Why is cycling one of the best ways to get exercise and keep your weight in check? Cycling can give your heart a better workout than walking, without the pounding your joints take when jogging. Cycling is low cost. You can ride your bike anywhere. Put a basket on your bike and you can ride to the grocery store to stock up on supplies, without having to worry about carrying heavy bags home.
You can ride your bike to an appointment and avoid the stress of being delayed by traffic jams. You can ride your bike to visit friends or family and they’ll no doubt have a cold drink waiting for you! Cycling is fun; you don’t need a gym membership and you get to watch the scenery pass by.
All you need to do is find yourself a bicycle that fits properly, is mechanically sound, and has a bell. Remember to keep the air pressure in your tires at the maximum recommended PSI so that you are not working hard with each revolution of the pedal. And make sure you wear a properly fitting helmet and comfortable, breathable clothes.
Need a little more motivation? Take a look at the results from a new study that confirms that people who live in communities where walking and cycling are common are less likely to be overweight or obese.
Researchers analyzed statistics about walking and cycling in 14 countries, and also studied data about walking and cycling to work in all 50 states and in 47 of the largest U.S. cities. Who had the highest levels of walking and cycling among the countries studied? If you guessed Switzerland, you’d be right. Unfortunately the lowest levels were in the United States, Australia, and Canada. Among U.S. cities, the highest rates of walking and cycling to work were in Boston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Minneapolis, and Seattle.
Not surprisingly, the researchers found a connection between more walking and cycling and lower levels of obesity and diabetes.
So why wait? Get out and get active. Just remember to do some quick stretches to limber up before starting out. Bring a water bottle and a snack with you and you are ready to travel. When choosing a route, find bike paths to ride on whenever possible so that you do not have to deal with the risks of cycling in traffic.
Now, if you can get your bike out for a spin three times a week, you’ll be adding some preventative medicine to your life that could ward of the complications of some pretty serious diseases, while at the same time giving you more strength and energy in your daily life.
And, if you feel a little leery of jumping on a bike, just get walking. It has all the health benefits of cycling if you walk briskly — without the same worries about cars and traffic.
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