Losing Weight Mountain Biking

Growing up right near the local trail network, I started riding trails in my early teens, and couldn’t get enough of it. The local freeride scene in British Columbia in the early 2000s blew up, and I became pretty obsessed! My first job was at a bike shop, and the money made there went into keeping my bike repaired.

After a decade of slow and steady weight gain, I’d crept up to my heaviest weight. In 2007, when I got married, I was around 200 pounds—but for much of the next decade, my mountain bike sat dormant, gathering dust. In the spring of 2017, I realized weighed in at 245 pounds.

During that decade, a busy life—university, starting a business, getting married, and having five kids—combined with a bad diet got in the way of my health. I always tried to fight weight gain through biking in the summers, but it didn’t cut it. I tried to crash-diet and would drop 15 pounds, but then would seem to gain 20 back.

Shift Human Performance

On May 1, 2017, I decided to change it, once and for all. If I kept this weight gain up for another decade, I knew it would be too late to turn it around.

I started by cutting out all sweets, most carbs, and all booze. Black coffee, eggs, salad, veggies, fruit, nuts, and meat were my go-to. I also decided to ride five to six times a week, no matter what. As the spring and summer went on, I started feeling faster and faster on the bike. The hills I used to have to walk my mountain bike up were now rideable.

I started consistently dropping weight for the first time in my life. By mid-summer I was down below 200 pounds, and by fall I weighed in at 180 pounds—a 65-pound difference.

How Much Weight Can You Lose Riding A Bike?

Losing weight took a lot of work, but I was rewarded by a rapidly changing body composition, increased performance on the bike, and plenty of compliments. Once I hit 180 pounds, my body stopped shedding weight, and I had to learn how to make this newfound lifestyle sustainable. People got used to “skinny” me, and compliments stopped. I wasn’t replacing my wardrobe, and I realized I had to figure out how to make this new way of life “routine.”

Now, my target is to ride seven hours a week. This can be seven one-hour rides, one seven-hour ride, or anything in between. In the summer I’ll ride more, and in the winter it’s tough to get seven hours in, but 365 hours a year is the goal!

During prime riding months (May–October), I prefer to ride in the mornings. I get up around 5:30 a.m., make coffee, and get on the bike. Whether it’s a mountain bike ride, a gravel ride, or a road ride, I love starting my day on the bike. It’s much easier to be motivated to ride if there’s someone else to ride with, and I often go with my long-time riding buddy.

How To Lose Weight

I have regular rides that keep the schedule consistent. Tuesday night is my favorite; a local “drop ride” to keep it spicy. Early mornings every Friday are a year-round “dad’s club” ride, which is an easy 50km before work that ends at the local coffee shop.

In the winter months, my schedule changes a bit. I live near Vancouver, where the weather is really variable in the winter. I spend more time on my smart trainer, and focus much more on structured training using TrainerRoad. I still always prefer being outside when possible.

During the winter, I typically hit the gym for cross training two to three times per week. I’ve recently set up a “mini-gym” where my smart trainer is set up so I can do core, sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups. And, I’ll run if I’m traveling and and don’t have a bike with me. For me, it’s a fun part of exploring new places.

How To Bike For Weight Loss: 15 Steps (with Pictures)

While 30 minutes in the gym can feel like hours to me, four hours on the bike seem to fly by! The feeling of a getting stronger, getting faster, and being healthy and fit from doing something I love is a perfect combination.

I race Marathon XC, road, and enjoy doing a few Fondos each year. This year, I’m excited to do my first-ever gravel race this fall. You won’t see me on the podiums, but I’m improving and learning a ton; I hope to one day get on an age-group podium at a local race.

Over the last few years, focusing on performance improvements has brought a different aspect to it. From FTP tests to races, and from group “drop rides” to some Strava segment hunting, I really enjoy the challenge and reward of measured improvements.

Top 10 Ways To Lose Weight Cycling

The secret to losing weight turned out to be simple, although it had evaded me for years. Eat healthy and exercise lots. Fight to create (or change) habits to allow this to be consistent. Once I hit my target weight, it took me the next year to learn how to live a balanced life. To lose weight, I cut out beer for a while. I wanted those post-ride beers, so rather than beers every night like I used to do, I save them for a treat, especially after a big ride. I also cut out all sweets. That proved to be really challenging. Now, I have dessert, just less often, and less of it.

I make diet and health mistakes regularly, but I have learned to give myself grace when I screw up. A bad day of eating is fine. A weekend of laziness is okay. If I put on a bit of weight—that’s fine. I have learned how to lose weight. But I will not allow myself to ever throw in the towel on this journey to a healthier life.

When I make mistakes, I get back into my routines and focus on these three habits that have proven to serve me well:

Mountain Biking For Weight Loss: Why Off Roading Fights The Flab

I lived much of my adult life as an unhealthy, overweight person. So after living the past three years as a healthy, fit person, the fact that I feel good, can achieve my fitness goals, and chase my five kids around without tiring is sure motivating. I don’t want to go back to my old ways of feeling tired and lethargic. Healthy living might make someone look better and weigh less, but for me, feeling healthy is addictive.

My short-term goals have been forced to change with the recent COVID-19 crisis. All the races I’d signed up for are canceled or postponed until fall. So, that means more base miles and enjoying solo rides, hopefully with the races coming in the fall. Long-term, I want to continue to get faster, become a smarter rider, and build endurance. I hope to be able to race the Dirty Kanza or Leadville one day.

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Health Benefits From Mountain Biking

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Why Am I Not Losing Weight Cycling Anymore?

Basically I was focused on other areas of life, and exercise and fitness became an afterthought. After we had our first child, I weighed around 230 pounds (fat not muscle), my cholesterol was high, and I had a bad back and knee pain.

There was a brief period around 1995 or so when I went on Weight Watchers and lost about 40 pounds, but I gained that back fairly quickly. Eating too much combined inconsistent exercise at minimal intensity kept the pounds on. I never challenged myself beyond 60 to 70 percent of my target heart rate.

Around 2008 I was having health issues with high cholesterol and severe back pain. I weighed around 220 pounds. That same year, I had a career change with a new office space. I decided that enough was enough with my unhealthy lifestyle and decided to start riding an old Trek bike that I had for many years. I began riding to work regularly which helped with a great deal of weight loss.

How To Lose Weight Using Mountain Biking

In 2010, a friend introduced me to mountain biking and took me into a local park (Frick Park) which has some great mountain bike trails. I loved it immediately and bought my first