Why Aerobic Exercise?

What do walking, running, climbing stairs and dancing all have in common? They are all forms of aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercises are any movements that use large muscle groups like your legs. Think back to the last time you were busy, moving from one activity to the next and got so warm you had to remove a sweater or jacket. This was aerobic exercise. It may not have been on a treadmill, but you were still increasing your heart rate and burning calories. Performing regular aerobic exercise is a crucial part of overall health and weight management. In addition to the activities you perform daily, you should try to perform some sort of planned aerobic exercise for 30 minutes every day.

Why?
Aerobic exercise causes you to use more oxygen so you breathe faster and more deeply. To move this oxygen through your body your heart beats faster and over time gets stronger. A stronger heart is only one of the health benefits of performing aerobic exercise.

Other Health Benefits of Aerobic Exercise:
• Weight management
• Stronger bones
• Decreased risk of developing several diseases including some cancers, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol
• Decreased stress
• Increased mental capacity (memory and problem solving)
• Increased immunity


Start Small
Getting to 30 minutes or more of aerobic exercise does not need to happen tomorrow. Perhaps you start with five minutes after work and build from there, adding a few minutes every few days. You will be amazed at how quickly your body adapts and starts to actually enjoy moving.

The goal is to start small and make manageable changes over time, always building on your prior successes. Of course when you start an exercise program you need to be prepared to give something else up. Are you giving up TV time after supper to go for a walk? Are you shaving a few minutes off your lunch break to get moving? No matter what has to be eliminated or shuffled in order for you to accomplish your goals you need to weigh the benefits (weight loss, better health) against the cost (less time to relax). Taking this time to reflect on what is really important to you can help plant the seeds of motivation for sustained changes.