Biking is a wonderful way to get your daily amount of physical activity while still having fun. It is something that anyone of any age can do and enjoy. You can bike solo or with your friends and family. It is a fantastic way to improve your health and can be adjusted to your ability and skill level. It is not a weight-bearing activity, so it is a great starter exercise, and it is easy on your joints. Biking has many benefits like toning your leg muscles, increasing your endurance, and improving your lung capacity.  

There are a few ways to incorporate it into your life on a weekly basis. One of the best things you can do is join a local club. These clubs can help you meet members of your community. Many of these clubs offer rides of various levels of speed and difficulty, so start wherever you are comfortable and gradually work your way up! Another way to get into biking is to start riding your bike to work. Not only is this a terrific way to get your body moving, but it also saves you a lot of gas money and is so beneficial to the environment. It has many benefits including saving time in traffic and increasing your endorphins before work. It also helps you beat the stress after a long day at work. 

Safety is super important whenever you are riding a bike, especially in a busy area. Make sure to invest in a good helmet, as it has been shown to reduce head injuries in biking accidents by 55%. It is also a clever idea to have a white LED light on your bike, so you are visible to everyone. Be aware of your surroundings and be a defensive rider.  

When you are going on a bike ride, it is important to hydrate and fuel your body properly. If you plan to ride your bike to work, try to eat ¾ cup of high fiber cereal, 1 cup of fat free or low-fat milk, and ½ cup of berries before your ride. Once you make it to work, try to eat a banana and approximately 18 almonds after your ride. If you plan to go on a longer ride that is 90 minutes (about 1 and a half hours) or longer, fuel up on carbohydrates two hours before your ride to power your muscles and give you energy. An example of a healthy meal to have before a long ride is 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 cup orange juice, 1 banana, 2 tablespoons of raisins, and an egg. Make sure your meal is low in fat and includes whole grains, fruit, and a modest amount of protein. Remember to ride safely and stay hydrated!  

Written by: Morgan Felix 

Sources: https://www.eatright.org/fitness/physical-activity/workout-ideas/get-on-your-bike 

It is important to stay active all throughout the year. Sometimes, it can be a struggle to pull yourself away from a lazy day activity to exercise. The best way to motivate yourself is to workout with someone else. By holding each other accountable, you can stay active all year round! 

Here are some exercises that you can pair with other daily activities to keep yourself moving with your family all year round! 

Written By: Sierra Troutman 

Sources: https://docs.google.com/file/d/1mfLJxcFcWCFtf21cx_E5XRTlaHh_cqKc/edit?filetype=msword 

If you are struggling to find interesting ways to help get your children their 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity a day over the summer, yoga might be a new way to keep your kids active while they are on school break. Yoga is low impact so it is suitable for parents and kids, and it can be done with no equipment which means that it can be done anytime and anyplace. Yoga poses can also be paired with positive affirmations to help build self-confidence. Below is a list of child-friendly yoga poses and accompanying self-affirmations: 

Written By: Tarya Pillay 

Sources: https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/activity/yoga-and-mindfulness/ 

Getting up and getting your body moving is one of the most important parts of your day! There are so many ways to be active, whether you’re at school, outside, or stuck at home. Children should be active for at least one hour every day. Their bodies are growing, so it’s important to include activities that make muscles and bones grow stronger. So, on those rainy days when you can’t leave the house, here are some physical activities you can do to get your body moving!

Is the cold weather keeping you stuck inside? Have a dance party! Put on one of your favorite songs and show off your moves! This is one of the easiest ways to get your body moving indoors, while still having fun.

Another fun activity that can be done either indoors or outdoors is yoga. Yoga helps improve balance, strength, and flexibility. This exercise not only has physical benefits, but also provides children with many mental advantages. Yoga improves focus, and memory, and reduces anxiety, and stress. It’s a great way to work on the mind-body connection!

There are also plenty of ways to stay active outdoors! Going for a walk or riding a bike, playing sports like soccer or basketball, jumping rope, hula-hooping, or swimming if you have access to a pool. Playing outdoors is the easiest way to get some physical activity in!

Written By: Bella Regna

Sources: https://snapedtoolkit.org/resources/online-resources/physical-activity/