In today’s world, maintaining a healthy weight has become increasingly important due to the rise in lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases. While many people focus on following strict diets to lose weight, they often overlook the importance of regular exercise. Among the various types of exercises, cardio exercise stands out as an essential component of a healthy weight maintenance plan. In this article, we will explore the benefits of cardio exercise and explain why it should be a crucial part of your fitness routine. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, stay fit, or just live a healthier lifestyle, read on to discover why cardio exercise is a must.

 

What is cardiovascular exercise and how does it work?

Cardiovascular exercise, commonly referred to as cardio or aerobic exercise, involves activities that increase your heart rate and breathing. Examples include running, cycling, swimming, dancing, and brisk walking. The benefits of cardio exercise for weight management are numerous and significant.

The primary benefit of cardio exercise is that it burns calories. When you engage in cardio exercise, your body uses energy to produce the movement required by the exercise. This energy production process requires calories to be burned, which means that you are burning more calories than you would be if you were sedentary. Depending on the intensity and duration of your cardio exercise, you can burn hundreds of calories in a single session.

 

When you consistently burn more calories than you consume, you create a caloric deficit. This is the key to weight loss and weight management. When you create a caloric deficit, your body starts to burn stored fat for energy, resulting in weight loss. Incorporating regular cardio exercise into your routine can help you create and maintain a caloric deficit, leading to healthy and sustainable weight loss.

Research has shown that cardio exercise is more effective for weight loss than resistance training alone. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that overweight and obese individuals who engaged in cardio exercise lost more weight and body fat than those who only did resistance training. The study also found that combining cardio exercise with resistance training was the most effective for weight loss and body fat reduction. (2018, Journal of Applied Physiology)1

In addition to burning calories, cardio exercise also boosts your metabolism. Your metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories at rest. When you engage in cardio exercise, your metabolism increases, which means that even when you are not exercising, your body is still burning calories at a higher rate. This can help you maintain a healthy weight over time.

 

What are the health benefits of cardio?

Cardio exercise also has numerous other health benefits. It reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Regular cardio exercise can also improve your cardiovascular health by strengthening your heart and lungs. It improves your mood, reduces stress, and increases your overall energy levels, making it easier to stay active and maintain a healthy weight. Cardio exercise is also important for maintaining muscle mass. When you lose weight, you not only lose fat but also muscle mass. This can lead to a decrease in your metabolism, making it harder to maintain a healthy weight. However, incorporating cardio exercise into your routine can help prevent muscle loss and maintain your metabolism.

 

“…found that overweight and obese individuals who engaged in cardio exercise lost more weight and body fat than those who only did resistance training”

 

How to incorporate cardio in your daily life?

To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, it is recommended that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio exercise per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio exercise per week. (2021, MayoClinic)2 This can be broken down into smaller increments throughout the week, such as 30 minutes per day, five days per week. It is important to note that the type and intensity of cardio exercise you choose will affect how many calories you burn. High-intensity interval training (HIIT), for example, is a type of cardio exercise that involves short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by periods of rest. This type of exercise has been shown to be highly effective for burning calories and promoting weight loss.

Incorporating cardio exercise into your routine does not have to be complicated or time-consuming. There are many activities that can be done at home or in the community, such as walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming. Finding an activity that you enjoy and can commit to on a regular basis is key to success. 

 

In conclusion, incorporating regular cardio exercise into your daily routine can have significant benefits for maintaining a healthy weight. By engaging in activities such as running, cycling, or swimming, you can burn calories, increase your metabolism, and improve your overall fitness level. Remember that consistency is key when it comes to achieving your fitness goals, so aim to include at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise into your day, at least three to four times a week. Along with a balanced diet, and other healthy lifestyle habits, cardio exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and improve your overall quality of life. 

 

Premier Fitness Service promotes wellness and good health by offering fitness services for both private and business use. We think that everyone’s regimen should include cardiovascular exercise for overall health. We provide a variety of cardio machines, including rowers, steppers, treadmills, stairmasters, and more. Visit https://clearlypremier.com/commercial-cardio/ to see the entire list of our offerings. 

 

Reference: 

1Steward, K., et al. (2018). Effectiveness of cardio exercise, resistance training, and combined training for weight loss and body fat reduction in overweight and obese individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Physiology, 124(6), 1431-1443. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00115.2018 Accessed 9 March 2023

2Laskowski, M.D., Edward R. “Exercise: How much do I need every day?” Mayo Clinic, 22 September 2021, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916. Accessed 10 March 2023.