We all make New Year’s Resolutions to achieve goals such as to lose weight, to get fit, to focus on our wellbeing and mental health, to save money, to be more environmentally conscious, to spend more time with family or friends or to encourage more healthy habits for our kids.
What if one lifestyle change could achieve all of the above and so much more for you in 2023?
Choosing to take up cycling for both your commute to and from work and for leisure cycling will achieve all of these health, lifestyle, financial and environmental goals. It’s the New Year’s Resolution that keeps giving.
Getting fit.
Probably the oldest resolution in the book. Whilst this is an excellent goal to aim for the problem is it's pretty vague. Placing some measurable goals against this resolution will help for example, I will cycle to work two days a week or I plan to cycle 20km on the weekend. Start small, keep redefining your measurable's and your fitness levels will improve. Ultimately achieving your goal to ‘Get Fit in 2023’.
Losing weight.
Often cited alongside getting fit but can also be vague. Losing weight and getting fitter go hand in hand and the health benefits are massively rewarding. The goal here though is to be consistent and not to fall into the fad diet trap! A lifestyle change like ditching the car and opting to cycle to work is a sustainable way to improve your overall fitness, team this with some changes to your diet and your goal to lose weight will become so much more achievable.
Wellbeing and mental health.
The science behind how cycling improves your mental health and overall wellbeing are well documented, in short it all comes from the endorphins being pumped around your body when cycling and other good substances like dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. Regular cyclists often talk about the ‘cycling high’ that you get and the benefits are extensive: improved mood, better sleep, positive mental health, improved creative thinking, feeling calm, reduced stress, reduced anxiety and can also prevent feelings of depression.
Save money.
Whether the end goal is to save for a holiday or to simply look to make some changes to improve month to month cash flow, opting to switch your commute to cycling can make a big difference to your wallet. AA Ireland’s annual cost of motoring survey estimates the yearly cost of keeping a family car on the road in Ireland is €10,691.12, now multiply that by two if you are a two car household! Realistically speaking it’s probably not feasible to get rid of cars altogether but it certainly is achievable to opt for a bike for all those shorter trips such as going to the shops, visiting friends or your commute into work. New to Bike to Work from January 2023 is the introduction of an upper limit of €3,000 for the purchase of a cargo bike and accessories. So now it’s possible to take the kids to school by bike and continue your journey to work. Just think of all the money you can save and the kids will love it!
Environmentally conscious.
Changing people’s mindset to choose a bike rather than a car for shorter journeys has the most potential for reducing our transport emissions in Ireland. According to the Central Statistics Office National Transport Survey in 2019, nationally 56.9% of people use a private car for journeys under 2km, and 72.6% of us use private cars for journeys between 2km and 4km. A switch to cycling for these shorter journeys will have massive benefits to not only help reduce our carbon emissions but also reduce harmful diesel fumes for better air quality and reducing overall congestion in our cities.
Spend more time with family and friends.
To spend more time with family and friends you may want to look at ways you can save time or get some time back to spend it with your loved ones. There are numerous ways that cycling can actually save you time compared to alternative means of transport, do the numbers and see just how much time you save per year cycling. Calculate how much time you waste by sitting stationary in traffic, waiting at train stations or bus stops, cars often can’t park right outside your destination, searching for a parking space, stopping for petrol or to purchase a ticket – all multiple ways to save time by cycling to your destination and spending all that extra time doing fun things with family and friends.
Encouraging more healthy habits for kids.
Cycling will help your children develop their leg muscles and strengthen their bones. It goes without saying that continuous exercise will help build their stamina and improve their cardiovascular development. So make it part of their day, start your children cycling to school and exercise will become part of their daily routine. If your children are younger you could invest in a cargo bike to give them the thrill of traveling by bike which will then lead to them cycling themselves when they are older and more independent.
So when it comes to New Year's Resolutions there really is only one you need to make, get cycling! It's the resolution that just keeps giving all year long.
To find out more about the Bike to Work Scheme and to register for your tax free bike click HERE.
