Health

If you've recently taken up cycling then I wanted to share my experience of how I started cycling, along with some advice as a coach based on my personal journey.

If you're new to cycling and aiming to improve your fitness, you might currently struggle with even commuting to work by bike. When I first started cycling, I was quite young and would simply go on adventures with my friends. However, as an adult, when I got back into cycling, I remember buying my first bike and wanting to participate in a few triathlons.

At that time, the triathlon distances were relatively short, maybe around 15 miles or a maximum of 26 miles for Olympic distance triathlons. So I began doing solo rides in the local area of Devon. I had a 30-mile route that I used to ride as a charity event when I was younger, so I started cycling that route regularly to build up my endurance.

I didn't have a structured plan; I simply rode that route consistently. I gauged my fitness by how easy or difficult the ride felt, depending on whether I pushed harder or went faster. This was before the advent of Strava, so I didn't measure my time or power output or anything like that. I only tracked how long it took me to complete the ride.

Gradually, I started increasing the distances and ventured further. For instance, I began cycling from Plymouth to Totnes and back, doubling the distance to 60 miles. I recall my brother cycling with me at the time, as he had more experience. It was relatively fine getting to Totnes, but the journey back home was a real challenge. My legs were completely exhausted, and pedalling became excruciatingly painful. I had to slow down, pedal again, and even freewheel just to give myself some recovery time on the bike.

In hindsight, that experience taught me a valuable lesson. I had to push myself beyond my comfort zone and overcome discomfort mentally to make it back home. There was only one way back, the same way we came. This led me to explore more cycling opportunities and spend more time on the bike to enhance my fitness.

The biggest change came when I moved to London and joined the cycling community I'm part of today. They were much faster than me, so I tried my best to keep up with them. Eventually, I was able to ride with them and began my own training, learning from their cycling techniques.

I realised that cycling just once a week wasn't enough. I used to be more of a "weekend warrior," thinking that would be sufficient. However, when I conversed with the community members, I discovered they trained on turbo trainers during the week or cycled more frequently. Unfortunately, my job didn't allow me to commute to work by bike, so I had to find other ways to spend more time cycling.

Ultimately, it boiled down to spending more time on the bike. Therefore, if you're just starting out, my advice is to gradually increase the amount of time you dedicate to cycling. Once someone asked me how they could improve at cycling, and my response was simple: cycle more. Increasing your zone two endurance (not necessarily focusing on intense efforts) and building a solid foundation of endurance over time will contribute to your overall strength and fitness.

By developing a good reserve of endurance-based fitness through consistent cycling, you'll be better prepared to tackle harder efforts and push your limits. This process takes weeks, months, or even years, depending on how long you've been cycling. Additionally, I recommend joining a club or a cycling community. Surrounding yourself with cyclists who are slightly better than you will constantly push you out of your comfort zone and foster improvement. When cycling alone, it's easy to opt for the easier path when things get challenging, whereas riding alongside others gives you a target to keep up with.

If you're new to cycling and aiming to improve your fitness, follow these tips: start by cycling regularly, even if it's just once or twice a week in your local park. Gradually progress to commuting to work at least once a week, taking the train back, and cycling home the next day.

Over time, increase the distance you cover on weekends. Try to cycle at least three times a week to accelerate your progress. Instead of solely focusing on hard efforts, aim for zone two intensity where you're slightly out of breath, breaking a sweat, and feel capable of pedalling for several hours (taking into account proper fueling). This way, you'll establish a comfort zone where you won't overtrain, allowing you to build a solid foundation of endurance over several months. Subsequently, you can start incorporating more high-intensity efforts to further enhance your strength. Joining a cycling club will also push you to the next level by requiring you to keep up with others and work harder.

If you follow these tips, you'll gradually increase your fitness levels. Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram via direct message or comment on this video if you have any questions about improving your cycling ability. I specialize in supporting amateur cyclists in cycling faster, recovering quicker, and achieving weight loss. So, if you're interested and would like to learn more, send me a DM on Instagram or leave a message if you're listening to this audio. I'm more than happy to address any queries you may have.

Wealth

Wealth-wise, this week I want to talk to you about how I managed to travel to Barcelona and back with British Airways for only one pound. If you haven't heard of the Avios Point scheme, it's a program offered by British Airways that allows you to accumulate points on a credit card, which you can then use for holidays or flights.

British Airways has its own credit card, and the basic version is free. When you sign up, you can earn a bonus of air miles by spending a certain amount within a specific time frame. There is also a paid version of the card that offers more air miles. In my case, I joined a few years ago, just before Covid, and opted for the premium card, which required an annual fee of £150 at the time.

I believe the fee has now increased to around £250. However, this premium card provided me with a substantial amount of air miles. Initially, I earned 30,000 air miles by spending two or three thousand pounds within three months, and then an additional 12,000 air miles over the course of the year. To achieve this, I simply put all my regular expenses on my credit card instead of my debit card, paying off the balance in full each month, just as I would with my debit card. This allowed my air miles to accumulate over time.

Furthermore, if you spend around £10,000 to £12,000 per year, depending on your credit card, you also receive a companion voucher. This voucher allows you to bring a friend along on your flight for a discounted rate, paying only the taxes instead of the full fare. The availability of flights and the destination depend on the companion voucher and the time of year. When I flew to Barcelona, it was a short-haul flight, so I didn't need as many air miles in addition to my companion voucher. As a result, I only paid one pound for the flight, but I could have paid more and used fewer air miles. I primarily use these air miles for flights and not for anything else, so it makes sense for me to spend them.

In addition, my friend was able to join me for just one pound, so you can bring a companion with you. I now follow this strategy every year, spending my allowance on a credit card, which earns me a companion voucher. This allows my girlfriend and me to enjoy cheaper holidays since we save a significant amount on flights. Last September, we flew to Corcica, and the round-trip flight cost us only £70 for both of us. This way, we can allocate more of our budget to accommodation, activities, and spending money during our vacations, rather than spending it all on flights.

If you travel frequently and haven't taken advantage of this travel method, I highly recommend it. It's a fantastic way to be rewarded for your regular spending habits, as long as you manage your finances well and pay off your credit card in full each month to avoid charges. The accumulated bonuses can be used for the companion voucher each year and also for other flights if you choose to do so.

Additionally, the air miles can now be converted into points at certain retailers. My girlfriend does this and receives £200 to £300 to spend at Sainsbury's instead of a companion voucher. This allows her to use the points towards her shopping, effectively getting the money back for future purchases at Sainsbury's.

Therefore, I highly recommend exploring different ways to make the most of your money. Instead of simply spending it, consider ways to save and maximize your spending habits for your benefit. The Avios British Airways credit card scheme, which I personally use, can be a great tool to help you treat yourself from time to time.

If you're planning a holiday and want to save some money, consider using your companion voucher for your annual vacation. Whether you're travelling alone, with a partner, or as a family, you can save a significant amount on flights and overall expenses. For example, my British Airways flight to Barcelona cost me only one pound for the return ticket. By utilizing this scheme, you can allocate more of your budget to enjoying your destination, such as accommodation, activities, and spending money.

If you're interested in exploring this option further or have any questions, feel free to leave a comment in the description of this video. I'll be more than happy to assist you. I'll also provide a link to the credit card in the show notes and video description if you want to check it out for yourself.

To clarify, I am not affiliated with British Airways or the Avios credit card scheme, and they are not compensating me for sharing this advice. I'm simply sharing my personal experience and knowledge in the hope that it can help you get more value from your future holidays.

In conclusion, consider utilizing strategies like the Avios British Airways credit card to make the most of your money. By being mindful of your spending and taking advantage of rewards programs, you can enjoy discounted flights, companion vouchers, and even convert points for other benefits. Treat yourself to memorable holidays without breaking the bank.

Mindset

And finally, speaking of mindset, something noteworthy happened to me this week—I embarked on a challenging bike ride all by myself. On Sunday, I covered approximately 70 miles, maintaining a speed of 70 miles per hour. When you're riding solo, it can be quite demanding.

As the day progressed, I felt completely drained, and the lesson I learned was how much fatigue and exhaustion can impact your mindset. I'm typically a cheerful, energized individual, always motivated and inclined to see the bright side of things. However, when I went for an afternoon walk with my girlfriend, I couldn't contribute much to the conversation because I was utterly exhausted. This made me realize the importance of sleep and recovery time after physical exertion. We've discussed this before—it's crucial to ensure you're at your best because if you're constantly fatigued like I was, you won't be pleasant to be around.

In fact, I found myself rather dull. I desperately needed some time to myself and a good night's sleep. After two nights of rest, I started feeling like my usual self again, following the much-needed recovery from a strenuous day on the bike. So, if you're facing challenges with your mood and you're not feeling your best—maybe you're tired, sluggish, or finding it difficult to engage in conversations as you used to with colleagues, partners, or family—it might be worthwhile to assess your sleeping habits and activity levels. Consider the amount of rest you're getting compared to your level of physical activity. This also applies to the demands of your work. If you're working hard and feeling stressed, it's important to take some time off to regenerate.

Our brains decompress and recharge while we sleep, much like rebooting a computer. During this time, we store and process all the information we consume throughout the day. So, if you prioritize sleep, your brain will be more alert and ready to perform at its best, benefiting both you and those around you—at work and at home.

Based on my personal experience, my advice this week is if you're feeling excessively tired, make sleep a priority for a few nights. It should always be a priority, but especially after a challenging workday or training session, you might need to go to bed earlier to allow for more rest and better rejuvenation based on the activities you've engaged in.

If you're heavily involved in exercise or training, be attentive to your body's signals. If you're not feeling as good, energized, or conversational as usual, view it as a sign that you need more sleep and rest. It may even be beneficial to take a couple of days off, as I did, before resuming your training. And when you do return to training, focus on recovery-based exercises to avoid over-fatiguing yourself and compromising your recovery. So, listen to your body, prioritize rest and recovery when you're not at your best, and you'll be back on track in no time.

Lyric/ Quote I'm pondering

Cycling is not just about the distance you cover, but the transformation that happens within you along the way." - Neil Damerell

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Cycling for Beginners: My Journey and Expert Advice for Improving Fitness