Cycling

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charlottebainb

New Member
I have just started cycling, something I have recently taken up to improve my fitness and also to loose some weight. Is cycling will help to loose weight?

Regards
Charlotte
 

snorri

Legendary Member
charlottebainb said:
I have just started cycling, something I have recently taken up to improve my fitness and also to loose some weight. Is cycling will help to loose weight?
Only along with a calorie controlled diet.:smile:
 
Regular cycling, starting with shorter distances and gradually building up to longer rides, will help you to become more healthy, but a sensible and well balanced diet is necessary for you to lose weight.

You will lose weight if you burn more calories than you consume!

There's plenty of advice on this site (if you trawl a bit) or on the internet.

You need to make sure you have a quality (not necessarily an expensive) bike suited for your needs, and set up to fit you, and appropriate clothing depending on what you will be cycling for: commute to work: purely exercise: fun: or out on trips with friends/family.

There is a wealth of knowledge here, so don't be afraid to ask ANY question; we all had to start sometime!

Good luck and welcome to the forum! :smile:
 

jethro10

Über Member
I'm in the same position, it's not that I cycle for 'performance' just pleasure and weight etc.

I havn't lost much weight in 6 months since I started, but I've changed shape.
If your looking for fat loss, then probably and easily.
Overall weight loss? well just cycling wont solve it for you.

J
 
jethro10 said:
I'm in the same position, it's not that I cycle for 'performance' just pleasure and weight etc.

I havn't lost much weight in 6 months since I started, but I've changed shape.
If your looking for fat loss, then probably and easily.
Overall weight loss? well just cycling wont solve it for you.

J

Oh yes it will! Ask anyone (or most) of the cyclists here who cycle REGULARLY and eat SENSIBLY! :smile:
 

wafflycat

New Member
charlottebainb said:
I have just started cycling, something I have recently taken up to improve my fitness and also to loose some weight. Is cycling will help to loose weight?

Regards
Charlotte

On its own: no. It will, however, tone you up. Exercise alone will not cause you to lose weight. Indeed you may put some weight on if you succumb to the 50-mile bike ride hunger when you've only cycled 25 miles... Been there, done that. Sigh.. You need a combination of healthy eating & exercise.
 

briank

New Member
We vary in how efficiently we extract calories from what we consume: the rest is excreted. Also bear in mind thatwe all burn some calories all the time: even when asleep our hearts still beat, diaphragm moves and countless other metabolic processes continue, most burning up a little energy.

However, with those provisos, Dayvo's rule is right.

Calories consumed greater than calories burned +calories excreted - result: weight gain.

Calories consumed less than calories burned + calories excreted _ result: weight loss.

It really is as simple as Mr Micawber's dictum about Income and Expenditure.
 

solmisation

Active Member
Location
Paisley
jethro10 said:
I'm in the same position, it's not that I cycle for 'performance' just pleasure and weight etc.

I havn't lost much weight in 6 months since I started, but I've changed shape.
If your looking for fat loss, then probably and easily.
Overall weight loss? well just cycling wont solve it for you.

J

You make a good point about changing shape, if you control your calorific intake, but take more exercise, cycling etc, your body will change shape, you loose the fat you are carrying and build up more muscle, as muscle weighs more that fat, you may find you actually put on weight. This is why some athletes can have a BMI which indicates that they are obese, when clearly they are not.
 

jasonmccullum

Über Member
i started cycling in July and started off doing 4 miles a day. i slowly built this up to 7 miles a day and doing a longer ride on the monday ( started off as 15 miles, then 20 and 25 and now i am at 30).

i eat pretty healthy and have lost almost 1.5 stones since july.

you can do it but you really have to want to do it...especally now winter is here
 

groove65

New Member
+1

the main thing here is what another poster said about muscle density - you might "weigh" more but you will be more toned.

"weight" is a bit of a red herring in many ways - its about health, energy gain and loss (calories in less than or equal to calories out) and enjoyment.

you also need to bear in mind your metabolism - we are all different and that can count for some differences.

i found i initially lost "weight" but then hit a plateau and put more "weight" back on - what made the difference though is that my waistline went from 38" in 34" and stayed there even though some weight went on (muscle tone)

overall though i really enjoy getting out there and when i cant get out i go on the trainer. it really makes a difference to your overall mental wellbeing - you just feel better from exercising IMO.
 
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