Cycling To Lose Weight

Anyone can lose weight by riding a bicycle.  Take some bike ride every other day for a month and that person will have slimmed down as well as gaining all the other benefits of regular exercise- even having eaten the same number of cheeseburgers as usual during the month. And, if you are a couple, consider that tandem bicycles burn off twice as much. Don’t be surprised, though, if you lose inches before pounds, because you are building muscle! And, remember to drink plenty of liquids- especially sports drinks; low-calorie of course, that replace electrolytes.

Getting started is easy. A sturdy bike can be had, or borrowed, for free, especially the heavy, balloon-tired, fixed-gear, old-school models, that no modern kid would be caught dead riding, but perfect for burning calories, stable, comfortable and not worth anyone stealing. Now that you are thinking about it, you will notice all types of people riding bikes almost everywhere. Many communities have built, or are building, bike paths using millions of dollars in federal money that was made available for doing so. For the more daring, it is perfectly legal to ride with automobile traffic, if one adheres to minor state and local regulations. So, you can lose weight and save gasoline. And, of course, if you can’t or won’t ride outdoors, there are also stationary bikes- a good way to get started and a good back up when the weather is bad. Stationary bikes are preferable to treadmills since there is no weight on your joints.