Taking steps to win the battle of the Christmas bulge
Walking and cycling are the best ways to work off the excesses of the Christmas break, while also helping the environment.
Regularly walking and cycling keep our bodies fit and healthy, improve our mood and have the added benefit of seriously reducing our carbon emissions.
At this time of year many people experience the winter blues also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Things do seem a little bleak with dark nights and mornings, having put on weight over Christmas and with no holidays to look forward to for a long time. Taking part in an outdoor physical activity like walking and cycling improves our health and our overall mood.
Walking and cycling are excellent forms of aerobic physical activity which unlike the gym allow us to spend time outdoors to appreciate our surroundings and feel a sense of achievement by getting from A to B. Forms of moderate exercise like walking and cycling reduce the risks of heart disease, stroke, obesity, type-II diabetes, osteoporosis, some cancers and hypertension and they also promote all-round health and well being (World Health Organisation, 2002). People who regularly cycle are thought to have a body as fit as someone around 10 years younger and the adrenaline and endorphin releases make us feel happier.
Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “What a great New Year’s resolution, to walk and cycle more. We can all do a bit more exercise and walking and cycling can be incorporated into any lifestyle whether it’s walking the children to school or cycling all or part of the way to work once a week.”