Love That Cardio

Whether you are just starting a fitness program or looking to improve your current regime, a solid cardiovascular component is an essential cornerstone to reaching your goal. When cardio is integrated properly into your daily life, the rewards come fairly quickly. 'Properly' means being sure of what you want to accomplish; if fat burning is the goal (and most of the time it is), then you must be sure that you are working in your "fat burning zone". High intensity work outs are essential and will be explored in a future article.

Fitness Tip #1

If you can carry on a conversation without much difficulty while exercising, you are burning fat. If you are chasing your breath and your heart is racing, you are burning sugar. If you want to know exactly what your target heart rate is, there are plenty of resources online that can guide you. All you have to do is look up your age and sex, and you are set. Thirty minutes a day of cardio is a good start; Forty-five minutes is even better.

Fitness Tip #2

For the last 30 seconds to one minute of your cardio, give yourself a boast and push out of the fat burning zone to give your heart rate and lungs a run for their money! Trust me, they will thank you for it. The high intensity work cannot be sustained, so save it for last. The resulting endorphin rush will become addictive.

Remember, whenever starting any exercise regime, talk to your doctor before proceeding. Also, have fun and be safe.