How long is good for aerobic exercise?

Nowadays, more and more people like to do sports, because we think that as long as we exercise more, our body will be healthy. But don’t forget an old Chinese saying that everything will turn into its opposite when it reaches its extreme, and the same is true for sports. Doing proper exercise is helpful to our health, but if we exercise too much and exceed our body's load, it will cause harm to our body. So, how much aerobic exercise is reasonable?

By the late 1980s, cross-training emerged and became mainstream, ushering aerobic exercise into the third stage. Exercise physiologists recommend that we perform both aerobic and strength training because it can improve cardiovascular health, control body fat, and increase muscle mass and bone density at the same time. Although this dual-training method has long been proven to be an ideal way to maintain body shape and build muscle, there are still many misunderstandings about aerobic exercise in society. Let's take a look at eight common myths about aerobic fitness and set the record straight.

Fact: Combining aerobic exercise with strength training is the best way to keep body fat at an ideal level. Many people mistakenly believe that aerobic exercise alone is most effective for controlling and reducing body fat for two reasons. ⑦ Aerobic exercise first consumes fat, while strength training consumes sugar stored in the body: ② Within the set heart rate range, 45 minutes of aerobic exercise consumes more calories than strength training of the same duration. Strength training, which requires rest between each set, consumes much fewer calories.

Indeed, during aerobic exercise, the body consumes stored body fat as fuel; in fact, glycogen in the body (in the blood, muscles and liver) is also consumed at the same time. Studies show that during the first 20 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. (reaching an intensity of 65% of the maximum heart rate), most of the body consumes glycogen. Yes, 45 minutes of aerobic exercise burns more calories than the same amount of strength training (at the same intensity). However, those who have increased their muscle mass will have a higher resting metabolic rate, so even when they are resting, the calories they consume in a day will also increase significantly. It is estimated that for every 0.5 kg of muscle gained, the body can consume an additional 50 to 100 kcal of calories per day. For a person who has gained 5 kilograms of muscle, this means burning 500-1000 kcal more per day, or 3500-7000 kcal more per week.

The reason is this: aerobic exercise can achieve the purpose of burning calories, but it cannot increase the metabolic rate for a long time. Although strength training cannot increase heart rate for a long time, it increases the total muscle mass, thereby increasing the metabolic rate and allowing people to consume more calories even when resting. That's why combining aerobic exercise with strength training is the best way to lose weight.

When it comes to exercise, everyone must make their own exercise plan based on their own situation. Don't think that as long as you do more exercise than others, you will be healthier than others. Exercise is like learning. We must have our own methods and never blindly follow the crowd.