To lose weight bike riding, all you need is willpower, your bike, and the time it takes to invest in your future health. The exercise activity of bicycling is one that is very ideal for your goal of losing weight because the activity promotes the burning of a lot of calories. So, the next time that you observe your bicycle just sitting in a corner of your garage collecting dust, remember that it can be used as a very effective tool in burning off unwanted pounds. Additionally, you get to enjoy the beautiful weather, climate and scenery of the outdoors when you exercise on your bike, which is a lot more psychologically healthy than going into a gym and just being indoors.

To incorporate bike riding in an effective way, you most likely have to plan around a busy schedule that is already overwhelmed and where you are stretched somewhat thin. If that is the case, then simply plan creatively to work bike riding into your life. If you cannot commit yourself to setting aside a daily amount of time for bike riding, try creative solutions like using your bike to ride to and from work if you live close enough. You could also opt to make the exercise of bike riding a family-time event, where everyone grabs their bikes and rides together for a couple of hours a day or week.

The key to weight loss, and more importantly, successful weight loss, is to use a method which keeps the pounds off and which presents a way to consistent weight loss. Failed means to weight loss like crash diets are no good at keeping off the pounds because you are starving yourself. As a result, you get weaker and you lose muscle tissue; all this may climax in overcompensating by way of over-eating. In contrast, with regular bike riding--regular is defined as daily bike riding--you will lose a pound a week, which is a slower and therefore healthier way of losing weight, that can also be more permanent than what you get with dieting.

While you can ride your bike regularly as much as you want, you will impede yourself from losing weight over a long-term basis if you undo all the beneficial effects of riding your bike with improper eating. Improper eating includes junk food and excessive portion sizes. Whole foods that have minimal processing are the key to proper eating--things like vegetables, whole grains, fruits, dairy and meats that are lean. The fruits, grains and vegetables provide carbohydrates to fuel your exercise, while the lean meats and dairy give you protein for the development of your muscles. They also encourage weight loss through their chemical composition.