Always have a toothpick handy!

This is the second in the series on weight loss and fitness.  Try to read the following articles first.

Losing weight is simple but not easy

Eat this

For me, aerobic exercise is the most fun part of the weight loss formula.  There are many types of aerobics but running is my “drug” of choice.  You can bike, play a sport, take a aerobic class, swim or just about anything that gets your heart pumping as long as it is something you enjoy.  I love the solitary time spent doing aerobics because it gives me time to think and reflect on whatever is important to me at the time.  

The real benefits of aerobic exercise are achieved by increasing your heart rate and breathing hard for an extended period of time. During this  activity your body produces more energy and delivers more oxygen to your muscles.  Your heart beats faster and increases the blood flow to your muscles and then back to your lungs.

Aerobic means “with oxygen” and your body’s aerobic system is your heart, lungs, blood vessels and muscles. The benefit of aerobic exercise is based on how well your body can deliver oxygen to your muscles and use it for energy. Regular aerobic workouts increase your ability to take in and transport that oxygen and improves your aerobic capacity. 

A good aerobic exercise program can help you live a longer, healthier life and enhance your well being. You get a multitude of benefits if you do your aerobic workout on a regular basis even if the intensity is low or short in duration. It’s fun to keep a log of your workouts that track your progress to see how far you have come in your pursuit of fitness.  You don’t have to train for a marathon to get the benefits.  You can start slow by walking if necessary.  Just push yourself to go as far as you can without overextending yourself and then go just a little bit more next time.  You can get great benefit from just three 20 minutes sessions each week.  I am doing 6 sessions per week because I enjoy it and want to see the benefits quicker.  If you are a social animal there are always running clubs or biking clubs in your area that you can join and workout with others of a like mind.  As an added benefit, once you get hooked you can enter weekend races and fun-runs and walks to further enhance your sense of accomplishment.  I always used to use those events as an excuse to travel to a new area to both get a great workout and explore a new city at the same time.

The bottom line is to start an aerobic workout that you enjoy and look forward to doing on a consistent basis. Aerobic activity is fun and it doesn’t require a lot of concentration. It’s like anything….you get out of it what you put into it.  So listen to music, watch TV or listen to educational tapes while you are performing your aerobic exercise program if you don’t want to spend the time thinking.

Aerobic workouts make you feel better about yourself so you can enjoy life more. It boosts your mood, strengthens your heart muscle, helps you maintain your weight and can even lower your blood sugar levels. It can help increase your stamina and help you manage stress. A session of aerobic activity can help you relax after a stressful day at work. It can even improve your sexual performance.  AND, if you ever get to that point in aerobics they call the “runner’s high,” you will find that euphoria to be even better than sex!  (Well, almost)

If you maintain a regular aerobic exercise program as you get older, your muscles will stay stronger and help you avoid fractures and falls. This will help keep you independent and on your own longer. People who engage in exercise and cardiovascular fitness appear to live longer than those who don’t.  I have seen folks in their 80’s running marathons.  Remember this whole deal is about burning calories to lose weight so in addition to your workout sessions try to walk whenever you can or take the stairs instead of the elevator.  Every little bit helps.  I have to just laugh when I go to the club to workout and I see people circling the parking lot in their cars trying to get a space closer to the door.  Seems to defeat the whole reason for being there!

Aerobic activity comes in many forms and you can benefit from the time you spend in doing them. The benefits of aerobic exercise are good for your body and your mind and will help you to lose weight,  make you live longer, stay healthier and feel dynamite at the same time! 

When you add those benefits to diet and weight training there is nothing that can stand in the way of the goals you have set for yourself.

“I run because I can!”