Cardiovascular Exercise & Weight Loss

Cardiovascular exercise increases your heart rate and improves your body's ability to use oxygen. It also helps burn calories, which is an important factor in weight loss. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you take in. Monitor your food intake and make cardio exercise a regular part of your routine; consult your doctor before beginning any new diet or exercise regimen.

Significance

An increase in aerobic activity reduces your risk for heart attack, blood pressure, osteoporosis, some types of cancer, stroke, anxiety and depression, according to MedlinePlus. Exercise also helps raise good cholesterol levels and improve your overall fitness. The effects of cardiovascular exercise on weight loss, however, may be minimal at best. The American Heart Association reports that physical activity results in modest weight loss compared with results from dietary measures.

Function

In conjunction with calorie restriction, cardiovascular exercise promotes healthy weight loss and plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy weight after weight loss, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cardio gets your heart rate up, burns calories and helps boost your metabolism. Aerobic exercise also helps minimize bone-density loss associated with aging, the CDC adds.

Types

For best results, opt for moderate- to vigorous-intensity cardiovascular exercise to help you get fit and manage your weight. During moderate-intensity cardio, you should be able to talk, but not sing, MedlinePlus explains. Vigorous activity makes talking more difficult, usually requiring you to take a breath after only a few words. Common cardiovascular activities include walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling, aerobics and dancing.

Recommendations

To assist with weight management and improve fitness, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults undertake a minimum of two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week. For more extensive health benefits, the recommendation increases to five hours of moderate activities or two hours and 30 minutes of vigorous activities.

Potential

Although the effects of exercise alone on weight loss are modest, the combination of a diet and exercise program provides proven results. The National Weight Control Registry reports that 94 percent of its 5,000 registrants who have lost weight and kept if off exercise on a regular basis. Cardiovascular exercise, along with strength training, helps you strengthen muscles and improve your body's ability to burn fat between exercise sessions, according to MedlinePlus.