Biking Tips to Lose Weight

Bike riding for losing weight is not only effective but extremely fun. Biking burns calories at fast rate and is much more interesting than walking or running. Most people contend that their heart rate increases much faster while biking than while running or walking.

If you are looking to lose weight through biking you will find the tips in this article helpful and informative. Find listed below the tips and suggestions to get cycling for weight loss.

Tone up your bike

Make sure your bike is comfortable and well suited for the terrain. If you are planning on biking after a long time, you will need to a make a few changes to your bike as mentioned below

• Get a comfortable seat, there are several different varieties available like gel seats or split seats
• Install bicycle lights, most states make this mandatory
• Install a 24 speed gear if you are planning on getting adventurous with the terrains
• Have your handle bar adjusted according to your height to avoid pain in your arms; you are cycling to lose weight without undue strain on your body
• Bike maintenance is important and should be performed once every season at any bike service outlet.

Install a speedometer and odometer

If you want to lose weight by cycling then you need to start getting calculative. Installing a speedometer will help you determine the mph at which you are cycling. You should hit high mph for short interval and come back to low mph for a while, this way you will be able to constantly exert yourself. An odometer keeps tab of how many miles you cover on each shoot. It is estimated that you can burn close to 700 calories if you cover 14 miles in an hour.

Vary your biking terrains

Biking can provide a full body workout depending on the terrains that you ride on. It is easy to guess that riding uphill is a much better work out than riding on a smoothly paved flat road. If there are hills around your area then you are in luck. A few tips to lose weight by cycling on different terrains are as below.

• Dirt and sandy tracks provide a much better workout than smooth roads
• Uphill rides should be done at slow speed so that you need to exert more
• If you’re biking on a smooth terrain make sure you brake often and start off from speed zero every few minutes.
• Avoid rocky terrains to avoid harm to your bike and unnecessary strain to your body.

If you are bike riding for losing weight then hit the terrains that are strain your calves and trunk. The tougher the better.

Hit high speeds for small intervals

When it comes to losing pounds, "No pain no gain" is a good adage to follow. You know you are losing weight and burning calories when you feel the pain in your muscles and sweat on your body. Follow these tips while biking for weight loss by varying speeds.

• Use a heart monitor to keep tab of your heart rate
• Start biking at speeds above 14 mph for a period of 10 minutes and then slack back to 9-10 mph for 10 minutes, do at least 3 reps of the same.
• Always pedal a full circle in order to work out the calves and the hamstring

Sweat it out and feel glad for it. Recumbent bike weight loss is for dreamers, it is great as an aerobic exercise but not good for burning off calories.

Keep it consistent

It is important to stay consistent with the biking regime. If you bike for a week and slack for next 3 to 4 days, you run the danger of putting on all the weight you lost through the workout.

• Create a routine of biking for an hour first thing in the morning
• Keep the bike in a good condition so you don't end up getting frustrated with bike repairs
• Bike along scenic routes so that the environment stays interesting
• Get a few of your friends to join in with you

Habits stay on once they are deeply ingrained. Follow a routine for 30 days and more likely than not you will be on auto mode.

Keep tab on your nutrition

Maintain a wholesome healthy diet rich in whole grain, fruits, vegetable and lean meats. Avoid eating diary products and fried foods as much as possible. Keep the following tips in mind while biking for weigh loss.

1. Don't bike on empty stomach, a couple of bananas or a few ounces of fresh orange juice will provide immediate energy for the workout.

2. Eating carbohydrate rich food before biking is ideal; fruits and whole grains are well suited for breakfast if you are on a biking regime.

3. It is ideal to burn of 30% of your calorie intake through physical activity. When this is done consistently, you will tend to lose weight at a steady rate.

If you are bike riding for weight loss you will end up realizing the various other benefits that go with it - toned calf muscles, tight waist line, well-muscled thighs and increased endurance to name a few. No wonder biking for weight loss is rated as being really effective and fun.