Is Cycling 70 Miles a Week Good for Weight Loss?

Cycling is a great exercise to do. Besides being a cardiovascular workout, it is also fun and enjoyable. More like just winding pedals, stay moving, and most importantly, staying healthy. 

People who want to lose weight often ask “Is cycling good for weight loss?”. The simple answer is yes. And that takes us to the second question of whether cycling for 70 miles is good for weight loss, which is also a yes. Cycling 70 miles weekly will help you burn a good amount of calories to shed extra pounds of weight. But like every other fitness activity, there are some details to consider.

In this article, we will look at how cycling can help you lose weight, how many calories you can burn by cycling, and what else you need to know as you embark on this effective weight loss journey.

How Does Cycling Help with Weight Loss?

Cycling is a form of aerobic exercise, which means it helps get your heart pumping. Any aerobic exercise—like running, swimming, or cycling—can help you burn calories. When you burn more calories than you eat, your body starts using fat for energy, which can lead to weight loss.

The good thing about cycling is it’s a low-impact exercise. It is easy on your knees and other joints even when you engage in HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) compared to other sports.

Plus, it’s the kind of exercise you can engage in on a slow and lazy Saturday morning, just to spice things up and get you in a better mood. You can explore new places or know a new route by winding those pedals.

How Many Calories Can You Burn Cycling?

The amount of calories you burn with cycling hinges on a few things listed below:

• Your weight
• How fast you’re riding
• and how much effort you’re putting in.

On average, a person weighing about 150 pounds can burn 400 to 600 calories per hour of cycling. If you’re heavier, you’ll burn even more because your body uses more energy to move.

Let’s do a some calculation:

• If you cycle at a moderate pace (about 12-14 miles per hour), you’ll burn around 500 calories in one hour.
• So, if you ride for one hour, four times a week, you could burn about 2,000 calories in total.

Since you’re cycling 70 miles a week, you’re probably riding between 10-15 miles each time. That means you’re spending 4-6 hours a week on the bike, which could burn anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 calories. That’s a whopping amount of calories.

To lose one pound of fat, you need to burn about 3,500 calories more than you eat. So, cycling 70 miles a week will help you lose weight—especially if you’re also watching what you eat.

So to not sabotage your weight loss effort, ensure you are consuming the right amount of calories. You’ll feel lighter as you continue cycling, and before you know it, you’ll make a habit out of it, which we consider a healthy one.

Combining Cycling with Healthy Eating

Exercise alone can help with weight loss, but combining it with a healthy diet makes a huge difference. To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit, which means burning more calories than you take in. Cycling will help you burn calories, but if you’re eating too much of it than you burn, it’ll be hard to see any significant result in your weight.

Below, we highlight some tips for eating better while cycling for weight loss:

Eat more fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are low in calories but high in nutrients, so this means no matter how much you consume them, you’re not going to be overloaded with calories. For fruits, consider eating more grapes, oranges, blackberries, watermelon, paw paw, peaches. For vegetables, consume cucumber, tomatoes, mushrooms, celery, cabbages, zucchini, and spinach. Of course, there are more, and you can find them here if you want to learn about them.

Focus on lean proteins

Foods like chicken, fish, beans, and tofu can help build muscle (which helps with fat loss) without adding too many extra calories.

Limit sugar and junks

Sodas, candy, and pies (whichever one) are just unhealthy for you to begin with. Consuming them in high quantities will jeopardize your weight loss effort. Instead, try to stick to water, herbal teas, and healthy snacks like nuts or fruit.

Eat balanced meals

Make sure your meals have a good mix of carbs, protein, and healthy fats to keep you full and energized. You’ll be needing lots of energy to move your two-wheeled friend.

The Benefits of Cycling for Weight Loss Beyond Calories

Cycling isn’t only beneficial because it helps you lose weight. It comes with other health benefits too as listed below. Let’s find out what they are.

Boosts your metabolism

Regular cycling can increase your metabolism, meaning your body burns more calories even when you’re not exercising.

Builds muscle

Cycling strengthens your leg muscles, especially your quads, hamstrings, and calves. This improves your stamina as well. In a nutshell cycling trades fats for muscles. A fair trade, we must admit.

Improves your mood

Exercise like cycling releases endorphins, which can help reduce stress and make you feel happier. When you feel good, it’s easier to make healthy choices, including what you eat.

How to Make Your Cycling More Effective for Weight Loss

If you want to get the most out of cycling for weight loss, here are some tips to help you get the best results:

1. Vary Your Speed and Intensity

If you always ride at the same speed, your body can get used to it, and you might not burn as many calories as you could. To keep things interesting (and to burn more fat), try mixing up your rides:

Add some high-intensity interval training

This means riding fast for short bursts (like 30 seconds to a minute) and then slowing down to recover. Repeat this a few times during your ride. The HIIT speeds up your calorie burning rate and increases your heart beat. Cycling gets more interesting when you challenge yourself a bit. And take it a notch higher at every internals in your weight journey.

Try riding uphill

This can really challenge your legs and burn more calories. Hills make you work harder, and you’ll get stronger and leaner over time.

2. Ride Longer

As soon as your body gets familiar and adapts to 70 miles per week, try increasing the distance slowly. The more time you spend cycling, the more calories you’ll burn. Start by adding an extra 5-10 miles to your weekly rides and see how you feel. Be sure to pay attention to your body and know when to slow things down so you don’t burnout.

3. Incorporate Strength Training

While cycling is great for your legs, it’s also a good idea to add some strength training to your routine. Building muscle helps with weight loss because muscles burn more calories than fat. You don’t need to lift heavy weights—simple bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, and push-ups can help build strength.

What to Expect: How Much Weight Can You Lose?

Everyone’s body is different, so the amount of weight you can lose from cycling 70 miles a week will vary from person to person. Some people may lose weight faster, while others might see slower results. It depends on your starting weight, how much you’re eating, and how hard you’re working during your rides.

A safe and healthy rate of weight loss is about 1-2 pounds per week. So, if you’re burning about 2,000-3,000 calories a week from cycling and also eating in a calorie deficit, you could lose 1 pound per week. That might not sound like much, but losing weight slowly is a healthy way compared to cutting corners and losing it all at the same time in a way that’s not healthy.

Stay Consistent and Be Patient

Cycling is an excellent exercise for weight loss. People love it because it’s enjoyable too. But losing weight with cycling is a gradual process and you’ll have to learn patience as you embark on this fun yet healthy means of losing weight.

The results don’t happen overnight. It takes time. And when it begins to happen, your clothes will start to fit better, you’ll feel stronger, and you’ll have more energy.

Weight loss isn’t just about the number on the scale. It’s also about feeling healthier and more confident in your body. So don’t get discouraged if the scale isn’t moving as fast as you’d like. Focus on how you feel, on the process, and keep enjoying your rides.

Other Benefits of Cycling

Even if weight loss is your main goal, cycling has other awesome benefits. It helps improve your heart health, strengthens your lungs, and boosts your overall fitness. It’s also a great way to reduce stress and clear your mind after a long day at work. We don’t need to mention the fun part, you already know how much fun it is.

Cycling can take you to new places, help you explore your neighborhood, or just give you some time outdoors taking fresh air. While cycling consistently, you can inspire people to join in your fun too and lose some extra weight. And in the process, you can make new friends.

To Wrap It Up

So let’s go back to the initial question: Is cycling 70 miles per week good for weight loss? The answer is a big YES. Cycling 70 miles per hour is a good way to burn calories and shed some weight. It also improves your heart health.

For best results, ensure you consume foods with low calories, workout more, and overtime, you’ll be proud of your new body size.

Also, remember the key to any successful weight loss plan is consistency. Keep pedaling, enjoy the journey, and give yourself time to see the results. You’re not only working toward a leaner body, but also a healthier and happier you.

Finally, how does it sound being in a community of sport lovers and people who share similar interests on weight loss? Cool, right? You can find them on Sportconn.

Sportconn is a sports social community that connects athletes, sports professionals, and enthusiasts like you where you can further discuss your weight loss journey with someone who shares similar interests.

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