Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise can be defined as "any activitity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously, and is rhythmic in nature."(American College of Sports Medicine, ACSM)

Aerobic means with oxygen and refers to the use of oxygen in muscle's energy-generating process. In this exercise, oxygen is used to burn fats and glucose in order to produce ATP which is the basic energy carrier for all cells. Initially during aerobic exercise, glycogen is broken down to its monomer which we call as glucose, but when glycogen is absence, fat metabolism is initiated instead thus fat will take over glucose to produce energy. By this way, aerobic exercise can help lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.

Aerobic exercise conditions the heart and lungs by increasing the oxygen available to the body.
Breathing is faster and more deeply, this maximizes the amount of oxygen in the blood stream. The heart will also beat faster to pumps blood faster and more forcefully in order to produce energy and deliver oxygen more effectively to the rest of the body. Besides that, capillaries (small blood vessels) will widen to deliver more oxygen to muscles and carry away waste products such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid. To facilitate the transport of oxygen thoughout the body, total number of red blood cells in the body will increase. Furthermore, body will release endorphins which plays a role as natural painkillers that promote an increased sense of well-being.

Aerobic exercise can provide health properties to body. It can reduce health risks such as obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type-2 diabetes, stroke, certain type of cancer and able to activates the immune system. Weight-bearing aerobic exercise (walking) can reduce the risk of osteoporosis. It can also reduce the buildup of plaques in arteries by increasing the concentration of HDL ( good cholesterol ) and decreasing the LDL ( bad cholesterol). Over the long term, aerobic exercise can increase body stamina and reduce fatigue and even can keep muscles strong which helps maintain mobility as we get older. Moreover, it can keep the mind sharp.

Researchers said that at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three days a week can reduce cognitive decline in older adults. So let us invest 30 minutes a day in aerobic exercise in order to live longer and healthier.

There are many ways to achieve aerobic fitness:
* walking
* aerobic dance
* swimming
* bicycling
* jogging
* running
* dancing
* aquatic exercise
* cross-country skiing
* rowing
* stair climbing
* elliptical training
* hiking

Check with your doctor first before you begin the aerobic exercise if you have a chronic condition, overweight, a smoker, middle aged or older and have never exercised.