Cardio exercise - good for the heart!

Cardio training has many benefits that extend beyond simple weight loss. There are benefits both inwardly and outwardly that help with your physical appearance, muscle toning, heart strengthening, mental and emotional state of mind and more besides that are described in more detail in the below 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/7992870) written by Jacques Delorme (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacques_Delorme) - a youth fitness, motivation, exercise and nutrition Blogger and Writer. Read on for more.


Cardio is short for cardiovascular. This is the system that centers around the heart to transport blood that carries nutrients to various parts of the body. The proper name for this type of activity is aerobic exercise, exercise that requires a lot of oxygen during a prolonged time frame. Cardio exercise is very different from high intensity interval training that involves very fast movements in short bursts (30 seconds to a minute), a short rest and repeating in a cycle pattern. Cardio is done for much longer periods of time with or without rest depending on the fitness level of the individual. Activities include walking, running, cycling, swimming and even dancing.

Benefits of Cardio Exercise
The health benefits of cardio exercise are well-known and general exercise is highly recommended by doctors to help alleviate a number of conditions. Benefits include:

• the added circulation of blood needed during this type of exercise, your heart will be stronger and your body's ability to handle heavier activities will increase
• muscles will get a workout and that takes energy. Burning calories will help to lose weight in the form of fat
• the release of endorphins will help combat stress, anxiety and depression
• improve your complexion
• reduce the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease

Types of Cardio Exercise
Low Impact - this type has very little impact which means it puts less stress on your joints. Activities include walking, cycling, swimming, yoga and Pilates. As a general rule, this type of exercise will not increase your heart rate as high and are generally classed as a slower paced workout. These are good for older individuals, people who are overweight or new to exercise and those recovering from injury.

High Impact - As the name suggests, you will put a strain on your body from plyometric exercises - forcing your body off the ground in a jumping motion. Activities include jogging, running, skipping and bounding like during an aerobics class. Impact is not bad for you unless it is done improperly. Good technique is essential to avoid joint damage. Research has shown that it can help to build bone density which can prevent or delay osteoporosis.

Workout Session Details
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate cardio exercise five days a week. If high intensity is your thing, do 20 minutes three days a week. For those looking to lose weight or to increase their fitness level, 30-60 minutes of moderate to high intensity activity five days a week would be better.

To help prevent injury, always warm up with a light jog and some dynamic stretching. A cool down involving a light jog and stretching will help to lower your heart rate and temperature and flush out lactic acid.

Deciding how hard to workout can be tough but a simple formula can be used to find your training zone. The most recommended training zone is 60-85% of your maximum heart rate. To calculate your range, use 220 - your age and multiply by 0.60 and 0.85 to get the lower and upper limits. For example, a 40 year-old person would have a heart rate training zone of 117 - 244 beats per minute.

While you doing cardio are exercise, take your heart rate by feeling the inside of your wrist or neck for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. Some sports watches have a heart rate monitor built-in to make it easier.

Regardless of the type of cardio exercise you choose, do it regularly and within your training zone to get the maximum benefit. A good training routine paired with an excellent diet will help you live a long and healthy life.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Cardio - three key exercises for weight loss!

Cardio - raise that heartbeat for a sustained period to help in your weight loss and fitness goals, but what is best for you? Here is some further advice around swimming, cycling and running/jogging that you may find helpful, enjoyable ultimately and not overly strenuous, but will definitely aid you in reaching your objectives. Sourced from 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/7046683) and written by Suzie Ling (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzie_Ling).

Cardio is a great ally in the difficult task of weight loss. If somebody wants to lose weight, he or she probably has a weight which is above the recommended healthy level. And being overweight is not healthy at all. Being overweight can cause many problems and one of those problems is heart related problems.

Similarly, being under the recommended healthy weight is not good for you. If you stay in any of these dangerous weight zones for too long, many problems may occur. This is because we have to maintain our weight between the normal values as well as practising physical exercises to keep our bodies functioning and healthy.

Excessive body weight can cause heart problems. Like a car needs its engine, we need our heart. With this in mind, we therefore need to protect our heart and avoid unhealthy habits that may affect our health. Additionally, physical exercise will maintain our health as well as our heart.

We can even find some of the best cardio for weight loss in order to reduce our weight in a healthy way on the Internet and by practising cardio exercises we will be helping our heart and our body.

There are some of the best cardio exercises for losing weight:

Swimming:  is a very good cardio exercise in order to lose weight and to keep you healthy. Swimming allows you to exercise your entire body and it is an excellent way to lose weight. Swimming is among the best cardio for weight loss. Additionally, this type of physical exercise doesn't cause any injury relating bones or joints, because you will be exercising in the water with reduced resistance.

Running: you don't need any kind of special equipment for this exercise, however you will need a good pair of trainers in order to prevent any kind of damage to your bones or joints. Also, you will need comfortable clothes so you can move without any problem. Running will help you losing weight by burning calories, though of course you can't run only five or ten minutes - you will have to run around half an hour each time. A good tip is to listen to music or run with someone else as this will help you keep motivated to run further even if you are tired.

Cycling: by cycling at least thirty minutes a day you will improve your endurance and lose weight. Cycling is a very simple activity and an effective exercise to lose weight. Additionally, you can practise this exercise by going to work or school by bicycle. You just have to be creative and find the best way to incorporate your best cardio for weight loss exercises in your day to day activities.

These are only three of the best cardio for weight loss exercises that you can undertake in order to be healthier, to lose weight and to improve your physical skills such as endurance and strength.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Cardio workout for weight loss!

Combining cardio routines into your exercise regime will help you with your weight loss goals period. Again there is all sorts of advice, guidance and differing opinions about cardio exercise, so here is some further simple advice that you may wish to think about. Sourced from 'ezinearticles' once again (http://EzineArticles.com/724014) it is written by Phillip England (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phillip_England) - a weight loss expert and writer, and worth a look.

A cardio workout for weight loss is a great way to help you lose weight and at the same time build leaner muscles. Yes, losing weight means having to get up and do some physical activity. When losing weight, the best mantra to take is this: eat less; exercise more.

About weight loss
Before doing a cardio workout for weight loss, it is important to understand what weight loss is. People usually have the wrong impression that losing weight equals to being thin. This is presumption often leads to dangerous results.

In medical terms, weight loss is the reduction of one's weight to one that is proportional to his body type. To get your ideal weight, you have to know your body mass index (BMI), or the proportion of your weight to your height. Some people are either too thin or too overweight for their height, both of which are unhealthy.

Healthy weight loss
Adopting a healthy weight loss program is the best way to go if you want to lose weight. Healthy weight loss entails eating less and exercising more. This does not mean that you undergo crash diets and other weight loss products.

Eating less simply means you decrease the amount of calories you intake. This means:

• Replacing soft drinks and sodas with water.
• Swapping whole milk for semi-skimmed, or semi-skimmed for skimmed.
• Eating less lunch than usual.
• Decreasing the intake of sugar in tea and coffee.
• Having smaller portions of the food you enjoy.
• Avoiding second helpings at dinner.
• Cutting out unhealthy treats such as confectionery, sugary biscuits and crisps between meals.
• Cutting down on beer and alcohol.

Also, exercising more helps your body burn the stored energy and excess fat. One of the methods of exercise is a cardio workout for weight loss.

About cardio
Cardio workout is an effective weight loss method. Together with dieting, cardio workouts help you build a leaner and fit body. Before you undertake a cardio workout, you need to consult first with a dietitian or a fitness trainer to guide you in your activities.

How often should you do cardio?
Because cardio workout is essential for weight loss, you need to undergo cardio almost everyday. Some claim that the best way to do cardio is during the morning, before breakfast. Why is that? Because doing cardio with an empty stomach results in your body burning the stored fat, as opposed to it burning what you just ate.

How long should a cardio workout take?
A regular cardio workout for weight loss should take about 45 minutes to an hour. When doing cardio, remember to work on a progress level and take note of your training zone. Do not push for an ambitious cardio workout plan that will only result in you pushing your body beyond its limits.

A low-intensity aerobic exercise uses body fat as its primary fuel source. However, as you get closer to your breaking point, your body starts using a smaller percentage of fat and a larger percentage of carbohydrates, another fuel source. Pick up the pace so you can burn more calories.

If you do the following activities for 30 minutes, this is the amount of calories you can expect to burn:

• Aerobic dance - 342 calories
• Basketball - 282 calories
• Bicycling at 15 mph - 354 calories
• Boxing - 330 calories
• Circuit weight training - 378 calories
• Golf (carrying clubs) - 174 calories
• Karate, tae kwon do - 834 calories
• Running 8-minute miles - 446 calories
• Swimming freestyle, 35 yds/min. - 248 calories
• Tennis, singles - 232 calories
• Walking, 20-minute miles, flat - 120 calories

Muscle toning
Aside from weight loss, cardio workout also helps you build leaner and toner muscles. Combined with strength-training and a healthy diet, a cardio workout can help you achieve a healthier and better body image in no time.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Group fitness training - another good option!

You will have noticed by now that I have dedicated quite a few Posts already to the Personal Trainer - choosing one, what to expect and reinforcing how this can provide the structure, the drive and the commitment that you need - especially if you are starting out new on your exercise routine. Looking for the right subject matter to keep you informed is important to me, and so I found this for you on ezinearticles that makes a lot of sense too, and again serves to reinforce the message if you are still unsure how to progress.

Group training programmes are a great way to get to know new people in very much the same or similar positions to your own, they are more cost effective, still structured and offer plenty of variety depending on your wants and needs. This I grabbed from Cee Rose (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cee_Rose and through Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8487777)


Group fitness instructors work with multiple people at one time in a multitude of different fitness areas. Those who wish to learn about CrossFit, yoga, boot camp, indoor cycling, Zumba, Pilates, kickboxing, and a variety of other exercises usually partake in a group setting rather than try the exercise alone. Group fitness is a great motivator, and encourages everyone to participate, resulting in working harder and learning faster from everyone in the group. The most successful fitness instructors typically have a few traits that make them efficient in their job.

People person. 
As this individual will be completely focused on helping other people, having an outgoing and friendly attitude will be very beneficial. Being able to connect with clients will help both the instructor and the group to feel more comfortable, especially for those who are in the class for the first time.
High energy.
Most group instructors teach more than one class a day, if this is their full-time job. Even if being a group instructor is a second job, these individuals still need to find the energy to complete their first job before moving onto teaching a fitness class. Once in the class, instructors must try to transfer their high energy to the rest of the group. Being both motivating and encouraging also accompany this trait.

Certification.
Most people who participate in classes would rather be taught by someone who is certified. This shows that the instructor is experienced, and has the ability to teach a class with the proper instruction. Some of the most well-known agencies from which individuals may earn this certification include The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and The American Council on Exercise (ACE). There are many other agencies from which certification may be earned, as well.

Knowledgeable.
While being able to efficiently teach one class may be enough for some instructors, others want to learn more than just one fitness style. Earning specialized certification in addition to the general certification is highly encouraged. For example, general certification allows most instructors to teach cardio classes, but specialized certification is available in areas such as Pilates, yoga, and kickboxing, among others.

These characteristics should also be found in those who are also personal trainers. Often times, group fitness instructors also train people on an individual basis, in order to allow for extra attention and coaching in certain areas. The above-mentioned are just a few of the traits valued in an instructor. Those who teach group fitness all have their own style, whether with music, pace, interval training, or the number of participants allowed in each class. Those considering taking a group fitness class should search for an instructor with whom they feel comfortable, both in personality and in exercise expertise.

WhyWeight - Don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-