You are unique and so is your body! Before starting any new health routine, always be sure to talk with your doctor to make sure it is right for your needs.
We all know that exercise and movement is an important part of a happy, healthy life. But it’s easy to get stuck in a rut of doing the same type of exercise day after day. While weight lifting and mobility are very important, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of getting your heart pumping with a great cardio session.
Why Does Aerobic Activity Matter?
So you pump iron on a regular basis. Your doctor says your numbers are great and you look in the mirror and like what you see. So why add cardio in? The place to start is by understanding what aerobic exercise is actually doing for your body.
First you might notice that you are breathing deeper and faster. This is because the activity you are doing (whether it’s running, walking, biking, swimming) uses your large muscles like your arms and legs. As these muscles work harder, they need more oxygen to keep going. So you naturally begin breathing deeper.
In response to this, your heart will also begin beating faster, rapidly delivering all that rich oxygenated blood to your muscles to fuel them. Your blood vessels will also widen to aid in delivering the oxygenated blood to your muscles and to carry away waste like lactic acid and carbon dioxide.
The best part of cardio? Your body will begin to release endorphins (your body’s feel-good chemical) giving you a sense of well-being that is so worth the effort!
So that’s what’s happening when you get your heart pumping with some cardio. Here are eight reasons to get your body moving today!
Burns Fat: Paired with a healthy diet, cardio will burn fat efficiently and help you keep excess pounds at bay.
Increased Energy and Stamina: The more cardio you do, the more energy and stamina you will have. Goodbye, fatigue!
Live Longer: Studies have shown time and time again that people who do regular cardio live longer.
Be a Happier You: Cardio has been shown to be a mood booster by easing feelings of depression, relieving stress, and reducing anxiety. It can also improve self-esteem, altogether having a positive impact on your mental health.
Get Better Sleep: Aerobic activity can also help with insomnia and sleep quality. Just make sure you don’t exercise too close to bedtime, which can rev up your system and interfere with sleep.
Keep the Sick Days to a Minimum: Did you know that cardio can help you fight off illness? Getting the heart rate up has in fact been shown to boost your immune system, helping you avoid the ick, especially during the fall and winter months.
Avoid and Manage Chronic Conditions: Whether you have a chronic condition (like diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, etc) or are predisposed due to family history, cardio can be a great, natural way to manage or avoid further health issues. Cardio helps control blood sugar, manage pain, lower blood pressure and more.
Protects Your Arteries: Aerobic exercise promotes HDL also known as “good cholesterol” and lowers your “bad cholesterol” known as LDL. This can help reduce the amount of plaque build up in your arteries.
Let Us Help You Embrace the Journey
At Baer-Fit, our certified trainers work closely with you to understand your unique fitness goals and design customized workout and meal plans to get you there. Not only do we provide you with the roadmap to get you where you want to go, but we are with you each step of the way, holding you accountable and celebrating all the milestones.
To learn more, visit our Contact page and send us a message! We can’t wait to learn more about you.