• Increased strength
• Increased lean tissue
• Decreased body fat
• Decreased chance of injury from accidents or falls
• Increased feel good chemicals called endorphins
• Increased energy
• Increased sense of wellness
• Decrease in or potential to getting osteoporosis
• Increased sense of confidence
• Increased libido
• Increase in mental acuity
• Decrease in depression

Cardio is great and it should be a PART of your exercise regiment. Look, fitness is about feeling good, being stronger (not the hulk), having better conditioning, and eating healthy. Those three things will give you the best and quickest results possible.

But why not just cardio you ask? Ok, i'll tell you!

First and foremost, most people who do cardio of some kind, don't know why they do it other than they do it to lose weight or because they like it as their exercise of choice...and that really is great, and they do lose weight. What many don't understand is that if you don't eat the right way for doing only cardio, you'll burn muscle. If you do too much cardio, you'll burn muscle. Cardio does not ADD muscle.

After 45 minutes of most types of exercise at a vigorous rate, your body has depleted all of it's carbohydrates....which is your energy source. So when you go over 45 mins in a high energy class, run or bike event, your body still needs energy. Where does it come from? Most people believe it goes to fat for energy, when in fact, it goes to muscle. Fat is the last thing to be used as energy.

I've personally checked body fat on runners. A man came in who was 145lbs, and thin (notice i didn't say LEAN). He said he runs, he doesn't need weight training, he has no fat. I did a quick Body Fat check on him, and he was 29% body fat. He said my meter was broken! LOL. No, it's called "skinny fat". You can be thin and have high body fat. When you run extensively, if you're diet isn't absolutely correct for that sport, you'll literally lose lean tissue.

So, if we strength train, do moderate cardio, and watch what we eat, we'll be the healthiest and leanest we've ever been. You'll have increased strength almost immediately, you'll have great conditioning, better flexibility and coordination, and you're diet will be much better. You'll start to feel better than you have in your entire life, and you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

There are so many things and opinions out there. You listen to so many it's hard to decide what is correct. Most of us look for the easiest quick fix thing, and we don't really put the thought into it, or listen to the professionals to find out what is best for us. (my next newsletter is on instant gratification, rather than fitness for life)

I'll say it again, Strength train! Cardio! Diet! You'll soon be thinner, stronger, full of energy, and forming brand new habits that will last a lifetime and that will help prevent injury and disease and will keep you looking great in the process.

Come in for your free fitness analysis and find out how you can get all three things working together to be healthy and fit! And remember, being fit isnt being in pain, so when you do workout, make sure you start slowly, and check with your doctor first to ensure you're in proper health and ready to go!