To lose 1kg (2.2 lbs) of body fat, you need to burn around 7800 calories. In one hour of cycling, the average person will burn around 720 calories while outputting 200 watts of power. If you burn 720 calories per hour, it will take you about 11 hours to lose 1 kg of body weight. If you want to lose 1kg in a week, you will need to cycle for around 1 hour and 30 minutes per day at this pace.
Of course, this is for the average cyclist. There are a number of factors that determine how much you need to cycle to lose 1kg including your diet, your weight, the intensity of your workout, and your individual body. Everybody is a bit different.
In this guide, I’ll explain how much you need to cycle to lose 1kg. I’ll also explain how you can increase weight loss while cycling. Over the years, I have used cycling to lose weight and to maintain weight. In this guide, I’ll share my experience.
How Many Hours Do You Need to Cycle to Lose 1kg?
To lose 1kg of body weight, the average person needs to burn 7800 calories. You can expect to burn 600-700 calories per hour while cycling at a speed of around 19 kph or 12 mph. At this rate, it will take you roughly 11 hours to lose 1kg. If you want to lose 1kg in a week, you’ll need to cycle about 1.5-2 hours per day.
It’s hard to say exactly how long or how far you need to cycle because everybody is different. Everyone maintains a different diet. Some people have more active lifestyles than others. Some people cycle with more intensity than others. Everyone also has a different metabolic rate. Some people are starting at a higher body weight than others. Exactly how many calories you burn also depends on the amount of power you’re outputting. All of these factors can affect how long it will take to lose 1kg.
How Far Do I Have to Cycle to Lose 1kg?
If you ride at an average pace of around 12 mph, you would need to ride 120-132 miles or 193-212 km to lose 1 kg.
Distance isn’t as accurate of a measurement as time. Exactly how far you’ll have to cycle depends on the terrain and the type of bike you ride. If you’re riding a mountain bike off-road, you won’t have to cover as much ground as if you’re riding a road bike on a flat surface. You’ll burn more calories per mile while riding off-road.
How Long Do I Need to Ride a Stationary Bike to Lose 1kg?
The amount of time it will take to lose 1kg while riding a stationary bike is about the same amount of time it will take to lose 1kg on a regular bike. It will take around 10-11 hours of cycling to lose 1kg on a stationary bike, assuming you’re pedaling at 200 watts.
You can reduce this time by increasing the intensity with interval training. Start with a low intensity for 10-12 minutes to warm up. Next, increase to a high intensity for 8 minutes, then switch to a low intensity for 4 minutes. Switch between high and low intensity 4 times. This is known as HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training).
For more info, check out my guide to the benefits and drawbacks of indoor cycling.
Is Cycling 1 Hour Per Day Enough to Lose Weight?
Yes. An average sized person will burn around 600-700 calories in one hour of cycling. At this rate, you could lose around 0.5 kg or 1 pound every 2 weeks or 1 kg or 2 pounds per month.
If you reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories per day at the same time, you can speed up your weight loss. You could lose up to 1 kg per week this way. A one hour bike ride a few times per week is a great way to lose weight without burning yourself out.
Diet to Lose 1kg Cycling
To lose weight, you will need to have a calorie deficit. In other words, you need to burn more calories than you’re consuming. If you want to lose 1kg, you’ll need a deficit of about 7800 calories. If you consume as many calories as you burn, you won’t lose any weight.
An average man needs around 2600 calories per day to maintain their weight. An average woman needs around 2000 calories. To lose weight, you’ll need to either consume fewer calories or burn more calories.
Cycling is a great way to burn calories. If you were to cycle for 1 hour at a high intensity, you could burn around 700 calories. Do this 5 days per week and you can lose around 1kg every 2 weeks.
To lose weight even faster, you could reduce your caloric intake. If you cut 500 calories from your daily diet, you’ll have a deficit of 3500 calories per week. If you cycle 5 days per week for 1 hour, you could achieve the same 1 kg of weight loss in just 1 week.
You will want to strike a balance between reducing your caloric intake and cycling. Cutting 500 calories and cycling for one hour 3 days per week would be a great way to lose around 2 kg per month.
Tips to Lose Weight Cycling
1. Increase the intensity
You can burn more calories by riding faster. If you cycle at 150 watts for 1 hour, you’ll burn around 540 calories. If you pick up the pace and cycle at 200 watts for an hour, you’ll burn around 700 calories. You can burn more calories faster when you output more power.
If you decide to do this, be careful not to overtrain. Slowly build up the intensity over time. It will take some time for your body to get used to the higher-intensity workout. You also don’t want to burn yourself out.
You can track the intensity of your workout by using a heart rate monitor. Your ideal heart rate depends on your age and level of fitness. Ideally, you should stay at around 70-75% of your maximum heart rate while cycling. You can also install a power meter on your bike to see how much power you’re outputting.
2. Ride Different Types of Terrain
Try riding some hills. Cycling uphill will raise your heart rate quickly. You’ll burn more energy more quickly while riding hills.
Also, consider giving mountain biking a try. Cycling off-road takes more energy than cycling on a flat surface. This is because the rough terrain creates more resistance. Mountain biking also exercises more muscle groups. You can burn up to 100 more calories per hour when mountain biking than road biking.
3. Try Interval Training
Interval training involves alternating between high-intensity cycling to low-intensity cycling. You may ride uphill or cycle at a high cadence for the high-intensity interval, then cycle at a slower pace on a flat section for the low-intensity interval.
Studies show that interval training burns fat more effectively than regular aerobic exercise. Interval training can burn calories more quickly. It can also improve your cardiovascular function.
This is a more intense workout than regular cycling. You should only interval train 3 days per week with rest days in between.
4. Increase the Resistance
If you’re riding a stationary bike, you can crank up the resistance to make the workout harder. This will increase your heart rate and burn more calories. It will also help to build your leg muscles.
When riding outdoors, you can increase the resistance by riding uphill. You can also ride off-road.
5. Increase the Time
Of course, you can also burn more fat by spending more time cycling. The problem is that most people don’t have time to spend 2 hours cycling multiple days per week.
To make more time for yourself to cycle, you could consider commuting or running errands on your bike instead of driving. The more time you spend on the bike, the more calories you’ll burn.
6. Set Realistic Goals
A realistic goal is to lose 0.5-1kg per week (around 1-2 pounds). If you cycle for an hour per day 5 days per week, you can achieve this. This weight loss can be maintained over the long term until you reach your desired weight.
Fast weight loss is usually not sustainable. You may be able to lose 2kgs in a week. If you try to lose weight too quickly, you’ll burn out and give up or you’ll gain it back. It’s also possible to overtrain and injure yourself. It’s best to take things slow. If you stick with cycling for 6 months, you will see results, even if you start slow.
You can also set goals in terms of your average cycling speed or the distance you want to cover. Maybe you want to maintain a speed of 12mph over 10 miles. Maybe you want to take a 50 mile ride one day. You can work your way up to these goals over time.
7. Avoid Snacking
If you’re cycling for an hour or less, all you need to bring is water. Drink as much water as you like.
For longer rides lasting 1-2 hours, you can bring a small snack. You don’t need much. Maybe a protein bar or something like that. A 2-3 ounce (60-90g) snack is enough to keep you going.
Try not to snack too much while you’re riding. If you’re taking in too many calories, you won’t burn any fat and you won’t lose weight.
8. Watch Your Diet
If you consume too many calories, you won’t lose weight, no matter how much you cycle. Remember, you need a calorie deficit to lose weight.
It’s also important to eat the right kinds of foods. For cycling, a good diet is 50% carbohydrates, 30% fats, and 20% proteins. Avoid overprocessed foods and junk foods.
It’s best to stick to three meals per day. Consider planning out your meals. Avoid snacking.
9. Track Your Progress
Tracking your progress is important. It keeps you motivated. When you see that you are losing weight and that your performance is improving, you’re more likely to continue.
Tracking your progress also makes it much easier to evaluate your results. If you’re not seeing results, you can change your workout or change your diet. If you don’t track your progress, you won’t know what’s working and what’s not.
There are a few different metrics to track. Most important is your body weight. Weigh yourself once every day or once every week when you wake up. Write the weight down every day so you can see your progress over time.
You may also choose to track your body fat percentage. To do this, you can use skinfold calipers or a body fat scale. Alternatively, you could track your BMI.
Another metric to track is your body measurements. Measure the circumference of your waist, arms, hips, legs, etc., to track how many inches you’ve lost.
You can also track your heart rate. Wear a heart rate monitor while you cycle. This can help you track your recovery. Many heart rate monitors come with an app that you can use to track all sorts of metrics.
You might also track your cycling performance. Track the route, the distance you cycle, and your average speed to see how your performance improves over time. Seeing your speed and distances increase over time can be motivational. To track this, you can use a cycling computer or your phone. Apps like Strava are also great for this.
10. Choose the Right Bike
Different types of bikes are designed for different types of riding. The ideal bike depends on the terrain you plan to ride.
If you plan to ride on the road, a road bike, hybrid, or touring bike can be a great choice. If you plan to ride off-road or on mixed terrain, a mountain bike or gravel bike will work well. Choose a bike that suits the terrain you plan to ride.
Personally, I prefer off-road riding because I don’t have to worry as much about traffic. I also feel that it gives me more of a full-body workout.
11. Choose the Right Route
The route you choose to ride also has an effect on your calorie burn. Try to choose a route that doesn’t have a lot of traffic lights or stop-and-go city riding. When you have to stop, your heart rate will slow down and you won’t burn as many calories. You’ll have to cycle longer to make up for the lost time.
Many cities have bike lanes and bike trails that have very few stops. Large parks may also have bike paths without any stops. If there aren’t any bike paths near you, you could drive to a different area. Rural areas outside the city can also be good. Country roads are great for cycling.
It’s a good idea to switch up your route once in a while. Riding the same route every day gets monotonous. You’ll get bored. You’re more likely to stick to your routine if you switch up your route once in a while.
12. Give Yourself Some Rest Days
It’s easy to injure yourself if you overtrain. You need to give yourself some rest days. This gives your body a chance to recover. You’ll get stronger as a result. If you don’t give yourself any time to rest, you will start to feel tired and burned out. If you don’t rest, you’re also more likely to injure yourself. An amateur cyclist should take 2 rest days per week.
Final Thoughts
You can lose weight by cycling. If you cycle for 1.5-2 hours per day 3-4 days per week, you can lose around 2 kg or 4 pounds every month. If you stick with it for a year, you could drop 50 pounds.
You can speed up your weight loss by maintaining a good diet and reducing your caloric intake. You need to have a calorie deficit to lose weight.
Cycling is a great way to lose weight because it is a low-impact exercise. Almost anyone can do it. It’s also safe. In addition to weight loss, cycling has many other benefits. It can help you improve your overall fitness. Your cardiovascular health will also improve.
Have you lost weight by cycling? Share your experience in the comments below!
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Zachary Friedman is an accomplished travel writer and professional blogger. Since 2011, he has traveled to 66 countries and 6 continents. He founded ‘Where The Road Forks’ in 2017 to provide readers with information and insights based on his travel and outdoor recreation experience and expertise. Zachary is also an avid cyclist and hiker. Living as a digital nomad, Zachary balances his professional life with his passions for hiking, camping, cycling, and worldwide exploration. For a deeper dive into his journey and background, visit the About page. For inquiries and collaborations, please reach out through the Contact page. You can also follow him on Facebook.