Some type of cardiovascular exercise is a must if you want to lose weight. These activities involve running, jumping, and even dancing. In other words, any exercise that gets your heart pumping.

Many people take aerobics classes for cardiovascular exercise. Aerobics generally involve exercising to music in a coordinated way, almost like dancing. Aerobics became popular in the 1980s and were developed to make exercise more fun.

In addition to aerobics, you can also do other exercises such as cycling, running, or stair climbing. Most health clubs today have a wide range of fitness equipment, such as escalators, bicycles, rowing machines, and treadmills.

Cardiovascular exercise burns calories and also stimulates your metabolism a bit. This is why people are advised not to exercise before going to bed. While some forms of exercise, like yoga and toning exercises, are fine to do before bed and may even improve sleep, it’s best to do cardio in the morning, before going to work or starting the day.

Any physical activity that increases your heart rate will likely make you sweat when you actually start exercising. When doing any cardiovascular exercise, you want to make sure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

Combining a great exercise routine with a low calorie diet is the most effective way to lose weight. Although low-impact exercises can tone muscles and shed fat, cardiovascular exercises burn calories. However, you should try to incorporate both types of exercises, both cardio and toning exercises, into your routine. Some personal trainers feel that doing cardio every other day and low-impact training or toning the other days is a good way to lose calories and tone muscles.

You should start slowly when starting any exercise routine and check with your doctor before starting to make sure it is safe for your heart. If you feel short of breath or dizzy when doing any cardiovascular exercise, stop immediately. Sometimes this can happen if you start too fast. If you continue with the exercise program, you will gradually develop to the point where you can do more each time. Never continue exercising despite pain or discomfort, especially if you feel dizzy. You don’t have to have a fancy gym membership to incorporate cardiovascular exercise into your life, although gyms have a variety of equipment that makes this exercise easier for you.