A Day’s Journey

Belgium – May 2022

The other BBB (not talking about Bad Bitch Behavior— but maybe a topic for another day). The whole of Northern Europe impressed me with the incorporation of biking into the city. My first exposure was in Belgium, and the experience continued in northern Germany all the way to bike capital- Copenhagen. I was amazed to see how biking was the first choice of transportation for people going to work, running errands, or meeting up with friends. Amazed because of the other viable options- Public transport is excellent, parking is easy (but is expensive), the cities are walkable, and ride sharing is present.

Biking is the perfect way to integrate exercise into your daily life. Biking to where you need to go (work, errands, etc.) is like spreading a workout throughout the day. It’s also much quicker than walking – and sometimes more accessible than driving or transport! Biking in Belgium is made much easier by the use of dedicated bike-only lanes and lights, ample rental bike stations, and places to lock your bike.

The research is sold on biking too. Here’s a list of the MANY health benenfits associated with this low impact exercise:

Riding your bike:

• burns calories

• builds strength

• increases balance

• builds endurance and stamina

• increases flexibility

• defines shape and muscle tone

• increases cardiovascular fitness

• improves joint mobility

• improves coordination

• decreases stress levels

• reduces anxiety and depression

• increases blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients to your brain, therefore increasing brain gray matter. (Biking literally makes you smarter!)

In terms of the Environment, The U.S. Census estimates that about half of all Americans live within five miles of their workplace. If everyone in the world who works less than 5 miles from home cycled instead of driving to work one day a week, it would reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 5 million tons a year. That’s the equivalent of 1 million people getting rid of their cars. And it would save over 24 billion gallons of gas. More CO2 is emitted by the United States’ transportation sector than any other nation’s entire economy (besides China).

Check out — Benefits of Biking

For readers in America, you may be thinking that we have no bike lanes, cars drive like a**holes around bikers, or your job is too far. Fair arguments, but I could also argue with the above research that biking can still be of benefit to you. You don’t have to bike everywhere – but maybe to the few places close to your home that you normally drove your car to. I know that I personally live minutes drive in NJ from family, Target, and yoga. Perfect places to take the bike and save gas — therefore improving my health and environment too!