In your quest to attain optimal health, many things are very beneficial. Exercise however, is essential. Exercise is non-negotiable in the arena of promoting a healthy lifestyle.

First and foremost, many of the health related problems people face today could have been avoided by simply exercising 3-5 times a week. Exercise can lower blood pressure, burn unwanted, unhealthy fat, strengthen bones and keep your heart healthy.

Secondly, exercise makes you feel great. When you exercise, endorphins are released in your body. Endorphins are chemicals in the brain that are responsible for positive moods.

Third, exercise makes you look great. You can lose weight and improve your appearance. That alone, will make you feel great as well.

While just exercising is good, it’s not enough. The level of intensity at which you exercise is what truly makes it effective.

For example, a study of over 100 men and women indicated that walking as exercise may not be enough to produce significant health benefits.

In this study, a leisurely walking exercise program was compared to a more traditional fitness routine, which included cardio-based activities on treadmills and other cardiovascular equipment.

The traditional group exercised at a moderate intensity and the walking group walked their own pace.

In the traditional fitness group, improved aerobic fitness and reduced systolic blood pressure were more evident than the self-paced walking group. Aside from that, a peak oxygen uptake of 10% resulted in the traditional group compared to just 4% in the other group. Their systolic blood pressure also dropped by 10 percent. Whereas the walking group only saw a 4% decrease.

Many people seem to be under the impression that a nice, leisurely stroll for 10 or 15 minutes is the answer to all their problems. I hate to be the bearer of bad news and the reality revealer, but that’s just simply not enough.

If you really want to see significant results with cardiovascular exercise, the real key lies in the difference between your basal metabolic rate and your activity.

Intense exercise can bring about a substantial difference between your basal metabolic rate and your activity. The result is not only burned calories while you exercise, but this also aids in burning them while you sleep. This does not happen with “easy” exercise.

If you truly want to reap the “true” rewards that exercise has to offer, you must always play close attention to the:

• Length of time
  
  
• Frequency
  
  
• Intensity

These 3 components are essential.

When exercising effectively, you should be in a difficult conversational state. In other words, it should be difficult to hold a conversation, but not impossible. When it becomes impossible, you have crossed the line and should lower your intensity.

In your journey to achieve a healthy life-style, vigorous exercise is essential. If you haven’t started an exercise program yet, I highly suggest you get the approval of your healthcare practitioner and begin as soon as possible.