To enjoy biking it is good to keep healthy, so you get the most out of bike rides and enjoy them. There’s nothing worse than struggling round when all you want is an enjoyable ride. On the flip side biking will help to improve your health. Other small changes in your life can be made to improve your overall health to then help enjoy biking more. It’s a chicken and egg scenario really. I’m not one for fad diets or fleeting crazes to ‘get fit’. I’d rather change small things with a goal to improve a small element of health that can become routine. The small changes add up meaning an overall improvement to your health.

First…What’s the Difference Between Health & Fitness?

A lot of people can mistake these two for the same thing. While they do have similarities such as improving your strength and cardio while regulating your body weight, they are actually two separate entities that go hand in hand. Fitness relates to physical activity that vitalizes the body, increases strength and flexibility, improves overall appearance, and enhances performance. While health, contrarily, is skin deep. It dives deeper and involves your body’s internal systems and focuses on longevity, it’s not really focused on physical aesthetics.

Whatever your profession, making health and fitness a part of your life is a must. Everyone is different, health is not one-size-fits-all. Don’t get intimidated by fitness influencers on social media, rather, be inspired by them, try out different types of exercises and food options to find what it is that FITS YOU and your lifestyle. With endless choices, you’re bound to find something that you like. You can go to the gym, take classes at dance studios, or even try popular fitness equipment to workout at home! The same goes with diets, don’t just go with whatever is trending, make sure you find healthy food that you enjoy.

There are several positive lifestyle factors that can promote good health if you want to live a long and healthy life. Certainly, you can't change your genes or much of the environment around you but making educated and intentional choices when it comes to diet, activity, sleep, alcohol use, and smoking can reduce your health risks and potentially add years to your life. Living a healthy lifestyle is not about the latest diet trend, or getting your bikini-bod ready for summer, or taking the best gym selfies. It should not be a fleeting thing like a hobby or just something on your to-do list. It is truly incorporating health and wellness into your everyday life. There are massive texts and hundreds of articles you could read about factors that have beneficial or negative effects on your physical well-being.

Here are some simple lifestyle modifications you can change easily that have the best evidence for maximizing your longevity.

1. Bring Movement Back into Your Life

Just move! We live in an age where technology has made our lives way too easy. Unfortunately, we’ve gotten a bit too dependent on our gadgets and we’ve become lazy because of it. So, to battle our inner-sloth tendencies, simply start by incorporating movement back into your daily life. For example, if your destination is quite close, try skating, cycling, or even walking there. Is the elevator taking forever, or is it too crowded in there? Take the stairs! Don’t forget, you lose what you don’t use. So put those muscles to good use and get your body working again!

Thirty minutes a day of regular physical activity contributes to health by reducing heart rate, decreasing the risk for cardiovascular disease, and reducing the amount of bone loss that is associated with age and osteoporosis. Best of all, not only can physical activity be a low-cost way to improve your health (and perhaps lifespan), but it can even save you money. Think: washing your windows, mowing your lawn, sweeping a sidewalk, and more. (It's important to note that people with some medical conditions should not perform this level of activity.) Once you are past age 65, the requirements don't go down, and you may benefit by adding balance exercises and flexibility exercises.

2. Have Fun Working Out

Don’t get too intimidated with the thought of working out. It doesn’t have to be the usual routine like going to a gym. Nowadays, working from home can make you feel like you have no time to work out. But there are many options to try! You can exercise with your family at home, it’s always more fun doing anything with some company. Play fun physical games or find something fun that will feel more like an adventure rather than a task. Try a new sport like biking, or wall climbing, maybe a dance class, or even get into circus arts like pole fitness and aerial arts! Have fun with your workouts. Bring along your friends and family too!

3. Getting the right amount of sleep

Getting a regular and adequate amount of sleep is often downplayed in importance relative to diet and exercise. The relationship between sleep and life expectancy has been demonstrated in many studies, but what surprises some people is that the relationship is a U-shaped curve. Too little and too much sleep raise mortality risk. A good night's sleep is important to recharge the proverbial "batteries." It also attends to all of the metabolic functions required by the body, such as regenerating old cells, getting rid of wastes, and repairing cell damage. Sleep is also important in making memories, and sleep deprivation leads to forgetfulness. Even if you intend to sleep well, medical conditions can sometimes interfere. Sleep apnea can greatly increase health risks. While sleep apnea affects millions of people, it is thought to be vastly underdiagnosed. Changes in your sleep patterns can also be a sign of a change in your health, so see your doctor for a check-up if anything changes.

4. Cook Your Own Tasty & Healthy Food

Healthy home-cooked food doesn’t have to be boring and bland. The key to tasty food is fresh, good quality ingredients. Check out delicious recipes online and cook quick healthy eats in the comfort of your home. The best thing about cooking your own food is that you know exactly what goes into them. No need to worry about unknown additives, preservatives, and extenders.

5. Too Much Is Never Good

No matter how healthy your food is, too much of it is still bad for you. Portions and moderation are the keys to a healthy and balanced diet. Also, try out different portions when it comes to your food pyramid. Different people are efficient in processing different food groups, some people digest carbs easily, some don’t. Some people are good at processing meat, some are more inclined to eat fibrous foods. Learning which one is yours will make meal preps a breeze. It will make more sense to you once you realize this. Eating right will make your workouts more efficient.

A healthy, balanced diet can help provide energy and lower your risks for the leading chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. It can also help you maintain a normal weight. Certain diseases or conditions have proven relationships with specific nutrition or dietary elements.

6. No smoking or chewing tobacco.

Smoking accounts for over 400,000 deaths a year in the United States alone. Added to this are another 16 million people who are alive but coping with a smoking-related illness. If you want to live an enjoyable life for however long you live, don't smoke or chew tobacco. The list of diseases and cancers attributed to smoking is long, but sometimes long-range concerns prompt less change than immediate concerns. If you're struggling to quit, it may help to think of immediate consequences. Perhaps the cost or the social aspects of being a smoker when smoking has been banned in many places. Or maybe the mid-range consequences will motivate you. For women (and men), smoking accelerates wrinkling. For men, it's not just the arteries that supply the heart that are affected by tobacco. Smaller arteries in another region of the body are similarly damaged, and there is a significant association between smoking and erectile dysfunction.

7. Limiting or avoiding alcohol

Despite the hype over red wine and longevity, alcohol should be consumed only in moderation, and for many people, not at all. Red wine (in moderation) has been found to offer protection against diseases ranging from heart disease to Alzheimer's disease, but you don't need to drink red wine to get these benefits. Red wine is rich in flavonoids, particularly the phytonutrient resveratrol. Resveratrol, however, is also found in red grape juice, red grapes, and even peanuts. Moderate alcohol consumption (one drink for women, two for men) may lower heart disease, but the link between alcohol and breast cancer suggests that even this amount should be used with caution. Women who have three drinks per week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer and the risk goes up another 10% for every additional drink they have each day. Higher levels of alcohol can lead to health and behavioural problems, including an increased risk for high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, some cancers, accidents, violence, suicide, and deaths in general. To celebrate a special moment, moderate intake of alcohol may be part of a healthy lifestyle by those who don't have a problem with alcohol and are not predisposed to alcohol abuse. As long as everyone present has a good understanding of the dangers of alcohol before drinking to your toast.

8. Maintain a healthy body weight.

All these tips should help maintain a healthy body weight. Obesity is associated with a shorter lifespan and also with an increased risk of many chronic diseases. The good news is that just being somewhat overweight does not reduce your longevity, and for those over the age of 65, it's actually better to be on the high side of normal than the low side. What weight is ideal? Among those who were overweight but not obese (had a body mass index between 25 and 30), mortality was only increased among those who also smoked. People with a body mass index on the high side of normal (e.g. 24) had the lowest mortality. There isn't any real magic when it comes to maintaining (or getting to) a normal body mass index. Eating a healthy diet (not too much and avoiding empty calories) and exercising daily (even if it's fun activities such as gardening) are the true "secret." Keep in mind that fad diets don't work, and your greatest chance of success lies in adopting long-term healthy eating patterns and engaging in regular physical activity for life.

9. Celebrate Small Wins

Don’t forget to congratulate yourself on your achievements, no matter how small. You did that! Remember, small progress is still progress. Take it one step at a time, it may seem like baby steps, but when you look back on where you started, you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve actually come. Celebrating small wins will help keep you motivated and excited on your journey!

These lifestyle behaviours can go a long way in raising the odds that you will live a long, healthy life. But we know that living goes beyond good health, and mental, social, and spiritual health are equally important. Practicing stress management, developing a passion or hobby (like biking), and pampering yourself at times should be high on your to-do list.

Yet even when people are doing everything right, it's not always possible to avoid physical illness or mental stress. Many health professionals now believe that the ability to "roll with the punches" of life, or exhibit resilience, is a skill we should all cultivate if we wish to live our best life today.

When you set out to be fit and healthy, don’t think of it as a punishment for your body. You don’t work out because you hate your body, you do it because you love your body. Transitioning into a healthier lifestyle should not feel like a chore but an enlightening and gratifying experience.

Enjoy it as much as you can!!!