Aerobic exercises are those that train your cardiovascular system. Sometimes referred to as cardio exercise, this type of exercise increases your heart rate and respiration. You know an exercise is aerobic if you feel your pulse getting quicker and you start to breathe faster. For a positive effect on your health, do at least 10 minutes of aerobic exercise per exercise session.
Physical Activity
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you get 150 to 300 minutes of aerobic exercise per week. You should exercise at a pace that is strenuous enough that you begin sweating and feel your pulse increase. While you should be able to talk while exercising at a moderate pace, you should be losing your ability to carry on a long conversation. If you want quicker results, you can increase your intensity level, working so hard that you can only say a few words at a time. Vigorous exercise at this pace will give you twice the benefits of exercise at a moderate pace.
Walking
Walking is a low-impact aerobic activity that can be done at a moderate or vigorous intensity level by adjusting your speed. In one hour of walking 2 mph, a 160-lb. person will burn 183 calories. By increasing your pace to 3.5 mph, 277 calories can be burned. Another way to make your walk more vigorous is by choosing hilly terrain. The health benefits of walking include improving your cholesterol numbers, lowering your blood pressure and managing your weight
Swimming
Swimming is a moderate to vigorous intensity workout that involves no impact or stress on your joints. You can burn about 511 calories, depending on your weight, when swimming for an hour. Swimming provides the same health benefits as other cardiovascular activities, such as improving diabetes and helping you manage your weight. It can be especially effective for those who are suffering from chronic illnesses like arthritis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, swimmers even live longer.
Running
Running is a high-intensity aerobic activity. In one hour of running at 8 mph, a 160-lb. person will burn 986 calories, more than three times the calories burned when walking for an hour. Outside the typical benefits of maintaining a healthy weight and warding off heart disease, running has two surprising benefits. A study published by the Stanford University School of medicine showed running slows the aging process, delaying the onset of disability from old age by an average of 16 years. Running can even reduce your chances of getting cancer.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Physical Activity for Everyone -- How Much Physical Activity Do Adults Need?
- MayoClinic.com: Weight Loss -- Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in 1 Hour
- MayoClinic.com: Fitness -- Walking: Trim Your Waistline, Improve Your Health
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Healthy Swimming/Recreational Water -- Health Benefits of Water Based Exercise
- "Stanford School of Medicine"; Running Slows the Aging Clock, Stanford Researchers Find; Erin Digitale; August 2008
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