Spine and Open

Hey folks,

Recently I started on my 11th year of bike commuting; this makes me the resident bike commuting expert at my job.  They asked me to put together some slides for an earth day presentation.  I uncovered quite a bit of info, and actually read the source material that other folks cite - and discovered some misinterpretations out there.  In a series of 6 posts I should cover all the material.  This first post will discuss the physical fitness aspects of using non motorized transport.

Simply put - if you ride or walk to work you are burning more calories than driving your car, and therefore, improving your physical fitness.

calories burned

I used this site to calculate the calories.  Note, that walking 4 mph is quite a fast clip.  How about these pieces of info:

• Percent of noninstitutionalized adults age 20 years and over who are overweight or obese: 66%. (Source = CDC)

Guess what?  There are other benefits to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (Source):

• Increase your stamina. Aerobic exercise may make you tired in the short term. But over the long term, you’ll enjoy increased stamina and reduced fatigue.
• Ward off viral illnesses. Aerobic exercise activates your immune system. This leaves you less susceptible to minor viral illnesses, such as colds and flu.
• Reduce health risks. Aerobic exercise reduces the risk of many conditions, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke and certain types of cancer.
• Manage chronic conditions. Aerobic exercise helps lower high blood pressure and control blood sugar. If you’ve had a heart attack, aerobic exercise helps prevent subsequent attacks.
• Strengthen your heart. A stronger heart doesn’t need to beat as fast. A stronger heart also pumps blood more efficiently, which improves blood flow to all parts of your body.
• Keep your arteries clear. Aerobic exercise boosts your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol and lowers your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol.
• Stay active and independent as you get older. Aerobic exercise keeps your muscles strong, which can help you maintain mobility as you get older.

Are you part of the 66% of Americans that are overweight?  Don’t have time to go to the gym?  How about changing your commute habits?

The next post will address some of the concerns folks have regarding their physical safety and walking or cycling.