The cold sets in, the days get shorter, the transition to winter time approaches and even with all the good will in the world, the motivation to go to the gym at the end of your work day can falter. To start (or continue) physical activity from the comfort of your home, why not try the cozy cardio ? This new vision of physical exercise combines efficiency and relaxation by practicing sport at home, in a relaxing environment. The term “cozy cardio” was notably popularized by the American influencer Hope Zuckerbrow who has collected more than 34 million likes on her TikTok videos where she exercises for thirty minutes in her living room lit by dim lights and candles, while sipping coffee in front of the TV.
Questioned by the American media CNNHope Zuckerbrow explains that this practice allowed her to “heal your relationship with physical exercise”after many difficulties following strict training programs and diets. “Exercise was no longer fun and I was only moving to lose weight, not to feel good or be healthy so I wanted to bring joy back to movement”, she added. And his idea of mix moderate physical activity and relaxation at home was a success: his first TikTok video on the subject garnered 400,000 views, thus popularizing cozy cardio. “This training method has several advantages, especially for people who do not feel very confident going to the gym or who lack the motivation to physically go there during the colder months”, according to Kyle Risley, a fitness expert from the company LiftVault.
Cozy cardio: a workout that is easy to implement and good for your health
Beyond the practicality of this home workout, cozy cardio would also provide many health benefits. “Tfinding an accessible way for people to start practicing physical activity is a great thing because the more steps you take, the more you limit the risk of death from all causes.” affirmed to the media CNN Nick Occhipinti, fitness expert and professor of anatomy at Rutgers University Newark.
Indeed, numerous studies have demonstrated that regular physical activity, even moderate, significantly reduces mortality, which is why the Ministry of Health recommends that adults practice at least 30 minutes of moderate to high intensity physical activity. at least 5 days a week. “Walking on a treadmill for long periods of time is also a form of cardiovascular endurance that can help extend lifespan while by improving the quality of sleep and fighting against diseases”, specifies Kyle Risley.
Cozy cardio would not be sufficient physical activity in the long term according to experts
But cozy cardio also allows you to get your body used to regular physical exercise, which can be increased over time. “It’s good to have that initial momentum because just getting the endorphins and adrenaline going will make it easier to get into a more regular routine and a more intense level of exercise”, explained to CNN David Sabgir, cardiologist at Ohio Health Physician Group. Indeed, cozy cardio cannot be considered sufficient physical activity to maintain good health according to experts. “If cardio is the first step to higher intensity, that’s great, but if that’s all you do and you think it’s enough, that’s a mistake”, Nick Occhinpinti told CNN.
For experts, we should not be content with cozy cardio at home but use it to improve our physical performance, little by little. According to Nick Occhinpinti, “Exercise doesn’t have to mean dripping sweat and racing heart, but you have to get to a point where you’re working hard enough to elicit fitness adaptations.“. “The ideal is to move your training sessions outdoors “ for David Sabgir who also highlights the benefits of group sport. Cozy cardio would therefore be a good alternative to get into sport particularly during this autumn period, but this trend should be coupled with more intense physical activity to have real lasting health benefits.
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