There may not be any changes in body shape after cycling an exercise bike for a week. The only feeling is that I am more energetic, and my complexion is better. But what will happen to your body after you keep on riding for a month or even a year?
Just started cycling
Lung function: During the aerobic ride, the brain sends signals to the lungs. Ride makes you breathe faster and deeper and deliver extra oxygen to the muscles.
Energy: Due to the large influx of endorphins, riders will feel excited and energetic. At this moment, the enthusiasm for ride reaches its peak.
Fat consumption: In the aerobic ride, the body mainly uses fat as fuel and consumes fat.
Within 1 hour of ride
Immunity enhancement: Riders have a reduced risk of catching a cold and flu. The reason is ride increases immune globulin. It helps strengthen the immune system and prevent infection.
Stress reduction: Chemicals that can improve your mood (such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine) flood the brain for a few hours after the ride. Such chemicals make the body feel relaxed and relieved, and stress disappears.
Fat burning: Even if the rider is resting, he can burn more calories. That is the afterburn effect.
Within a day of the ride
Muscle strengthening: Muscle weight begins to increase. If you do strength training, your muscles will also begin to rebuild to repair the tiny tears caused by the ride.
Cardiovascular benefits: The heart becomes healthier. If you sweat, the blood pressure will reduce for up to 16 hours.
Concentration: Ride can also increase the blood and oxygen flow to the brain. That helps improve learning ability and makes people more focused.
Within a week of the ride
Diabetes risk reduction: The more ride, the stronger the body's sensitivity to insulin. Thus, the more it can lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Endurance enhancement: The maximum oxygen-carrying capacity (a measure of endurance and aerobic fitness) increased by about 5%. That allows the next rides to increase a certain intensity.
The body becomes better: The body becomes slimmer, but you need to control your diet.
Within one month of the ride
The body becomes stronger: Muscle endurance continues to increase. You can easily carry out 8 pounds of weight training. And the number of training sessions in each group is gradually increasing.
Fat reduction: Fat begins to decrease, and overweight people can even reduce it by 12%. Ride makes the abdomen and muscles more linear.
The brain is more flexible: it can also activate brain-derived nerve growth factors. The ride helps to form new brain cells and improve brain function.
Within one year of the ride
Increased endurance: Endurance and aerobic fitness have been increased by 25%. You no longer feel strenuous in the ride, fat loss speed is accelerated, and fat is burned all the time.
Slow heartbeat: Due to regular rides, the heart's pumping efficiency will increase, reducing the heart rate.
Extended life expectancy: Long-term rides can increase the length of human telomeres. Besides, it helps avoid damage caused by free radicals. It delays the aging process, reduces the risk of cancer, and prolongs life.
