I Want To Ride My Bicycle!

In yesterday's post, I mentioned at the tail end that I had been inspired to hop on my bicycle and go for a bicycle ride.  I think this bike ride is a great opportunity to talk about a few things related to exercise (including that people like to gawk at bicycle riders from the insides of their climate controlled cars).

1. Don't push yourself too hard.  I was determined to go big or go home, so I started out on the local bike trail and managed to get myself into a bad situation when I got a few miles away from home and the seat on bicycle started to slip down, making it almost impossible for me to pedal without a great great deal of effort.  When you're first starting out, take it easy and ease into your exercise.  Only fools rush in.
2. Make sure your equipment is working well.  My seat wound up sliding down a total of six inches before it got done sliding and I wound up looking more like I was riding a Big Wheels than a bike.  If I had taken the time to thoroughly check my seat before I'd left, I wouldn't have had to have my mother come pick me up and take me home in her car.  Yeah, that happened.
3. Drink lots of water.  I thought I was the big man on campus and wouldn't have to use all the water that I brought with me, but let me tell you, I used every drop.  The key to healthy exercise is remaining hydrated.
4. Music is a great way to keep motivated while exercising.  When the going got tough and I wanted to stop, another song (yes, Lady Gaga) would come on and it would give me the burst of motivation that I needed.  Choose songs that will move you, that are high energy and have motivational lyrics.  I like "The Edge of Glory" by Lady Gaga, a.) because I'm obsessed and b.) because really that's what exercise is, you standing on the edge of glory and going for it.
5. While your knees may hurt, exercise may make you feel better in the morning.  I'm one of those people that has a really hard time sleeping, but I've often attributed that to everything under the sun, without accepting that a lot of the reason I can't sleep is because my body simply doesn't get enough physical activity during the day.  My bike ride took a lot out of me, but last night I slept like a baby and when I woke up this morning I felt great and had a bowl of oatmeal.  Finally a thorough night's sleep!
6. Lastly, never forget that health is not just physical, but encompasses so many other things.  I would never have gotten home if my mom hadn't picked me up, and part of being healthy is having people in your life who care about you and will (literally or figuratively) pick you up when life gets you down.  You, of course, always have my support and the support of all of Section Staff as you move your way to better health!

That's all for now, folks!  You can do it!

Brotherly love,

- Brandyn