LOSING WEIGHT: ANOTHER BENEFIT OF BIKE!

Cycling allows long-term efforts at an intensity that corresponds precisely to a maximum fat oxidation.

Translation: the bike makes you lose weight!

Cycling and Weight Loss: there are few studies

Traditionally, the bike has quite a few inspired researchers to benefit the running when it comes to assessing the impact on overweight and weight loss.

It must be said that the calculation of energy expenditure is relatively simple in terms of race: a calorie is spent per pound of body weight per kilometer. You can also specify that many researchers are also frequent runners!

Against the weight, teens on the bike

In 2009, a team of Tunisian researchers departed from this pattern and conducted a study of three groups of adolescents overweight (42% from fat). Age is important!

The study was to prescribe bike sessions in the first group of 18 subjects and comparing weight loss with that of a second group (always 18) subjected to severe calorie diet (500 calories less than of usual). A third equally important associated regime and cycling.

It should be noted also that the training consisted of four weekly sessions of one hour and a half of moderate intensity cycling. The study lasted two months (total of 32 sessions per person or 48 hours in the saddle).

The loser group is not who you think

The result: the 18 subjects in the first group (that of the single drive) have lost two pounds in two months. This is significantly less than the second group (diet alone) who lost 5 pounds on average.

Not surprisingly, the highest scores were achieved by the combination bicycle / diet with a weight loss of 6.2 pounds.

If we stick figures, one might conclude that a small influence of sport for weight loss. But the authors do not confine themselves to observe the weight curve, they also paid attention to body composition changes.

They thus realized that all young people who had followed the sports program had gained muscle thighs and calves. On average, they had risen from 46.4 to 47.1 pounds of lean mass.

The weight on the scale thus reflects poorly changing body composition.

In fact, young people in the first group had lost three pounds of fat and gained a pound of muscle. Or the muscle tissue is a very expensive energetically. Provided they maintain the muscle mass by the adoption of the bicycle as commuting mode, they will be guaranteed to maintain a higher metabolic rate will help to guide them on the path to an ideal weight.