People start cycling for many reasons. Still, losing weight is the most common one. But when you want to lose weight from cycling, there are quite a few things you should keep in mind. Many people do not know about these things, and therefore they make their workout counterproductive to losing weight. So in order to get the most out of cycling and lose proper amount of weight, you should make sure you know all about the nutrition and riding effectively. Here are 7 tips you should definitely take a look at.
Have a Breakfast before You Ride
Many people like to skip breakfast when they go riding in the morning but this is actually not a good idea. There is nothing better to get you metabolism running than a proper breakfast early in the morning. Skipping it, means you will have less energy and will not be able to have a proper workout. Not only this but in that case your body is going to only store fat instead of burning it. Starving your body only makes your metabolism save the fat for later. And this is definitely something you do not want to happen.
Do Not Overdress
Another mistake many people make is overdressing in order to sweat more. If you do this, you will notice some results in weight loss but all of the weight you lose, you will lose by dehydration which is not something you want to do. You need a lot of fluids that will help you ride more which is a key to losing weight. So take of your jacket and leg warmers when temperatures are higher and instead of sweating more choose to ride more than you usually do. That is how calories are burned.
Manage Your Meals
When trying to lose weight by cycling it is really important to manage all of your meals. Eating just because you feel sad or happy, or just because there is some food on the table can make your training completely inefficient. Instead, what you should do is manage all of the meals in front, and stick to the schedule you made. Eat small portions couple of times a day, and do not add anything to the meal plan you have already made. Counting calories makes you more aware of your diet and helps you establish some good eating habits.
Go Easy on Gluten
Overconsumption of gluten can also have a negative effect on losing weight. You do not have to cut on gluten only if you have a gluten allergy. Limiting processed wheat will help you lose more weight. This means your consumption of processed foods, bread and baked goods will be decreased. These tend to make you feel more bloated during the training so cutting on these means you will be able to enjoy cycling more and make it more efficient. If you have noticed you are bloated during the ride, you should eat gluten-free energy bars or some fruits such as bananas and oranges.
Add More Vegetables and Lean Protein to Your Diet
Vegetables and lean proteins such as chicken or fish are the basis of every cyclist’s diet. Instead of loading you up with nutritional supplements they give you all the vitamins and protein you need. Giving your body what it needs without any supplements will make you feel better and give you more strength. More strength of course, means more cycling and more calories burned. So whenever you get a junk food craving you should eat some vegetable and lean protein instead if you want to make your training more efficient.
Weight and Measure Often
When you keep track of your weight you are more likely to stick to the diet plan you have made. Not only this, but you will be more keen on training as well. That is why many specialists advise cyclists to keep a diary of body weight, a food journal and calculate burned calories every day. One weigh-in per week is more than enough. You should also do it during the same day of the week in the same time. When it comes to counting calories, there are many websites and apps you can use to get your calculations every day.
Training Right
Still, the most important thing for losing weight is proper training. There are two types of training you can opt for – high-intensity interval training or prolonged moderate intensity training. Both are efficient and can help you lose weight. You can decide on the first one in case you want to reach your maximum race performance. Still, for the proper training you will need a proper bike as well. Make sure your bike is a good shape if you intend to ride every day. Getting an electric bike is also a good idea, especially if you want to get somewhere while you are exercising. If you are looking for electric bikes in Sydney make sure you check out online stores as well.
Combining proper nutrition and regular training is surely going to get you some results. Make sure you make a plan for both nutrition and cycling and stick to eat and you will lose weight in no time.