Cardio is an excellent method to burn calories, shed winter pounds, and simultaneously lower your heart disease and diabetes risk.
As a result, it is time to take action! Precisely what is “cardio”?
When you do cardio exercises, your heart rate increases, your breathing becomes more profound, and the major muscles in your body, such as your legs, arms, and buttocks, are used regularly. Cardio exercises are also known as aerobic exercises.
There are a plethora of aerobic workouts that can be performed by everyone, from jogging to swimming to cycling to kickboxing. Find an activity that you love and that makes you feel fantastic!
Aim for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of intense aerobic activity per week to get the most out of your exercise.
Looking for a place to begin? Try a HIIT boxing session, a supercharged cardio exercise, or a cardio and boxing session to begin with an enjoyable and beneficial workout.
The benefits of cardio
It is essential to engage in cardiac activity consistently to maximise the amount of oxygen your body receives throughout the workout, which helps your lungs, heart and blood vessels utilise that oxygen more effectively.
The more fit you are, and the better you are at cardiac activity, the more intense you may make your exercises and the more effectively you will use oxygen. There are several advantages to including cardio in your weekly workout programme, including:
- Muscle-building supplement
- High blood pressure and heart disease may be prevented by reducing the risk of these conditions.
- Increases metabolic rate and aids in weight loss
- a natural painkiller and mood enhancer, endorphins are released as a side effect.
- Boosts your nighttime slumber
- Reduces the risk of diabetes
- Pain relief for rheumatoid arthritis and stiff joints; improved blood flow to the skin
Five tips to getting the most out of your cardio workout
There is a slew of strategies for getting the most out of your aerobic exercise. If you want to receive the most excellent possible outcomes, here are our top five tips:
1. Get off to a Slow Start
You should not push yourself too hard too quickly if you are new to exercise. You should not be scared to begin small and work your way up from there. An excellent example is running for 30 minutes and then walking for the remainder of the time. Then, after running for 5 minutes, run for the remaining 25 minutes, and so on. As your running time becomes longer and your walking time gets shorter, you will soon be running for half an hour!
2. To keep yourself going, do it with a friend.
It seems like waking up and working out alone is something you will get used to soon. Doing your cardio activity with a buddy or member of your family is a simple solution. As a bonus, this will keep you on track and guarantee you are getting enough cardio into your weekly workout regimen. Check out our buddy blog for tips on keeping yourself motivated when working out with a partner.
3. You can fuel your body for better workouts by eating healthily.
Your diet should include various foods, including various fruits and vegetables, as well as protein, grains, cereals, and dairy (or equivalents). Your body’s ability to function better during exercise is enhanced if you feed it well-balanced meals that are also tasty and enjoyable to eat. Our in-house dietitian has put up a variety of nutritious food ideas for you to try!
4. Retention Of Hydration
Another important aspect of being hydrated is to drink plenty of water before, during, and after your workouts. Remember that your body will tell you when you are thirsty, so do not ignore it — drink up!
5. Set aside time for rest and stretching.
It is essential to allow your body time to recuperate after strenuous cardiac activity. You may lessen the risk of injury by taking rest days between exercises and stretching after and during your rest days. This will also help your body perform better the next time you exercise. Keep in mind that if you take more than one day off, your hard work will be undone, and you do not want that to happen.
