Editor’s note: Consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program. Stop immediately if you feel pain.
CNN
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For many people, the following thoughts are: Work out in a noisy gym full of strangers Or outside in the hot sun is not appealing. If this sounds like you and you’re looking for ways to improve your health, consider giving comfort cardio a try.
Provided by: Hope Zuckerbrough
TikTok influencer Hope Zuckerbrough said working out “really brings joy to my day.”
Cozy cardio is a term popularized by Hope Zuckerbrough, a social media influencer based in Paradise, Texas.inside her TikTok videosWith 34 million likes, she is often seen on a walking pad in her living room, which is softly lit with colored lights and candles. Ms. Zuckerbrough sometimes walks on her pad in pajamas or a fluffy robe while watching TV and drinking her favorite protein coffee. After about 30 minutes, it’s done.
Before these cozy cardio workouts, Zuckerbrough listened to loud music and followed a training plan to lose 100 pounds. But after losing about half her weight, she didn’t want to go back to intense therapy to improve her health.
“I realized I needed to repair my relationship with exercise,” Zuckerbrough said. “Exercise wasn’t fun anymore. I was moving just to lose weight, not to feel better or be healthy. I wanted to feel joy in moving.”
So she gathered her favorite items, including candles, colored lights, and protein coffee, and began a slow, relaxing walk on her walking pad early one morning. Her first TikTok video about her new exercise routine that she posted garnered her 400,000 views and a feel-good cardio workout was born. But are short, slow walks an effective form of exercise?
“It’s great to get some initial momentum,” said Dr. David Subgill, a cardiologist with OhioHealth Physician Group in Columbus, Ohio. “You can’t go from 0 to 60 quickly. Getting the endorphins and adrenaline pumping just makes it easier to have a more regular routine and a more intense level of exercise.”
In fact, Zuckerbrough is now walking faster and longer than he originally did, going from 15- or 20-minute walks to 45- or 60-minute treks.
“Finding an accessible way for people to start engaging in physical activity is great,” agrees Nick Occhipinti, assistant professor of anatomy and fitness expert at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. Part of the reason, he said, is because of the inverse relationship between step count and all-cause mortality. “The more steps you take, the less likely you are to die,” Occhipinti says.
According to the study, replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time a day with light physical activity reduced all-cause mortality by 11% and cardiovascular mortality by 24%. January 2018 survey. another study A study of low-intensity walking published in February 2019 showed beneficial effects on blood pressure and heart rate, making it a suitable form of exercise for managing high blood pressure, especially for people who are frail or have chronic conditions. It has been suggested that this is possible.
Experts say a comfortable cardio session is definitely better than no exercise at all, but ideally it should lead to more vigorous activity. According to , adults should do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americanspublished by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“If comfortable cardio is the first step to building higher strength, that’s great,” Occhipinti says. “But if that’s all you’re doing and you understand that’s enough, that’s a little misguided.”
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Experts say soothing aerobic exercise is a good place to start, but plan to gradually move up to higher-intensity exercise to improve your health.
To progress to moderate-intensity exercise, Occhipinti suggested going outside and timing how long it takes you to walk a mile. Next time you go for a walk, try to beat that time. After that, continue to strive for your best time every week. “Exercise doesn’t have to mean sweat dripping all over the place or your heart racing, but you do need to get to the point where you’re exerting enough effort to elicit fitness adaptations,” he says. I did.
Sabgil said the health benefits of being outdoors are incredible, so moving your training outside, at least part of the time, is ideal. 1 study from January We showed that visiting nature three to four times a week was associated with reduced drug use for problems such as high blood pressure and asthma. Plus, you can get even more benefits by inviting a friend to work out with you.
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Subgil launches global program walk with the doctor It was founded in 2005 to increase people’s mobility and combat the negative effects of sedentary lifestyles. Doctors lead patients on outdoor treks in their communities. He and his colleagues quickly realized that the social connection element of these walks was almost as valuable to participants as the physical exercise.
“Medical literature over the past few years shows that social connections reduce hospitalizations for respiratory illnesses in older adults,” Sabgil said, adding that social isolation is serious. Increased risk Possibility of death from heart attack or stroke. Walking with friends is a great distraction. By doing this, you will feel less anxious and time will pass faster.
Zuckerbrough’s fitness and stamina continue to improve, and going to the gym has replaced some of her comfort cardio. But she doesn’t plan on ditching them completely. “I don’t think she’s ever going to give up her comfort cardio,” Zuckerbrough said. “These workouts feel like moments of meditation and really bring joy to your day.”
That’s perfectly fine, Occhipinti says, because physical fitness is a lifelong pursuit. “Just start and go slowly and patiently,” he said. “Over time, you will reap the benefits.”
Sabgil agreed that getting used to a new routine helps lay the foundation for long-term success.
“It’s just dipping your toe in the water,” Sabgil says. “Do something. It will allow you to do more activities. I don’t remember a single patient who started very small and stayed small forever.”
Melanie Rajicki McManus I’m a freelance writer specializing in hiking, travel, and fitness.