Why keeping your heart healthy is as important if not more important than growing your biceps
Keep your heart healthy as you age!
It is so important that as well as strengthening our muscles, joints and overall body that we spend time improving our cardiovascular fitness. Making our vital organs healthy is only going to benefit us in the long run and prolong your life. The amount of people that forget that your heart and lungs are still a muscle and it is a good thing to get yourself out of breath every now and ten. It reminds them they have to keep working to adapt to the different stimulus they are facing each day. I am not talking about working so hard that you can’t catch your breath and faint, just simply enough to put you out of your comfort zone.
If we can do this consistently you will become significantly fitter and you will notice the difference in many different aspects of your life. You will be able to do those walks you do without getting out of breath so easily, you will be able to play with your grandkids and run around with them, you will significantly reduce the likelihood of developing any cardiovascular diseases (heart disease), the chances of developing type 2 diabetes will be significantly reduced too.
I don’t really know what more motivation you need to get yourself out of breath every now and then, whether that be walking, running, swimming, cycling or hiking. Pair this alongside some resistance training (2-3 times per week) and you will change the course of your life and your ability to life a better quality life will increase drastically.
We often spend too much time focusing on the aesthetics of working out, having big biceps or a big chest seems to take precedent over something that will prolong our life. I am not saying you can’t train for bigger biceps or a bigger chest, but you need to make sure you aren’t neglecting your cardiovascular fitness for a bigger bicep. You won’t live longer because you have a bigger bicep, it is your heart and other organs that are going to keep the blood pumping round your body and keeping you alive.
A few pointers for you to help you on your way in looking after your heart:
- Understand your health - don't be afraid to get regular check ups from your doctor, some illnesses/diseases can hide very well and appear out of nowhere
- Cut down unhealthy habits - This is much easier said than done but if you can cut down your unhealthy habits such as smoking/alcohol consumption/fast food consumption and replace it with healthier alternatives, you again are going to improve your overall health and prolong your life
- Maintain a healthy heart - Eat a well balanced diet that provides things such as omega-3 fatty acids
- Get your heart pumping - This is the same rule for your skeletal muscles - 'if you don't use it you lose it'. Get your heart pumping through exercise as this helps our blood vessels relax, which allows blood to flow more efficiently.
- Lower stress levels - This is can be one of the tougher ones to do in todays day and age even though it is the most simple. Take time to relax and do activities that you enjoy doing.
If you want to get started with a new training regime and are unsure how or where to start, just drop me a message using the link below. I am more than happy to help in any way I can and answer any questions you may have.