Element Two: Cardiovascular Activity (Get Off the Couch and Move!)
When most people think about exercise, they think about cardio. The two most common forms at the gym are running on the treadmill and the elliptical*. However, there are Six Elements of Fitness, and cardio is just one of them. Last week we focused on strength training. This week we're shifting our focus to cardio.
Cardiovascular activity can have a huge impact on your life. We are not sedentary beings. Only recently in human history has it become the norm to sit at a desk for eight or more hours a day staring at a computer screen. Heck, we’re not even really made for sitting in chairs. It’s bad for our backs and actually weakens our core. So get out there and move! All it takes is a small change in mindset to get you going.
Cardio is any activity that gets your heart rate up for a consistent amount of time. The first question you may ask is, how long do I do it for, and how often? Everyone is different and at different levels of fitness so start out slow and work your way up. If you’ve never worked out before and you decide to go for a run, maybe go for a brisk walk instead. If you walk for 10 minutes and feel out of breath, try for 10 minutes again the next time. Then increase it. The goal is to get better each time, not anything specific like “I have to run three miles.” Unless you’re training for a marathon!
The general guidelines for a healthy amount of cardiovascular activity are as follows:
30 minutes per day, 5 days per week of moderate activity
20 minutes per day, 3 days per week of intense activity
If your goal is weight loss, try to find somewhere between 200 and 300 minutes for activity per week
Man, those numbers seem a bit scary, don’t they? Remember that these are just guidelines, and that something is always better than nothing. And you don’t have to do it all at once; you can break up your cardio activity. Go for a brisk 15-minute walk in the morning and climb up and down your stairs a few times while bringing in the groceries at night. Boom, there’s your 30 minutes of cardio. It’s easier than it seems!
There are so many ways to work on your cardiovascular capacity. You may have shin splits and can’t run, so try riding a bike. Maybe your knees can’t take the stairs, so go for a walk. If you hate running with a passion, try incorporating it into playing a sport. It’ll take your mind off the fact that you’re running. I could go on and on. Be sure to stretch after any cardio activity. The last thing we want is to be sore or injured and unable to get out there and move the next time.
The first thing that comes to mind when discussing cardio is weight loss. That seems to be most people’s goal when it comes to cardio. While weight loss is a benefit of cardio, there are plenty of other benefits as well. It helps reduce stress, makes your heart stronger (remember, your heart is a muscle and needs to work out!), reduces your risk for heart disease, gives you more energy, and helps you sleep better. And it makes you feel good!
This type of schedule—30 minutes a day, 5 days a week—seems like so much work. You may think to yourself, “I don’t have the time for this.” What do you mean you don’t have the time? You invest in so many things: your job, your significant other, your kids, your friends, your indulgences. It’s time to invest in you! Just 20-30 minutes a day, not even every day, could easily make your life longer. It’ll definitely enrich your life. I’m not sure there’s a better investment out there.
*What do you do on the elliptical? Walk? Run? Glide? I’ve never really figured it out.