Cycling Training Plan for Weight Loss – Mountain Bike or Road Bike?

Most of us ride a bike because we love to experience the benefits of being on two wheels, whether this is enjoying the countryside, the thrill of racing, or the benefits of weight loss.

If you are new to cycling and are looking to experience the benefits of a cycling training plan for weight loss, continue on reading. Otherwise, you can check out our weight loss plan here – Cycling Weight Loss Training Plan.

Mountain Bike or Road Bike for Weight Loss?

If you are beginning your journey to losing weight, you may be wondering if you should ride a mountain bike or road bike for weight loss?

When it comes to burning calories, mountain biking is far better than road cycling. You may be asking why? Mountain biking increases the number of calories you burn because of all the climbing, descending, cornering, and everything else that comes with ripping through trails.

Riding a mountain bike offers a natural variation in heart rate because of the higher rolling resistance and varying terrain. Road cycling is often more controlled, so if you’re riding in a group, you will find the energy expenditure is far less than mountain biking. This has to do with the lower heart rate and lower energy expenditure while in a group. Although, this can change depending on the intensity of the bunch ride.

But this is not to say road cycling is bad for weight loss. If you focus on varying your terrain, you can get the same benefits as you do riding a mountain bike.

Cycling 30 minutes a Day Weight Loss

On average, cycling burns 200 calories every 30 minutes. So, by adding cycling into your fitness routine, you can burn calories with less impact on the body than running.

While cycling 30 minutes a day burns roughly 200 calories, this number can depend on several factors. Your weight, riding intensity, and resistance all play a role in how many calories you burn while cycling.

If you are looking to include cycling 30 minutes a day for weight loss, there are a couple of ways to increase your calorie expenditure:

Increase power or resistance – The easiest way is to increase the average power during a ride. Alternatively, if you’re using an indoor bike, look at increasing the resistance. Remember progressive overload not only helps you to improve but also helps you to avoid plateaus.

Add more intervals – Since riding slowly for 30 minutes isn’t going to burn all that many calories, try adding intervals into your training. By adding intervals, you will not only get stronger but also increase energy expenditure as well.
As your body gets stronger, it is time to start adding intervals into your training. Try adding short sprints, intervals at a low cadence, and even longer 5-minute intervals to your workout.

While weight loss is achievable by cycling 30 minutes a day, it is wise to consider adding strength training to your plan. When you pair strength training with cardiovascular activity (like cycling), your body will burn more calories. You will then see a large change in body composition from the increased muscle mass, leading to a higher metabolism.

A combination of 30 minutes a day cycling with regular strength training and a healthy diet will help you get results quickly. But don’t forget your diet is the key, and you should be tracking daily caloric intake.

How Much Should I Cycle a Day to Lose Weight?

If spending hours in the gym is not your cup of tea, pedaling your way to a healthy lifestyle can be a more favourable choice. So, how much should I cycle a day to lose weight?

Unfortunately, there is no correct answer for this, only recommendations. Since everyone has different weight loss goals and body composition, the weight you may lose will vary from someone else.

When it comes to losing weight while cycling, no one session will help. To achieve your goals, you need to create consistency by riding more than one day a week.

Start by focusing on cycling 30 minutes a day 3-4 times per week in the beginning, then as you get stronger, start to either increase the distance of the rides or raise the intensity. Doing so will prevent any plateau in your weight loss journey,

Cycling Training Plan For Weight Loss

If you are looking to lose weight through cycling, SportCoaching offers a cycling training plan for weight loss. This training plan focuses on specific workouts to increase your metabolism while correctly structuring workouts based on your current fitness level.

The training plan correctly structures workouts that can benefit you in losing weight. Not only that, our weight loss cycling plan is designed to fit every type of lifestyle.