Fitness Healts

-Ken Kifer on Fitness After a brief discussion of the fitness controversy today, I present my own understanding, using personal history and observations rather than statistics to support my statements. I support the idea that fitness is best achieved and maintained through regular cycling at moderate speeds rather than through intense effort. 

-A Review of Pedalling Health Pedalling Health is an Australian web site with important statistical data about how cycling promotes good health. The site answers some questions about the amount and intensity of exercise needed to promote good health. (Note: "Pedalling" is a British spelling.) 

-Is Cycling Dangerous? How the belief that cycling is dangerous can lead to deaths through discouraging vehicular cycling, why sidewalks are more dangerous than streets, the most common causes of bicycle-motor vehicle crashes, why cycling is actually less dangerous than motoring, the fatality rate among cyclists, the much greater number of other injury-related deaths, the chances of injury compared with common sports, and the much more common dangers of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. 

-The Healthy Diet for Cyclists (or Anybody) A healthy diet does not need to involve any unusual foods or strange menus. However, only one person in ten eats properly. Most people eat too much meat and not enough grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. 

-The High Fat, Low Carbohydrate Diet vs. Bicycling for Good Health Dr. Atkins and others recommend diets with extremely low carbohydrate and high fat levels. Some people lose weight on these diets. However, the theory behind them is flawed, and they create serious health problems. Bicycling and a balanced diet is a better solution. 

-Southern Stroke Belt! A report in the newspaper pointed out that strokes are much higher in the South and said that scientists were baffled about the cause. I wasn't baffled at all; our lifestyle and our lifespan are firmly tied together. A lack of aerobic exercise and too much fat in the diet are the cause. 

-Ways of Being Tired Not paying attention to fatigue can lead to a spoiled bicycle trip or even much more dangerous consequences. It's not enough to know that you're tired; you have to know how you are tired. 

-Stages of Fitness Answering a question in the newsgroups about dieting, I describe how cyclists' bodies adapt to the demands we place upon them depending on our level of fitness. 

-My Fall -- The Story of a Bicycling Injury and Recovery While riding my bike, I fell and broke my hip. Here are the details of how the accident occurred and how I recovered.