Getting on your bike

CYCLING regularly can help to lower our risk of developing heart disease and improve our overall health and wellbeing.

Here are some tips to help you get on your bike this summer.

Cycle to work

Cycling to work can be a time-efficient way to fit exercise into your daily routine. It can even benefit your productivity at work whilst also improving the health of your heart.

Cycle together

Cycling can be a great way to meet up with friends, or make new ones, and be active together.

Evidence shows that we are more likely to complete exercise when doing so with a partner or in a group.

Additionally, we work physically harder when surrounded by others than when exercising alone. Look up your local cycle groups to get started.

Starting Slow

If you don’t yet feel confident or fit enough for a long bike ride, why not start small by going on some shorter bike rides, and gradually increasing your distance or time.

This will build your confidence and fitness before you tackle a longer route.

This could be the perfect starting point of pedalling your way to a healthy heart.

■ For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for to the weekly healthy tips at www. heartresearch.org.uk/ healthy-tips.

■ To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from: https:// heartresearch.org.uk/ heart-research-ukrecipes-2/.

■ Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers: https:// heartresearch.org.uk/ heart-research-ukcookbook/.