Wow, June Already!

 Where is the year going? We are now half way through the year and have you got your bikini beach bodies yet?  If not take the opportunity to join us by signing up to our summer body shape up.  It's not too late!


We kicked off in May with a feature on 'who inspires you'  
You can read more about that by clicking on the link.

Then we had some great content on food combining.

So here we are in June.  The middle of the year and summer is hotting up here in the UK. If you have been training, exercising, getting together with friends, let us hear about it by posting in the comments link below. 

I am in mid flow of my marathon training,although I have dropped off a bit. But, will be heavily motivated to get back on track with all this lovely weather we are having.

During June I will be doing a series of posts on outdoor activities that you can do to  improve your fitness regime, no matter your age or ability. So watch out and share your blog appreciation as always by leaving me a comment on my posts.  

So starting out with my first post...

If you haven't got a bicycle I would encourage you to go get one. It is a great way to tone up your thighs, calves and posterior, it can also get your heart muscles pumping if you go for an exhilarating ride through the country.  I try and cycle as much as I can rather than jump in the car,so the next time you have to pop out to the shops, try getting on the bike. It's more healthy for you and is quicker than walking!

Here are some things I learned that will help you in selecting the right type of bicycle...

What is the Right Kind of Bike for Me?

Well, there are basically four main styles of bikes to choose from, depending on what you are going to use the bike for you can go for the following:

Road Bikes  - these are essentially designed for riding on the road or paved streets and for going fast. They have skinny tyres and usually have a very light weight frame. The design of the bike means that your riding position putes you bent over the handlebars.  These are great for long distance and travelling at speed.  These bikes are not really good for riding off road, such as in parks or woods.

Mountain Bikes  Now, this baby is the most popular at the moment, they have wide tyres with knobbly treads and a very heavy thick frame.  These aremore designed for off road riding, durability and are not as expensive as road bikes.  The Mountain bike is not as fast as the road bike, as it is a lot more heavier. You can change the tyres to road tyres to make riding them on a paved area easier.  The seating position on this bike is a lot higher than that of the road bike. You sit more upright with the straight handlebars, so a great choice if you have back problems.


Hybrid bikes are compromise between road and mountain bikes and offer the best features of both if most of your riding will be shorter trips on pavement. With skinnier, smooth tires, they typically can go faster than mountain bikes, yet feature the upright seat and handlebar position that many people favor.
Hybrids are a good choice for most city riding, and offer speed, durability and comfort

 
Cruisers are bikes that have wide tires, wide seats, upright handlebars and sometimes even just a single gear. These are the bikes that you’ll often see at the beach. More simple mechanically, they are easy to maintain but work best with flat terrain and a rider whose main interest is more about being comfortable than with going fast.

 Must Have Accessories:

If you are thinking of riding out after dark, you need to get a good BikeLit, White LED headlight and tail light Cateye TL-LD130 LED Bicycle Tail and Safety Light (Red) to ensure you are seen by motorists.  
  Wearing a reflective vest is essential if you are thinking of night riding as most accidents happen because motorists do not see the bike rider at night until it is too late.  

It is really important to select the right helmet and to wear one when out cycling. 












 Also make sure you have a bike pump with you in case of any flat tyres.
There are many types so find one that suits you. It is important to ensure you tyres are properly inflated before you go out on your bike ride. 


Tyres that are not pumped up properly can make your cycling
efforts hard work and tiring.



 





Safety First 
If you haven't done so, I would advocate going on a road biking awareness course.   Riding on the road is not an easy feat, and there are drivers out there who are not bike savvy or bike friendly.  You can ask your local police station or locate a course on the web.

Some riders have taken to wearing video camcorders on their helmets to record accidents that have happened to them, due to bad road drivers.  It is hard to prove you were not in the wrong if an accident were to occur, so having video evidence is becoming more and more prevailent on getting compensation to road accidents.

Well there you go.  I hope you have found this post useful... let me know by sharing the link, tweeting, sharing on facebook and more...



Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)    Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program.