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I know that lack of cardio can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease such as a heart attack or a stroke.

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My health change is to incorporate more cardio by running at least 1x a week. Possibly 2x if I have time.

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How Bad Is It Really to Never Do Cardio? | Livestrong.com

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You either love or hate cardio, but if you’re not a fan, how bad is it really to never do cardio? Experts explain the benefits of cardio and how often to do it.

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Making any change in behaviour, such as starting a , is significant and can be challenging - the next thing is to make it a habit. If exercise is another job on your never-ending list, chances are it won't be sustainable. If you find something that you enjoy and that makes you feel good and you can easily fit in your , you're more likely to make a sustainable change.

Motivation levels fluctuate in everyone; even exercise fanatics find it hard to get motivated from time to time. So before you start, accept that there will be brief setbacks or times when you do not feel like exercising. If this occurs, remind yourself that this is not failure - it's simply life getting in the way. Be ready for these 'slips'. Think about some to overcome those hurdles and how you can pick up where you left off. Don't be discouraged. It happens to all of us.

Remember, always consult with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program, particularly if you are overweight, over 40 years of age, haven't exercised in a long time or have a chronic medical condition.

Picking a physical activity - start off right

Suggestions include:

Pick an activity (or range of activities) that appeals to you. Also choose activities that you are confident you can manage physically, and that suit your lifestyle and your income. Choose an activity that is close to home or work.

Set . For example, rather than aiming for a set amount of weight loss, aim for 4 activity sessions per week.

We all have different motivations to exercise. Think about how you feel when you're exercising and how you feel after you've exercised. Keep in mind your personal fitness goals to help you on those days when you don't feel like lacing up your sneakers.

Remember also that research indicates you don't need to lose weight to gain significant health benefits.

Start small. Aim to just include more general activity into your day, working toward a continuous bout of exercise for about 10 minutes per day at first, and gradually work your way up to 30 minutes or more.

or family member to be active with. Motivate and reward each other and enjoy the process together.

Replace the 'no pain no gain' message with 'no fun no future'. If you don't enjoy your activity, it won't be sustainable.

This is obviously important to you or you would not have taken the steps to change your behaviour, so make exercise a priority in your life.

Make the commitment. Put 'exercise appointments' in your diary, at least for the first few weeks, until exercise becomes a habit.

Just start exercising

Go ahead and do it! If you think too much about the pros and cons of exercising, you may well talk yourself out of it. Just do it. Book dates in your diary and stick to them.

Monitor the benefits of physical exercise

It's easier to stick to an exercise routine if you can see the benefits. Suggestions include:

Keep a training diary. Pay attention to the way you feel. Was yesterday's gardening session easier on your back? Are your jeans looser? Were you able to laugh off an irritating event today? Simply taking the time to recognise these little improvements to your daily quality of life can increase your motivation to exercise.

Reward yourself whenever you reach a fitness goal - for example, your aim is to walk every night after work and you've achieved your goal. Rewards could range from a magazine membership to a manicure. Sooner or later the reward will be the walk itself! The point is to celebrate your achievements in any way that is meaningful to you.

Use activity as a reward. When you've had a long hard day, give yourself the joy of a quiet walk by a river, near a park or just exploring your own neighbourhood.

Keep physical activity interesting

Suggestions include:

Choose from a range of physical activities.

If you feel bored by an exercise routine, try something new or challenge yourself. Try to walk a bit faster on your 30-minute walk, or choose a different route.

Set new fitness goals.

Find a training partner or join a group activity. The enthusiasm of others and the sense of camaraderie can buoy you along.

Purchase new equipment or a new workout outfit.

Don't focus on the activity, explore what's going on around you, notice the sky, the people, the sounds.

Overcoming disruptions to your physical activity routine

Most of us find it difficult to resume regular exercise following a significant break. Suggestions on how to overcome disruptions to your exercise routine include:

Illness - once you feel a little better, opt for a gentle exercise routine. For example, take a 10-minute stroll around the neighbourhood instead of jogging for an hour.

Injury - you will need to set new goals for the short term. Make recovery, not exercise, your first priority. Gentle exercise like walking, stretching or swimming may be possible. Be guided by your or about how you can keep fit while recovering.

Holiday - take advantage of local facilities. For example, some hotels have swimming pools, tennis courts or gyms. If you're holidaying at the beach, take a . Tour on foot - is one of the best ways to see the sights and is a great aerobic and weight-bearing exercise.

Business commitments - exercise at your desk. Perform stretches. Take a break from your desk and walk the stairs every now and then. If we move more and sit less we generally feel better.

Bad weather - adapt your routine or brave the elements. Exercise indoors - head to your local swimming pool or gym.

Be flexible about your physical activity routine

Remember that unexpected events will arise from time to time and disrupt your exercise routine. Think about ways to cope with interruptions. Suggestions include:

Don't let this interruption worry you, but make a date in your diary for your next available exercise session.

If your day is packed with events, consider getting up 30 minutes earlier to exercise or walk or ride to meetings.

Keep 'at home' exercise options accessible - for example, exercise videos or a stationary bike.

Look for opportunities in your everyday routine - for example, walk instead of drive to the train station, take the stairs instead of the lift or take a walk at lunchtime.

Appreciate that a short break may be a good thing. Remember, even professional athletes schedule regular periods of 'down time'. This may be important if you participate in rigorous activities such as weight training.

Not in the mood? Remember that activity improves people's moods. It not only relieves stress but also helps fight sadness and depression. Push yourself to get up and get moving, even if you're in a bad mood or feeling blue.

Where to get help

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Pick an exercise or fitness activity that appeals to you and suits your lifestyle.

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I originally wrote it down on my iPad to keep track.

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I originally wrote it down on my iPad to keep track.

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I started running in my neighborhood, I ran for 35 minutes as I was getting used to it again. And I took a lot of breaks.

My brothers are very much into fitness so when they decided to run at the beach, I decided to go as well. I ran with them for 1 hour, but I took A LOT of breaks for this one.

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I took my dog to the park, and we walked for about 2 hours. It's not running, but it's still a form of cardio.

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I went on a run with my dog at some abandoned railroads near my neighborhood. And I ran 40 minutes. My dog tires me out more haha.

I decided to try more and run 1 hour in my neighborhood, making sure I took breaks for this one.

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I decided to be brave and run 1 hour with my dog in my neighborhood. It's a lot when you have an animal tugging at you.

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I ran with my brother for 1 hr & 40 minutes which is the longest I've ran. I made sure to take breaks when I would push myself too much.

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An intervention that helped me stay motivated was taking my dog on a run with me. Of course it was tiring as my dog is still a puppy so she has more energy than I do. It helped me distract myself from wanting to stop since it can be a strenuous activity.

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Another intervention I used was challenging myself to improve my time and rewarding myself after. Giving myself a reward whether that be a small snack or treat helped my stay motivated. Knowing that I met my goal that day to give myself reward was really nice.

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Theory of Planned Behavior: when an individual acts rationally based on attitudes, subjective norms, & perceived behavioral control

When creating my SMART Goal I realized that I had applied the TPB to my process. I remember during the pandemic, people started to engage in fitness and I became that person as well. But I always lacked in the cardio department. Knowing that I'm now in the age range where I'm at risk for cardiovascular disease, I knew I had to make a change. This became my SMART Goal. I started off slow, building up my confidence so I didn't feel unmotivated. Starting bit by bit helped me stick to this goal of mine.

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Stehr, P., Rossmann, C., Kremer, T., & Geppert, J. (2021, May 27). Determinants of physical activity in older adults: Integrating self-concordance into the theory of planned behavior. International journal of environmental research and public health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8199322/

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"Various meta-analyses confirmed that TPB can explain physical activity." (Stehr et al., 2021).

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Author links open overlay panelMark R. Beauchamp a, a, b, Highlights•Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) represents a parsimonious model to understand physical activity.•Most research that has used SCT has focused on the self-efficacy construct.•Some important critiques of SCT have emerged in recent years. These are d, AbstractObjectivesWith a view to understanding and explaining human behavior, Ajzen, I., Bauman, A. E., Beattie, S., Ede, A., Halper, L. R., Latham, G. P., McDonald, D., Myers, N. D., Roberts, W., Woodman, T., Bandura, A., Beauchamp, M. R., Boardley, I. D., Bourne, J., … Guillén, F. (2018, November 16). Social Cognitive Theory and physical activity: Mechanisms of behavior change, critique, and legacy. Psychology of Sport and Exercise. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029218305132

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Social Cognitive Theory: explains how people learn and behave through a multitude of personal factors, environmental influences, and their own behavior

I became motivated to incorporate cardio into my routine when I would see my brothers come home feeling productive from the run. I wanted that feeling as well. Although my fitness routine is good for me, I always felt like something was missing. Already having fitness experience I felt like running specifically was something I could commit to. As mentioned starting little by little it has helped me stay motivated.

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After committing a whole month to running it was very rewarding. I was always hesitant to add running to my fitness routine, it just felt strenuous. And I was always told that cardio makes you slim down faster which I personally didn't want. After learning that as you get older you become at risk for cardiovascular diseases, I realized to decrease this risk adding cardio was the change that had to be added. After starting off slow I began to enjoy, and to this day I've been committed even though I don't have a specific day. I'll definitely continue to dedicate time to run whether its 1-2x a week.

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To stay motivated with a goal I recommend making it realistic. Don't push yourself to do so much as you're just starting this new change. Always remember that even attempting to start a goal is a positive direction towards change. Challenge yourself to see how far you can go in your goal or even reward yourself when you feel success. These goals are for your own personal benefit.