According to one survey, there are over 57 million people in the U.S. alone that enjoy biking, and that’s just in the United States. In Japan, biking is one the main modes of transportation, and there are millions upon millions of people around the world that have stumbled onto one of the most enjoyable ways to stay healthy, get around and help keep the environment clean.
Biking is an aerobic activity, since you’re constantly moving when you bike, and breathing (a lot?) more than when you’re sitting still, so your body brings in more oxygen. Your heart beats faster, more blood flows through your veins and all of that extra oxygen is carried throughout your body. All of a sudden you have an aerobic workout and all the benefits that come with it. So if point A is not too far from point B, you can actually get a workout accomplished while riding from one destination to another, which is one more way to optimize your time during your hectic schedule. Also, since bikes obviously don’t pollute the environment like cars and you won’t need to use resources such as gasoline, you’ll be saving the environment and money all at the same time.
Some of those exercise benefits include fighting off diseases like heart diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Your body will more actively stimulate the immune system and help fight off viral infections during aerobic activity. And as a bonus, when engaging your body in an aerobic activity like biking, you’ll potentially be burning fat, if your ride is more than 15-20 minutes and at an above average intensity. The body will tap into its fat sources to use as fuel and you can lose weight and become trimmer. Enjoying a bike ride can also help improve your mood, since riding around, breathing in the fresh air and the aerobic effects will signal your brain to produce endorphins, which are chemicals responsible for helping elevate your mood.
If you’re a beginner or interested in starting to bike more places, there are some things you’ll want to consider. First what kind of bike would you like? Are you interested in: a comfort road bike, a mountain bike or a racing bike? Next you’ll need to find a proper bike shop to purchase your new bike. With the Internet today, it should be easy to find a place close to you that sells a range of bicycles. Be sure to share your biking goals and intentions with your sales person so that he or she can help you pick out a bike that’s just the right fit.