Bicycling for Weight Loss -40 Pounds -12-weeks
There are many ways to get your body back in shape if you feel that you have added a few extra pounds. There are some, although painless or stress free, will cost you an arm and a leg. So today we will look at bicycling for losing that undesirable 40 pounds of weight you accumulated in 12 weeks.
Bicycling for weight loss has many benefits because it can be a medium to bond with your family or friends if you decide to do it together. It is also good because unlike other forms of exercise, you can ride your bike for a longer time. And if you decide to go to other places to ride your bike, you will actually get to explore new places while exercising.
Breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the surrounding scenery is a great motivator for cycling. It burns a lot of calories at a short period of time. Besides, it is safe for any age group whether you are young or old.
Requirements if you want to start a cycling routine
- Bicycle
Well this is the first requirement if you are to start cycling. You can shop around for a bike that fits your needs; there are different kinds of bikes like the full suspension mountain bikes or road bikes. The place you will be riding will greatly determine the type of bike you go for.
- Helmet
Safety is not to be ignored at any point in our lives so a helmet is very important if you are going to ride your bike. You need to get a helmet that fits you well.
- Riding gloves
This helps to reduce the pressure your hands always get when riding and especially on those long distances.
- Water bottle
Cycling makes you sweat, so you always need to replace the lost body fluids constantly. A water bottle enables you to carry your water throughout your riding session to lose those pounds of unwanted weight.
- Sunscreen
You will ride outside hence it is advisable to make sure you apply on some sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful rays.
- Clothing
How you dress matters when you are going to ride your bike; jeans and your other regular clothes just won’t do for this. Get light, fitted clothes ones that are also visible to motorists. You may also carry a rain coat just to be well prepared of any eventualities.
- Saddle bag
This is important because you can put the rest of your things in there like keys, money, id or even snacks like energy bars that will help you keep up your energy while riding and any other essentials that you may need.
Getting started
- Have a plan
So you want to lose 40 pounds in 12 weeks? Well, this is quite an achievable goal but you have to plan on how to go about it in a healthy way, figure out how many pounds you can lose per week. Once you have done that always aim at attaining the target.
- Eat a balanced meal
What we eat is the major contributor to weight gain and if you want to lose 40 pounds in 12 weeks then you have to be careful with what you put in your body. Since you will be pedaling a lot, you need foods that will give you a lot of energy. Eat carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins. Avoid fatty or sugary foods. Check on the timings of your meals; for example, eating too late in the night doesn’t help in losing weight.
iii. Steady does it
Cycling is a full body work out, riding at a moderately intensive pace to burn the fat works wonders. You can ride for 25-30 miles thrice a week. The secret is not to go at high speed rather at a gentler speed of about 80-85rpm.
iii. Don’t stress
When you let weight or other issues put you down, you end up doing more harm than good to your body. The hormones you release when stressed normally tend to make some people turn to food as a source of solace, and as a result gain more weight. Bicycling for weight loss can help you reduce thinking and help you feel a whole lot better.
- Be disciplined
In whatever we want to achieve in life discipline is a must, and this is not different you have to be disciplined enough not to eat junk foods or cycle at the time you are supposed to without making excuses.
Making the mountain bike your main means of transportation can ensure that you are always riding whether you are going to work, school or just running errands your fitness routine will be continuing all throughout your day and you will that 40 pounds faster than you imagined.