Right off the bat I want to say: Start slow and steady. The key is to be consistent.
If you are just starting out, be patient with yourself.
Cardio vs. strength training – they both win and so do you!
Aerobic cardiovascular exercise simply means that you are involved in an activity that raises your heart rate to a level where you are working but still control of your breathing. It’s a great way to burn calories and help you loose weight. It makes your heart strong so it works better and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. It makes you feel better, sleep better and reduces stress etc…
Numerous studies show that muscle strengthening exercises are superior to aerobic counterparts, especially when it comes to fat loss. Why? Because that added muscle causes the body to burn calories even while at rest, as it expends more energy. If you happen to add five pounds of muscle to your body, you could burn up an additional 200 calories per day, or 72,800 calories a year, which equals a weight loss of 20 pounds. That’s not bad for making the right exercise decision.
So whether you pick up dumbbells, use a medicine ball, give the heavy bag a thumping, climb stairs or even do bodyweight exercises, after two months you can expect to reverse the effects of two decades of muscle loss, increasing your strength by a whopping 40%.
Start with light intensity, such as moderate walking or aqua aerobics, and build up your stamina before you push yourself harder. You don’t have to exercise vigorously to start getting benefits. Any amount of exercise yields tremendous health benefits compared to being sedentary. Exercise is a process and you have the rest of your life to work on it and for heaven’s sake enjoy!