cardio

Today I am going to attempt to play the role of "pendulum stopper" or the "baby in the bathwater". In other words, I am going to take a look at a few aspects of the exercise and nutrition world that have taken some heat for being any combination of useless, counter-productive or unhealthy. I am here to offer up some context and perhaps make the argument that there is some use for said "evils".

A 10-minute walking stress test can give important information about health risks to those middle aged and older. The test measures cardiorespiratory fitness, or how well the lungs, heart, and blood vessels work together.

Preventative medicine expert Dr Timothy Church, recently told CNN, "Fitness is just simply as powerful a risk factor as there is." I think that's a pretty bold statement, and one we would do well to pay attention to.

Being extremely overweight can present some obstacles when it comes to working out, but it shouldn't take you out of the race completely. Starting with low-impact activities -- such as light resistance training using weights or exercise bands ... or even soup cans -- is just one way to start burning calories without any significant risk of injury.

If you're a former exerciser who's sorta fallen off the wagon for quite a while, you need not worry; getting back on board isn't as hard as you may think. One of the keys to making your transition back into fitness go smoothly is to start off at a reasonable pace.

Make a short list of things you want less of. Now make a short list of things you wish you could have more of. Chances are, if we were to cross-check all of your answers, Fat and Time, respectively, would be very common responses. The good news is that they both also happen to be be very attainable, thanks to what's known as Tabata intervals.

Suppose it's time for your workout and you realize you are so not in the mood. And you haven't been for quite a while. Skipping out is looking awfully tempting... but after all the progress you've made, are you in danger of getting out of the habit?

Some people love every aspect of their fitness routine and can keep it up for decades without whining. Others of us have to resort to sneaky tricks to keep the momentum going.

"Cardio is useless, a waste of time, it eats muscle, it's boring...." The majority of fat loss experts are now swinging away from long slow distance type cardio as part of a weight loss intervention and overall health.

In theory (and it would seem in practice, too), the concept of HIIT (High intensity interval training) as a superior method for blubber-burning is valid. But is the pendulum swinging too far?

Health experts tend to agree that to be healthy, you need to exercise. But as soon as the questions get more specific, the experts get a lot more quarrelsome. One of the biggest debates: do you really have to do vigorous, sweaty, aerobic exercise for good health?

In their recently updated Physical Activity Guidelines, the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association took on this as well as other important questions. (The quick answer? Yep, looks like for optimal health, you may have to hit the showers after your workout.)

Fitness 'expert' Jim Karas has written a diet book claiming that cardio is a complete waste of time. The Cardio-Free Diet advises us to ditch the cardio: "it kills your time, your energy, your joints, and your motivation"

Call me cynical - but this reeks of sensationalism as a marketing tool.

Exercise needs motivation. Without motivation you might never get up off the couch.

Currently there seems to be a deluge of MP3 or audio workouts. This week I took Cardio Coach for a road test and was pleasantly surprised.