Cycling is probably the only means of transport that involves physical exercise. In today’s world that is controlled by machines, cycling is a boon for those struggling to maintain fitness due to a busy lifestyle. There are endless benefits of cycling and those who use bicycles as their daily means of transportation, tend to remain fitter in comparison to those who opt for motor vehicles. If you want to remain healthy, fitness can not be a matter of choice. It should be a way of living. There are several fitness activities and exercise techniques that you can get involved in for leading a healthy life. But there’s no other way than cycling where you can train your body without having to stay inside a gym or a dedicated workout spot.
You are working out while cycling and it’s the best form of multitasking that one can do. You can simply look at a cyclist’s body and tell how to fit and lean they are. From fat-burning to training your legs, cycling is an all-round solution for many problems. From physical fitness to mental well-being, cycling can ensure an all-round healthy lifestyle for you. Here are some key benefits of cycling:
1. Weight Loss: Obesity is one of the major issues that a majority of people face due to irregular eating habits or other reasons. A person being overweight hampers his/her confidence and also makes him/her prone to several diseases like diabetes and blood pressure issues. You can prevent all this from happening to you, by taking out some time out of your schedule for cycling a few minutes every day. The simple maths behind weight loss is burning more calories than you intake. An hour of cycling will help you burn nearly 400 to 1000 calories depending on the intensity. You can start with cycling for 15 minutes and increase the time regularly as your stamina gets better.
2. Building Muscles: Most people think that cycling is only beneficial only for those who are looking to lose weight and it is of no use for those trying to build muscles. However, this theory is not true and there is enough data to debunk this myth. Cycling acts like resistance training and helps in training the lower body. It will help you get strong and toned legs as it targets hamstrings, quads, and calves. In the long run, cycling is highly beneficial for building a lean body, that has a very less amount of fat.
3. Reduces Heart Disease and Cancer Risk: Nearly 14 million people lost their lives due to heart diseases in 2019. Similarly, over 9.6 million people died due to cancer worldwide in 2018. We live in such an environment, where heart ailments have become very common. The only way to keep your heart healthy and blood circulation proper is by doing proper exercises. Cycling increases the heart rate and also boosts the blood flow in the body. Since most of the heart diseases are linked to obesity and overweight people, the chances of getting a heart disease come down drastically for a person who rides a bicycle frequently. The same is true for the other deadly disease – cancer. As cycling improves blood flow in the body, the chances of a person getting affected by cancer become very less.
4. Better Sleep: A good sleep is a therapy in itself and it can help you get rid of many physical as well as mental illnesses. A fit body and a good sleep are reciprocating elements and both complement each other. Hence, a fit person will have a good sleep in comparison to a person who is struggling with a physical illness or mental problem. If you sleep well, you wake up the next day free of stress and this prevents your brain and your body from getting overworked. People between 40 and 60 tend to have more heart-related problems and this also affects their sleep cycle. An hour of cycling can help you fight all these age-related complexions and help in leading you a healthy life.
5. Improves Mental Health: When Harry S Truman said that “A Healthy Mind Resides In A Healthy Body” he didn’t say it just for the sake of saying it. There is an abundance of research data to prove that a healthy body helps your brain function better and keeps the mental ailments at bay. Your brain will automatically work better if the blood flow in the brain is better. Cycling helps in increasing the blood flow in the brain remarkably and hence, your brain functions in a better way. It helps you in fighting anxiety, stress, depression, and taking important decisions. Getting all this in exchange for 30 minutes to an hour of cycling is not a bad deal. Cycling frequently will also enhance your handling capability as you start riding on irregular, dodgy roads.
