5 Reasons To Include Cardio In your Summer Fitness Plans
Summer is just about here, and for many people that means it’s time to start working out and get back in shape again. Most people choose to focus on exercising particular muscle groups, but instead, you might want to focus on cardio. Here are a few reasons that cardio is an essential part of any effective workout routine.
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Reduced Heart Disease
Regularly including cardio exercises in your routine can decrease your chance of developing heart disease. In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Roughly 610,000 people die of heart disease every year in the United States. Exercises like running, biking, or swimming can help you stay ahead of heart disease. To improve your cardiovascular health, the Cleveland Clinic recommends that you partake in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity for five days a week, equating to at least 2.5 hours every week. This will give you enough physical activity to improve your heart’s overall health and prevent heart disease.
Reaching Weight Loss Goals
Cardio isn’t just great for improving your heart health; it can help you lose those frustrating last few pounds. Weight loss can be tricky even if you’re exercising regularly and dieting, but cardio exercises can help boost your metabolism so you can keep the weight off. Losing that weight will also help your heart’s health in addition to your cardio workouts. Losing 5% to 10% of your weight is proven to lower your chance of developing heart disease.
Increased Life Expectancy
While strength exercises and other types of workouts can also improve your general health, cardio exercise is great for actively extending your life expectancy. By improving your heart health, boosting your metabolism, and reducing your risk of certain types of health conditions, these exercises can help you live a healthier, longer life. Even if you can’t make a regular workout routine work, occasional exercise can still help. Engaging in just 10 minutes of physical activity every day can help you improve mobility and live longer.
Reduced Recovery Time
If you work out frequently or are an athlete looking to take your strength to the next level, cardio should be a part of your regular exercise routine. Cardio workouts improve your body’s ability to recover from intense effort by improving your overall circulation and heart health. Even if your sport or preferred exercises don’t rely as heavily on cardiovascular strength, improving your cardio performance can help you need less time between sets. You’ll need to take fewer breaks during strength workouts, helping you get the most out of each exercise.
Psychological Benefits
Working out regularly and frequently including cardio exercises in your routine isn’t just great for your body; it can help improve your mental health as well. Cardio exercise can help you regulate stress and sleep issues, as well as generally improving your mood. Staying active and improving your cardiovascular health can keep your emotional health and well-being in check when paired with other good health habits.
Cardiovascular exercise might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but including it in your workout routine can have a variety of benefits, from your heart health to your recovery time to your emotional well-being. Aim to include at least a few minutes of cardio exercise in your regular workout when possible. What type of cardiovascular exercises do you use in your workout routines? What cardio workouts would you recommend to help others stay active?
