Summary

Regular cardio exercise is crucial for maintaining a healthy heart, improving aerobic capacity, and benefiting overall health, including mental well-being and chronic disease prevention.

Abstract

The importance of cardiovascular exercise is underscored by its numerous benefits to the body's systems. It enhances the heart's efficiency in pumping blood, increases oxygen-carrying capacity, and aids in the management of conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. By incorporating simple aerobic activities into daily routines, individuals can improve their cardiovascular fitness, reduce inflammation, and positively influence their mental health by producing endorphins. The article emphasizes that despite the common misconception that cardio is unnecessary, scientific evidence supports its role in increasing insulin sensitivity, improving lipid profiles, and enhancing endothelial function, particularly in individuals with diabetes.

Opinions

The author believes that neglecting cardio in favor of resistance training is detrimental to health.
Small changes in daily habits, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, can significantly contribute to aerobic fitness.
Cardio exercise is seen as a beneficial activity for everyone, not just those with specific health conditions.
The article suggests that progress in cardio fitness can be measured by a slower resting heart rate and the ability to perform tasks with less exertion.
There is a dismissive attitude towards the idea that medication alone can compensate for the lack of cardio exercise.
The author encourages readers to find joy in group aerobic activities and to motivate themselves to engage in cardio exercises regularly.

Why Cardio is Important

In almost every gym or exercise class I have been I have come across this topic!

oh! Cardio is a waste of time! All you need is muscles. Imagine your masculine body in your 40’s with poor aerobic capacity and breathlessness issues!!

I respect resistance training and how much you like your benchpress but neglecting the heart is not good!

Understanding how aerobic exercise works is essential as it will make you decide whether it’s worth it or not?

So, here we go to understand its various benefits on different body systems.

Trust me, I have made it easier to understand.

Aerobic exercise can be defined as “ Any form of exercise that utilizes the higher amount of oxygen consumption to provide the necessary energy to perform a task.” This happens at the cellular level and includes the breakdown of stored carbs, protein, fats with the help of oxygen.

Examples of aerobics exercise involve walking, running, dancing, hiking, skiing, cycling, and cardio machines such as static bicycle, elliptical, treadmill, etc.

well, you might be right…but I don’t have time, you know!!

Several daily performing aerobic activities can be started by making small changes such as cutting off using the lift, using stairs, and walking to nearby places instead of driving.

*give your car rest and save the environment. *

Regular aerobic exercise can increase your heart’s capacity to pump blood towards the muscles, increasing the oxygen-carrying capacity in the blood.

This can be simplified as think of the heart as an engine that needs fuel. Here blood is fuel to run the engine. So aerobic exercise will help your body to boost the engine(heart).

How to measure the progress:

Of course, you need some milestone or tracker to keep going. Or why would you believe me to do cardio, right?

The parameter to evidence this is slower HR at rest and slower heart rate for performing the same intensity exercise or task, which was almost tiring.

other benefits of aerobic exercise are:

Reduce the risk of heart diseases and heart attack
Act as a preventive marker for type 2 diabetes
Reduce inflammation throughout the body.
Lower blood pressure and improve your blood cholesterol by reducing the levels of LDL-cholesterol (so-called ‘bad cholesterol) and increasing the amount of HDL-cholesterol (so-called ‘good cholesterol).

So when you exercise, your heart pumps the blood fast and delivers it towards muscle. As you progress to exercise, the amount of time to deliver the blood towards muscles decreases, which simply means improving the overall aerobic capacity of the body.

Diabetes and aerobics :

Diabetes is a chronic disease resulting from an imbalance in hormones called “ insulin.” it regulates the blood sugar level in the body. When the body becomes sensitive and stops responding to insulin, it is called Insulin resistance. Over time if it is not managed correctly, it might lead to severe damage to many of the body’s systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels.

Diabetes can be classified into two types: type 1 and type 2. In both types, aerobics exercise can help to increase cardiovascular fitness.

okay! enough of this I am still not going to do cardio. I will just pop my medicines and my heart will be fine. why should I just believe some random writer on medium?

If you have made it this far, here is some more evidence that will help you navigate your thinking and make you call your gym buddy to hit aerobic class.

Some studies have shown the benefits of cardio exercise In type 1 diabetes; aerobic training increases cardiorespiratory fitness, decreases insulin resistance, and improves lipid levels and endothelial function. (1) In individuals with type 2 diabetes, regular exercise reduces A1C, triglycerides, blood pressure, and insulin resistance. (2)

Let your hormone dance:

Exercise improves mental health by producing endorphins which act as Happy Hormones. It gives a feeling of pleasure and calm by reducing the stress hormone “cortisol “and reducing the sensation of pain in the body.

Exercise also improves mood by reducing anxiety, depression, PTSD, trauma and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function.

Regardless of all these conditions, it is fun to be in aerobic class or find a gym partner to pair up with cardio sessions. Group settings are way more fun as it brings joy.

So, If you are reading this well done! now you know all about the perks of cardio but I wonder if you will do it or not?

Here comes the self-motivation part…go kill it!!!