Is Cycling for 30 Minutes a Day Good?

Weight loss happens to be one of the primary reasons why people exercise their bodies. The best activity should be effective, friendly, and enjoyable. In that case, is cycling for 30 minutes a day good for weight loss?

Cycling for 30 minutes a day is good because, on average, it burns 200 calories of energy for weight loss. This cycling benefit will depend on other factors such as your body weight, the intensity of the workout, and the speed at which you ride.

Besides, cycling comes with additional benefits such as mental well-being, a strong immune system, improved lung health, and increased brainpower.

On top of the above-mentioned benefits, don’t forget to watch your diet too. You need to ensure you don’t take in excess amounts of calories. This would thwart your efforts towards weight loss.

Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of cycling for 30 minutes a day.

Is Cycling for 30 Minutes a Day Good

Is Cycling for 30 Minutes a Day Good Enough to Lose Weight

Will I lose weight cycling 30 minutes a day?” This must be the question that has kept you away from hitting the lanes with your bicycle.

As earlier noted, 30 minutes of cycling a day is an excellent way to lose weight. The amount of weight lost over a given period will vary from one individual to another.

For example, a person who weighs 155 burns an average of 260 calories. On the other hand, a 185 person burns about 311 calories by riding for 30 minutes daily.

Considering that comparison, an average human being will burn about 200 calories by cycling for 30 minutes daily.

Other Health Benefits of Cycling 30 Minutes a Day

What do 30 minutes of cycling a day do other than weight loss? Well, we will answer that question in a while.

Like all exercise programs, bicycle riding has a far reach into better health beyond weight loss. Here are some benefits that come with cycling for at least 30 minutes per day.

1. Mental Well-being.

 Cycling for 30 minutes a day may sound too little, but you can’t believe what it can do to your brain. First, while cycling, you increase your brain’s blood flow by a range of 30% to 70%. This means your brain cells get more oxygen while riding.

Secondly, exercise helps to reduce anxiety. In return, you will experience less stress and depression levels.

At the same time, you enjoy improved reaction time, creative thinking, and better memory. Daily biking for at least 30 minutes leads to improved overall mental health.

2. Strong Immune System.

Just like other forms of exercise, cycling helps to boost your immune system. With increased blood flow as you ride, you are likely to experience fewer inflammation attacks. Since the immune cells will grow stronger, they can easily fight off infections.

3. Improved Lung Health.

As you push yourself through the 30 minutes of intense riding, your body needs more oxygen supply. Therefore, the lungs will draw large volumes of oxygen-rich air at an increased rate.

As a result, lung cells get strong while the lung volume increases. Eventually, this will lead to a better respiratory system.

4. Cycling Builds Muscles.

 Cycling doesn’t only burn fat; it helps build lean muscles, especially in your legs and abdomen. The good thing about people with lean muscles is that they burn more calories even when inactive.

So, is riding a bicycle for 30 minutes a day good enough? The answer here is yes.

Human body muscles

Is Cycling For 30 Minutes Good For the Elderly?

By default, most forms of exercise become difficult as one approaches the 70s. Due to low bone density and less muscle mass, seniors are more prone to exercise-related injuries.

Fortunately, cycling is accommodating as it allows people with different fitness levels to fit in.

Compared to jogging, cycling is a low-impact activity and less likely to cause discomfort or injuries to the joints.

Most importantly, cycling for 30 minutes has shown significant improvement in blood flow to the brain and other body parts. In addition, cycling has proven to have cognitive benefits such as learning and memory enhancement in seniors.

Other benefits of cycling to the elderly include reducing muscle-mass reduction, strengthening muscles that help with balance (glute), and improved cardiovascular health.

In case you are a senior, or you would like to get a bicycle for a senior, you can go for a bike that places less strain on the back and knees while riding.

Factors Affect How Much Weight You Can Lose Cycling for 30 Minutes a Day

1. Your Body Weight

As mentioned above, your bodyweight dictates a lot on how much fat you have to burn. The bigger the person, the bigger the amount of energy they have to burn out in 30 minutes of riding exercise.

Let’s do some small Math;

If everyone is to lose 1% of their body weight, then a 200 lbs individual will lose 2lbs. On the other hand, one who weighs 150 pounds will lose 1.5lbs for the same exercise. Therefore, you don’t punish your body so much to lose the same as a bigger person.

2. Cycling Speed

In every form of exercise, workout intensity directly affects the results. When it comes to cycling, all you need to do is increase peddling speed to speed up your weight loss.

To start with, you can make several bursts of intensive peddling. This works well in helping burn more calories and works as a cardio exercise too. Most importantly, it is good to be gradual to minimize the chances of getting muscle injuries.

For a beginner, note that it is crucial always to have the best cycling gear to stay safe. For example, the shoes you use are critical when it comes to ankle safety.

3. Watch Your Diet

If you don’t intend to change your eating habits, cycling for 30 minutes a day is an excellent exercise to help you lose one or two pounds in a month.

On the other hand, if you exercise and take a healthy diet at the same time, you will without a doubt lose more pounds in a month.

Apart from food, you need to ensure that you stay hydrated throughout your training. Therefore, it is advisable to have a sizable water bottle strapped on your bike.

Does Cycling Tone Your Arms

FAQs

1. What Does 30 Minutes Of Cycling Do To Your Body?

On average, 30 minutes of cycling will burn 200 calories which eventually leads to weight loss. Biking also helps in developing lean muscle and boosts cardiovascular and mental well-being.

2. Does Cycling Tone Your Arms?

Yes, cycling helps tone arm muscles. Although cycling directly works on the lower body muscles, it also works on the core and the arms. With riding for 30 minutes a day, you work on your shoulders, biceps, and triceps without noticing.

3. Can Cycling 30 Minutes A Day Give You A Flat Stomach?

If you ride regularly, cycling can be a great way to cut on your belly fat. Out of consistent burning of calories, you eventually end up with a flatter tummy.

4. What Burns More Calories, Walking Or Cycling?

Cycling burns more calories as compared to walking. When walking at an average speed of 3 mph, a person burns about 232 kcal per hour. On the other hand, cycling at 12mph will burn 563 kcal per hour. That’s a huge difference!

5. How Long Should I Cycle A Day To Lose Weight?

According to American Council on Exercise (ACE), you need to cycle for at least 30 minutes with moderate intensity. To burn more calories, you have to cycle for longer durations. Increasing the riding intensity would be a plus for weight loss.

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Final Take

Don’t shy away from training because the only thing you can do is cycling. Maybe you have been asking, “Is cycling 30minutes a day good for anything?”

Well, you have the answer now.

Cycling is good for your brain, lungs, weight loss, and muscle toning, not forgetting the social aspect that comes with riding buddies.

The best thing is that cycling doesn’t discriminate against anyone despite their fitness levels.