If you've been looking at alternative methods to get to work or stay fit, cycling has probably come to mind as a possible solution. Taking your bike out for a spin has a lot of wonderful health benefits, including weight loss, a mental health boost, and so much more. If you've been thinking about taking your bicycle out for a spin, here are just a few of the ways it can transform your health.

You'll be happier

A study conducted by the YMCA found that those who have an active lifestyle are in general 32% happier than those who don't. That means if you breeze past all the traffic on your bicycle as you head into work, you'll probably be in a better mood than those who didn't.

Exercise is great for our bodies and our minds, and bicycling is a great way to do it.

You'll lose weight

Cycling burns a lot of calories. Taking your bicycle out for a spin can burn anywhere from between 400 and 1,000 calories per hour depending on factors such as your current weight and the intensity you are working at.

That's a pretty easy way to burn calories, especially if you make cycling your main source of transportation. Even if you don't, biking when ever possible will certainly make a huge difference to your waistline.

It builds muscle

Biking is a full body workout. You may lean on your arms to help increase speed, your core needs to stay tight in order to keep balance, and of course your legs are doing most of the work with peddling. It's no surprise to learn that biking is great for building muscle.

If you don't love dieting, boosting how much muscle you have has a side benefit—you'll be able to eat more calories even when you're not working out, because it takes more calories to maintain muscle than it does to maintain fat.

Cuts your risk of heart disease and cancer

If you bike 30 miles a week, you can cut your risk of heart disease and cancer in half according to one study. That's a pretty significant finding. The study also compared those who walked the same distance, but found that cycling had more benefits.

This was a huge study, with 264,337 participants, and cyclists came out on top overall. In fact, cyclists in general had a 41% drop in risk of premature death, as well as a 46% lower risk of getting cardiovascular disease, and a 45% lower risk of developing cancer. That's pretty good reason to get out your bicycle.

Even if you're too far away from your work place to use a bicycle as your transportation to work, taking your bicycle out on the weekends or evenings for a cruise can really make a difference in your health. If you want to make a change to your health for the better, this could be one of the easiest ways to do it.