Biking, especially in the great outdoors, can come with great experiences. To stay safe while you’re biking, be sure to follow these safety tips: Wear a helmet. This might go without saying, but a helmet protects your head (and your brain) in the event of a collision or a fall. Make sure it fits your head snugly. Ideally, go for a brightly colored helmet that’s easy for others to see. Ride single file. If you enjoy biking with a friend, let one person lead. The follower should leave some space in between.
Ride on the right side of the road. You want to pedal in the same direction that car traffic is flowing. Use hand signals. Let drivers and other riders on the road know that you’re planning to turn or take other actions.
Forego the electronics. Don’t wear headphones or anything that might impair your ability to hear other vehicles around you. Keep an eye out for road hazards. Uneven terrain, potholes, standing water, and other potential hazards could be dangerous, so be on the lookout for them. Take care of your bike. Make sure to keep your bike in tip-top condition by performing regular maintenance and spot checks to make sure the chains, wheels, brakes, and other parts are in good working order.
The bottom line
If you’re trying to lose weight, or want to maintain weight loss that you’ve worked hard to achieve, biking can be a great way to achieve this goal. To maximize your weight loss and fat burn, try to increase the intensity or duration of your biking workout. Doing interval training and cross-training can also help with weight loss and fat-burning efforts. If you have a health condition or haven’t exercised in a while, be sure to check with your doctor to make sure a biking workout is safe for you.
