The Science Of E-Bike Weight Loss: 10 Tips And Strategies

Weight loss is a very personal journey and sometimes it’s hard to find the thing that works best for you. Research has shown that an e-bike is a fun yet effective way to lose weight and improve overall health and well-being. In fact, some sports physician experts estimate that riding an electric bike can help you burn up to 400 calories per hour if done the right way

If you want to lead a more active lifestyle and lose weight into the bargain, an electric bike is a great way to shed unwanted pounds. E-bikes can help you get out and burn calories without hitting the gym every day. From nutrition and goal setting to choosing the right bike and interval training, we’ve highlighted the best ways to get the most out of your e-bike exercise.

Lose weight and stay fit with an e-bike using these top 10 tips and strategies.

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Overview

This article discusses:

How to balance nutrition with e-bike exercise
Why it’s important to start small
How to pick the right e-bike for your purpose
Factors to consider such as posture
Find ways to ride every day
Avoid using the wrong PAS levels
Why it’s important to create an exercise plan
Incorporate interval training into your e-bike routine
Commit to exercise with a riding buddy
Mix things up to avoid a weight-loss plateau

1. Consider Your Diet

The science behind weight loss is simple. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume. It’s figuring out what works best for your body and sticking to a plan that can feel challenging.

There are two ways to burn more calories than you eat. You can increase your physical activity by exercising with an e-bike, or you can reduce the number of calories that you eat every day. To put this in perspective, you need a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories to burn just one pound of fat.

Most experts agree that it’s difficult to burn enough calories with exercise alone to lose weight effectively. That’s why it’s important to factor nutrition into your lifestyle. Your doctor can give you specific dietary guidelines, but here are a few to get you started.

First, it’s important to swap fruit, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains for fast food, fatty or fried foods, and processed snacks. Eat healthy fats such as avocados and some nuts instead of packaged snacks filled with trans fats.

Consider cutting sugar and dairy products because these cause inflammation in the body which can make it difficult to lose weight.

2. Start with Small, Achievable Goals

If you want to maximize your weight loss results from e-biking, it’s important to start with a goal that’s achievable. Many people get excited to begin a new exercise, start strong, and then find those plans too intense and difficult to achieve.

Think about starting with one or two bike rides per week. Then, increase your activity from there. The point is to ensure that your goals are doable and something that you can commit to completing each week.

It’s a good idea to plan in advance to ensure that you can fit e-biking into your schedule and turn your new exercise routine into a daily habit.

3. Pick the Right Bike

Before you get started, the first thing to do is to choose the right e-bike. If you don’t already have an e-bike, it’s important to buy one that helps you burn as many calories as possible.

This means finding a bike that has the right resistance levels for you. You don’t want a bike that is either too easy or too difficult to operate. When it comes down to it, you can burn calories and lose weight cycling on any e-bike. The main thing is finding a way to burn more calories than you eat and fuel fat loss in a way that works best for you.

4. Check Your Posture

Riding in the right position is key to losing weight on an e-bike. That’s because proper posture during e-bike exercise ensures that your back, core, and thigh muscles are engaged to help boost weight loss.

Before you set off on a ride, check your posture to make sure that your shoulders are back, your back is straight, your abs are engaged at the core, your hips are securely on the seat in the correct position, and your hands have a proper grip. Getting into a comfortable yet engaged position will help target your core and other large muscles to provide a more effective workout.

5. Find Reasons to Ride

Discovering a reason for why you want to ride can help you stay focused and committed to cycling regularly. For example, maybe you want to get outside more, increase your physical activity, lose weight, get fitter, or boost your overall well-being.

Whatever your reason, this can bring a passion that ignites your daily exercise routine.

You can also find reasons to bike instead of taking transportation. For example, consider commuting via e-bike, taking your bike instead of driving to errands, or switching it up with an e-bike session instead of heading to the gym.

6. Avoid Using the Highest or Lowest PAS Levels

Most of the e-bikes on the market have multiple PAS levels. PAS levels refer to the throttle point that lets you change the speed limit on your bike.

Some riders will crank the PAS to the lowest level to try to maximize weight loss. Instead, this can make the speed resistance so difficult that many people tire out easily and give up faster. Other people may set the PAS throttle too high, which can result in a workout that’s too easy and ineffective.

7. Create an Exercise Plan

The best e-bike in the world won’t amount to much if you don’t have an exercise strategy. When many people make up their minds to exercise, they often hit it too hard at first. This can make you feel exhausted and ready to quit after you start.

The best way to avoid this problem is to develop a plan that will integrate e-biking into your day. It can take a while to see results from proper diet and exercise, so it’s important to create a plan that helps you stick with it for the long haul. For example, clear a space in your day where you can ride. It helps to pick a time when you’ll feel more energized and ready to exercise.

8. Use Interval Training

One of the best ways to get optimal weight loss results out of your e-bike workout is to use interval training. Instead of spending huge amounts of time cycling, interval training involves doing short, sustained bursts of riding for 10-15 minutes, taking an interval pause, and then peddling as hard as you can for 40 seconds, then resting for 60 seconds.

You’ll start to see better weight loss results over time with the interval training method than with regular riding methods.

9. Get a Riding Partner

Any exercise is much friendlier with two people. The same is true for e-bike riding. If you’re not someone who enjoys biking alone, grab a biking buddy and set aside time to cycle together. You’ll find that the time goes faster and you’ll have a workout accountability partner, too.

10. Change It Up

The science behind any kind of exercise says that our bodies can get used to any routine over time. If you notice that your weight loss has slowed or stopped, but your eating habits and cycling workouts haven’t changed, then it’s probably time to break up longer, slower rides with more intense bursts of exercise. Keep modifying the length and intensity of your e-bike rides to start seeing results again.

Final Thoughts

Getting fit is possible with the right e-bike and a dedicated fitness routine. It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting a new nutrition or fitness path to discuss what aspects may work best for you.

For example, some people may want to reduce carbs or introduce intermittent fasting into their health routine in addition to holistic eating and a healthy exercise lifestyle. It’s important to make any changes safely and listen to your body to figure out what works and what doesn’t work.

Some people may find it easy to lose weight while working out with an e-bike, while others may struggle to get or keep weight off. Everyone’s body is different, but these tips and strategies can help you maximize your time spent riding an e-bike and optimize your weight loss for the best results.

Reference Sources

The New York Times: E-Bikes Can Provide a Good Workout. – Link
Translational Journal of the ACSM: Metabolic and Cardiovascular Responses to a Simulated Commute on an E-Bike. – Link
The Washington Post: E-bikes get up to speed in popularity, providing a workout easier on the heart. – Link
The National Library of Medicine: Physical activity when riding an electric-assisted bicycle. – Link