Cardio Workouts for Weight Loss. Aerobic
exercise can help you to lose weight, as well as increase your overall
health. Aerobic exercise provides the dual benefits of working large
muscle groups, while simultaneously elevating the heart rate for an
extended amount of time. These exercises are particularly helpful in
keeping your heart in good shape. Healthy exercise will burn fat
without the bulky muscle gain of weight-based exercise programs.
Experts recommend that aerobic exercise is most effective if practiced
between 3 to 6 days a week for between 30 and 60 minutes at a time.
Before starting an aerobic workout plan, consult your doctor for an
idea of a healthy program implementation.
Options for Aerobic Exercise
The best thing is that there is an option for everyone. Any activity in
which you maintain a consistent heightened heart rate is considered
aerobic exercise. Some of the most popular types include:
Running
Jogging
Power Walking
Swimming
Dancing
Biking
Tennis
Additionally, classes are available in many communities or through a
home-based DVD program. The main criteria for classifying an exercise
as aerobic is whether or not the heart rate is elevated for more than
10-15 minutes at a time. Even if you're a beginner who needs to start
slow, the more exercise you participate in, the more you will be able
to do over time.
Safe Exercise
As with any exercise program, safety is an important factor to consider
as you begin. To avoid muscle pulls and joint injuries, be sure to warm
up adequately before you start any type of intense conditioning. Just
as important is a cool down period after you exercise. Walk off or
stretch slowly before resuming normal activity. Having the proper shoes
is also a major safety issue. Finally, be sure to monitor your heart
rate while exercising. To check your heart rate, put two fingers on
your wrist and count the number of times you feel a pulse over ten
seconds. If you multiply this number by six, you will determine the
number of times your heart is beating per minute. At rest, a normal
heart rate will fall between 60 and 80 beats per minute. A strong heart
rate during exercise will measure between 120 and 160 beats per minute.
Be careful not to let your heart rate go too high. |
