JOIN ME AND GET ON YOUR BIKE!

Join James and I for some freedom, fun and adventure this National Bike week

We’re all pressed for time theses days and fitting exercise in seems to be impossible sometimes. I will admit that exercise is something I have been doing very little off recently due to a back injury but it’s something I really need in my life for so many reasons. When I exercise I feel better about myself physically, mentally and emotionally and kids are no different and with chronic disease and obesity levels on the rise our kids really need to be outdoors as much as possible.

The weather has been incredible recently but as we all know this is not a luxury we can take for granted in Ireland so we need to take full advantage of it when it’s here. James and I were asked to be ambassadors for National bike week  which started on June 11th and finishes on June 19th and as James came off his stabilizers recently you can imagine his enthusiasm is through the roof at the moment.

Over the past few weeks we have been cycling everywhere including to school, visiting friends, shopping and having picnics. Both of us were a bit “wibbly wobbly wonderish” in the beginning but now instead of hopping in the car every few minutes we are hopping on our bikes.

The best part about taking to our bikes is that we have been having so much fun and it’s a great way to get out together as a family. I also realized just how much I use the car for really short trips! If you find it hard to get the time to exercise and want to spend quality time with your family cycling is the perfect solution. I met a family with four kids on Saturday and they said they cycle everywhere as it’s a great way for them to spend quality time together.

Cycling has so many health benefits. Studies have shown that it is one of the most efficient ways to lose weight and also boost brainpower. Canadian neuroscientist Brian Christie, PhD says “Exercise is like fertilizer for your brain. All those hours spent turning your cranks create rich capillary beds not only in your quads and glutes, but also in your gray matter. More blood vessels in your brain and muscles mean more oxygen and nutrients to help them work.” For this reason it’s the perfect choice for leaving cert students this week on the way to exams.

It’s also great news for the whole family as today we are trying to cope with increasing stress levels along with mental health difficulties.

 

[bctt tweet=”Cycling can help to banish the blues and decrease anxiety and stress but more importantly it’s a great way to bond with each other in a more fun, unforced way.” via=”no”]

Cycling can help to banish the blues and decrease anxiety and stress but more importantly it’s a great way to bond with each other in a more fun, unforced way.

Don’t worry about your fitness levels either as riding is a low impact exercise for all ages. Cyclists who cycle regularly are seen to be on the same fitness level to those ten years younger and three hours of cycling per week can reduce the risk of heart disease by a whopping 50%!

So in a nutshell cycling can help to protect you from serious diseases such as stroke, heart attack, some cancers, depression, diabetes, obesity and arthritis. It strengthens your bones and improves posture and coordination too. If you’re worried about your pocket and lets face it most of us are, it is also much lower in cost than travelling by public transport or a car. If you spend as little as €1.20 daily on travel (bus fare, Luas fare or petrol) you can save €200 a year by switching to a bike! It’s also environmentally friendly, as it cuts congestion and has zero emissions and is surprisingly easy to fit into your daily routine.

 

[bctt tweet=”But please remember safety first and wear your helmets at all times and at night wear a high vis jacket along with lights on your bike.” via=”no”]

But please remember safety first and wear your helmets at all times and at night wear a high vis jacket along with lights on your bike.

Believe it or not commuting by bike to work, college, and school or just to go to the shops is also a much faster way to travel. SmarterTravel.ie estimates that approximately 400,000 people in Ireland travel 4 kilometres or less to work or school or college by car every day – distances that could easily be cycled. Cycling is the fastest mode of transport for journeys of 6 kilometres or less in urban areas especially during peak rush hour and school run times.

So get on your bikes and join in the fun. Follow me on social media for lots of great updates including snapchat (alicanavan78) There are so many events happening nationwide so to find one near you log onto www.bikeweek.ie