Riding your bicycle potentially can help you lose significant weight, assuming you eat a proper diet designed for weight loss at the same time. In order to do that, you'll need to know how many calories you require each day, how many you'll burn performing your planned bicycling routine, and the types of foods on which you should focus while losing weight. You'll cut back on calories, but you may be able to eat more than you think because you'll be burning calories through cycling. Just be sure to talk with your doctor about any plans you have for a new exercise and weight loss program.
Weight Loss Basics
You probably already know that in order to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than your food contains -- a total of 3,500 calories for each pound, to be exact. If you want to lose 1 lb. every week, you would reduce your normal daily caloric intake by about 400 to 600 calories every day; over the course of the week, that should amount to a 1 lb. weight loss. However, decreasing your caloric intake can slow your metabolism -- and that's where exercise such as bicycling comes in.
Calories Burned Cycling
You'll burn approximately 240 to 355 calories in half an hour cycling at a pace of about 12 to 13 mph, depending on how much you weigh, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. If you cycle indoors on a stationary bike, that same moderately paced half-hour workout will burn about 210 to 310 calories. Over the course of a week, these workouts could help you lose another half-pound. However, since you're cycling in addition to dieting for weight loss, you may want to cut back your normal caloric intake by only 300 calories each day instead of 500. That way, you'll still lose 1 lb. every week, but you might not feel as deprived and you might stick to your diet more easily.
Nutrition Needs
You may need to increase your intake of carbohydrates -- particularly complex carbohydrates such as whole grains -- to support your cycling workouts. According to the University of Georgia, whole grain cereals, breads and pastas can keep your muscles fueled for your workouts at the same time as providing valuable vitamins, fiber and minerals. A total of 60 percent to 70 percent of your diet should come from carbs, with as much from whole grains, fruits and vegetables as possible. Although you need protein to build new muscle and keep your immune system healthy, you probably already eat enough, so don't add any extra. As far as fats go, you shouldn't eat any more than 20 percent to 30 percent of your calories in the form of fat. Include plant fats such as olive oil and canola oil in place of saturated fats from meats.
Considerations
You also need to consider the timing of your meals when you're bicycling to lose weight, especially if your workouts are intense or long. If you're planning a big bike ride or are participating in a cycling event, increase your carbohydrate consumption to about 70 percent of your total calories in the three or four days beforehand. Try eating a small snack that includes complex carbohydrates about 30 minutes before a big training session; whole-grain crackers or some dry, high-fiber cereal both could be good choices. Remember to drink plenty of fluids -- the University of Georgia Health Center recommends about a liter for every 1,000 calories you consume in a day.
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