Exercise Routine

Why you should adopt a Cardiovascular Exercise Routine?

• Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints
• Builds endurance and muscular strength
• Helps manage weight
• Lowers risk factors for cardiovascular disease, colon cancer and type 2 diabetes
• Helps control blood pressure
• Promotes psychological well-being and self-esteem
• Reduces feeling of depression and anxiety

I remember when I was in High School there were only a handful of overweight kids in our school. Overweight kids/ teens has become an epidemic, both kids and adults that are overweight are putting their health at risk for premature death, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, stroke, gallbladder disease and various chronic disease.

There’s no question about the importance of having exercise as part of your daily routine, however most of us find it hard to include exercise as your daily routine. The best investment to good health is exercise. Let’s go over a few steps you need to take, to develop an exercise routine.

Step 1 knowing the importance of exercise
The first step is to know the importance of exercise, I can’t stress enough how important exercise is to your health. Every hour you spend exercising you add two hours to your life span.

Step 2 check with your Doctor
Always check with your doctor before starting any exercise program, you want to make sure your heart can handle the demand physical activity can put on your heart.

Step 3 choose activities you like
Now that you have an ok from your doctor to start an exercise program, it’s time to choose activity you enjoy. Commit twenty min to an hour daily for the activity you choose, keep in mind you can change the activity you choose anytime you want.

Choose exercise that will get heart rate up such as walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, tennis. You can start by taking small step. You can try parking your car far from the entrance of the grocery store or mall instead of the closest parking you can find.

Step 4 Monitor the intensity of your exercise

The easiest way to figure out your target heart rate is to subtract your age from 185. Let’s say you’re 36 your maximum heart rate is 149, your minimum heart rate is 129. Your minimum heart rate is determined by subtracting 20 from your maximum heart rate. Your heart rate range for a 36 year old is 129-149. Do not go over your maximum heart rate which is considered as your target heart rate.

Step 5 Make it a habit

To get the benefit of exercise you have to workout often. Fifteen to twenty minutes three days week is all you need to get started. Make exercise part of your daily routine.

Step 6 Make it fun

Choosing an exercise that you enjoy will not feel like you’re exercising. Make it a family affair. My daughters and I used to dance at night, it never felt like exercise. Take your family for a walk after dinner. Commit to walking three to four days weekly.

Step 7 Stay motivated

Don’t drive yourself crazy if you skip an exercise day; just enjoy your day and start where you left off the next day. It’s ok to take a break but make sure the break is not a long break.