Start with Cycling - These 11 Benefits Will Change Your Life!
Are you looking for a healthy, enjoyable, and versatile lifestyle? Here are some good reasons to get on a bicycle!
The benefits of cycling will be obvious to those who are introduced to the cycling world, but for those who only know the cycling world from the outside, here's a list of some life-changing perks. Ask any cyclist about the benefits of cycling, they will describe their improved physical and mental health and an increased social circle.
However, when considering cycling as your new hobby, you might need extra motivation to choose cycling above anything else.
So here's why we feel cycling is the best:
1. Your mental well-being improved with cycling
People with a physically active lifestyle had a 32% higher well-being score compared to inactive people, this was shown in a study by the YNCA.
Exercising can boost your mood in many different ways:
- The first is the release of hormones like adrenalin and endorphins.
- Secondly, there is improved confidence when you achieve new things, your first ride, your first 100km ride, a new average speed, or finishing that fantastic event.
Cycling is the perfect combination of physical exercise and being outdoors. It's an activity that can be done solo, giving you an excellent opportunity to process your day. You can also ride in a group, which will broaden your social network. Being out there on a bike will help you to straighten your mind if necessary. Some people will say that cycling is a good remedy for depression.
2. Cycling makes your immune system stronger
Doctors at the Appalachian State University studied over 1000 adults aged up to 85. The study showed that exercise had a significant benefit on health. They found out that the upper respiratory system, reducing instances of cold, was in better condition. The doctors stated after their study: "Sick days will be reduced by 40% if people exercise aerobically on most days in the week." At the same time, those exercises provide many other health benefits."
Studies at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, tell us that mild exercises can improve our immune system. This is because the production of essential proteins will be increased, while lazy white blood cells will be activated. All those studies talk about exercise, so why choose the bike? Cycling is a very friendly exercise for joints and is easy on the body. It also saves time. Think of cycling to your work, you don't have to wait for a metro or bus, and the chances you get stuck in traffic are reduced to almost zero.
3. Want to lose weight? Cycling can help!
Burn more calories than you take, and you will lose weight. That is a weight loss 101. By doing a cycling exercise, you will burn between 400 and 1000 calories an hour. This depends on the intensity of the ride and the rider's weight.
However, this is not the only factor. There are more: when you eat, what you eat, and the quality of sleep also impact the result of any weight loss.
Let's say you like cycling, so you'll be burning calories. You have a healthy and balanced diet. In this case, you should lose weight as long as you keep your exercises aerobically.
4. Build muscle by cycling
Apart from the fact that you can use cycling to burn fat, you also build muscles by doing the exercises. Your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves will be more muscular the longer you cycle. Muscle is leaner than fat, and you will burn even more calories with a higher percentage of muscles in the body. And those pictures you saw of track-sprinters. Don't worry. You won't end up with quads like those people unless you invest your time at a squat rack.
5. Enjoy a second breakfast after your ride, if you want
An early morning ride or your spin to your work. Those exercises are an excellent excuse to add some extra snacks to your meal plan. If you think a half-hour ride should burn around 350 calories, you have got a great reason to take a second breakfast at your desk. But if you want to burn fat and lose weight. You can also skip breakfast and stick to your regular meal plan.
6. Cyclists have better lung health
This sounds a bit contradictory to common sense. However, studies showed that cyclists are exposed to less dangerous fumes than people who travel by car. Kings College in London monitored a car driver, bus user, pedestrian, and cyclist using a busy route through London city center. This test came with some fascinating results. The pollution levels of a car driver were five times higher than the cyclist, three times higher than the pedestrian, and two times higher than the of bus-user. The cyclist won this health test.
7. Cycling cuts heart disease and cancer risk
If you're cycling your heart rate will rise, calories will be burned. Blood will be pumped around the body. This all limits your chances of being overweight. That's why cycling is recommended by health authorities as a form of exercise to prevent the risks of having major illnesses like heart disease and cancer. Recent studies of the University of Glasgow showed that cycling regularly can cut the chances of having heart disease or cancer.
8. Riding a bike is low impact
Most of the reasons we discussed this far are related to exercise. But why buy a bike if it's easier to go for a run?
Imagine your body weight slamming step by step on your feet, ankles, knees. Running is weight-bearing. The rates of runners that suffer from an injury are higher than the rates of cyclists. Scientists compared groups of runners and cyclists doing long-distance exercises. The result? Runners suffered 133-144 percent more muscle damage and 256 percent more inflammation. While riding a bike will less likely result in an overuse injury, they can still happen. A proper bike fit is a great way to narrow down any risk and provide good comfort on your bike.
9. Cycling is time efficient
Commuting on your bike can be a great way to save some time.
Imagine this:
- Get in your car, get stuck in traffic, find your parking spot, park your car and pay for it, walk to your destination, and arrive.
- Walk to the nearest bus stop, wait for the bus, get on the bus and pay, pass by your destination but arrive at the bus stop a couple of hundred meters away, and walk back to your final destination.
- Get your bike straight from the house, Step on your bike, filter past traffic, lock the bike next to your destination, and arrive.
The short drives are providing the highest global pollution levels. While those rides can easily be changed in a bike ride. Leaving you with fewer payments for fuel and parking. As it saves a lot of time and improves the health.
10. Cycling improves the health of your brain
Exercise and brain health are repeatedly linked to one another. A study from 2013 found that blood flow to the brain of a cyclist was heavily improved during exercise. It also shows that the blood flow improved after the workout. An improved blood flow is a good thing because this means the brain gets more fresh blood, which includes oxygen and other material that keeps the brain healthy.
11. Cycling will grow your social circle
Nothing is so much fun as cycling together with friends. Cycling is a very social sport. All across the UAE, there are many social and community rides for all types of cyclists. Mountain bike, road, gravel, beginner, advanced. Also, riding with your close friends and finishing off with a coffee is common in cycling. So getting on the bike is an excellent way to grow your social circle.