Cardio. Just the word can bring a few groans, right? We know it’s good for us—heart health, endurance, metabolism-boosting. Yet, it’s often the part of the workout we dread. But let me tell you, I’ve learned (the hard way) that cardio is an absolute must when it comes to building a well-rounded fitness routine and is a great stress reducer.
At first, I wasn’t totally sold on it myself. I mean, who wants to spend 30 minutes panting on a treadmill or running around the block, when you could be lifting heavy or doing fun bodyweight exercises?
But here’s where things got interesting:
I took a job back in Texas as a project manager and the work was extremely stressful. My best friend told me I need to start running to help reduce and manage the stress. I fought it for a while until it was too much. To my surprise once I started to run, even though at the time I hated to run, my stress levels became a lot more manageable.
Now As I was preparing this post I ran across a video that when I sawAt first glance I thought, “Oh great, another cliché fitness routine.” You know the type—energetic music, overly enthusiastic instructor, and promises of transforming your life in just 20 minutes a day. Classic.
I clicked on it, fully prepared to roll my eyes. But then to my surprise it was actually… good. Like, really good. The instructor had a solid vision of how cardio should fit into your routine, with intervals and exercises that kept things fun and challenging without the monotony. Following along I expecting to feel ridiculous, but by the end, I changed my mind. It totally changed my perspective on her routine for cardio.
The point is, cardio is a lot more than just burning calories or “punishing” yourself for that extra slice of pizza. It’s about conditioning your heart, improving your stamina, and helping you crush it in all aspects of fitness—whether that’s lifting, running, or just everyday life.
So next time you’re tempted to skip cardio, remember my YouTube adventure. Maybe give it another shot. Who knows? You might end up like me—laughing at yourself at first, but totally loving the results.
I always want to give credit where credit is due. Here is a link back to her Channel: growwithjo
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