This post is sponsored by Youi
Does it feel like you’re on a daily Ferris wheel once the alarm goes off each morning?
You wake up to make breakfast and jump in the car to begin another workday (or family commitments). Life is feeling a bit ground hoggish as you battle the traffic jams and get more and more irritated with each stoplight…
Now, imagine jumping out of bed with enthusiasm with a different outlook on the world as you mount your bike and breathe in the fresh, crisp morning air. Feeling the sun on your skin as you hear the birds singing their morning song. As you warm up so does your mind and you begin to think clearly about the day ahead. By the time you reach work you are relaxed and ready to tackle the day, plus incidentally, you have moved your body and had a great workout!
Have you ever thought of making a lifestyle change and swapping the car for the bike a few times a week? Here are some more reasons why you should make the switch.
4 Reasons Why You Should Ditch the Car
It’s invigorating
I love the feeling of flying down a hill your whole body shuddering and awakening every single cell of your body… Ok, you don’t have to go that far but bike riding gives you such a sense of freedom and allows you to take your own path, and not necessarily the same one each day!
It saves you money
Think of the dosh you will be saving… Petrol, car parking, car insurance and wear and tear on your car. This could easily add up to $20-$40 a week just by swapping to pedal-power (or even walking for that matter). What could you do with that extra $100 a month?
How good does it feel when you glide past all the stagnated cars in traffic and arrive at your destination before them? Make the most of shortcuts that only your bike allows.
Conserves the environment
We all know the consequences of what driving our car does to the environment but it does go much deeper than that and goes back as far as drilling oil from the earth’s core. We simply can’t keep abusing the planet like we are
Maintains healthy weight
Incidental exercise is the most effective way of maintaining a healthy weight. There have been studies to say even if you complete a good 1-hour workout but then remain sedentary for the rest of the day it will NOT be any more effective than being on the go all day. Make it part of your gym warm-up and take the bike to and skip the boring treadmill.
A study has also shown that exercise makes it easier for people to make healthy food choices after they have exercised due to changes in the brain in areas responsible for inhibitory control. A correlation has also been noted between countries with people who use their car less happen to have less obesity.
It’s easy to involve the family
Kids love riding their bikes to school and it can be a way you too can complete a workout by going the long way home. Need some milk? Invite the family along for a trip to the corner store and make it a double whammy ..Working out plus spending family time!
Do you have a bike? How often do you dust it off?
