Let’s face it,
most people enjoy cardiovascular exercise as much
as a visit to the their oral surgeon – or – spending the weekend
with their in-laws. Most people’s idea of the perfect
cardiovascular exercise program is walking from the bedroom to
the bathroom. If you want to decrease your body fat percentage,
get ripped, and have your waist, legs, and rear end look like a
million dollars, there is no substitution for cardio – but it
doesn’t have to be boring and a major chore you hate.
Select cardiovascular exercises that you enjoy doing. If you
hate to run, it is going to be very hard for you to get up every
morning at 6:00 AM and run for 30 minutes. Choose an exercise
that you enjoy doing. Walking, crawling, jogging, running,
bicycling, stairmaster, nordic ski machine, cross trainer,
rowing, swimming, aerobics, trampoline, martial arts, dance,
basketball, soccer, fencing, gymnastics, sex, and mud wrestling
are just a few of the hundreds of exercises that will take your
heart rate and keep it in the fat burning zone for what ever time
is appropriate for your present condition. If you enjoy a
certain activity, you are more likely to do it on a routine
basis. Select exercises that are good for you.
Cardiovascular exercise provides you with a multitude of
benefits. It increases your metabolic rate which burns body fat,
increases blood flow to your brain and major organs, improves
digestion, reduces stress, increases alertness, and boosts your
immune system.
Research supports that getting your cardiovascular exercise out
of the way, first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach is
best for fat burning. Some sources state that you can burn up to
3 times as much fat per hour exercising on an empty stomach.
There are several medical conditions including hypoglycemia which
would be a contraindication from you doing any type of exercise
on an empty stomach. That is why it is imperative that you have
a comprehensive medical examination before starting any
cardiovascular exercise program.
I realize cardiovascular exercise can be boring, but there are
several things that you can do to make it more enjoyable, and
also make it seem to go by faster. If you go to any up-scale
health club today, there is a television set in front of every
cardiovascular station. Television, radio, and educational audio
tape series all help keep your mind focused on something other
than the chore at hand.
Don’t waste this valuable time staring in space. Learn Spanish,
French, or Japanese. Catch up on the latest marketing tips in
your field of expertise. Lose yourself in the latest audio
romance series by your favorite author. Learn how to be a
better mother, father, lover or Bridge player. Study trivia just
in case one day, you come face to face with Regis. Slap on a
Walkman and listen to whatever interests you. You will be amazed
how quickly your cardiovascular exercise will be over.
Sometimes, you will find yourself spending five, ten, even twenty
minutes more time exercising because you are caught up in what
you are listening to.
There have been many times I have been amazed that thirty minutes
have gone by because I have been pre-occupied with something
else, and not watching the seconds tick away on the treadmill or
stairmaster. Listen to something you really enjoy.
Regular cardiovascular exercise is not something that comes
natural to most people unless you are already a fanatic. When I
first started training, I hated doing cardio. It takes a little
time, but just like anything else, if you do it long enough, it
becomes part of your daily routine. Your day won’t feel complete
unless you have done it. Kind of like a morning without orange
juice. Plus, cardiovascular exercise releases endorphins into
your system which will give you a natural high and make you feel
great. This kind of high doesn’t cost you $1,000.00 a week, give
you nose bleeds, make you cough, or destroy your brain, liver or
lungs.
