So you want to start walking outdoors to lose all that belly fat that you accumulated over the winter? Walking keeps your blood vessels young. According to a study by the University of Colorado, older men (averaging 62) who went on an hour-long walk 5 days a week had blood flow similar to that of young men average age of 27.
Now, if you have been sedentary over the winter, starting out walking is a great way to start getting fit. Health Canada recommends that you exercise regularly 4 to 7 days of the week. The amount of time needed to stay healthy depends on effort. Scientists say that you must accumulate 60 minutes of physical activity every day to stay healthy or improve your health.
It is best to know what your ultimate goal is when you head outside. Is it to become more fit? Have a healthier heart? Or do you want more? Do you want to lose that body fat?
Unless you are overly obese, you will see little fat loss results from spending a great deal of time walking. Any activity can count as cardio/aerobic exercise as long as it meets the 3 requirements of frequency (a MINIMUM of 3 times per week) , intensity (working up to 60-90% of your Maximum Heart Rate) and time (at least 20 to 60 minutes).
Your body has about 5.6 liters of blood that circulates through the body three times every minute! Regular aerobic exercise performed most days of the week reduces the risk of developing or prematurely dying from some of the leading causes of illness and death. So why did you wait until winter is over???
Can’t handle doing an hour long cardio workout?
Try splitting your cardio workout into two sessions. This can double your fitness gains. A shorter workout duration means that you can spend more time in a higher heart rate zone and not tire. Plus you can do it a different times of the day.
Or
Try High Intensity Interval Training. This is a much shorter aerobic workout that involves periods of exertions and recovery. Basically you vary the degree of your aerobic workout by doing a short burst of high intensity exertion and then follow up with a recovery period. Then another short burst followed by another recovery, etc…
So do you know which cardiovascular workout is best for your heart and for fat loss?
I’ll let you know next newsletter. Now go out and exercise!
