The very first thing to mention is that, before you start an exercise program, you should be checked by your doctor and review your planned program with them. Once you have the approval of your doctor you should start very gradually and add a little more time and intensity each week. Most people make the mistake of doing too much, too soon. The most important thing is not how much you do, but the consistency of the program. It is much better to be doing a small amount consistently than going out and over exerting yourself and possibly sustaining an injury that will keep you from exercising at all.
There are a wide range of activities that can be calld aerobic or Cardio exercises but all of them involve the largest muscle groups in the body, like the legs. Using these large muscles causes the heart muscle to work harder and, over time, become stronger. Effecive cardio exercises need to increase the pulse to 60 and 75 percent of the maximum rate. There are many potentially aerobic activities such as walking or jogging, running, swimming, rowing and cycling that can produce this target heart rate.
The first benefit of aerobic exercise is that it boosts energy levels. If you do regular aerobic exercise you will soon see a noticeable increase in your overall energy level. The reason for this is that, when the body goes through regular cardio training, it slowly adapts and is more able to cope with the added strenuous physical activity. As a result you will tire less while at the same time be able to do more physical activity.
Aerobic exercise’s second benefit is that it raises overall body metabolism. Aerobic exercise does not only burn calories during the exercise. Regular aerobic exercise will raise your resting metabolic rate and cause your body to burn more calories all day long! As a result you can experience some weight loss even if you are eating the same foods.
You can control your weight much more easily when you are doing aerobic exercise regularly. Not only will your metabolic rate rise,as explained above, but you will also burn calories much more efficiently. If you try the combination of an aerobic exercise program with a reduction in high fat, high calorie foods you will quickly see a reduction in your weight. Where you used to struggle to lose weight you may find that it is no problem at all!
Another benefit of aerobic exercise is that it helps prevent heart disease. As we age the health of our heart muscles has a great impact on the quality of our lives. Strengthening the heart not only makes us feel better, it delays or prevent the development of many diseases associated with heart muscle deterioration. Conditions associated with a sedentary lifestyle such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease are preventable with regular cardio exercise and training.
You have already seen that aerobic exercise is defined as exercise that elevates the heart rate to between 60 and 85 percent of maximum, but what is that maximum? The quick way to figure that based on your age is to subtract your age from 220, so if you are 50 years old your maximum would be 170. Sixty percent of 170 would be 112 and 75% would be 127.5. Your ultimate goal should be to exercise so your heart is in this range for 45 minutes at least five times a week but, when you start out, you will be not be anywhere close to those levels.
At first three times a week is plenty. Your exercise sessions may just be a walk to the end of the block and back but that is fine. Remember that it is far more important that you exercise consistently than to have long or intense workouts. with consistency, you will see steady improvement. Realize that, when you are older, you are not really exercising during this first stage. What you are really doing is getting yourself into good enough shape so that you can start exercising! You need to expect that this will take time, but ultimately you will be amazed by the way your body adapt and changes.
A very helpful piece of equipment is a pulse monitor. Initially you can use the monitor to make sure that you do not let your pulse go over your 75% target. Later the monitor will help you stay within the target range throughout the exercise session. You will also find that many exercise machines such as bicycles, treadmills and ellipticals include pulse monitors with some even giving audible signals when you are in the target range.
Unfortunately, there are too many people who have worked hard all their lives only to retire and find that their health prevents their enjoyment of these last years of their lives. You do not have to accept that fate and you will find all the information and technology necessary to exercise successfully and become very healthy for years to come. By making the commitment and doing a regular aerobic exercise plan, you can have a very high quality of life for years to come.
After specializing in websites on weight control, fitness and internet marketing for over a year, Lavonda Acherly has departed from his normal topics and created www.mephistowomensshoes.org, a site that reviews and lists the best Mephisto Womens Shoes.
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Aerobic