Alameda Runners – Get After It!

Ride for your health!

People tend to think of riding a bike as a way to exercise, but overlook it as a great way to explore your neighborhood and burn calories at the same time. As I flipped through the May 2014 edition of “Cycle California Magazine,” (PDF) the “Prescription for better health” column added great insight:

“Cycling can conveniently and pleasantly burn calories.  In fact daily 75 minute rides burn enough calories to lose over a pound per week.  So just riding to work may be enough to win the battle of the bulge.  Every 30 to 60 minute ride stimulates both the adrenal and thyroid glands to produce adrenaline and thyroxin.  These hormones act to increase riders’ metabolisms up to 25 percent for 15 hours after the initial exercise.  This increased basal metabolic rate causes an after-burn of calories.  Thus the weight loss process continues even when you rest.  Cycling also strengthens and develops muscle mass, so that weight loss is further induced by thermogenesis.”

I have a lot of casual biking tips to share with everyone in the future – so stay tuned and remember, have fun but stay safe out there.

(Thanks to Monique Rodriguez for the excellent photo.)