Maintaining a regular fitness routine and doing cardio training will strengthen your heart and improve your overall health. Most physicians, and studies, agree that exercising is the key to a longer, healthier life, and it’s also important to helping you lose body fat.
Cardiovascular exercise can help prevent the onset of problematic chronic illnesses. Your levels of HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind of cholesterol) can actually be increased when physical fitness improves via exercise. In general, the only way to combat high LDL cholesterol (the “bad” kind) is to increase your HDL levels.
Also, regular cardio workouts can help a person maintain a healthy weight, which reduces risk factors for type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer. The point is not to be skinny – it’s to maintain a healthy weight that is best for you, and to have a strong, healthy heart without feeling like you need to starve yourself to lose a few pounds.
The Mayo Clinic recommends that individuals try to have 2.5 hours of moderate activity (or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity) spread out over the course of a week. Therefore, if you aim to exercise every other day, try to work out at a moderate pace (where your health is elevated, but not so hard that you cannot speak) for 30-45 minutes per session.
You do not need to join an expensive gym or sign up for a complicated program to start a cardiovascular work-out routine. Raising your heart rate can be easy and free. Here are some ideas: Take a brisk walk after dinner; Go to your local high school stadium and run up and down the stadium steps or jog around the running track; Actively work in the garden; Bicycle around the neighborhood; Have a family game of tag.
Before starting your cardio workout, warm-up the muscles you plan on using and then cool down when you are finished to reduce the chances of pulled or sore muscles following the workout.
By improving your ability to complete a cardiovascular workout, you improve the way your heart and lungs work together. You will notice that your energy improves and possibly benefit from a weight loss or firmer shape. Get out and exercise today!
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