how good is cycling for weight loss?
know1seep
Posts: 55 Member
i love cycling, so much more than running. there's nothing i enjoy more than taking off on my bicycle, on a 12-15 k cycle to a pretty destination, and the same distance back. it doesnt even feel like exercise half the time i do it because i enjoy it so much. however, in terms of weight loss, if i do a cycle like this, say, three times per week, how good is this for weight loss? what has everyone's experience been of cycling, specifically in terms of weight loss.
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Very much its the same as any other exercise. If you can go out and exercise, and know that it has put you in a calorie deficit, then you will lose weight.
Depending on your dedication and application, you may not burn as many calories as other forms of exercise, but its one that you can generally maintain over a longer period of time.Also, if you are time crunched, you can blast a huge number of calories in 1 hour if you tackle it correctly.
Final evidence, look around these forums for evidence of people loosing 50lbs+. There are so many, Its a bug that you catch that swaps fat into fun (and probably also a little bit of pain).0 -
I think cycling is a very good way to get in your exercise, easy and healthy...you get out of it what you put into it..just like everything else.
Hopefully " TheBinYin ' will throw up a link to his win....0 -
I may not be the best person to offer advice on this but I will give you some things to think about.
Weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise more or less. Any activity is better than no activity. Nothing better than being out on your bike. However the rides you describe above do not sound like big calorie burners.
Nothing wrong with that, just realize you will need to watch your diet. Keep riding, as you say it is fun.0 -
I think a Pro for cycling is that just about anyone can start doing it and doing it slowly to build consistency. Running, on the other hand, can be strenuous to impossible for many folks starting out (and you risk injury!).
I started road biking about a year ago and labored to go around an 8mile loop that is perfectly flat. I worked up to doing 2 loops after a bit (16mi), and can remember that being a "big deal" for me. Now, I commute back and forth to work (13mi and 760ft elevation gain) routinely and am training for a century ride (100mi!) this summer.
I've really enjoyed cycling because it's more enjoyable for me to do than other cardio activities and I can work it into my life much easier.
You can't just cycle for short distances or times (a 30min moderate bike ride can't compete with a P90x session, for example), but it's also much easier to spend time on the bike without hurting yourself.
It's worked well for me so far, plus the aerobic benefits are fantastic.0 -
My getting control of my weight is down to exercise. I never really understood the expression my brother used when I first went out with him. He said to me - "There is fit and there is bike fit"
2000km riding through a UK winter and I now know what he means. I am fitter and leaner than I was 20 years ago.
In a few months you will be looking at that 12km-15km and thinking of it as a warm up before you start your ride. You'll be looking enviously at high end carbon frames, dreaming of electronic shifters and wondering if carbon wheels really will make you faster up that climb
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Hopefully " TheBinYin ' will throw up a link to his win....
it's in another group, so rather than have the op have to join... i'll cut and paste...
Me in August 2011 before I started riding the bike a bit...
Me last week...
Cycling's a great way to burn some extra calories, it's non-impact (providing you don't fall off of course), and the passing scenery provides enough interest to keep you exercising far longer than most other exercises.
I returned to riding just over 2 years ago, after a long lay-off due to work etc. When I began I was just short of 400lb (397.7lb for the sake of accuracy, or 180.4kg in sensible measurements!). By following the guidelines on MFP I've dropped to 105.4kg in under 2 years.
When I began riding again, my regular riding loop was just under 16km (10 miles) and took me just over 1 hour. For the following hour, I was pretty much unable to do anything more than sit wheezing and gasping before dragging my sorry carcase upstairs for a shower, and a short nap. My typical riding schedule at the moment is 3 days riding with a rest day. Normal daily rides are generally a 50km (30 mile) loop in 115-125 minutes with maybe 6 times the ascent/descent that the initial loop contained. So - I'm going 3 times as far on twice as hilly terrain and going 50% faster... that's quite an improvement in riding ability - it's not spectacular by the standards of "proper" cyclists, but it's an improvement that I attribute mainly to losing the weight - 75kg is not to be sneezed at...
Best of all, I can cheerfully go out on a Sunday morning, ride for 70-80 miles in 5 hours, arrive home, and still be perfectly functional after a shower and a bowl of pasta 0 -
Yup, TBY pretty well has this one covered. I lost most of my weight by watching what I eat and riding. But the type of riding where you know you are exercising, not just a casual ride. I do find that running trims me through the middle more than riding, so i still do it, but only under protest. Hill workouts trim my middle also, just not as quickly. Good luck.0
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I cycle 20 miles a day on my commute to and from work. The first time last year on a mountain bike nearly killed me. I collapsed into the house and didn't recover until next morning. I now get home in double quick time and the final down-hill section to my house means I'm not even out of breath when I get in. I have lost 6 stone in the process, beat high blood pressure, out perform other riders half my age on the road (I'm 40) and saved myself a ton of cash in fuel and parking savings. I'm on a riding high, and to quote Mr Armstrong (love him or hate him), 'What am I on?... I'm on my bike'.1
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How good is it? Look at my ticker. I do a lot of elliptical, and i used to walk..but that is really, really boring, and the calories burned are nothing compared to what you can burn on a bike, even at a moderate pace.0
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...and saved myself a ton of cash in fuel and parking savings. I'm on a riding high, and to quote Mr Armstrong (love him or hate him), 'What am I on?... I'm on my bike'.
I do agree wholeheartedly on everything, except for the savings part. I am spending humongous amounts of cash on tires, brake pads, chain, rear cassette, drivetrain - in short pretty much everything that moves and subject to wear&tear. And mind you, I do everything myself, never go to the local bike shop (had of course to purchase the whole tool enchilada as well). Then there's biking clothes which aren't for free either.
Of course I am a maniac - I bike through the snowy winter with studded tires, through rain when it pours, etc. But in the end, I am not spending much less than my sweet wife who only drives her Toyota Sienna. Still, it's amazing fun and I wouldn't want to miss it. Besides, what am I working for if I cannot even buy me some fun???0 -
Exercise is great for your health and your physique. But weight loss happens because of your food choices and a calorie deficit. It is pretty common knowledge amongst gym members that weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise.
On the plus side, if you enjoy cycling that much you will stick to it and create a calorie deficit. Finding exercise you enjoy is key to sticking to a fitness plan.0 -
I do agree wholeheartedly on everything, except for the savings part. I am spending humongous amounts of cash on tires, brake pads, chain, rear cassette, drivetrain - in short pretty much everything that moves and subject to wear&tear. And mind you, I do everything myself, never go to the local bike shop (had of course to purchase the whole tool enchilada as well). Then there's biking clothes which aren't for free either.
Of course I am a maniac - I bike through the snowy winter with studded tires, through rain when it pours, etc. But in the end, I am not spending much less than my sweet wife who only drives her Toyota Sienna. Still, it's amazing fun and I wouldn't want to miss it. Besides, what am I working for if I cannot even buy me some fun???
You need a commuter bike. They are more hardy for the kind of riding you are doing. A road bike isn't going to hold up to the rigors of a daily commute. I paid $600 for my commuter a year ago and have only had to put money into some tubes, tires and brake pads over that time. I also added panniers but picked them up for a song on Amazon. I have rechargeable lights, with front and rear cost less than $100. My helmet was about $65.The chain will have to be replaced this summer, and I probably have another year before I'll have to replace my rims.
I wear regular fitness clothes when I ride. I can buy a pair of running tights at Old Navy for less than $20. I have found that clothes designed for runners works perfect for cyclists. No need to pay $75 for a pair of lycra shorts. I have plain old pedals, no toe clips. I just wear a pair of sneakers when I ride. In the coldest part of the winter, I wore ski gloves. I have grip shifters, so manual dexterity wasn't all that necessary. I bought some chemical hand and foot warmers for the winter commute.
I just wanted to point out that cycling does not have to be an expensive sport. I did a 100k on April 28th, and rode my 7 speed commuter. I managed to finish the ride faster than my friend who was on $5k bike. I spend almost nothing on my bike. I do my own maintenance, too.
I love the feeling of passing up the guys on the expensive carbon bikes as I speed up the hills. I ring my bell, say "Passing on your left" in the cheeriest voice I can and wish them a happy ride.
I calculated what I would have to spend per month to get and maintain a car. It's about $700 for payments, insurance, maintenance, and fuel. I think I'll just stick with the bike.0 -
Really the key to weight loss is the balance between your diet and your activity but exercise that you really enjoy is the one that you will keep doing.
Big advantages of cycling are that you can fit it into your normal life (commuting etc.), it's kind to your joints and you can do some spectacular calorie burns.
I ate 5,000 calories yesterday and I was still in a deficit at the end of the day!
Totally agree with "therealparislove" - you don't have to spend a fortune on your bike unless you want to get into the sporting/competitive side of things. I'm aiming to do a century ride on my 5 year old hybrid that's done a few thousand miles at the cost of one new chain, a few inner tubes and a set of brake pads.0 -
I love the feeling of passing up the guys on the expensive carbon bikes as I speed up the hills. I ring my bell, say "Passing on your left" in the cheeriest voice I can and wish them a happy ride.
Love this! You're my new hero! I am a sore newbie, and would love to someday do this. We have a lot of high tech riders around here. lol0 -
It's great. But you get out of it what you put into it. You can be lazy on a bike just if you're not focused. The trick is to challenge yourself. Fortunately, I have two words that never fail to challenge me: Sierra Nevada.0
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I am a daily commuter and a bicycle touring enthusiast. I'm not sure if cycling is any better or worse than other types of exercise for weight loss. I do know that it is kind to your body and easy on the mind. I've enjoyed riding a bike since I was a kid and nothing has changed. There are few situations that I can't honestly say, "I'd rather be bicycling." I have a mountain bike frame used for touring so it isn't fast or light but it is darn near bullet proof. After 25,000 miles I am on the same shifters, derailleur, handle bars, headset, bottom bracket and hubs. Brake pads, bearings, tires, cogs and chains are all relatively cheap. Keep it greased and well maintained and I think a bike will last forever. I plan on finding out!0
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If I am at the gym and I start getting tired, I just back it in and take a shower. On my bike, if I start getting tired, I still have to get to your destination so I end up exercising longer than I would in a gym.0
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Almost down 50lbs
I commute to work almost every day... If I can work it in anyone can0 -
No one can claim the MENTAL health benefits of a treadmill. Ride a bike, get outside, explore. It's good for body AND mind.0
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Ride a bike, get outside, explore. It's good for body AND mind.
^^ 'nuff said ^^0 -
It's a great way to lose weight, I'm losing between 0.5 - 1.0 Lbs. a day now and I love getting on my bike and getting an intense workout for about 2 hours, I used to run but I had some trouble with my back so I switched to biking and I love it now, can't imagine stopping!0
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Take on a really big hill. Keep riding up that hill until you have conquered it. Then find an even bigger hill and repeat. My weight hasn't been this low in 10 years. I biked all through the winter, and I eventually conquered that hill. It took months to be able to ride to the top without stopping, and months more to feel like I wasn't going to pass out once I reached the top.
I rode that hill yesterday, and I wondered when I had gotten so strong. I zipped right up and just kept on going. I have my eyes set at a 16% grade over 3 miles (5km) for my pinnacle. I'm not to that level... yet. One day I hope to be able to ride that hill. 0 -
its not just good,,, it is great,,, I go every day, and it works wonders.0
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It is a great exercise and so much more enjoyable than the treadmill. I've lost most of my weight with diet and cycling.0
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I have a cheap $150 wal-mart mountain bike that I ride about once a week or more. It's not the only thing I do, but it definitely clears my head and is some of the best cardio you can do. If anything I'd put rowing above cycling, but unless you're cool with the concept 2's at the gym or have a few thousand dollars to toss around and live on the water it's definite alternative.0
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The key to choosing an exercise is choose one that you enjoy so you will stick at it.
BUT buy a heart rate monitor, because MFP grossly overestimates calories burnt. I did an 80 minute bike ride today at an average of 24 kms/hr and my heart rate monitor said I used 704 calories, MFP estimated double that. So if you are eating all your exercise calories, an HRM is an important tool.
GG0 -
Take on a really big hill. Keep riding up that hill until you have conquered it. Then find an even bigger hill and repeat. My weight hasn't been this low in 10 years. I biked all through the winter, and I eventually conquered that hill. It took months to be able to ride to the top without stopping, and months more to feel like I wasn't going to pass out once I reached the top.
I rode that hill yesterday, and I wondered when I had gotten so strong. I zipped right up and just kept on going. I have my eyes set at a 16% grade over 3 miles (5km) for my pinnacle. I'm not to that level... yet. One day I hope to be able to ride that hill.
That sounds like just the challenge I need! There is this hill I go up everyday and I remember the first day I went up it I thought I was going to pass out but now I go right up it every day without fear. I hope you get to the top of your hill someday, you sound like a very intelligent lady, glad you enjoy biking so much.0 -
Hopefully " TheBinYin ' will throw up a link to his win....
it's in another group, so rather than have the op have to join... i'll cut and paste...
Me in August 2011 before I started riding the bike a bit...
Me last week...
Cycling's a great way to burn some extra calories, it's non-impact (providing you don't fall off of course), and the passing scenery provides enough interest to keep you exercising far longer than most other exercises.
I returned to riding just over 2 years ago, after a long lay-off due to work etc. When I began I was just short of 400lb (397.7lb for the sake of accuracy, or 180.4kg in sensible measurements!). By following the guidelines on MFP I've dropped to 105.4kg in under 2 years.
When I began riding again, my regular riding loop was just under 16km (10 miles) and took me just over 1 hour. For the following hour, I was pretty much unable to do anything more than sit wheezing and gasping before dragging my sorry carcase upstairs for a shower, and a short nap. My typical riding schedule at the moment is 3 days riding with a rest day. Normal daily rides are generally a 50km (30 mile) loop in 115-125 minutes with maybe 6 times the ascent/descent that the initial loop contained. So - I'm going 3 times as far on twice as hilly terrain and going 50% faster... that's quite an improvement in riding ability - it's not spectacular by the standards of "proper" cyclists, but it's an improvement that I attribute mainly to losing the weight - 75kg is not to be sneezed at...
Best of all, I can cheerfully go out on a Sunday morning, ride for 70-80 miles in 5 hours, arrive home, and still be perfectly functional after a shower and a bowl of pasta
Wow! Great job man.0 -
Hopefully " TheBinYin ' will throw up a link to his win....
it's in another group, so rather than have the op have to join... i'll cut and paste...
Me in August 2011 before I started riding the bike a bit...
Me last week...
Cycling's a great way to burn some extra calories, it's non-impact (providing you don't fall off of course), and the passing scenery provides enough interest to keep you exercising far longer than most other exercises.
I returned to riding just over 2 years ago, after a long lay-off due to work etc. When I began I was just short of 400lb (397.7lb for the sake of accuracy, or 180.4kg in sensible measurements!). By following the guidelines on MFP I've dropped to 105.4kg in under 2 years.
When I began riding again, my regular riding loop was just under 16km (10 miles) and took me just over 1 hour. For the following hour, I was pretty much unable to do anything more than sit wheezing and gasping before dragging my sorry carcase upstairs for a shower, and a short nap. My typical riding schedule at the moment is 3 days riding with a rest day. Normal daily rides are generally a 50km (30 mile) loop in 115-125 minutes with maybe 6 times the ascent/descent that the initial loop contained. So - I'm going 3 times as far on twice as hilly terrain and going 50% faster... that's quite an improvement in riding ability - it's not spectacular by the standards of "proper" cyclists, but it's an improvement that I attribute mainly to losing the weight - 75kg is not to be sneezed at...
Best of all, I can cheerfully go out on a Sunday morning, ride for 70-80 miles in 5 hours, arrive home, and still be perfectly functional after a shower and a bowl of pasta
excellent work and thanks for sharing great inspiration 0 -
i love cycling, so much more than running. there's nothing i enjoy more than taking off on my bicycle, on a 12-15 k cycle to a pretty destination, and the same distance back. it doesnt even feel like exercise half the time i do it because i enjoy it so much. however, in terms of weight loss, if i do a cycle like this, say, three times per week, how good is this for weight loss? what has everyone's experience been of cycling, specifically in terms of weight loss.
Cycling is one of the best workouts to lose weight for those very reasons (easy, enjoyable, accessible). I lost maybe 45 pounds through 6 non-consecutive cycling months with a coordinated change in eating habits. As much as I love cycling, I have to emphasize proper diet. I've tried just diet and just exercise. Ultimately, the sum of the two is greater than the parts.
Another way to put it: It's better to spend 1 hour a day on planning a proper diet and exercising a 1/2 hour than say 2 hours just exercising.
Cycling burns 600-1000 calories/hour depending on intensity/speed (faster = more wind resistance = more calories burned). Over 20 mph you start to approach 900-1000 calories/hour. Obviously, not downhill. So it's very achievable to (dangerously) burn a pound of fat in a day. Very common for me to burn 2000-2400+ calories from cycling alone in a day.
Keep in mind the primary determinant of how much weight/calories burned is time, not speed/intensity. Riding 14-16 mph for 2 hours is far superior to riding 16-19 mph for one hour.
Bicycling feels easy for a few reasons. Bicycles are the most efficient human-powered vehicle at 99% efficiency (power transfer from pedals to wheels). Gearing reduces this a bit as a transmission does in a car, however. Bicycling mitigates the shock/stress on most of the body usually experienced in running (when done properly).
Comparable cardio is swimming and running. They both have their pro's and con's. However, it doesn't matter which form of cardio you choose. Choose the one(s) you enjoy the most because that means you'll keep doing it. That's what matters (and diet).0
