Question from Gary in Dallas TX……

Pat,

I\’ve a diabetic Type I for 25 years, i have always been pretty active but recently i have set my mind to maximize the benefits of an everyday cardio training… currently i do cardio for 45 min to 50 minutes 5 times 6 times a week, and what i do is, i try to keep my heart rate above 50% at all times.. and then doing ups and down.. bring it to 85%-90% and then back to 50% and then to 40% and just plain creative… i used to do weights but i have replaced my work out fully to cardio. my main concern is not other but to mantain a healthy cardiovascular life… any tips on what i should do better?

Thanks.. Gary

A good cardiovascular program should consist of 30-45 minutes at 65-85% of your maximum heart rate 5 to 6 times per week.

Although a good cardiovascular program is great for you, to achieve optimal health you must incorporate cardio with strength training and a good nutritional habits!

Often I get questions about people not being able to reach certain goals or that their progress has slowed. They usually ask me what to do. My first suggestion is to look at the 5 components of fitness.

Each component is extremely important. Do you have all 5 components in your program?

1. Proper Nutritional Intake - Most people underestimate their caloric intake by about 30%

2. Proper Hydration and Supplementation - Are you drinking enough water? Is your body getting the proper amount of nutrient with the foods you are eating?

3. Proper Cardiovascular Training - Are you reaching your target Heart Rate and sustaining it during your cardio workout?

4. Proper Strength Training / Resistance Training - Are you on a strength training routine? Did you know that lean muscle is your number fat burning tool? Are you implementing the proper amount of reps, sets and exercises with the proper rest in between?

5. Professional Assistance - Have you ever heard the saying ” Knowledge is Power”? Well, in the subject of health and fitness it certainly rings true! Learning about the proper components of health and fitness is priceless! This one component will fuel the rest!

Those who think that professional assistance is expensive is sooner or later going to have to find money to treat sickness and disease.

Finding a good alternative to running that gives you the same workout may not be that easy!

  The actual amount of cardiovascular training that one person needs is really going to depend on the individual.  Although there are tremendous benefits from being on a cardiovascular training program, I don’t agree that everyone “needs” it.  There are a handful of people out there that have really amazing genetics and would not ever “need” to follow a cardiovascular training program. However, I wouldn’t bank on that being you…sorry  There are far too many positive benefits of following a cardiovascular training program to not do it. Even if you were one of those special people that were genetically gifted, you would still gain long term benefits from a Cardiovascular training program. Wouldn’t you agree that if you could add a few more years to your life that it would be worth doing even 20 minutes of cardio a few times a week? For me yes, but only you know what’s important to you. 

 One of the most important benefits of following a cardiovascular training program is that it builds a strong healthy heart.  Some experts say that the heart is the most important muscle in the body. I guess that’s the opinion of some and while I can’t speak for what’s important to you, I will have to agree with them on this one. Some other benefits include burning calories, burning fat and strengthening the lungs just to name a few. As far as the amount that one individual needs, it’s really going to depend on there current health conditions, what there goals are and how quickly they wanted to achieve them.  For a beginner it is wise to start off slowly, even just adding a brisk 20 walk in to your daily routine a few times a week. As you become more comfortable with it, you should gradually increase your program until you are doing at least 30-40 minutes of moderate intensity 3 to 4 times per week. This an optimal amount for general health purposes.  In order for your activity to really be considered a Cardiovascular workout, your hear rate should be between 60%-85% of your maximum heart rate. This is considered the cardio zone.  Your maximum heart rate is just how it sounds, the fastest that your heart can beat. If you are not sure what your maximum heart rate is, a good way to judge it is if you can hold a conversation during your exercise, then you need to turn it up a notch. Although you should be able to talk, you certainly should not be able to hold a conversation. Have you ever been to the gym and seen 2 people on the treadmill next to each other chatting it up? Yeah, well…..they’re probably NOT in the zone! If you are looking to burn more fat quickly, obtain better conditioning or train for any kind of sports, then a more vigorous program will certainly be needed. I would recommend that everyone get on some kind of a cardiovascular training program.  If for the only reason, to add a few more years to your already short life. Now, get out there and MOVE people! 

Well, it’s absolutely possible! You can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol in as little as 3 weeks by introducing simple healthy eating habits and daily moderate exercise.

At the University of California there was a study done that supports this. They took 11 obese men and of the period of three weeks fed them a low fat, high fiber diet and put them on a treadmill “walking” for 45-60 minutes per day.

After the 3 weeks were over, the 11 men hadn’t lost a lot of weight, but 7 of the men who prior to this program had high blood pressure, now had normal blood pressure. You think that amazing……well, the entire group of them reduced their cholesterol levels on an average of 19 percent. If you are not familiar with the significance of this, let me reassure you that it’s nothing shy of absolutely incredible!

In addition to the lowered blood pressure and reduced cholesterol levels, there was also a significant change in their insulin levels as well. Insulin levels dropped by about 46 percent and the free radicals by about 28 percent. As you may know, both of these are major factors that are associated with heart disease.

”This is the first study to show that this type of diet and exercise can reduce oxidative stress, lower blood pressure and improve risk factors for other chronic diseases in a very short time,” wrote lead researcher R. James Barnard at the University of California.

Okay, since we have clearly made a point to show you the dramatic change in a short period of time after changing your lifestyle, now it’s up to you to do something about your health. Your health is your responsibility! You have every reason to do something about it and ZERO reason not to.

Do you have more questions about exercise, nutrition or living healthier? Ask me, go to http://www.AskPatKing.com , ask your questions and get my new Ebook absolutely FREE.