The average person burns between 200 and 400 calories walking an hour each day.
Exercise doesn’t have to be painful. Pick the right cardio activity, and you’ll burn hundreds of calories doing something you enjoy. There are many health benefits of cardio.
This article will discuss how cardio can strengthen your body, heart, and mind.
What Are the Health Benefits of Cardio?
Cardio is one of the easiest ways to improve your overall health. You can go running, biking, swimming, rowing, or brisk walking.
Exercise helps you regulate weight, strengthen your heart, boost energy, sleep better, improve lung function, and leave you with a better immune system. Key benefits involve your weight management, heart health, and mental well-being.
Cardio Exercise Regulates Weight
People do cardio exercises to regulate their weight. Being overweight or obese can lead to other health problems, including diabetes or high blood pressure.
Cardio forces your body to burn more calories. When coupled with a caloric deficit, you lose weight.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to maintain your current weight. For some people, this includes mixing cardiovascular exercise with strength training.
Boosting Your Cardiovascular System
One of the top health benefits of cardio exercise is a healthier heart. Regulating weight is essential, but you can develop severe medical conditions without a healthy heart.
Cardio helps lower blood pressure by stimulating “nitric oxide” to open blood vessels. It’s also been shown to decrease the amount of triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels. This is the bad cholesterol responsible for heart attacks.
Don’t forget your heart is a muscle. Using it more will make it healthier and pump blood more easily.
Mental Benefits of Cardio
Did you know that regular cardio can improve your mental state? Exercising releases endorphins and enkephalins, the body’s “feel-good hormones.” Cardio has been helpful for people with depression, anxiety, or dementia.
Increasing the blood supply to your brain improves your neurons’ health by delivering oxygen and nutrients.
Researchers have found that exercise creates new neurons in the hippocampus responsible for memory, emotions, and learning.
Cardio Equipment To Help You Get Started
At this point, you’re probably asking: Should I do cardio? The answer is yes!
Here is some equipment you can buy today to start doing cardio at home:
- Jump Rope
- Running Shoes
- Rower
- Folding Exercise Bike
- Cross Country Skis
- Boxing Resistance Bands from Power Punch Pro
The good news is you have many options to get your exercise done.
Time To Get Fit!
Are you ready to start experiencing the health benefits of cardio? There are many activities to choose from. Most require minimal equipment and are easy enough to do on your own.
Taking care of your health today is an investment in your future.
Busy parents who need more information about leading a healthier life should check out the rest of our website. We offer informative articles on wellness and parenting a child with special needs.
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