How to Begin Cardio Exercise
- 1). Analyze your daily activities to assess how much time you can logically spend exercising, and make a plan. You want to start out slowly and push yourself to do more gradually. If you have the time, you can gradually work out longer, or if not, you can step up to harder workouts.
- 2). Take every opportunity to walk. Stop taking the elevator or driving when you can walk instead. Small changes to your daily routine, like waking up earlier or parking farther away from work, can help you create the time needed to work out. Walking is an effective cardio exercise that can be done at any level of fitness.
- 3). Wear a pedometer all day for a week, even while at work, to see how many steps you take in an average day. The following week, add 500 to your daily average. Continue to progress in this way. Get creative and come up with activities to add steps to your day. The goal is to get your heart pumping harder than when sedentary, so walk quickly
- 4). Join a class for an activity you enjoy, such as dance or spinning. These activities are perfect for working your heart muscle. Being a part of a class is often a great motivator for continuing a routine. Focusing on something that interests you, rather than calculating target heart rates and buying fancy monitors, can be a lot easier to stick to.
- 5). Continue pushing yourself to reach your goals gradually. Whether you are doing cardio exercise to lose weight or just be healthier, your body craves exercise. To avoid boredom, switch your activity periodically and invite a friend to join you. If your routine is interesting, you'll be more likely to stick to it.
