Kick Things Up a Notch: The Top 3 Everyday Cardio Exercises to Help You Stay Fit

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Nick Clipton who manages and writes for the weight gain blog: http://www.buildingbodymuscles.com/.  Nick’s blog contains lots of fantastic muscle building information and also reviews many of the top body building programs so feel free to check it out after you have finished reading.

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The importance of exercising cannot be stressed enough no matter what body type it is that you have.  The human body is made to move and if you are leading a sedentary lifestyle with hardly any exercise, there is a big possibility for you to experience health problems that you would otherwise not have with regular exercise.

How Cardio Exercises Offer More than Just Benefits for the Heart
Among the many types of exercises that you can perform on a regular basis are cardio exercises.  First up, let us try to define what this type of exercise is all about.  It is a sustained, rhythmic activity which works the large muscle groups like the legs.  The word cardio is there because the sustained activity helps elevate the heart rate – although you need to make sure that the exercises would not tire you out.

The main benefit of cardio exercise is to improve your cardiac function by preventing cardiovascular disease and reducing your blood pressure.  But unlike what many people think, cardio exercises do more than just provide benefits for the heart.

This type of exercise also:
- Helps with your weight loss program by burning calories.
- Improves the quality of sleep and endurance.

The Top 3 Everyday Cardio Exercises to Help You Stay Fit
Now that you have an idea about the benefits that you will get to have with cardio exercises, which particular activities can you do on a regular basis that will help you stay fit?

Here are the top three cardio exercises for you:

1. Walking
As far as cardio exercises are concerned, the rule is: the simpler, the better.  Walking is one of the most underrated cardio exercises there is. With the convenience offered by elevators, escalators and public transport, most people do not even get a chance to walk as they travel to and from the office.

So if you want to lead a heart-friendly life, go back to the basics and start walking again. It’s a low-impact activity that will boost your heart rate quickly. If you walk at a rate of 4mph for about 30 minutes a day, that’s already an equivalent of 170 calories burned for a 150-pound individual.

2. Running
Another cardio exercise which obviously has better impact than walking is running.  As you move from a walking pace to a running pace, you are going from a low-impact to a high-impact activity which will help burn more calories over time.

3. Other cardio exercises
You can take your pick from other cardiovascular exercises like swimming or biking. Make sure to have fun and do a combination of these three types of cardio exercises so that you won’t stick to a monotonous routine.
With these top three cardio exercises which do more than just benefit your heart, you will surely be able to gain a healthy weight and lead a healthier, fitter lifestyle in no time at all!

Brisk Walking Benefits

Walking is one of the easiest and safest exercises around. Although walking is not as intense as aerobics or weight lifting it has a number of benefits. For starters it’s kind to the joints, there are virtually no side effects and the risk of injury is very low compared with other exercises. Even if you are currently participating in a regular exercise routine, adding a steady walk will help.

Most doctors recommend that you participate in a brisk walk for at least 30 minutes each day. A brisk speed is thought to be between five and six kilometres per hour. If 30 minutes seems too long try breaking it down into three 10 minute sessions. Perhaps 10 minutes before work, 10 minutes on your lunch break and 10 minutes after work.

So what are the exact benefits of walking each day? You will lower your blood pressure, reduce your chances of a heart attack by up to 50%, increase “good cholesterol” (high density lipoprotein/HDL) and strengthen your heart (which will reduce your risk of heart disease). Brisk walking can also promote weight loss and shed excess body fat, particularly in old age as your metabolism begins to slow and gaining weight gets easier.

Taking a brisk walk each day can also keep you safe from osteoporosis, diabetes, all forms of arthritis and clot-induced strokes. Furthermore, scientific studies have shown walking can help reduce depression. The fresh air that you will take in when you are walking outside will also do your body and your mind a world of good.

A good investment before you start your daily walks is a good pair of sneakers or walking shoes. Look for a pair with some extra room at the toe of each shoe because this will let your feet stretch out comfortably. Remember, that although walking isn’t highly intensive it is still an exercise and you need to stretch and warm up beforehand, then stretch and cool down after your walk. This will prevent you pulling your muscles and reduce unnecessary aches. Also, monitor your progress and try to walk a little further each day.

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