply eating the wrong foods on a consistent basis. Do you see yourself in any of these causes?
In order to lose weight a man must expend approximately 3293 calories week (which is equal to an estimated one hour of moderate exercise daily) while taking in no more than 1500 calories per day. By adding cycling into your daily routine you can lose the weight you want to.
Physical activity when combined with a healthy diet can work wonders for your weight. Making cycling a part of your life can increase both the calories you expend as well as your energy input. It can also suppress your appetite and help to maintain lean body mass. The fat you have can turn to muscle and it may not take very long at all if you are a dedicated and consistent cyclist! Physical activity can also increase your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) or your Resting Energy Expenditure (REE).
Cycle at a Moderate Rate:
The key is to cycle at a moderate speed, as previously mentioned. Your current body weight and the intensity of the riding that you do will determine how many calories you lose. In general a 30-minute bike ride will have you burning anywhere from 200 to 250 calories at a time. While it may not sound like a huge amount at a time consistency is key for exercise.
If you’ve been sedentary for some time now then don’t get too enthusiastic and run out and buy a bicycle today and start riding it like crazy. For the sake of your health schedule a physical and tell your doctor of your intended plans to lose weight by cycling. Once you are given the okay to do so then you can proceed with your cycling plans but take it slow. Here is where the word moderation comes into play once again.
You cannot make up for months (or years!) of being a couch potato in a matter of days or weeks by biking to get yourself back into shape. The body needs time to become use to the changes you are imposing upon it.
Take your time. Start out with a five minute bike ride around your neighborhood and then work up to 10 minutes. Give yourself as much time as you need to do this. You are not in a race by any means. But don’t pound out mile after mile for more than 30 minutes if losing weight is your goal.
Adapt the PACE exercise program for weight loss program for cycling by biking for two minutes relaxed and then speed up for a minute and then slacken off for another two minutes before increasing speed for another minute. Continue to do this for 30 minutes and at the end you should be tired and know you’ve exercised.
Cycling is a wonderful activity and if you can get a few male buddies hooked on it then it can be a great way to spend time with friends, and interval training adds a little competitive edge to it for us guys. Some of my buddies are runners and if cycling isn’t your sport then here’s information about Running and Weight Loss for Men.
Jed Richards
Alternative Health for Today 