Biking 10 Miles A Day

ByLouis Reading Time: 8 minutes

There are countless activities one can do to keep fit and healthy, and in an ideal world where our lives are not so fast-paced, it would be easy to find time to go for extensive bike rides. However, you will soon reap great returns by simply incorporating a 10-mile biking session into your daily routine. At first, it may be a challenge to get into a routine, but after time, you will begin to enjoy it.

Biking 10 miles a day has benefits; it aids weight loss and helps to reduce blood pressure, and increases your metabolism. While biking, your calories burned; the harder and faster you ride, the greater the output. Also, biking is suitable for almost all ages and fitness levels.

You must be consistent and committed when cycling 10 miles a day and hoping to see results. There are numerous health benefits to biking, which we shall get into through this post; many of them are health-related, and some are possibly things you would not have thought biking could help with. So to learn more about what this can do for you, be sure to read on.

The Effects And Benefits Of Biking 10 Miles A Day

To give you a general outline of what to expect once you take up biking 10 miles a day, and then sticking to it, we have compiled this post to demonstrate what returns you can likely expect to receive. Your cognitive abilities will improve and your mental health aided; you will gain better spatial relations; if you have insomnia, biking can help you there too.

Plenty of avoidable diseases can be sidestepped by taking up biking, and your risk of others can potentially decrease. Your muscle fibers will be strengthened and conditioned to grow their endurance. Although you may put on some muscle mass, you will undoubtedly notice fat loss over time. And if you suffer from joint problems (particularly in your knees), biking is low impact.

We will also discuss the type of preparation you need before heading out on your bike, share some information on speed and performance, and note the different types of bikes.

The Cognitive Benefits Of Biking

Your mental and physical health are interlinked, and the mental side may potentially be more vital, hence us putting it first. Most people who exercise regularly will know that by doing so, they tend to feel less tired, anxious, and depressed, all of which can have a negative impact on you physically if not cared for. When biking 10 miles daily, you focus on the road and stay in the present.

This is great as it helps to distract you from the worries and troubles of the day; additionally, while biking, endorphins are released, and these hormones, which the body produces, aid in making you feel better as your stress levels will lower.

Your overall brain efficiency also improves because biking helps to increase the blood flow to your brain, providing it with more oxygen. When this happens, your neurons regenerate, and new cell growth is encouraged in a particular portion of the brain, the hippocampus. This, in turn, helps to protect you against neurodegenerative illnesses.

Biking Improves One’s Spacial Relations

Biking is excellent for you mentally, and another portion is found in developing and improving your spatial awareness. You must learn to understand and maneuver through the space as you traverse varying terrains and environments. By developing this skill, you learn how to navigate corners, and ascend and descend hills and mountains.

With these things, you also discover how best to control your bike and how shifting your weight and handling it comes into play. However, you only develop these skills once you take up biking regularly (even if you used to bike years ago, you would have to relearn certain things).

Spatial awareness also involves the need to develop your thinking abilities and helps hone your reflexes. Over time you will become more confident on the bike, feel sharper, and have your wits about you while out in different environments.

Biking Is Good For Those Who Struggle With Insomnia

It is a proven fact that a person is unable to function correctly without sufficient sleep. Unfortunately, insomnia or poor sleep is an unfortunate reality for some people. However, studies have found that biking and many other forms of physical exercise aid in combating these issues.

People of any age may experience this; however, it is noted that people between the ages of 40 and 60 tend to suffer from these problems far more than other age groups, and this is due to the (typically drastic) decrease in the amount of physical activity in their lives.

Biking Helps In Preventing Against Certain Diseases

One health concern that is rampant nowadays is heart disease, and although many factors come into play, we can be proactive in specific ways to help reduce the risk. One of the things biking does is that it aids your cardiovascular health and decreases the likelihood of heart disease by 45%. Additionally, other chronic issues can also be curbed by biking 10 miles a day.

Not only is your risk of heart disease lowered, but so are your chances of (certain) cancers, BP, diabetes, and obesity. Your immune system also improves, and your immune cells become more active; this helps fight against sickness and infections. And exercise is a natural way to protect your body by growing new cells.

Biking Can Aid In Building And Strengthening Muscle Fibers

Biking does not equate to going to the gym and lifting heavy weights, so if you are concerned that you will develop massive muscles, do not worry. For this to occur, you would need to supplement your biking with weight training and a healthy diet where you are in a caloric surplus. What will occur, though, is that your muscles will strengthen and become more conditioned.

The main muscles that will be affected by biking are your calves, quads, and glutes. You are also likely to find that they become more toned and defined, especially if you increase your biking intensity and the length of your rides. As your muscle-to-fat ratio increases, you will also find that you burn more calories due to an increased metabolic rate.

Biking Speeds, The Advantage Of Weight Loss, And The Results

When it comes to biking, there will not be a definitive answer to how many calories you will burn while doing 10 miles a day. This is due to many variables such as body weight, gender, speed, terrain, and how hard you push yourself. Another thing that comes into play is what is known as your resting metabolism, and this will increase the fitter you become.

However, there are most definitely benefits to biking 10 miles a day, and we have named plenty, but to give you a rough idea, in figures, we have broken down the sort of numbers you can expect and the results which should follow. An individual who weighs roughly 150 pounds, biking at an average speed of 15mph for 10 miles, is likely to burn 500-600 calories.

Our next question is, “Will biking 10 miles a day be sufficient to lose weight? The answer is undoubtedly a yes, but other things need to go hand in hand with your biking to help you reap the full benefits that you are looking for. You will need a healthy diet plan, to include cross-training and ensure that you get adequate rest and sleep to achieve your goals.

Biking Is A Low-Impact Form Of Exercise

If we compare biking to something like running, the injury rate is lesser as biking is not considered a weight-bearing sport. Studies have shown that the likes of marathon runners sustain far more frequent and damaging side effects from their form of exercise than bikers or cyclists.

One thing to note, though, is that biking does not increase bone thickness or density. In fact, studies have found that the exact opposite occurs; people who only partake in cycling or biking tend to lose bone density, and therefore, it is highly recommended to supplement your biking with some form of strength training.

How Long Is It Likely To Take To Bike 10 Miles A Day?

This will depend as there are various types of bikes which one could ride and terrains you may take to, but a general guide is that 10 miles should not take you more than 45 minutes to an hour (especially if you are a beginner). If you are immensely unfit, it may take you longer, but track your time and see how it improves as you progress.

Once you get comfortable biking and you can push yourself further and pedal at a faster pace, you will begin to shave minutes off of your initial times. One recommendation is to not force yourself into giving it your all too quickly, as you may become disheartened, and stop biking altogether. Becoming fitter and losing weight takes time, commitment, and perseverance.

Eating Before A 10-Mile Bike Ride

To begin, regardless of what fuel you put into your body before heading out on your bike, if you are not sufficiently hydrated, you will find it harder to push through the 10 miles. You will find that you feel tired and deflated, and your biking experience will potentially be quite unpleasant.

You need to be adequately hydrated because no matter what you have eaten, if your body lacks water, the energy provided by the food will take a more extended period to work its way throughout your muscles and, ultimately, your cells.

Additionally, it is advisable not to consume a massive meal before biking, but rather enough to sustain you through the 10 miles; you can refuel once you return home. But what should you have, apart from water? A cup of good coffee is not a bad start; you could have a reasonable portion of instant oatmeal, fruit, a bagel, a smoothie, or a protein shake; plenty of light options exist.

What To Take Along When Biking 10 Miles?

Apart from taking along a bottle of water or two, the next most important thing to ensure that you have with you is a repair kit. Sure, you can take your cell phone along and call someone if you get a puncture, but sometimes you might find yourself without cell service, or it is getting late, and you must be home within a specific time.

Also, having a repair kit is one thing, but also, make sure you know how to use it, as various things could go wrong while you are out biking. Therefore, make sure you know how to change a flat tire, tighten loose screws, use a chain breaker, and pump your tires if they sustain a puncture.

Conclusion

Taking up biking in any way or form is an excellent idea; regardless of the distance you start with, you can always progress and push yourself to go further. It is a low-impact exercise and can be enjoyed by various age groups and people of varying weights. It aids your mental and physical health, and if 10 miles is what you can fit into your schedule, you will obtain results.

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