Since February is National Heart Month, now is a great time to think about how to keep your heart healthy. Aerobic (otherwise known as cardio) exercises help our circulatory systems stay strong. Doing regular cardio exercises has proven to help strengthen the heart’s ability to pump blood through your body and reduce your blood pressure. We know that making a habit of doing cardio activities can be a struggle, so we came up with some easy activities to begin your cardio workout plan.
“Jump rope” by Andrew Malone ©2010. Some rights reserved. Licensed by Creative Commons Public Works License
Take walks: If you do not feel comfortable running quite just yet, start out by making time to go on 30-45 minute strolls every other day. Just going out on walks can help burn off calories and will give you a clear mind when you return to your busy day.
Jumping rope: Do you really want to exercise but just cannot find the time in your day? A jump rope will be your best friend. Way cheaper than most exercise equipment, you only need to jump rope for about ten to fifteen minutes to get a quality workout. However, you want to make sure you jump rope on a surface that will not put a lot of stress on your knees. Try to avoid any type of concrete surface and if you can find some type of plywood, this will be most ideal.
Use the stairs: It seems that for so many of us, we must often face the grueling dilemma of taking the stairs or elevator. Whether it is when we go shopping at the mall, cleaning around our home, or just going to work: stairs are all around us and a great opportunity to squeeze in some exercise into your day. Though it may feel like a minor accomplishment, consistently choosing staircases over elevators and escalators will add up and keep your body strong.
As you begin to feel more comfortable with these activities, challenge yourself to add more to the workout. Do your walks feel like a breeze? Take a couple five-pound weights along with you. There are so many ways to integrate these activities into your day and find the one that suits you best. Aerobic activities also help boost your mental health and increase bone growth, so taking time out of your day to get a bit of exercise can do wonders for us in many ways.
Filed under: February, Holidays, JumpStart Times
