Implementing a Successful Routine – Cardio

Cardio, which is a term that is short for cardiovascular conditioning, is a form of exercise that involves the heart and blood vessels. It is important to incorporate cardiovascular exercise into a successful routine, as it has various positive health benefits, can be performed through numerous activities, and plays a huge role in overall fat loss. Your body is a temple, but only if you treat it as one. ~Astrid Alauda. We are only given one body and people tend to forget how essential it is to take the best care possible of that body on a daily basis. If we take the time to focus on some of the positive ways cardio can impact our health, then maybe we would all be doing cardio more often! Here just a few of the important health benefits and reasons to get a cardio program started today.

• Stronger heart and lungs
• Increased bone density
• Reduced stress
• Reduced risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer
• Temporary relief from depression and anxiety
• More confidence about how you feel and how you look
• Better sleep
• More energy

Cardiovascular exercise can be performed in many different ways, and depending on your lifestyle or preference, you can find a way to make it work for you. Any form of anaerobic activity that gets oxygen continuously delivered to your muscles and your heart rate elevated can be categorized as cardio. Some people like to go the gym and get on the stair stepper, treadmill, or bike, while others prefer the outdoors or organized sports. It doesn't really matter how you get it done, as long as you are in your target heart rate zone and you are getting the job done. Depending on your goal, there are different target heart rates you should be aiming for. Anywhere between 50% - 85% of your maximum heart rate for about 30 minutes is a good start. Normally, for people just starting out, it is important to work your way up to a certain duration and pace. Consistency is always key, and the longer you stick to a cardio routine, the more it will become a habit and the easier it will be.

I think it is fairly safe to say that the majority of people that are doing cardiovascular activity share a common goal. They are trying to lose weight, get leaner, and burn fat. Even though there are more than one way to go about doing so, cardio plays a huge role in aiding fat loss. If you want to lose weight it is really as simple as burning more calories than you are consuming on a daily basis. Everyone has a resting metabolic rate which means they burn a certain amount of calories a day at rest. If we perform additional cardio, then you are burning additional calories that can be added on to your resting metabolism. Now if you want to take it a step further and incorporate weight training, the proper diet, and supplements into your routine, you are really going to see some results. Remember all these key components go hand in hand, and when properly executed, it is very possible for you and everyone else to obtain their fitness goals and have that body they always wanted!