Cardiorespiratory fitness, when combined with muscle endurance, strength, body composition and flexibility make up the five most crucial components of physical health and fitness. Often referred to as aerobic, endurance or cardio exercise, cardiorespiratory activities, this form of exercise relies upon the ability of your body to provide yourself with enough oxygen to engage in sustained exercise.

When you do regular cardiorespiratory exercise, your lungs, heart and circulatory system work more effectively to deliver oxygen-rich blood to the muscles of your body. There are a wide range of activities you can choose from for this exercise, including biking, running, swimming, dancing and circuit training. Of course, choosing something that you enjoy will motivate you more effectively to stick to your program. So what are the benefits of good cardiorespiratory fitness?

Increased Life Span

Even if you’re already at a healthy weight level for your height and age, cardiorespiratory fitness is an essential part of maintaining your overall health. According to studies conducted within the United States, men who had poor levels of cardio fitness were far more likely to die from numerous causes (twice as likely), than those who were cardio-fit.

Decreased Risk of Diabetes

Researchers in Michigan published a paper regarding the health benefits of regular cardiorespiratory exercise in a journal for the Mayo clinic. The paper confirmed that a lack of aerobic fitness in individuals can prompt negative changes in the metabolic system that in turn may lead to type 2 diabetes. Experts maintain that by engaging in regular cardiorespiratory activity, you can improve your glucose regulation, and insulin sensitivity, thereby reducing your diabetes risk.

Better Bone Health

By engaging in moderate aerobic activities such as jogging or swimming for up to 150 minutes every week, you may be able to avoid suffering from various bone complications, including hip fractures. According to the centers for disease control and prevention, exercising in such a way helps to maintain the strength of your bones by slowing the rate at which bone density is lost.

Reduced Chance of Metabolic Syndrome

Regular workouts regarding endurance can be helpful in preventing metabolic syndrome, according to the CDC. Metabolic syndrome can be recognized as a combination of medical conditions including excess waist fat, high blood pressure and high levels of cholesterol and blood sugar. The condition can put you at risk of developing diabetes early, because it makes your cells more resistant to insulin. You may also find that heart complications can occur as a side effect of metabolic syndrome, such as strokes or heart disease.

Promotes Weight Loss

According to a number of experts, dancing, running and swimming are some of the best endurance exercises for helping you to burn more calories and lose excess weight. Usually, a single pound of fat can be equated to around three thousand five hundred calories. Thereby, you can lose a pound a week by cutting five hundred calories out of your diet every day. Endurance exercises and cardiorespiratory fitness can help you burn anywhere up to 872 calories an hour, depending on the intensity of the activity or sport, and your initial body weight.