CyclingCycle Your Way to a Better Body.
So, you’re thinking that it’s time to lose a few kilos, but you’re not sure how to get started. How about dusting off that bike in the garage and taking it out for a spin?

Bicycling is a great way to be in the open, take in the fresh air, than just walking. It’s also a wonderful way to burn excess calories, shed body fat and improve your cardiovascular health. Depending on your body weight and the intensity of your ride, you will probably burn some where between 400 and 500 calories on a one hour bicycling trip.

At Maher we help you consider these options while cycling for weight loss:

  • Having a scheduled daily ride of about an hour.
  • Could you ride your bike to and from work or school? If you did this most days of the week and ate a healthy diet, you could easily expect to lose roughly one kilo a week.
  • Help you plan times throughout your week to fit in a bike ride into your busy schedule.
These activities will all add up to calories burned and pounds shed. Plus, they are also just a lot of fun and surprisingly easy way to fit in exercise.

The motion of bicycling, especially uphill and high intensity cycling is a great way to develop muscle and burn fat. As both the large (quadriceps and hamstring) and small (calf) muscles of the legs work, they become stronger and more developed. The beauty of developing more muscle is that it not only makes the body look leaner and stronger, but it raises the resting metabolic rate. The higher your resting metabolic rate, the more calories you burn even at rest. So eight hours after your bike ride, sitting on your couch, you’re still burning extra calories!

Not any Bicycle will do
Correct set-up on a bicycle will maximize a cyclist's energy efficiency, comfort and performance potential. Incorrect bike set-up can actually lead to muscle strains and overuse injuries in knees, ankles, hips and back. Overall seat height is perhaps the single most important measurement for determining correct positioning on the bike. Incorrect saddle height can result in a less efficient pedaling action. Being too low on the bike will cause you to bunch up on the bike and can restrict the full contraction of your leg muscles. Being too high on the bike will result in lost energy through rocking on the saddle and can cause over-stretching of the muscles. There are no rules for correct positioning - just general guidelines. The goal for cycling is to find a healthy balance between comfort and aerodynamics.

Environmental Benefits of Cycling
  • Reduce air pollution in your County
  • Save Money
Health Benefits of Cycling
  • Increased Fitness - Through cycling, you will be able to increase your heart and lung fitness, as well as your strength and stamina.
  • Weight Loss - Cycling is a great way to help lose weight. You will burn fat as you cycle, which will help you look and feel better.
  • Stress Reduction - Exercise in general has been shown to decrease anxiety and stress levels, and bicycling is a fun way to exercise. Keeping yourself out of traffic jams will also help in reducing stress.
  • Heart Benefits - Studies have shown that regular exercise, such as cycling, lowers your risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.
  • Lowered Risk of Other Health Problems - In addition to heart disease, regular exercise can also help you to avoid other health problems such as non-insulin dependent diabetes, arthritis and osteoporosis. Exercise also relieves symptoms of depression and increases your mental health.
  • Increased Life Expectancy - The end result of having better health through cycling is that you will live a longer and happier life!