In the midst of this ongoing pandemic, more and more people are starting to realize the importance of maintaining health. This can be seen from the number of people doing sports activities.
The trend of cycling was loved by the community during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially among young people. This cycling activity is the choice of many people in exercising.
In addition to maintaining a healthy body, cycling also has benefits for losing weight if it is balanced with a healthy lifestyle and diet.
1. Set realistic cycling goals.
First, determine the target body weight you want to achieve. You can choose a target weight using the Body Mass Index (BMI) as a guide. It is based on the ratio of a person’s height to body weight, and is used by many medical professionals. BMI is good for identifying a healthy target weight.
Use online tools like the NHS BMI checker to identify a healthy weight for you. BMI is far from a perfect metric, but it’s a good way to start a target.
An alternative is to target a target body fat percentage. Healthy men typically have a body fat percentage of 15-18 percent, and women 25-32 percent.
A man who trains and rides regularly can achieve a body fat percentage of 8-10{eeacc7d6c1298edd06c7059ea65a30dd8cee226b06dc6685ca088ddd0c5d562b} and a woman trains and rides a bicycle regularly 24–28{eeacc7d6c1298edd06c7059ea65a30dd8cee226b06dc6685ca088ddd0c5d562b}. There are many scales that will measure body fat percentage, so buying one can be a good investment. To speed up the process of losing weight, you can also take proven supplements like proven.
2. Cycling with the aim of losing weight 1 kg per week.
While it may be tempting to try something else and lose heart, research shows that sudden and rapid weight loss is rarely maintained, with many people gaining weight by overeating.
Instead, think of it as a gradual process and lifestyle change. You don’t only want to lose weight, you also want to keep it off.
“For most people if they have an hour a day, and they enjoy doing an hour of exercise a day, then they can expect to lose a kilo a week,” said Andy Wadsworth, a personal trainer.
3. Pedal at medium speed.
If you want to burn fat, you have to drive at a speed that keeps your heart rate between 68 and 79 percent of your maximum heart rate. This is something you can adjust using a heart rate monitor like a smart watch.
If you don’t have a smart watch, you need to take direct steps that leave you feeling out of breath but still able to maintain the conversation.
4. Traveling by bicycle.
One of the things you can try is using a bicycle as a means of transportation. Bicycles are an efficient form of transportation, you can go to a place like the office to work as well as exercise.
Traveling by bicycle can have a big impact on weight loss. A study by the University of East Anglia and the Center for Diet and Activity Research showed that people who switched to cycling from driving motorized vehicles or public transportation lost an average of 7 kg over the year while driving 30 minutes each way.
In addition, cycling also helps increase concentration, creativity and stress levels, so you also tend to be more productive when you start working.
5. After getting used to it, increase the duration of cycling.
If you are getting used to cycling at moderate speed, increase the duration of the cycling time. For this effort, you’ll need to ride up to 70–90{eeacc7d6c1298edd06c7059ea65a30dd8cee226b06dc6685ca088ddd0c5d562b} of your heart rate for the majority of the session, or ride fast enough that you can’t hold a conversation.
Wadsworth recommends adding this to a workout routine. “Your body starts working in anaerobic mode, so it has to repair itself after exertion and burn fat that way, increasing your aerobic capacity and muscle mass.”
“The more muscle you have, the more fuel you need to keep it going, the more calories you burn,” he continues.
6. Get enough sleep.
Sleep can contribute to weight loss. Research has shown that people who sleep six to eight hours a night are much more successful at losing weight and keeping it off, and are also less likely to be stressed.
Research also shows that people who don’t get enough sleep at night are more prone to feeling hungry and tend to feel full when eating. And of course, getting a good night’s sleep is essential to helping the body repair and build muscle every day so that you are ready for the next day.