The winter months are drawing near and along with the gloomy weather usually comes gloomy moods too. Lucky for you, studies by the YMCA have come out explaining how people who have a more physically active lifestyle have happier moods than those of inactive individuals. Some of you now may be dreading the idea of being “physically active.” If this is so, no worries! I’ve found a way to convince you to take your lazy butt off the couch and onto a slighter firmer seat… the cycling saddle. Here’s why you’d switch seats to cycling, stationary or not:
Weight loss
Even though winter means more clothing, you’ll still be more confident with a great body. Cycling burns between 400 to 1000 calories an hour and within that hour you can be reading, watching Netflix, or just listening to music! The opportunities are endless…
Muscle
Losing weight can be great, but what’s healthier is having toned muscles. Building muscle increases your metabolic rate and strengthens skeletal muscle, which in turn fortifies your bones, ligaments, and tendons. Finally, muscle helps you live longer. Studies from Tufts University found that the more muscle you have, the higher your chances of a longer life.
More indulgences
It’s easy math: if you’re doing more exercise, you can also eat more.
Better-shaped butt
Cycling enlarges and shapes your butt, and I can confirm that from personal experience. Cycling is an exercise focusing on the legs and glutes, and with more resistance, bigger muscles are attained.
Low Impact
There’s no jumping or intense pounding involved — it’s just you sitting down and working your ass off. This is also advantageous in the long run because your knees won’t wear down as they do with high-impact activities such as running.
Boosted brain health
For us college students I feel like this is the most important benefit. Cycling and exercise in general has been proven repeatedly to improve brain health. It aids brain plasticity/growth and while reducing insulin resistance and inflammation. Furthermore, it helps improves mood and sleep — two important factors that contribute to your cognitive abilities.
All these benefits come from a single activity — cycling. If you think this is too good to be true, put it to the test!