| The body's metabolic function is a great piece of | | | | prompted us to start in the first place), we still carry |
| natural engineering that can empower anybody to | | | | on with our cardio. |
| lose weight and improve their levels of health, fitness | | | | It becomes a bit like a drug; but a good one; one |
| and general well being. | | | | that increases our health, our stamina, and our overall |
| The metabolic system is made up from a | | | | well being. It even contributes towards a healthier |
| complicated combination of hormones and enzymes | | | | brain because of the way cardio helps to increase our |
| that act together to not only help to convert | | | | blood circulation. |
| ingested food and drink into calories, but that also | | | | Sometimes the thought of taking up a cardio regime |
| help to govern how efficiently our bodies use, or | | | | can be a little unattractive to those who have |
| burn those calories. So, in terms of our general health, | | | | developed the "couch potato" mentality. At first it |
| our metabolic systems can be a key factor in | | | | may seem a little daunting, but you will soon find that |
| determining our weight profile. A sluggish metabolic | | | | your body adapts to it incredibly quickly if you |
| rate can make it more difficult to lose weight, | | | | establish a regular pattern of exercise. |
| whereas a higher, active metabolic rate can be a | | | | It doesn't have to be too rigorous either. Obviously |
| very useful aid in helping to shed unwanted pounds. | | | | than harder you work-out the higher your metabolic |
| "Why is this?" you may ask yourselves, and the | | | | rate will become, and the more weight you can lose, |
| startling answer is that not only can a higher | | | | but even a relatively gentle work out, providing you |
| metabolic rate burn calories faster, but it also does | | | | get your heart and lung rate up, will benefit you |
| this when you are at rest, or even asleep. Yes, the | | | | enormously. |
| dream ticket; lose weight while you are asleep. | | | | The most popular form of cardio exercise: jogging, |
| Your metabolism is affected by many different things | | | | walking, cycling, and swimming will all increase your |
| including, you age, your gender, your gene pattern, | | | | lung capacity to accommodate your body's demand |
| and your body fat to muscle ratio. Our metabolic rate | | | | for more oxygen. For those of you who have any |
| begins to slow once we reach 40 and thereafter | | | | joint problems, you will find tat swimming is a great |
| continues to slow by approximately five percent | | | | exercise because the water helps to support your |
| every ten years. As a general rule, men tend to have | | | | weight and you avoid the jarring impact that running, |
| a higher metabolic rate than women, and this is | | | | jogging, and walking can have on you hip, knee, and |
| mainly due to the fact that on average, men have a | | | | ankle joints. |
| higher muscle to fat ratio than women do. | | | | For those who want to maximize their cardio for |
| Some people have a naturally high metabolic rate | | | | increasing their metabolic rates, it is worth throwing in |
| whereas others are slower. But don't despair. If | | | | some weight training or resistance exercises. As well |
| you're one of the unfortunate people with a lower | | | | as contributing towards raising your MR (metabolic |
| rate, it is possible to speed it up. How? - By regular | | | | rate) anyway, it also helps to build muscle tissue, and |
| aerobic or cardiovascular exercise. | | | | as we mentioned earlier in this text, the more muscle |
| Cardiovascular exercise (popularly known by its | | | | you have, the faster your MR will become, so you |
| abbreviation of "cardio"), and aerobic exercise are | | | | will get a double benefit. |
| pretty much one and the same thing for any | | | | Muscle is heavier than fat, but as long as you carry |
| confused by the use of both terms. Cardio is | | | | on with your other aerobic exercises too, (jogging, |
| essentially working out your heart, lungs, and | | | | cycling, swimming), and you keep to your healthy |
| circulatory system by exercises such as, Running, | | | | well balanced diet, the muscle weight gain will be |
| jogging, walking, cycling, and swimming. A lot of you | | | | offset by the fat loss. In actual fact you will probably |
| will recognize these exercises as being aerobic, but | | | | still continue to lose weight because muscle tissue |
| strictly speaking they are cardiovascular, but cardio | | | | takes a long time to build and in the meantime you |
| can also include working with weights and resistance | | | | will still be shedding fat. |
| type exercises too, and so the term aerobic has | | | | Cardio has a way of making you want to become |
| been adopted by many to help differentiate between | | | | more and more fit and healthy. You develop what is |
| the two types of exercise. | | | | called metabolic momentum, and once started it |
| Obesity is very much a worldwide problem in the | | | | almost takes on a life and demand of its own. |
| developed world today, and unfortunately the US | | | | However, it is not in any way onerous. It is a |
| heads the league table. So with that fact in mind, and | | | | pleasure that you will naturally want to extend. |
| all of the adverse publicity that it generates, it is | | | | You will eat and drink more healthily, and you will |
| hardly surprising that weight loss is a high priority on | | | | automatically want to cut out many of the rubbish |
| many people's minds. As we've already established, | | | | fast foods and toxins that might have crept into |
| regular cardiovascular exercise is the way to a faster | | | | your life. |
| metabolism, which in turn leads to increased weight | | | | The more you do your cardio exercises, the longer |
| loss if accompanied by a well balanced, healthy calorie | | | | you keep your regime going for, not only does it |
| controlled diet. | | | | become easier to do, but you will find it becoming an |
| The curious thing is, that as more of us are | | | | enjoyable part of the day (or night) that you look |
| introducing a cardio regime into our lifestyles, we are | | | | forward to and relish. |
| finding that the cardio is becoming and end to a | | | | You will benefit from, and cherish, how well you feel, |
| means in itself. Even if and when we have reached | | | | how fit you become, and how good you look too. |
| our target weight, (if indeed that what it was that | | | | It can genuinely make you look and feel younger. |