A lot of people dread doing cardio. It can be tiring, difficult and leave you feeling detured instead of motivated. Recently, "Cozy Cardio," a social media fitness trend started by Hope Zuckerbrow, encourages people to walk or do low-impact cardio in comfortable clothes and a cozy environment. People can use a walking pad and put on their favorite TV show, or dance to their favorite music with mood lighting. This more gentle approach to cardio makes exercise enjoyable and accessible.
There are many benefits to cozy cardio. It can be a great way to find joy in fitness again or help someone get started on their fitness journey from the comfort of their own home.
The physical benefits of cozy cardio will depend on your current fitness level if you do other physical activity, the amount of time you do this cardio, and at what intensity.
If you are a beginner to exercise or getting back into a fitness routine, it is a good way to incorporate movement into your life. Many studies show getting in more steps can improve your overall health and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
If you’re someone who wants to get into running, or back into running, starting with cozy cardio can be a nice way to introduce walking and running in a comfortable environment.
The other nice thing about cozy cardio is that it puts a stop to the long-standing attitude in the fitness industry of “no pain, no gain” or “no days off” and it makes getting into fitness very unapproachable for the average person. The mentality that moving your body to just reach a goal can also be intimidating and make someone feel defeated before they get started. Cozy cardio focuses on making exercise enjoyable and fun - there isn’t a wrong way to do it. This makes it something people actually want to do. Anything that helps people get active in a sustainable way is exciting and good for the overall fitness community.
A lot of my clients are interested in fun ways to be physically active and this gives them another option. Cozy cardio takes a lot of the pressure out of exercising because it focuses on being comfortable and getting in movement to simply feel good. This is a healthy way to approach fitness and can help build a sustainable exercise habit.
Have you tried cozy cardio?