Consider Bicycle Commuting
Hey All,
As I creep closer to my goal, I wanted to reach out to the #1 factor contributing to my weight loss over the years - Bicycle Commuting.
If you live within 10 miles of where you work, you should really consider doing some research into if you would be able to commute in. You get a ton of exercise, get a lot of fresh air, escape the trap of sitting in your car in rush hour, and you will burn hundreds of calories each day.
Now to get started, check out google maps and map your route between your house and your office. If you're like me and that route doesn't exist, you can certainly drive to somewhere that a bike path starts. This cuts my commute down to about 10 minute driving, and 8 mile biking...which to me is fine, it doesn't have to be all or nothing and I still cut out all of the traffic.
If your route looks good and you're interested in trying it, I encourage you to go check out your local craigslist. If you're on the heavier side, definitely check out a 'Hybrid' bike (Giant and Trek are both great brands for hybrids). You should be able to get a decent hybrid bike for 100-200 dollars and that will allow you to decide if biking is something that you would want to commit to more. After a time, you may want to upgrade to a proper road bike, and at that point I definitely recommend you go to your local bike shop and talk to some of the folks there - they'll be able to help you get the right bike for your situation.
If you have decided to commute, and got your bike, and then ultimately made it to work you may realize - but wait, won't I be all sweaty and gross? Yeah, you will be sweaty when you get to the office, but that's fine. I don't have a shower and I don't *think* I smell that bad, but my secrets are: Shower before you go. Bring a wet wipe (there are many good brands out there, try a few to find one you like) and wipe yourself down as you change. I change in a bathroom stall.
After 8+ hours of sitting in the office, you'll be itching to get back on your bike.
Some notes since I started at 300lbs biking.
It sucks at first.
Your ass hurts, your legs hurt, people will pass you on the trail. You should know - only one of those problems really goes away. Your ass hurts less over time, but as your legs become accustomed to riding at a certain speed, and stop hurting at that speed, you will get the craving to push yourself and go faster. I have been cycling for years now at this point, lost a bit over 70lbs, and upgraded to a fancy road bike and I still get passed by people. To me that's fine, it gives me more motivation to push harder every day.
In summation, if you're like me at all, and hate feeling like you need to go to the gym every day after you've spent all day sitting in traffic you don't want to be in, please consider bike commuting. I think a distance of about 10 miles is doable for most people - it can take a while, and depending on your hills it may suck a lot at first, but persistence pays off a ton in cycling and your body will grow stronger quickly.
tl;dr - cycle commuting saves money on gas, time spent in traffic, burns a shit ton of calories, feels amazing, and is addictive.
[link] [comments]
from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2Lyx8i0
No comments: