Every new year comes with new resolutions, whether it’s cutting down on drinking, quit smoking or wanting to exercise more and get fit. Or maybe even all of those three things together!
I see a common scenario year after year, and that is: people set themselves far too many goals, and all too often completely unrealistic ones: “This year I’m going to start a new career, I’ll quit smoking, I’ll sign up to a gym and I’ll train at least 3 times a week, I’ll run a marathon by july and will lose three stone!”
I’ve heard all sorts, trust me, and every time I’ll tell people the same thing: “Just keep things simple!”
It’s all well and good being motivated, wanting to fulfill a lifelong dream, trying to change for the better. But the secret is to choose only ONE thing and to try and pursue that for the rest of the year. And I’m a big fan of one particular gadget, that all of us are able to use and that has far more benefits that one/you may think: the BICYCLE!!
Many of us already commute to work on their bikes, if not every day then maybe a couple of times a week. Still, it seems like a lot of us still think that it’s very risky, that it’s unhealthy due to having to inhale all those exhaust fumes, that it’s inconvenient because we get sweaty!
I will now mention 10 great reasons why cycling to work is a MUST this year, you will not be able to find a good enough excuse to come up with not to do it:
Get to work faster (and have a less stressful journey)
Here’s a fact: during rush hour in major cities you’ll be averaging about 7mph in a car….on your bike it’ll be more like 12-15mph. You do the math!
Your brain likes it
Tests have shown that even a 5% improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness leads to an improvement of up to 15% in mental tests! The exercise also helps build new brain cells and ward of illnesses like Alzheimer due to the increased blood flow and oxygen to the brain.
It’s the safest it’s ever been
More people than ever are taking to two wheels and cycling levels in the UK have reached their highest point for 17 years. That means more riders on the roads, which surely means more cyclists getting killed by cars? Well, no. Department of Transport figures show that last year cycling increased by 12 percent (measured in total kilometres cycled), but there was also a fall in cycling deaths, down from 136 to 115 – the second lowest level ever.
Inhale less gases
Everyone seems to think that cyclists suck up more pollution and noxious gases than people in cars, buses and taxis.
Not so, according to a study carried out by Imperial College London. Researchers found that cyclists and pedestrians seem to breathe in fewer fumes because they walk or ride at the edge of the road and, unlike drivers, aren’t directly in the line of exhaust smoke. Cyclists and pedestrians are exposed to just 8000 of the ultrafine particles which can settle
in the lungs and damage cells, compared to the 100000 inhaled by taxi and bus passengers!
Be a great employee
According to a study by the University of Bristol employees who exercised before work or at lunchtime improved their time and workload management, and it boosted their motivation and their ability to deal with stress. The study also reported that workers who exercised felt their interpersonal performance was better, they took fewer breaks and found it easier to finish work on time. Also, a review of 12 studies on the link between exercise and fatigue carried out between 1945 and 2005 found that exercise directly lowers fatigue levels.
Get Fit – the cheap way!
How often have you actually been to your gym for a good 45min workout since you first joined? Most of you only make it there once a week , if that. And considering the average gym membership ranges around £50 a month, that one workout has just cost you £12.50! So here’s an idea: since your gym is most likely to be near your work, why not use it to just go and shower there three times a week? This will mean you’re making a much better use of your membership, since it’ll now be costing you only £4 to use the facilities! Remember what I mentioned earlier? Keep it simple! Regular, everyday cycling is so much more beneficial to your body than one huge 1hr effort that leaves you in so much pain for
the next few days you’ll barely be able to move! And according to research, if you’re cycling on a regular basis, you won’t just have the fitness levels equal to a person 10 years younger, but your body’s metabolic rate – the efficiency with which it burns fat and calories – will be raised not only during the ride but for several hours afterwards. This pretty much means that you’ll still be burning more calories without actually doing anything! Mix up the pace, effort and intensity of your ride, while keeping safety paramount, and you can turn your commute into a really great training session! As riding through urban traffic is inevitably stop-start, use this to your training advantage with high-intensity speed and power intervals. add the extra pace with extra pedalling speed. Use the traffic lights as sprint starts, or use a bike computer to maintain a high cadence (90- 100rpm). I can guarantee you, being out on the road will be so much more fun that just sitting on a stationary bike and in front of a tv screen.
Look Younger
“Increased circulation through exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to skin cells more effectively, while flushing harmful toxins out. The exercise also creates an ideal environment within the body to optimise collagen production, helping reduce the appearance of wrinkles and speed up the healing process.”
Stay healthy and live longer
Forget apples, riding’s the way to keep the doctor at bay. “Moderate exercise makes immune cells more active, so they’re ready to fight off infection,”people who cycle for 30 minutes, five days a week take about half as many sick days as couch potatoes. A recent study by King’s College London compared over 2,400 identical twins and found those who did the equivalent of just three 45-minute rides a week were nine years ‘biologically younger’ even after discounting other influences, such as body mass index (BMI) and smoking. “Those who exercise regularly are at significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes, all types of cancer, high blood pressure and obesity,” says Dr Lynn Cherkas, who conducted the research. “The body becomes much more efficient at defending itself and regenerating new cells.”
Develop a positive addiction
Replace a harmful dependency – such as cigarettes, alcohol or eating too much – with a positive one, says William Glasser, author of Positive Addiction. The result? You’re a happier, healthier person getting the kind of fix that boosts the good things in life!
Get (a legal) high and be happy!
The infamous ‘runner’s high’ has finally been proven beyond doubt by German scientists. Yet despite the name, this high is applicable to all endurance athletes. University of Bonn neurologists visualised endorphins in the brains of 10 volunteers before and after a two-hour cardio session ,comparing the pre- and post-run scans, they found evidence of more opiate binding of the happy hormone in the frontal and limbic regions of the brain – areas known to be involved in emotional processing and dealing with stress. “There’s a direct link between feelings of wellbeing and exercise, and for the first time this study proves the physiological mechanism behind that,” explains study co-ordinator Professor Henning Boecker. You may feel miserable when you saddle up, but by the time you’ll get to your destinations you’re very likely to be in happy spirits! That’s probably why four times more GPs prescribe exercise therapy as their most common treatment for depression compared to three years ago. Just three 30-minute sessions a week can be enough to give people the lift they need.
And finally – Save the planet
Twenty bicycles can be parked in the same space as one car. It takes around five percent of the materials and energy used to make a car to build a bike, and a bike produces zero pollution.
So saddle up and give it a go!
