Cardio respiratory fitness is a fancy way to talk about how your heart and lungs work together during exercise. There are many benefits to participating in cardio activities. In an press release from February 2010 on the American Heart Association website, even a moderate amount of cardio activity can significantly reduce stroke risk for men and women. It is also a great way to blast away calories to help you lose weight.
Frequency
Plan your exercise for the week so that you make it a priority and allow time in your schedule for it. The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines states you should accumulate 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week. This averages out to only 30 minutes 5 days a week. This is the minimum amount needed to reduce your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, positively affect your blood pressure and improve your mood. Ideally you should participate in a cardiovascular activity five to six days a week. By planning your exercise ahead of time you will be sure to successfully get your 150 minutes accomplished each week.
How Hard Should You Work?
Guidelines for adults fall into two categories: moderate and vigorous intensity. The advantage of vigorous activity is that you get twice the results in half the time of moderate intensity exercise. To determine how hard you are working use a 1-10 Rate of Perceived Exertion, or RPE, scale. Moderate activity would be a 5 to 6 on the scale and vigorous would be more of a 7 to 9. While exerting yourself at a moderate intensity you should be able to talk in short sentences but not be too breathless to talk. More vigorous exercise will cause you to be breathless, sweaty and unable to carry on a conversation at the same time. Try to include both types of exercise into your week to maximize your benefits.
How Long
Adjust your workouts to best fit all the obligations in your life. If it's unrealistic to fit exercise into your schedule five days a week take advantage of days off or weekends to add extra time. Keep in mind the intensity of your exercise by making shorter workouts harder and there by burning more calories. On the days that you have extra time engage in activities that you know you can do for an extended period of time, such as walking or riding a bike. Some exercise is always better than none and even 10 minutes can improve your health.
What Type of Activity
Cardio respiratory fitness requires that you use the large muscles of the body as well as the heart and lungs. Many types of exercises meet this criteria. The key is to find activities you most enjoy and do those. Although swimming meets this criteria and is a great type of exercise, if you don't like to or don't know how to swim it won't be a good choice for you. Take some time to consider what works best for you. Do you like to be indoors or out? Do you prefer a group or do you like to go it alone? What equipment to you have available? The best exercise to do is the ones that you will stick with and enjoy for years to come.
For Lifetime
Developing an exercise program using the above criteria will help you begin to cultivate a life style that will decrease you risk of many lifestyle-related diseases. Before beginning any exercise program, check with your doctor to be sure you are healthy. Once your doctor approves your new endeavor to take charge of your health, start slowly. This will help build your confidence and help you avoid injury. A healthy cardiovascular system help you maintain your weight and give you extra energy to do all the things you enjoy in life with ease.
