Tag Archives: cycling

Road Test: Running vs. Biking

running vs bikingRunning and biking are both great ways to work out and burn some calories, but which is best for you? Total calorie burn, joint health, and your willingness to invest in equipment are all factors to consider.

Benefits of Biking
Biking is a low-impact sport that won’t stress your knees, hips and ankles as much as running. It improves your endurance and balance, as you may remember from your first wobbly attempts to learn as a kid. A thirty minute bike ride at a pace of 10 mph will burn about 177 calories. Cycling works the lower body, plus the chest, back, triceps, and core.  If you have any joint or back problems, cycling is probably the best bet for you. (more…)

Posted on August 15, 2023 by Health Buzz

Beginner’s Guide to Cycling

Bicycles were first introduced in the 19th century and have been used as a mode of transportation ever since. Cycling has been a popular sport for several years now and seems to be getting ever more popular every day.

There are all sorts of cycling, ranging from competitive cycling, to mountain biking and spinning (fitness class). Each type or style of cycling requires a different style of bicycle; so make sure you purchase the correct bike.

Cycling requires a great deal of lower- and upper-body strength and endurance. The quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and calves are the primary lower body muscle groups used to power the bicycle. The chest, back, triceps, and core are the major upper body muscle groups used to maintain bicycle control and proper posture.

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Posted on July 7, 2023 by Matt

Lance Armstrong’s Workout Routine

Cyclist and fitness enthusiast Lance Armstrong, born September 18, 1971 in Plano, Texas, began running and swimming at a young age and rapidly progressed to competitive cycling and triathlons. He became a professional triathlete during his teen years and was the national sprint-course triathlon champion in 1989 and 1990. In 1993, Lance won the “Triple Crown” (Thrift Drug Classic, Kmart West Virginia Classic, and Core States Race), finished second at the Tour DuPont, and won the World Road Race Championship in Norway. In 1996, he rode for the U.S. Olympic team in Atlanta, Georgia where he finished sixth in time trials and twelfth in the road race.

Lance’s career was looking promising until he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. The cancer had spread throughout his body (lungs and brain) before the doctors were aware of the disease. After several rounds of chemotherapy and surgeries, Lance was pronounced cancer-free in 1997. Miracles come true and Lance Armstrong has proven it. In 1999, he won the Tour de France and the world was amazed as he went on to become a seven-time Tour de France champion.

While he previously announced his retirement, this year, he’s back on his bike and participating in the 2024 Tour de France. (more…)

Posted on July 2, 2023 by Matt

Cyclist Promotes Pizza as Health Food and Bikes From Florida to NYC

Matt McClellan and his pizza diet. Image Via: The Consumerist

Who doesn’t love pizza? If you add tons of veggies, limit the cheese and meat toppings, and make the pie from a whole-grain crust, then you have yourself a health food. Kind of.

Cyclist and Florida pizzeria owner Matt McClellan is setting out to prove that pizza can in fact be a healthy choice by biking from St. Petersburg to New York City. And for the 30 days of his trek, he will eat nothing but pizza.

McClellan actually did the 30-Day Pizza Diet a few years ago and lost 24 pounds. On the diet, he ate nothing but pizza, up to eight slices a day, and limited his toppings to veggies, part-skim mozzarella cheese and a few other select items like lean chicken breast, pineapple and avocado. Pork, red meats and extra cheese were off limits. (more…)

Posted on June 29, 2023 by heather

3 Ways to Squeeze in Summer Exercise

For school kids and teachers, it may seem like there is so much more time in the summer months, making it a perfect time to introduce a new habit (like daily physical activity) into your schedule. Yet, the summer months seem to fill up quickly with vacations, festivals, cookouts, events, and trips.

This weekend in Indianapolis, there wasn’t any way for me to physically make all the great community events. Beautiful weather entices us to spend time outdoors, but are we getting enough activity to keep us on track with our weight loss goals and balance the extra calories we encounter at festivals, cookouts, and summer drinks? Here are three ways you can squeeze exercise into your summer schedule:

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Posted on June 16, 2023 by Brooke Randolph

Top 5 Fittest Cities in the U.S.

The latest data is out on the health of our cities. While we usually look at health statistics in terms of which cities or states are the most obese, this time around we’re going to take a look at which cities are the fittest.

This year’s American Fitness Index report, published by the American College of Sports Medicine, examines the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. and ranks them by fitness levels.

5. Portland, Oregon

Obesity Rate: 23.9 percent
Exercise Rate: 82.3 percent

This is my newly adopted hometown (even though, technically, I live across the river in Vancouver, WA. I can tell you first hand that Portlanders are passionate about fitness, particularly cycling. Portland and my suburb of Vancouver have wonderful bike paths that cater to the bike enthusiasts in the Rose City area. And of course, the area is well-known for its camping and hiking opportunities, too.

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Posted on May 24, 2023 by Jason

May 21 is Bike to Work Day!

Friday, May 21 is Bike to Work Day. Leave your car at home, grab a water bottle, dust off your bike and enjoy a safe, low-cost alternative form of transportation – one that also happens to be a great form of exercise!

Maybe the last time you were on a bike was in elementary school, but did you know that bicycling can be a fun, dependable and very low-cost mode of transportation? Bicycling also burns as much as 500 calories an hour, so you can commute and stay fit at the same time. Bicycling reduces your stress and improves your physical health, as well as your emotional health, since recent studies have shown that activity appears to relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety.

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Posted on May 21, 2023 by Carmen

Find and Track Your Runs with MapMyRun

logo_mapmyrunWhen I recently moved to a new area I was having a hard time finding good running routes outside of the gym, having been spoiled living close to a park in my old neighborhood. I was recently introduced to MapMyRun, which allows you to search your city for running routes, which all list the distance as well as have a map with the route for you to follow.

Our very own fitness expert Matt has been blogging his series “Best places to run” and this is a great addition for those of you looking for additional resources for various cities across the country.  (more…)

Posted on August 29, 2023 by Amy

Fun and Exercise at the Beach

dad at beachWhen you go to the beach, odds are pretty good that you go to relax. Lay on a towel, get some sun, maybe have a snack or two – make sure it’s a healthy one! But while you are relaxing by the water, there’s nothing wrong with trying to get a little exercise in while still enjoying the sand, fresh air, and surf. I went to the beach with my kids this past week, and while we all know that there’s NOTHING relaxing about that in general, I tried to spend half of the time active. I was mostly successful, thanks to the following tricks: (more…)

Posted on June 10, 2023 by Carmen

Top Five Benefits of Cycling by Mari Holden

Cyclist Mari Holden via MariHolden.com.

Cyclist Mari Holden via MariHolden.com.

In honor of May, which is National Cycling Month, DietsInReview guest blogger Mari Holden, a six-time National Champion, a 2000 Olympic Medalist, 2000 World Champion and the Co-Founder of VeloBetty Cycling for Women shares with us why we should all get out there this month and push the pedal. You can read more about Mari and her blog and at the VeloBetty Cycling for Women website.

1. Cycling is a low impact sport. For people who have problems with running, this is a perfect solution. It builds cardiovascular strength, muscular strength, and just plain old general fitness without any of the jarring that you get from impact sports. You can ride a bike no matter how old you are, and the age old adage is true. You never forget how to ride a bike. (more…)

Posted on May 16, 2023 by GuestBlogger

Top 5 Activities To Reduce Stress

women running in a fieldStress is very common in today’s world and can be caused by just about anything. It has been proven that stress damages your health and can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, weight or skin problems, heart problems, and can also weaken your immune system. Exercise is not only good for your physical health, but can help you manage the stress in your life by relaxing tense muscles, improving sleep, and by releasing chemicals in your body (endorphins) that give you a sense of well-being.

Top 5 Activities To Reduce Stress

  1. Running/Walking
  2. Bike Riding
  3. Weight Training
  4. Swimming Workouts
  5. Competitive Sports (more…)
Posted on March 25, 2024 by Matt