How Much Time Do You Need to Cycle to Lose Weight?

There are many reasons to enjoy cycling. It can be done indoors or outdoors, at home or in the gym. You can also burn calories and it’s low-impact. If you are someone who cycles as your main workout, or you are considering adding it to your routine, you might be curious if cycling can lead to better overall health. We interviewed experts to determine if even 30 minutes of cycling per day can help you lose weight and make you feel stronger and more healthy.

Are you able to lose weight by cycling for 30 minutes per day?

Jennifer Chew, a NASM-certified personal trainer, said that it is possible to lose weight by cycling just for 30 minutes per day. Chew said that cycling for 30 minutes burns an average of 200 calories. However, this number will depend on your weight, your workout intensity, and resistance.

There are several ways you can burn as many calories in 30 minutes:

• Increase your resistance. Chew stated that increasing resistance is the easiest way to go. “Cardio can be like resistance training. To improve and avoid plateaus, you need to apply progressive overload principles.” June Sayer, ACE-certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor, agreed that it is possible to slow down your pace while increasing your resistance during a 30-minute workout.
• You can also add short, high-intensity intervals. Sayer said, “As your body becomes stronger, you can increase the intensity with a mixture short spin intervals.” You can add sprints or intervals of high-resistance, low-cadence cycling to your workout.

Why you should combine cardio and strength training

Although weight loss can be achieved by cycling for 30 minutes per day, Sayer & Chew stress the importance of strengthening your lifestyle and making lifestyle changes to help you reach your goals.

Krystal Goodman, a certified personal trainer and coach at Orangetheory said that when you combine strength training with cardiovascular activity (like cycling), your body composition will change dramatically by increasing calorie burning and muscle mass. Goodman said that combining strength training with cycling will give you the best bang for your buck when it comes to fat loss and weight reduction. Chew also agreed, noting that a higher level of muscle mass can “promote a better metabolism,” which in turn will allow your body to lose weight more effectively.

You can achieve results by combining cardio and strength training with a healthy diet. Chew stated that diet is crucial to weight loss. “The most important thing is daily caloric intake and daily caloric expenditure. You will lose weight if you eat fewer calories than what you burn.”

To maintain your cycling routine, you will need a trainer

Now that you have committed to cycling for 30 minutes per day, you might be wondering how you will keep it going. These are the top tips from experts:

• Include healthier foods in your diet. Goodman said that eating healthier and including nutrient-dense food in your diet will give you more energy for your workouts. This is why it matters. You’ll be more able to continue working out each day and will have greater resistance.
• You can mix indoor and outdoor cycling. Sayer does not believe there is a significant difference in indoor cycling and outside biking. However, it’s easy to mix indoor and outdoor exercise at least seasonally.
• Get a buddy to ride with you. Sayer recommends that you cycle with a friend to help keep each other accountable and “support one another, which will make it even more fun.” You don’t have to be close by for a friend, but you can still ride together and keep each other company while you are on the road.