SHARES
What is Cardio?
Cardio is an activity we do daily, whether we realize it or not. We walk from the sofa to the kitchen multiple times a day to get that bag of em… carrots? Yeah…. No. We all know that’s a lie! Fortunately, there are numerous ways for us to make up for our shameful eating habits, be it during a depressing time in our lives or throughout one of the many fat-accumulating festive periods we have here in Malaysia. With such good food comes great responsibility. Responsibility to shed those accumulated calories. As with our busy schedules and tight budgets, slipping on those running shoes and just going for it around our neighbourhood happens to be the most economical way to work out. Simple, right? Well, you also have to assess your needs and do it the right way.
Here are some aspects to consider….
Weight Loss
If your primary objective of walking or running is to lose weight in the shortest period of time possible, it is recommended that you opt for running. Numerous studies have shown that while those walking share most of the benefits as runners do, running at a speed higher than 8 km/h burns around 2.5 times more calories. This finding is highly significant as it highlights the fact that running at greater speeds helps us to lose weight faster. Apart from the fact that more calories are burnt, running has also proven to regulate appetite hormones, prompting us to eat less after a session than we would after a walking session. However, if your end goal is to remain healthy and keep at a constant weight, walking would be a better choice for you. According to Dr James O’Keefe,a cardiologist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, for overall health and improved longevity, walking is most ideal of the two.
Keeping Fit and Healthy
If your aim via cardio is to just keep fit, you should instead go for walking. Since walking is considered to be anything less than 5km/hour, it is less strenuous on the body and the heart. This will mean that the body’s muscle recovery process following a walking session is much faster than if one were to go running. As a result, one would feel less lethargic and experience less fatigue. Subsequently, workout sessions can be scheduled more frequently, leading to a healthier and fitter you! Do keep in mind that running too much also has adverse effects on the heart and immune system. In fact, after just a full hour of intense physical activity, you start to overwhelm and stretch your heart muscles. This is good to a certain extent but if overdone and not given adequate recovery time, it can cause cardiovascular diseases and even accelerated aging.
Risk of Injury
This may be an obvious one, but it is important to stress that injuries are indeed very common even in the simplest form of cardio. As we all know, the harder we push ourselves, the harder we fall. Applying this concept to cardio, running surely would place the body under a lot of tension and pressure, causing it to give in at some point. Of course, preventive measures like warming up before an intense running session, eating foods high in potassium and practicing cooling down exercises post-run are effective to a certain degree. Drinking plenty of water also helps. However, the body does in fact need time to recuperate as overworking the body can cause injuries spanning from mere muscle cramps to torn ligaments and dislocations. Some of the above mentioned injuries can really put one out for an extended period of time in which even walking would be a challenge. So it’s safe to say that if you can’t afford to take time off from work or sports, walking would be a much less haphazard activity to choose over running.
This is all from me today, folks! I’ll be pumping out more articles for your reading pleasure more and more frequently. In the meantime, hesitate not to comment below on your thoughts and experiences related to the article or even start a new topic on our GetDocSays Discussion Forum! Cheers and have a great Tuesday!
by Thiiban
Ambiverted thinker with a big heart and big dreams. Chronically clumsy but always emotionally aware. I truly believe that with every great opportunity comes great responsibility to do great things. View all articles by Thiiban.
