Eliminate Your Fears and Doubts About Cardio Fitness Training
"Cardio" is a term that gets thrown around a lot whenever the topic of weight loss comes up. But cardio has more than just weight loss benefits. Cardio fitness helps circulate your blood, and research has shown that regular cardio exercise can actually slow down the aging process for certain cells in your body. Cardio also releases endorphins, which can help with stress relief and even help you sleep better at night.
Intrigued but still a little scared about how to jump into a cardio program? Here are a few things you need to know to eliminate your fears and doubts about cardio fitness training:
It's not just about the treadmill
Logging miles on the treadmill isn't fun for anyone, but the great news is that you don't have to be chained to a machine to get cardio. Any movement that gets your heart rate up and blood flowing is cardio. That includes things like swimming, riding your bike, walking, jumping rope, and dancing. Playing at the park with your kids can even be a cardio workout-think of how out of breath you can get by running around on the play structure and doing the monkey bars.
When you think cardio fitness, think outside the treadmill.
You don't need hours and hours of cardio
A lot of people mistakenly think that you need to log hours of cardio for it to count, but fortunately that's just not true. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adults get 20-30 minutes of cardio activity 3-5 days a week. Starting with just 20 minutes a few times a week is all it takes to get healthier and start feeling better.
Cardio exercise to lose weight
If you're serious about losing weight, you'll want to focus on workouts that are longer than 20 minutes. Keeping your heart rate elevated will cause your body to burn more calories. High intensity workouts like Zumba and workouts that involve lifting weights are the best way to safely burn calories and lose weight. Of course, you'll need to combine your cardio exercise with a nutrition plan to maximize your efforts.
Starting a cardio workout plan
If you're just starting out, don't expect to jump into a high intensity program. You risk injury when you try to do too much too fast. Working with a trainer is the best way to make sure you're doing moves safely while still working out your core muscles and systems to maximize calorie burn.
Cardio fitness doesn't have to be scary! Work with one of our trainers to see how you can lose weight, sleep better and be all around healthier. Contact us today!
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