You might not be aiming to run a marathon, or even enter a competitive race, but if you want to begin cardio training to embrace healthy the healthy lifestyle, there are some things you need to know before you begin. The most important knowledge to possess is this: your brain will lie to you.
The truth is that your body can do amazing things. The human life is a resilient organism capable of feats that most people do not understand. Yet, the brain is programmed, biologically to conserve energy and save efforts. It is important to know how the brain works if you want to succeed with cardio workouts.
The second important fact to keep in mind pertains to intensity. If you are coming to the track, the gym or trying to begin a home exercise routine you need to be aware of where your body is beginning the journey. For men and women who are only slightly overweight high-intensity cardio routines can be scheduled quickly.
For those of you who begin the race significantly overweight, a period of easing in is critical. If you question what weight category you fall into, utilize this BMI calculator: www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/. The chart is easy to understand and will quickly give you an idea of where you should start. If you find that the calculator measures you in as obese, you will have to begin slowly. Otherwise, take the mental challenge of going all out in your cardio training.
From the beginning, these exercises should be done gradually if you are obese. Start with a one-hour walk daily. Purchase good shoes if necessary. This is where your brain will tell you lies. If you are not used to walking this kind of distance, your legs and especially knees will hurt. However, applying some ice directly after the walk on the affected body part will bring all the healing you will need (if symptoms worsen, talk with a doctor and develop a slower ease in routine). Measure your weight every few days during this time. When you have lost between five and ten pounds move to the next phase.
The following phase can be done by obese or overweight individuals. Begin by a twenty-minute jog mixed with walking. Make it your goal to jog as much as you are able. Walk when you feel winded. But again, the brain will trick you here. Only walk if you feel winded, not if you feel muscle fatigue. Tired muscles are part of the territory. Lift weights during this time, low weight, high repetition. Do not rest between sets, but instead, build a circuit workout routine. Muscle mass provides more efficient calorie burns—called cardio lifting. Begin here and move on as you continue to lose weight.
In general, a much healthier approach to a weight loss is focusing on the the goals of becoming strong and eating healthy foods, not on looking like the fashion models on TV. Healthy people, and not necessarily the skinny ones, are the happiest people.