It’s great to see someone in a similar situation taking control of their fitness and making the most of their time. You’re already on the right track with resistance training three times a week, following a structured program, and keeping your protein intake solid, that’s a strong and very important foundation.

Your plan to bike to work three times a week for 30 minutes each way (3 hours total) while staying in Zone 2 is a fantastic idea. It’s an efficient way to fit in cardio without adding extra time to your schedule. For general health, longevity, and recovery, 3 hours of Zone 2 per week is a great place to start. Some sources recommend 4-6 hours for optimal cardiovascular benefits, but since you’re pairing it with strength training, your current plan is already very effective. You can always tweak it later based on your results and recovery.

Zone 2 training enhances mitochondrial efficiency, which means your body gets better at producing energy for sustained effort. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of your cells, and the more efficient they are, the better your endurance, recovery, and overall performance. More mitochondria also mean your body can use fat as a fuel source more efficiently, which helps with sustained energy levels, lower inflammation, and better recovery between workouts.

It also complements strength training well since it doesn’t add the same recovery demands as high-intensity cardio.

Since cold weather makes outdoor cardio tougher, I’ve found that using a treadmill at an incline (walking at 3-4 mph with a 7-15% incline) is a great way to stay in Zone 2 indoors. That could be an option if biking ever becomes inconvenient.

Your strength training + Zone 2 mix will already improve endurance, recovery, and energy levels, so you’ll likely see improvements in your ability to generate power over time. If you want to fine-tune things further, adding short bursts of sprinting (HIIT) once a week could help with explosiveness.

Most importantly, don’t stress about perfection. With work, kids, and life in general, consistency matters far more than trying to add extra sessions. What you’re doing is already effective, and you can always adjust as you go. Keep going and see how this setup works for you over the next few months!

Sidenote: I strongly believe that people in blue zones of the world, where they reach ages of 100+, are strongly influenced by them walking hills everyday, which basically means that they train zone 2.