When considering your overall health and fitness level cardiovascular exercise is just as important as anaerobic, lifting weights. Cardio workouts are responsible for getting your heart rate up and increasing the blood flow through your entire body.

Look at cardio as your whole body workout, during it you should feel your heart pumping, breathe a little harder than normal and work up a decent sweat in the process.

One of the best benefits of cardiovascular exercise is that it exercises the most important muscle in your body, your heart. By getting your pulse rate up and keeping it there at a sustained rate for a period of time, you increase your overall fitness level and therefore your overall health.

Before you begin any type of fitness plan, you should see your family physician. Getting an overall physical will let you know if there are any health reasons why you cannot participate in a vigorous workout routine.

Perhaps one of the biggest and most widely touted benefits of cardio routines is the fact that it burns off unneeded calories and helps you to lose excess weight. You will get the added benefit of toning your entire body as well.

The benefits of a cardio routine do not stop there! Not only will you burn extra calories during your workout but also you will continue to burn more calories when at rest. Recent studies suggest that this added burn can continue for up to 18 hours after you complete your routine.

While you are toning and getting fit your body will naturally begin to burn more calories and at a faster rate. The main reason for this is that as your fitness level rises you gain muscle and lose fat; it is a proven fact that muscle burns more calories even while you are sitting on the couch.

Another benefit of cardiovascular exercises that it releases the so-called “feel-good” hormones called endorphins. Endorphins are your body’s natural opiates, and they can also help ease depression.

If you’ve been sedentary for a long period of time, DON’T all of a sudden become a weekend warrior determined to conquer the enemy. You will only hurt yourself and will set yourself back, because if you get injured, you’ll have to have time to heal. This will thwart any plans you have to get in shape.

Be sure that you visit your physician before you start a routine to be sure you are ready for vigorous activities. Even once you receive a green light from your doctor, you should not barge into a full-blown hour workout. The best thing you can do is start slow and small by taking a brisk ten-minute walk every day. Do not get discouraged if ten minutes is a bit much, five minutes is a good starting place as well. The main idea is to get moving and increase your exercise as you go.

At about the two-week mark you will begin to notice something peculiar happening. You will all of a sudden have more energy, better sleep and fewer cravings for junk foods. Overall, you will simply feel better. One surprising effect will be when you notice your attitude and mood are much more positive.

While you are moving closer and closer toward becoming fit, you may find you need to challenge yourself more. This is the only way to insure you keep your fitness level up and progressing. When you do cardiovascular workouts, there are two things that should always occur, sweat and increased breathing. Shoot for a minimum of 20 minutes per day for at least five days out of seven.

If you want to really supercharge your progress with a cardio program, you might want to consider making a few other health related changes. Diet and exercise always go hand in hand but have you considered the importance of proper hydration, getting enough sleep and many other health related changes? The bottom line is once you have a good beginning on cardio you will never want to look back.