Today just so happens to be bike to work day! And even if you haven’t marked the occasion by biking to work today, we recommend you still consider it for tomorrow.
But why should you get on your bike? And perhaps more specifically why should you do it before AND after work?
Turns out, there are so many good reasons. Take a look at these:
1. It makes you more productive at work
Getting the blood pumping before you sit at your desk for the day isn’t just brilliant for your physical health, it’s great for your mind too. Not only will your body feel more ‘pumped up’ and alive, but your brain will also be firing on all cylinders for the rest of the day too. You’ll be on top form thanks to having a huge boost of feel-good endorphins and getting that general ‘good vibe’ sensation you get after a good workout.
2. It makes you sleep better
If sleeping well is a problem for you, getting more exercise can be key to getting it back to normal. A good 5-mile ride to and from work twice per day certainly helps to tire you more than sitting still all day does. And because you sleep better, you’ll instantly feel healthier, perform better at work and you’ll even find it easier to lose weight thanks to a natural decrease in cravings for carb-heavy foods which happens when you’re well-rested.
3. It can be faster than traveling by car
As city’s become more green, cycle paths are becoming more abundant – and with good reason. Cycling not only eases congestion in itself, but you can also bypass the congestion you’d otherwise be stuck queueing in when you hop on your bike to work instead.
Sick of queuing at traffic lights? Try riding your bike to work one morning – you may never want to drive in again!
4. It’s great cardio and it’s easy on your joints
If you’ve tried running and noticed your knees feel like they’re on fire afterward, cycling is the brilliant alternative you should be trying instead.
Due to the fact that cycling isn’t a weight-bearing exercise, it’s perfect for those who suffer from joint pain – in the same way as swimming is! There’s no heavy pounding on your knees, but your body still gets to workout with a good range of movement – and you can rest assured it’ll still get your pulse racing going up those hills!
5. You’ve done your workout before you even get home
Who wants to have to take a trip to the gym when they get home in the evening? If you’re like most people, the first thing on your mind when you walk through the door past 6pm is probably food, not exercise.
Not only will you possibly save time in getting home by commuting by bike, you’ll save time (and gym membership fees) by having already done your workout when you get home. That leaves you with much more time to freshen up, have dinner and relax for the evening in whichever way you like, guilt-free!
Biking to work is the new driving to work
There’s no doubt about it – as a nation, we’re all getting more sedentary than we were 100 or even 50 years ago. We’re eating more too. But by biking to work and back each day, we can begin to combat one of the major causes of obesity in a pretty convenient way.
A good 5-mile bike ride can clock up 400 calories or more – so imagine what you could do if you did that twice per day, 5 days per week! So, what are you waiting for? Dig that bike out of the garage and get peddling!
