TeamBuilding unwanted fat around the belly area is easy while getting rid of it becomes a daunting task. Getting on a bike is one of the many efficient ways you can use to shift the extra fat and lose the weight gained. So the short answer is yes, you can burn stubborn belly fat through cycling. The primary rule to reducing your midsection fat is to perform workouts that increase your metabolism and the production of fat-burning hormones. Yes, cycling can help you achieve all that.
Some other health benefits of cycling include:
- Reduced stress levels.
- Increase muscle and bone strength.
- Better posture.
How to Burn Belly Fat when Cycling
Cycling helps you lose weight entirely; however, you can make it more efficient in losing belly fat using the following tips.
Cycling at a Steady Pace
Cycling is a great way to burn fat and lose weight; however, you do not exert pressure on your belly as you do on your quads when riding. Therefore you need to come up with a strategy that includes doing interval cycling workouts. You can decide to pick the most convenient days to ensure you religiously take part in your cycling. Additionally, High-intensity training is a good way to reduce abdominal fat.
A simple way to achieve intensity cycling is warming up for the first five to ten minutes by cycling slowly; then, you can pick up your speed to work hard at a steady pace. Ensure you are breathing hard but not gasping, after which you can slow down and then increase your pace. Doing this repeatedly gets you into a rhythm that will help you burn fats.
Keep your Cycling Controlled
As much as you should go hard with your cycling, it is essential to keep it controlled. Going hard leaves your body stressed and subsequently inflamed, thus limiting your workout sessions. When your body is stressed, you cannot cycle much. Therefore, you will lack consistency; hence the cycling may not be efficient.
Limit your intensity to a few days in a week and take the rest of the weekly rides at a comfortable pace that your body can manage. Most of your rides should fall under zone two, whereby you can talk when cycling. The zone two intensity level is essential since it prompts high levels of fat oxidation for energy generation. Controlled rides are essential in building your muscle endurance and improved capillary development, which is essential in helping you keep up with cycling workouts.
Apply the 80/20 Regulation
The 80/20 rule is essential in helping you strike a balance in your intensity training. Cycling at a high and low intensity is essential in helping you burn fat. The primary goal of this rule is to spend 80% of your cycling time at high intensity and the rest of the 20% at a controlled pace. That way, you will have reserved some energy to go hard and make the most of your interval levels.
Incorporate Diet Riding
Enhance your fat-burning ability by including fasting in your cycling schedule. For example, you can go about your normal riding routine but on an empty stomach. If you do long-distance cycling that lasts for more than two hours, you can carry food. Fasted cycling helps your body burn more fats which are essential in reducing your midsection. The best time to take part in fast riding is just before breakfast after a whole night’s fast. At this time, your glycogen stores are quite low, which prompts your body to use up fats for energy, thus increasing your fat-burning ability. For faster cycling, you can ride your bike at a lower intensity.
Get Enough Sleep to Burn Belly Fat
Cycling is undoubtedly a successful way of burning fats and becoming leaner. However, you need to also integrate it with other essential measures such as getting enough sleep to ensure your body gets into full recovery mode after the tension and pressure from cycling. Moreover, from the endocrine development journal, it is noted that lack of sleep can trigger weight gain since it causes insulin insensitivity, which causes increased hunger and weight gain. Therefore as you go about your cycling workouts, ensure you get enough sleep for better functionality.
Conclusion
Noteworthy, it is a myth that you can lose fat around one area. Once you begin your workouts; you will most likely lose weight throughout the whole body. Therefore you should expect to be leaner with exercises such as cycling. Cycling helps burn belly fat; however you have to develop a routine for consistency purposes. Poor consistency may sometimes hinder you from achieving your body goals.
