Now that I completed my goal this week, I can see how bicycling can improve your emotional and physical health. I don’t feel as stressed when I come home after a long day at work and I feel more motivated at work because my energy has increased. My sleep has also improved, which allows me to be more motivated to work out in the morning.

I did find that blogging my goal helped me stay on task. Also setting days of the week to remember to complete my goal helped. When you aren’t setting goals, it is easy to push it to the next day or the next day. You are always too tired or too busy to workout. But setting a goal and keeping track of it, helps keep you motivated.

Improving my emotional health will not only help my personal life but, it will help in my professional life as well. Emotional stability is very important in a high stressed management position. I currently managed two different medical offices and I have 20 direct reports, along with providers and nurses. Having so many different people come to you to ” fix problems” consistently throughout your day can be emotionally draining to deal with everyday. I have learned having a clear bind by reducing stress at home and taking breaks for yourself has helped improve my emotional health at work. I used to often work through lunch because there was never enough time to get the work done. I have learned that it’s important to give yourself a break too. There’s also tomorrow to get the job done. Having good emotional health throughout your day helps improve your work performance and gives you the ability to enjoy coming to work everyday.

Here are a few resources I used to learn the benefits of riding a stationary bike.

Resource 1: Cronkleton, Emily (2019). 7 Great Benefits of a Stationary Bike Workout. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/stationary-bike-workout

Resource 2: Andrews, Linda W. (2015). Bicycling Can Sharpen Your Thinking and Improve Your Mood. Psychology Today. https://www-psychologytoday-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/minding-the-body/201505/bicycling-can-sharpen-your-thinking-and-improve-your-mood?amp_js_v=a6&amp_gsa=1&amp&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16409605727006&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.psychologytoday.com%2Fus%2Fblog%2Fminding-the-body%2F201505%2Fbicycling-can-sharpen-your-thinking-and-improve-your-mood

Thursday morning completes day 3 of riding my bike 5 miles for 3 days for 1 week. The instructor I chose was Ally Love. I did a 20 minute ride called 90s Ride. The 90s music get me really excited to workout! I was able to complete 5.01 miles today. My average cadence was 79rpm, 14.8 speed, and 37% resistance. This class had more hills than the previous classes but Ally helped push you through the class. I have been feeling more energetic and my mood has improved which is very helpful with 2 young children and a busy schedule.

Now let’s discuss some short term and long term benefits of riding a stationary bike.

Short Term Benefits:

1. Reduced stress. Studies have shown that  pedaling a stationary bike for just 15 minutes can decrease your level of cortisol (stress hormone). (Linda Wasmer Andrews, 2015).      

2. Increase energy. Cycling can strengthen your heart and lungs. It can also improve your blood flow and oxygen throughout your body. (Emily Cronkleton, 2019).

Long Term Benefits:

1. Managing your weight by burning body fat. High intensity workouts can help burn calories build strength and lead to fat loss. (Emily Cronkleton, 2019).

2. Reducing the risk of heart disease. Bicycling can help lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, and manage weight which reduces the risk of developing heart disease. (Linda Wasmer Andrews, 2015).

Wednesday morning is Day 2 of riding my bike 5 miles for 3 days for 1 week. Today I chose instructor Alex Toussaint. His class was called Hip Hop Ride. I am finding that I really enjoy listening to hip hop when riding my bike. The class was 20 minutes and I was able to complete 5.13 miles. My average cadence was 75rpm, 15.3 speed, and 39% resistance. I am finding that a 20 minute class works best being a busy Mom. Sometimes getting away from the children to workout can be tough.

In order to improve my emotional and physical health I will ride 5 miles on my stationary bike for 3 days for 1 week.

I will achieve this goal by working out before work in the morning and setting designated days to complete this goal (Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday).

This morning I rode my Peloton bike. For the class, I choose instructor Olivia Amato. Her class was called Hip Hope Ride. I completed 5.26 miles during my 20 minute bike ride. My average cadence was 81rpm, speed 15.8 mph, and resistance 38%. I really enjoyed her song choices during class. After riding I felt more energized and ready to start my day.

The purpose of my health goal is to help improve my emotional and physical health. I work full-time in a stressful job and it can become overwhelming from time to time. My hope is that taking time for my self will help improve my mental state while benefitting my physical health at the same time.

In order to improve my health and wellness, I will be focusing on 2 out of the 6 dimensions of wellness. To help understand the different dimensions of wellness, here is a breakdown of the 6 different areas that can improve your overall health and wellness.

1. Occupational wellness. This is the satisfaction you receive in one’s life through their work. I chose a career in healthcare because I enjoyed learning the different medical terminology and learning about different advancements in healthcare. However, I did not care to see all the blood in open wounds. This led me to choose administrative side of health care which I grew to become a healthcare manager in the medical field.

2. Social wellness. This encourages you to engage in one’s community or environment. I feel like I see this most at my work. I have set up team building activities at work to help build a better social environment with your coworkers. Getting to know your coworkers outside of work can help build a closer trust and relationship with your coworker. This can result in working better together at work.

3. Intellectual wellness. This recognizes one’s creative and mental activities. I love to make crafts, decorations, diaper cakes, (anything I see on Etsy). I have been able to share this passion with my son and I enjoy making small crafts with him as well.

4. Physical wellness. This recognizes the need for regular physical activity. I have two kids at the age of five and two. They are very active and have loads of energy. I often wonder how I am going to keep up with them. My hope with this blog is that if I can get into the habit of exercise, it will allow me to have more energy to play and be more active with my kids.

5. Spiritual wellness. This recognizes our purpose and human existence. Having consistent values and beliefs is very important when raising kids. Not being consistent in your morals and beliefs can be confusing to children so I try to surround myself with people who have similar spiritual beliefs as me and my family.

6. Emotional wellness. This recognizes awareness and acceptance of one’s feelings. Having a husband and two kids and a full-time job and school, you can start to lose sight of yourself. It is easy to put everyone else’s needs before your own needs. This goal is to help put some of my needs first to be a healthier version of myself for my family.