Some form of cardiovascular exercise is a must if you want to lose weight. These activities involve running, jumping and even dancing. In other words, any exercise that gets your heart pumping.
Many people take aerobics classes for cardiovascular exercise. Aerobic exercises generally involve exercising to music in a coordinated manner, almost like dancing. Aerobic exercises became popular in the 1980s and were developed to make working out more fun.
In addition to aerobics, you can also do other exercises like biking, running, or climbing stairs. Most gyms today have a wide range of fitness equipment, such as stair climbers, bicycles, rowing machines, and treadmills.
Cardio exercise burns calories and also gives your metabolism a little boost. This is the reason why people are advised not to exercise before bed. While some forms of exercise, like yoga and toning exercises, are fine before bedtime and can even improve sleep, it’s best to do cardio in the morning, before you go to work or start your day.
Any physical activity that gets your heart rate up is likely to make you sweat when you actually start exercising. When doing any cardio exercise, you want to make sure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
If you combine a great exercise routine with a low calorie diet, it is the most effective way to lose weight. Although low-impact exercises can tone muscles and shed fat, cardio will burn calories. However, you should try to incorporate both types of exercise, both cardio and toning exercises, into your routine. Some personal trainers feel that doing cardio every other day and low-impact training or toning on the other days is a good way to lose calories and tone muscles.
You should start slowly when beginning any exercise routine and check with your doctor before you start to make sure it’s safe for your heart. If you experience shortness of breath or dizziness while doing any cardio exercise, stop immediately. This can sometimes happen if you start too fast. If you continue with the exercise program, you will gradually build up to the point where you can do more each time. Never continue to exercise with pain or discomfort, especially if you get dizzy. You don’t have to be a member of a fancy gym to incorporate cardio into your life, although gyms do have a variety of equipment that makes cardio easier for you.