{"id":45847,"date":"2023-01-25T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=270000"},"modified":"2023-01-25T16:34:47","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T15:34:47","slug":"how-to-lose-belly-fat-by-cycling","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/how-to-lose-belly-fat-by-cycling\/","title":{"rendered":"How to lose belly fat by cycling"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Jack Evans\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 25 January 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Belly fat can be aesthetically unattractive and a health risk.<\/p>\n

Storing lots of fat around your stomach is associated with a number of pathological risks.<\/p>\n

Researchers Ritchie and Connell linked abdominal obesity to insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. Men are more prone than women to accumulate fat in this area, according to a 2001 study by professor Ellen Blaak.<\/p>\n

Although targeting belly fat through exercise is not thought to be possible, losing fat everywhere will reduce stomach fat stores.<\/p>\n

Consuming fewer calories than you expend is the way to do this. By calculating how many calories cycling burns<\/a>, you can create a negative energy balance by tailoring your eating.<\/p>\n

But before trying to lose weight through cycling<\/a>, bear in mind that a calorie deficit impairs recovery. So, don\u2019t cut your food intake while training hard.<\/p>\n

You should always seek expert advice before trying to lose a lot of weight too.<\/p>\n

Does riding a bike burn fat?<\/h2>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Your body fuels itself predominantly with fat at low intensity.<\/span><\/figcaption> Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Fat is the body\u2019s preferred fuel source when you ride in your lower-intensity training zones<\/a>, such as zone two in a seven-zone model.<\/p>\n

Training in the fat-burning zone improves cycling endurance<\/a> and aerobic capacity or VO2 max<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Just remember that burning fat by cycling isn\u2019t the same as losing fat from your body, as Asker Jeukendrup, Team Jumbo-Visma\u2019s nutritionist, explains:<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can have high rates of fat burning and not lose any weight at all, or even gain weight.<\/p>\n

\u201cWeight loss is all to do with energy balance. It\u2019s basically energy in and energy out, and if you burn more then you\u2019ve taken in, you will lose weight. There is no way around that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calculating exactly what is energy in and energy out is not easy, but when short of calories, the body uses stored fat for energy and to top up depleted muscle glycogen stores. Over time, this process reduces body fat.<\/p>\n

Does cycling reduce belly fat?<\/h2>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Abdominal exercises are better at strengthening your core than blasting belly fat.<\/span><\/figcaption> Getty<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Whether you can target weight loss remains hotly disputed, but it\u2019s arguably irrelevant.<\/p>\n

Scientists have examined what happens when participants lose weight while performing resistance and endurance training with a certain muscle group. A 2013 study<\/a> found localised muscle resistance training led to the whole body becoming leaner, not specifically the area of the body trained.<\/p>\n

However, a more recent study <\/a>concluded fat loss can be localised.<\/p>\n

Matt Fitzgerald, author of Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance<\/a><\/em> and co-founder of 80\/20 endurance sport coaching<\/a>, says \u201canatomically specific weight loss\u201d is possible, but not from the belly.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople doing sit-ups to lose belly fat was scoffed at but more recent research has shown that there is site specificity,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cCyclists tend to have leaner legs than upper body, so anytime you do whole-body aerobic exercise you will lose fat everywhere, but it is more concentrated in the areas where the muscle is active.<\/p>\n

For example, if you want to lose fat on your arms, Fitzgerald recommends swimming, which will activate your arm muscles.<\/p>\n

He adds that it\u2019s easy to \u201cget stuck in the weeds\u201d of fat loss and forget the basics.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe average cyclist doesn\u2019t need to worry too much: the basic things of improving diet quality, not eating mindlessly, training smart and progressively are going to do a lot more than doing ice baths to shed brown fat or what have you,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

How can I burn fat by cycling?<\/h2>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Boost your Fatmax to help endure long days on the bike.<\/span><\/figcaption> Robert Smith \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The short answer is by riding slower.<\/p>\n

As intensity increases, the proportion of fat to carbohydrate your body resorts to in order to fuel cycling decreases. This is because fat reserves are nearly unlimited even in the leanest athletes. Your body tries to preserve its finite carbohydrate stores for when energy is needed quickly.<\/p>\n

The timing of the transition from fat to carbohydrate varies from person to person. A 2005 study<\/a> into fat oxidation concluded that women are better at oxidising fat than men, meaning they have to switch later to easily extinguished carbohydrates.<\/p>\n

This may explain why other studies have found women are less likely to bonk <\/a>and slow down in endurance events such as marathons<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You can raise your maximal fat oxidation <\/a>or Fatmax (the hardest effort you can sustain while using fat for fuel) by doing lots of zone 2 riding.<\/p>\n

While this can help you to ride 100 miles<\/a> and complte ultra-distance cycling<\/a> challenges, as discussed previously, it doesn\u2019t equate to weight loss.<\/p>\n

Here are a few pointers on how to use cycling to shed fat and retain muscle.<\/p>\n

Tips to lose fat while cycling<\/h2>\n

Try interval training<\/h3>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Intense intervals are the most efficient type of training for weight loss.<\/span><\/figcaption> Steve Sayers \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Fitzgerald says short, sharp bouts of intervals \u2013 such as 10x 30 seconds at full gas with several minutes\u2019 recovery \u2013 repeated up to three or four times a week is the most efficient way to lose fat fast.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s best to take this approach for weeks, not months at a time in between your off-season base training <\/a>and more race-oriented VO2 max<\/a> intervals.<\/p>\n

Be sure to stay aware of traffic if you\u2019re doing flat-out efforts on the road and consider indoor cycling<\/a> for these sessions.<\/p>\n

You expend more calories per minute during interval training sessions and after, owing to excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). A 2005 study<\/a> found EPOC equated to 6 to 15 per cent of an intense workout\u2019s net total energy expenditure.<\/p>\n

While you can\u2019t burn as many calories in a high intensity interval training session<\/a> as during a long ride, a high training load is not optimal for fat loss, according to Fitzgerald.<\/p>\n

He believes vigorous workouts suppress appetite better than steady rides. This makes you less likely to overcompensate by refuelling with junk food<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, Jeukendrup says you should prioritise total calorie burn for weight loss. In his view, if you\u2019re restricting carbohydrate intake, long, low-intensity riding is the best way to achieve a negative energy balance.<\/p>\n

Both methods work and, whichever you choose, you\u2019ll still need to expend more energy than you take in.<\/p>\n

Eat right<\/h3>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Food for fat loss can still be colourful and interesting.<\/span><\/figcaption> Olive Magazine \/ Immediate Media Co<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

It\u2019s difficult to say if exercise or diet is more important for fat loss. But according to Fitzgerald, you have more leverage with your diet because you can improve its quality.<\/p>\n

Ideally, your diet complements your exercise. For instance, you eat less carbohydrate and more protein to contribute to a negative energy balance while staying full.<\/p>\n

Fitzgerald recommends eschewing processed foods in favour of their more satiating and less calories-dense unprocessed equivalents. For example, swapping white rice for brown rice.<\/p>\n

In addition, he advises avoiding mindless eating (continuing eating once full) and low-quality, high-calorie foods such as crisps. This is a fairly easy and quick way to move from an energy surplus to an energy deficit.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Alan Murchison, author of The Performance Chef<\/em> books and nutritionist with Specialized Factory Racing, advocates incrementally cutting portion sizes across the board, but not eliminating any particular food.<\/p>\n

He underlines that each macronutrient \u2013 protein, carbohydrate and fat \u2013 is necessary for a balanced diet, so exclusionary diets such as keto are a bad idea.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A diet that includes all your favourite treats will be arduous to uphold.<\/span><\/figcaption> Olive Magazine \/ Immediate Media Co<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Murchison says even the professional athletes he works with eat chocolate and sweets from time to time, but do so in a balanced way.<\/p>\n

A manageable deficit of 500 calories a day could see you drop a kilo a week, according to Murchison. A more negative energy balance will make you so hungry you\u2019re likely to then overeat.<\/p>\n

Echoing Murchison, Jeukendrup says: \u201cIf you go more than that, you have a high risk of just not recovering, becoming overtrained and having all sorts of negative effects.\u201d<\/p>\n

How long you can sustain the calorie-reduced diet is more important than the technical details, he adds. Your new eating habits need to last months, not days.<\/p>\n

Jeukendrup recommends examining what you\u2019re eating to identify what you can easily cut out. He does this dietary analysis with athletes on an individual basis because some people can\u2019t do without certain foods.<\/p>\n

He says sometimes the analysis is unnecessary because the athlete\u2019s source of excess calories is obvious, for example after-dinner snacking.<\/p>\n

But Jeukendrup warns that everyday riders need to be more cautious about calorie reduction than professionals. It\u2019s easier to reduce a pro\u2019s 5,000-calorie daily intake with no ill effect, he says. But cutting 500 calories from a 2,500-calorie diet could adversely affect its nutritional quality.<\/p>\n

Stay strong<\/h3>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Strength work reduces the risk of losing muscle along with fat.<\/span><\/figcaption> Adam Gasson \/ Immediate Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

While losing fat is often a good thing, losing muscle is not. But a careful approach to weight loss can ensure your power-to-weight ratio<\/a> improves.<\/p>\n

To maintain power while getting lighter, Fitzgerald advocates strength training for cyclists<\/a> who want to lose fat.<\/p>\n

A 2017 meta analysis of weight loss studies<\/a> concluded that doing strengthening exercises in a calorie deficit sheds fat while preserving muscle.<\/p>\n

In a 2011 study<\/a>, participants who lost weight while strength training lost less muscle than a control group who did not strength train. What\u2019s more, aerobic and resistance training prevent fat regain following weight loss, according to a 2009 study<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fitzgerald maintains strength training will increase muscle mass and drive up your metabolism.<\/p>\n

However, Jeukendrup says bulking up in a negative energy balance is very hard to do. In fact, bodybuilders grow muscle in an energy surplus before eating drastically less for a short time to trim fat.<\/p>\n

He cites evidence that a calorie deficit impairs your strength gains from lifting weights<\/a>. Therefore, if you combine losing weight with resistance training, your energy deficit shouldn\u2019t exceed 500 calories, according to Jeukendrup.<\/p>\n

He stresses the importance of doing weight training when well-fuelled, for example not when glycogen-depleted after a sweetspot training<\/a> session.<\/p>\n

Indeed, Murchison and Jeukendrup agree you should fuel properly before, after and during all training sessions. Calories should then be cut at different times, such as your evening meal or after a morning workout.<\/p>\n

Go slow, be patient<\/h3>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Coffee\u2019s caffeine content aids performance but won\u2019t magically make you lean.<\/span><\/figcaption> DAVID STOCKMAN\/BELGA MAG\/AFP Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Jeukendrup says initial weight loss can be rapid. You can lose up to 2kg in the first week of weight loss because your body\u2019s water and glycogen stores diminish. Then you start to lose fat and this happens far slower.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt depends a little bit, but you\u2019re probably looking at 300-400g per week,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

This underscores the nutritionist\u2019s previous point that you need to be able to maintain your dietary modifications long-term to see substantial fat loss.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also no miracle fat-loss solution. The fat-burning properties of supplements and caffeine are often touted, but they deliver minimal weight-loss benefits, according to Jeukendrup.<\/p>\n

Jeukendrup says caffeine only lifts fat burning by a fraction of a gram a minute. Eating a little less or exercising more will help much more, he explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are always looking for the easy way to achieve the goal. Taking a tablet is easier than getting out on the bike, but I don\u2019t think there are any shortcuts,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The benefits of coffee for cycling<\/a> are most noticeable in hour-long time trials, according to Jeukendrup, where the stimulant masks feelings of fatigue.<\/p>\n

Sleep well<\/h3>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Sufficient sleep supports your fat-loss objectives.<\/span><\/figcaption> Getty<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

One of the many benefits of getting a good night\u2019s sleep for cycling<\/a> is weight control.<\/p>\n

A meta-analysis of short sleep duration and obesity<\/a> concluded that studies show \u201ca consistent increased risk of obesity amongst short sleepers in children and adults\u201d.<\/p>\n

Sleeping more improves body composition, according to a 2011 study<\/a>. Fat formed a higher percentage of total weight loss in participants who slept 8.5 hours rather than 5.5 hours a night.<\/p>\n

Writing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal<\/a><\/em>, Jean-Phillipe Chaput PhD and Angelo Tremblay PhD, noted that sleeping less correlates with higher levels of the \u201chunger hormone\u201d ghrelin. Because higher ghrelin concentrations promote fat retention and hunger makes calorie restriction harder, the scientists argued that \u201cinsufficient sleep could compromise the efficacy of common dietary interventions.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was held that eating before bed leads to weight gain. However, more recent studies have found pre-sleep protein does not impair fat burning<\/a> and may improve body composition <\/a>in athletes.<\/p>\n

Stress less<\/h3>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Riding a bike in beautiful places busts stress.<\/span><\/figcaption> Robyn Furtado \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Not everyone\u2019s body reacts to stress by increasing levels of cortisol. But people who do are more likely to overeat, particularly sweet foods, according to a 2001 study<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Happily, regular aerobic exercise such as cycling has been shown to be a great way of combating stress, decreasing anxiety, helping to reduce tension and boost your mood. The same is true for spending time outdoors, which most cycling facilitates.<\/p>\n

In conclusion, cycling more and eating better will certainly help lose belly fat. But the benefits of cycling<\/a> aren\u2019t reserved for lean riders and weight is no barrier to cycling<\/a>.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n

","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Jack Evans Published: Wednesday, 25 January 2023 at 12:00 am Belly fat can be aesthetically unattractive and a health risk. Storing lots of fat around your stomach is associated with a number of pathological risks. Researchers Ritchie and Connell linked abdominal obesity to insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. Men are more prone than women […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":45848,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"11"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/how-to-lose-belly-fat-by-cycling.jpg",9504,6336,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/how-to-lose-belly-fat-by-cycling.jpg",150,100,false],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/how-to-lose-belly-fat-by-cycling-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/how-to-lose-belly-fat-by-cycling-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/how-to-lose-belly-fat-by-cycling-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/how-to-lose-belly-fat-by-cycling.jpg",1536,1024,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/how-to-lose-belly-fat-by-cycling.jpg",2048,1365,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Jack Evans Published: Wednesday, 25 January 2023 at 12:00 am Belly fat can be aesthetically unattractive and a health risk. Storing lots of fat around your stomach is associated with a number of pathological risks. Researchers Ritchie and Connell linked abdominal obesity to insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. Men are more prone than women…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/45847"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45847"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45847"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}