“Health is Wealth”
The famous saying health is wealth is an interesting quote I like. It’s possible to live without good wealth but without good health it’s harder to survive! I’ve met some great people in my life and one thing I find fascinating about the majority of them is that they take their health very seriously!!
As a finance guy I like numbers!
Did you know that?:
It’s medically proven that people who do regular physical activity have:
- up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
- up to a 30% lower risk of depression
- up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
- up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer
- up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer
- up to a 30% lower risk of early death
- up to a 30% lower risk of dementia
(source NHS)
My Fitness Journey
I’ve been somewhat inconsistent in my health aspect of life until I recently purchased a bike and this has been a game changer for me! The nearest gym to me is a approximately 10 minutes drive away. Taking 20 minutes in total just on travel (to the gym and back home). Cycling is convenient for me as I can save that travel time it would take to get to the gym, burn calories and get back home sooner, spending more time with my family!
My Routine
I tend to cycle most mornings before I start work (from home), roughly for an hour, sometimes I squeeze in a cycle session during lunch hours or immediately after work if early mornings are not feasible. This has been a game changer for me, due to the nature of my work in finance, it can get quite demanding at times and I believe cycling helps me let off some steam and helps me refocus. I tend to listen to audio books while cycling (at the time of this post I am listening to Atomic Habits by James Clear). I also use this time as an opportunity to think of problem solving solutions for what lies ahead at work.
I also have a big cycle early Sunday mornings with a few friends who are cyclists; we tend to cycle across London approximately 35 miles (56 kilometres). I’m a big fan of having accountability partners; they have helped me challenge myself.
Diets
“You Are What You Eat”
This is also a significant aspect of my health. As the saying goes “you are what you eat”. For about over a year my wife and I made a conscious decision to reduce our consumption level of red and white (poultry) meat. We’ve been consuming more omega-3 fish (which has many benefits), fruit & vegetables and lots of smoothies! We are very much enjoying the new diet, we feel physically and mentally better. We did find it difficult getting started but we managed to build a healthy habit over time.
Fitness Tracker
I have a Fitbit which tracks health related information about myself such as, the level of sleep I’m getting, my resting heart beats per minute, the number of steps I do daily, calories burned and lots more!
Since I’ve taken on cycling I have:
- Witnessed better quality of sleep (avg 7-8 hrs daily)
- Lower resting heart rate (avg 63 beats per minute)
- Burned more calories (avg of about 3,200 calories)
- Felt physically and mentally better
- Less Stressed
All of the above ultimately making me a fitter and happier father!!
Having a fitness tracker helps me set fitness targets for the week, it motivates me to break my personal records and ultimately live a healthier life.
I mean who doesn’t want to live healthier lives as dads and spend more time with their families? When it’s all said and done, I think we could all strive to be healthier and happier parents by undertaking a form of physical activity. As a person of African origin I am very conscious of my cardiovascular health. According to research African or African Caribbean are at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure and having a stroke than other ethnic groups. African, African Caribbean and South Asians are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than the rest of the population.
Cycling is my thing. It might not be for you, some prefer going to the gym, running, swimming, and other form of sports. I’m keen to hear your thoughts and preferences on physical health?
Until Next Time
K.
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