Ride Your Way Lean: The Ultimate Plan for Burning Fat and Getting Fit on a Bike

by Selene Yeager

Bicycling magazine's resident Fit Chick delivers a weight-loss plan designed to help readers lose 30, 50, or even 100 pounds by riding a bike and eating sensibly

Forget gym memberships and running shoes. The best way to lose weight is on a bike. In Ride Your Way Lean , Bicycling magazine columnist Selene Yeager provides readers with a comprehensive cycling plan that allows them to shed fat, streamline their bodies, and hone their skills on a bike. Cycling is gentle on the joints, easy to do with friends and family, and burns literally thousands of calories without being a bore or cause for suffering.

A weight-loss program for people who want to drop pounds of fat while learning a new sport, this book offers training plans that turbocharge metabolism along with complementary nutritional advice. Each chapter is seasoned with anecdotal tips, success stories, pitfalls, and other advice from real people who have ridden themselves lean.

Genres: Nonfiction, Fitness, Cycling, Self Help, Sports, Health

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Pat Loughery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ride Your Way Lean advocates cycling as an exercise and lifestyle choice to lean up. It begins with very basic information: why cycling, how to buy a bike, equipment - and my fear was that it would be too simplistic for my needs. It gets a bit more helpful though, with good discussions of basic nutrition, eating plans, ride plans, indoor trainer exercises, off-bike exercises and other goodies.

I would recommend this book to somebody who's considering or just getting into cycling. For more seasoned riders wanting more depth of content, see Base Building for Cyclists by Chapple, or The Time Crunched Cyclist by Carmichael.

[Jeff Hoots · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use the nutritional information and strength training plan on a continuing basis. After reading through to get a sense of the whole, an integral reference tool as part of my ongoing fitness plan.

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I've read The Big Book of Cycling for Women see my review here, also by Selene Yeager, any other of her books that I read now feel repetitive. The Big Book of Cycling for Women sort of condenses and wraps up all previous books within it. This book does go more in depth into weight loss via biking. There are several included exercises, as well, for additional strength/core training. I'm finding that most of Yeager's books are aimed at beginner bikers so if you're an experienced biker or are already fit and incorporate other cross training exercise, this book may be too basic for you.

I will add that as I've been aging, biking is proving to be a great cardiovascular workout which does not stress my joints. The last time I ran I hurt my ankle and knee. So, I'm back to biking, only. Also, if you want to lose weight the pounds will literally roll off as you roll along, while biking.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ordered this book as a Zip Book. My library ordered it from Amazon and shipped it directly to me. When the library opens again I will return directly to the library and it will become part of the circulating collection. Very cool option!

I've been wanting to read Selene's book for some time after listening to her on the Paceline Podcast. She is also known to Bicycling Magazine readers as the Fit Chick. She breaks down losing weight while cycling in an easy to read and digestible way. I can also tell you from my experience she is absolutely correct.

I've lost over 30 lbs mostly riding on my bike. During the COVID pandemic, I've been riding indoors and you can burn a huge amount of calories riding if you stick with it. Indoor tools like Zwift make it easier to stick to riding by gamifying the whole thing.

If you are a cyclist or interested in how the low impact exercise of biking can help you lose weight this is a great read!

[Cesar Trujillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book if you’re a bike beginner and want to lose weight

This book is great if you’re looking for reducing your weight with the use of a bicycle, in the context of a broader plan. This also includes eating habits, biking principles, setting up your bike, complementary exercises for stretching and strengthening, and a lot of tips that can enable you to have a healthier life. Highly recommended if you are a beginner in biking. Not so recommend if you are more advanced cyclist, because for you probably the content of this book could be somehow basic.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite the picture on the cover of a fit cyclist on a Pinarello road bike, this book is not aimed at cyclists looking to lose 5-10 kilos.

It is more of a primer for people who may never have ridden a bike as an adult, who are looking to lose a lot more weight (10+ kilos, a couple of dress sizes). Goes over a wide variety of topics (diet, weight training, bike intervals) and explains them well.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this is your only exercise option, this is the book for you. I just want to return to the sport and exercise tool after a long absence and know that it will provide the exercise, weight loss and fun that I am craving. Full of plans for the avid cyclist to be and exercises for strength training and flexibility. Also, provides advice for healthy eating while engaging in a more strenuous physical activity that needs lots of protein, carbs and fats.

[Nancymcpeak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good tips for riding and for nutrition. I especially liked the different cycling plans with day by day activities depending on your specific goals. Even the experienced rider would learn a few things, I am sure. The book ended with a discussion of maintenance. I think it was well done and it was definitely readable.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book for beginning cyclists with a goal of weight loss. No aha moments for experienced cyclists but a pretty comprehensive guide to someone with little to no fitness, diet, and/or cycling knowledge. A good primer.

[Krista Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sort of thing w/ an awkward layout for a fitness book. Good, well rounded covering of topic w/o getting into any bad science or bad body-view psychology problems.

[Elizabet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone that wants to add bike riding to their exercise routine. I loved all the tips.

[Lorrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book on overall cycling tips, weight loss, eating right, weight training, interval training, cycling gear, and everything else needed for a healthy lifestyle.

[Shaleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

After cycling for more than 10 years reading the books makes me feel I am learning something new. I recommend it to everyone.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great and up to date

The book was really up to date when it came to nutrition, which is always a nice surprise. The weight training exercise descriptions and pictures were good. The book as a whole is very helpful, informative, current, and well written. My only suggestion would be to have a link for Kindle purchasers to be able to download copies of the training plans so they can have a hard copy and be able to write on them.

[Gregory Boyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had all the answers to my question, because I want to lose more weight and buy a bicycle for next season. The book went into strength training, nutrition, indoor training for the winter months, buying cloths, bicycle and component selection for the heavy weights like me.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple examples, motivational stories and good advice make this a great companion for losing weight on a bike. Not a diet plan, but good information for making better food choices. Cycling can burn calories fast. Improve your results with the tips and information from this book.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't give it a 5 just yet, I need to see how pratical the schedules are to my real life. It was a very quick read, can't wait to get out and try the interval plans. Nice to know I am doing some things right, but just need to tweak.

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straight up and practical

I am very overweight and want that to change. This book lays everything out, even with the struggles for beginners like me. Love this book. Have already dropped 30 pounds

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

really enjoying this book...lots of great tips & suggestions...a must-read for anyone interested in the cycling...reading more of it while on vacation

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information, good sense and no gimmicks.
Ride your way lean with and hour a day of exercise and eating right.
Does have some nice training plans and ideas for indoor trainer rides.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book because it has something for everyone at all levels of cycling proficiency. Now if I could just follow her advice and get back on my bike!

[Spook Sulek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I loved the plans and the science, as well as the testimonials!

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

decent read, informative...but not what I was looking for. I like biking for exercise but not dressing it with a lot of gear.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Common sense tips, but I may consider buying this book as a reminder of what to do in the off-season.

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to won this book. Good reference materials.

[Glenn Liguori]

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[Penni Higgens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good for new riders...get tips

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad book. It was encouraging all the way through, but I felt it lacked in the training section. The workout plans could use a little better explanation. I think I can figure them out though.

[Lynne Plessinger uutinen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative for a beginner, like myself

[Gary Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful and good advice