Want to get rid of your excess pounds? The hop aboard the very first “exercise equipment” you probably ever owned—a bike.
Pedalling provides a fat-burning workout that can help you churn away those unwanted fats in no time. Not to mention that this activity is relatively easy on the joints and is even fun to do no matter what your current weight is. Interested? Below are some easy ways to get leaner through biking.
1. Bike before breakfast.
Yes you’ve read that right—get those wheels spinning prior to chowing your breakfast down. Saddle your equipment for 20 minutes before breakfast and be in for a good workout. Studies have found that people burn fat better on a fasted state than when already fuelled-up. Though it is not advisable to do long and more intense workouts on a fasted state, this simple morning routine will roughly lead to a 1,100 calorie burn in a week and get that fat-churning process going. It’s a trick that’s being employed by pro-cyclists for decades already.
2. Go at it hard.
Yes, this one’s not that easy, but you need to cycle fast, like REAL fast. Research has shown that high-intensity sprint cycling helps you get leaner and fitter a whole lot faster. Thirty seconds of full throttle cycle speed can spike your levels of human growth hormone to a whopping 530%–release of that hormone promotes fat burning. Short sprint workouts also increase your body’s levels of metabolism so you keep on churning fats even after you’re done cycling and already hitting the showers.
3. Cycle in Lycra.
Yes ditch your baggies and opt for Lycra wear. Why? Because it will serve as your “signal clothes” which can help you track your weight gain or loss. Without snug-fitting clothes to sound the alarm it can be very easy for the scales to pile up the pounds.
4. Try the road less traveled.
An hour of cycling in an off-road track can get you burning around 600 calories which is a lot more than what you can burn just cruising the same period of time at a well-paved road. Off-roads work your entire body and not just your legs. Imaging pulling over rocks, logs, mud and more—this activity is built to build muscles in your back, chest, arms, legs as well as your core. So better trade your skinny tires for your fatter ones a few times each week and start shredding.
5. Go for the hills.
Going through hills ups your caloric burn in no time, not to mention build up your core strength. No hills, no problem. Find a 10-minute incline and do a series of repeats, while alternating between sitting and standing, which means you’ll spend half the time charging out of the saddle. Standing not only increases your calorie burn, it also ups your heart rate which sends a fresh new wave of oxygenated blood to your tissues which leaves you feeling flushed and refreshed.
6. Use your bike for commuting.
For short trips, try opting to bike instead of riding your car. It’s still an aerobic and fun activity which can help in your weight loss goals.
7. Use the stationary bike while watching TV.
An average individual watches TV for roughly three hours each day, and they do it in couches and La-Z-boys. To maximize your productivity, plop your trainer in front of the TV and start pedalling while you’re watching your fave sitcom. You won’t break out in a sweat that much but still you can kill an easy 1000 calories which is enough to lose a pound a week if you do it three or four times weekly.
