Here she is! My trike … from the photo at
Achievable Concepts who specialise in Adapted Recreation and Sporting Equipment for People with Disabilities and the Aged. They make them for people like me too, who just want a trike instead of a two-wheeler. I intend to ride this for the next 10 years, and the prospect of a 70 year old on a mountain bike is somewhat scarey to say the least. You must agree that a thre wheeler makes more sense.
It’s recommended that adults get more than 60 minutes of moderate to vigourous physical activity each day. There are three components to a well-balanced exercise routine: aerobic exercise, strength training, and flexibility training.
Rewards and Benefits of Exercise
Exercise benefits every part of the body, including the mind. Exercising causes the body to produce endorphins, chemicals that lead a person to feel peaceful and happy, and alleviates mild depression and self-esteem. If you feel strong and powerful, it can help you see yourself in a better light. Plus, exercise gives you a real sense of accomplishment and pride at having achieved a certain goal.
Exercising makes you look better, too. People who exercise burn calories and look more toned than those who don’t. In fact, exercise is one of the most important parts of keeping your body at a healthy weight. When you exercise, you burn food calories as fuel. If a person eats more calories than he or she burns, the body stores them away as fat. Exercise can help burn these stored calories.
Exercising to maintain a healthy weight also decreases a person’s risk of developing certain diseases, including type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. These diseases, which used to be found mostly in adults, are becoming more common in teens.
Finally exercise helps us well. Women are especially prone to osteoporosis as they get older and weight-bearing exercise, like running or brisk walking, keeps their bones strong.
Bike it!
Cycling is healthy, both for you as an individual, and for the community you live in. That’s the conclusion of the British Medical Association’s report, ‘Cycling: Towards Health and Safety’.
Regular cycling will improve your fitness and can help you live a long and healthy life. Riding a bike can also help you maintain a healthy weight. Three quarters of all our personal journeys are less than five miles long – that’s no more than half an hour on a bike. Switching these short journeys from car to bicycle will benefit everyone in your community. You’ll be helping to cut noise, air pollution and traffic congestion.
So go by cycle – you’ll feel better for it! I certainly am.