No “magic bullet” food item instantly boosts cardiovascular fitness; in the world of sports medicine, these items are usually known as “performance-enhancing agents.”

Food that allows you to make it through an aerobic workout without feeling inadequate usually involves a relatively large amount of carbohydrates, which permits the largest amount of glycogen storage possible. It’s also important to consume sufficient amounts of protein to ensure that muscle repair and growth can take place normally after a workout.

Although it’s tempting to buy into the claims of any number of health supplements that say they instantly boost cardiovascular performance, a more realistic (and probably more affordable) approach is to avoid heavily processed foods. In contrast to processed foods, foods made from scratch are denser, nutritionally speaking, and easier to digest.

One food item that can help cardiovascular performance is legumes. These include beans, lentils, and peas. Typically, legumes contain high amounts of iron, which red blood cells require to be able to carry oxygen throughout the body. Additionally, legumes regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, and they are protein-rich, combining to produce energy that can be sustained over a longer duration.

A complex carbohydrate, such as oatmeal, is another key component to ensuring a steady supply of energy for an aerobic workout. Unprocessed oatmeal requires a longer digestion time. This means that unlike simple carbohydrates such as plain sugar, the prolonged digestion releases the energy in oatmeal more slowly, ensuring steady blood sugar levels in the course of a grueling workout.

The taste of plain oatmeal can be unpalatable, which is why it’s a good thing it may be combined with peanut butter. Peanuts are high in monounsaturated fats, “fats” being the reason they are approached with caution; however, monounsaturated fats are the “good” fats that feature prominently in Mediterranean cooking. Additionally, fat is calorie-dense and is digested slowly, providing a source of sustained energy. Thus, adding some peanut butter to your oatmeal will not only improve the taste, but it will help you through your workout as well.

Like push ups, jumping jacks are a basic form of exercise. They’re easy to do, and they don’t require equipment or much space, but for some reason, you tend not to hear a lot about their usefulness as a cardio exercise outside of school. As far as an aerobic workout goes, 1 jumping jack (or 10) is no problem. The trick is maintaining correct form and keeping your spine straight while doing up to 30 of them in one set.

Continuing with activities more frequently seen in the playground, a jump rope is a good piece of equipment to have for days you don’t want to go out. Boxers certainly make it look easy, but it can be extremely challenging to jump the rope 30 times or for 10 minutes. Newcomers to the activity are advised to start out by jumping the rope with both feet, while those who have built up the coordination and stamina for it can attempt jumping with alternate feet, and/or crossing their arms while jumping the rope.

Remember when kids used to play hopscotch? Me neither. Even so, the hopscotch action is actually a good way to work up a sweat. Rather than hopping the length of a room or for 1 minute on one foot (and back) though, you hop forward with both feet shoulder-width apart and land on one leg, then take another hop forward, but land on both feet. From this position, you hop forward to land with the second leg, taking another forward hop to land on both feet.

Sometimes, a major hindrance to weight loss efforts is the weight itself. Even though eating less is certainly a good start, movements that are ordinarily routine and easy become encumbered by excess weight, and a person might feel that this difficulty means that there is no point to changing their routine; however, it is important to remember that the human body was built to move, and that as overweight as a person is, some degree of physical activity remains achievable.

Certainly, those who are considered obese must consult their doctor before embarking on a cardio routine. Whether you’re grossly overweight or “just” really out of shape, sudden, intense, and frequent exertion can lead to weight-bearing joints (knees, hips), that have grown unaccustomed to such activity, being injured.

In such instances, look to other forms of aerobic exercise that don’t exert much pressure on the joints. One example would be to exercise in a swimming pool, or start out slowly with short slow walks once daily.

At the very least, a short walk should be 5 minutes long, and the person can gradually increase the duration by 1 to 2 minutes. Again, if being “down to earth” stresses your knees too much, the same activity can be carried out in a pool until you lose enough weight and/or gain enough strength to work out on land again. Whatever your approach to the return to fitness, aim for consistency, eat healthfully, exercise regularly, and gradually increase your amount of exertion.

1) Hydration – When to have an extra water bottle? If you are working out at the gym, this is a no brainer. It certainly doesn’t hurt to have a water bottle parked by your treadmill or elliptical trainer. But I would hold off on drinking until you hit your workout cooldown or at least the 45 minute mark. The same goes if you are out for a run; you don’t need to carry water if you are going to be out for less than an hour. Why? As long as you are hydrated before your run and have access to water immediately after, you should be fine. If you know you cover a lot of ground in an hour, you may want to consider carrying a bit with you, but for the most part, you should be able to make it through.

Personally I find a water belt can get a bit heavy and irritating during a long run. If I am running a longer loop, I might throw my water bottle in a bush and pick it up after the first round, but usually I just save it for the end.

2) Powerbar or Gel – Again, like water, you don’t really need a powerbar, gel, or even a banana until after your shorter run. These help you push through the wall, but hopefully you won’t be hitting the wall if you are only out for a 5K jog.

That said, when I had some blood sugar issues, I spent time running with an extra power bar even for my shorter runs. I had recently lost a lot of weight and occasionally felt my blood sugar plummet and leave me feeling faint at the end of a run, and this little kick was the difference between me crawling home and me running home. Mostly, you should listen to your body and what it says about you needing an extra kick along the route.

If you are a new or amateur runner, your best bet for hydration and refueling is to do so after your run. Enjoy your water and banana after your stretch and before your shower. If you are starting to test your longer runs and are nervous or uncertain, bring along what you think you might need and give it a test drive, but wait for food until you start feeling like you need it. Otherwise you could bother your stomach.

Running on sand actually inflicts a lower impact on the joints than hard surfaces do. It is advisable to start out on wet sand as this is usually firmer and flatter, thus presenting none of the abrupt shifts and unevenness you would find with dry sand. It’s gentler on bare feet too. Running on wet sand first is important to help become accustomed to uneven, unstable terrain, which can prevent you from pulling a muscle or spraining an ankle.

Other than giving your joints a respite, running on the beach actually gives you more of a workout. Sand is an extremely yielding surface, so your feet sink in it with each step you take, even when you’re running on wet sand.

This has the effect of forcing you to make more effort to maintain the fluid running form to which you’re accustomed. Thus, you have to work harder to cover the distance, which translates into greater cardiovascular exertion (and a half-decent reason to have two more pancakes at breakfast later).

In addition to making you work harder to move forward, sand also challenges your ability to balance. Putting aside the momentary instability that comes after watching the waves for too long, sand shifts under your feet as you move, presenting another challenge (staying upright) in addition to the extra effort you must put in to move ahead.

A body that is required to maintain its usual posture on an unusual surface is forced to call on resources that are not normally used. This is generally described as “muscles you didn’t even know you had until you had to use them.” The muscles that are typically not used to support posture and balance, even though that’s what they’re there for, are called into play. This results in a workout that requires more exertion and effort, thus making it more effective.

Here are a few things I try to do to keep things exciting at the gym. The best thing for me is to keep the variety and shake it up every few workouts. Sometimes this is tough, since I am tired at the end of the day, but often it is worth it because I get a ton of new found energy.

Circuit training – An old favorite, this is just the basic method of switching from exercise bike, to elliptical, to treadmill every five to fifteen minutes. Sometimes it is a little easier to push if you know you only have three more minutes left to go. Also it can be nice to have a change of scenery.

Work-out podcast – I downloaded a few Itrain podcasts years ago, and once in a while throwing on an Itrain elliptical training podcast – with a personal trainer telling what setting you should have on the elliptical or treadmill or bike – and cheering you on as you go, can be good motivation. I find these do get annoying if I do them too often. It’s nice to hear I am awesome sometimes, but after awhile I want to tell them to shut up.

Up and down, fast and slow – Easy even without a special podcast. Watch the clock and decide to set your pace as high as you can go for two minutes, then take it down, then push for two minutes, then lower again. Shake it up every 2 minutes. This keeps things interesting and keeps you alert.

Join a class – If you aren’t taking a regular spinning, treadmill, or aerobics class, it is a great way to get a little more motivation and push yourself. Even if you aren’t really into classes – like me – it can give you some new ideas to freshen up your old workout. You don’t have to go every week, just now and then.

Try a new machine – I was afraid of the rowing machines for a long time. Then I gave one a try. It was actually fun. It helps build upper arm strength, and it gives you a cool breeze while you work out. My gym recently added a skiing machine as well. You pull these two bands repetitively while you squat down. It is supposed to give you a cardio workout. I haven’t tried it yet, but I know it will definitely help me when I get bored next time.

Remember, if things are getting stale, your workout isn’t giving you as much as it could. Freshening things up can be good not just for your mental health, but for your physical health as well.

Slides, also known as sidestepping, involve putting your feet together, taking a wide step sideways, and then bringing the trailing foot back beside the leading foot. The distance to slide is the same as that of the length of a tennis court (78 feet), and back again while facing the opposite direction to switch leading feet. If this seems too far, try sliding the width of a tennis court, which spans 36 feet.

Also sideways, the carioca sees the person going sideways down the length of a tennis court at a constant speed. The trailing foot crosses in front of and then behind the leading foot as the leading foot steps to the left (or right, depending on which you prefer). Again, this traverses the length of a tennis court, and you use a different foot to lead back up the court.

An apparent extension of the reverse lunge, with some difficulty thrown in, angle slides see the person starting out with their back facing the intended end point. The person then slides 2 times backwards at a 45° angle to the left (or right), and again to the opposite direction, down the length of a court.

There’s also the wedel, for which you make small jumps to cover a total distance of 36 feet. These jumps are made with more of a sideways motion than forward, while keeping the feet together.

The slide and sprint should be carried out with another person, although it’s also possible to do it alone. As the term suggests, it involves sliding and sprinting. Starting as a regular slide down the “court,” the 2 people turn to face the other direction when one person says “turn.” The pair slides along until the same person says “sprint,” following which they will run forward until the first person says, “slide.” The 2 people then face one another and slide to the end of the court.

I know an aerobics class, a step class, or even Zumba would be a great way to help with my cardio, but I usually just feel uncoordinated and clumsy. The whole class seems to dance to the left, and I am heading towards the right. I spend too much time being self-conscious, and it ruins the meditative nature of working out which brings me not only better stamina, but also better peace of mind.

So when my good friend started to push me to attend a spinning class with her, I hemmed and hawed and gave my usual excuses. “I hate classes,” and “I don’t do exercise bikes.” But she didn’t give up, so we made a date for one class on a Saturday morning.

When the morning arrived, I hoped for sun and good weather, so I could make an excuse to hit the trails rather than the gym, but no go. There was black ice everywhere, and that is when I am actually most likely to stay indoors.

I took my place on the spinning bike and tried to fight the negative thoughts in my head. The seat was terribly uncomfortable. The bike, even though it was a bit different than a standard exercise bike, was still a bike to nowhere.

But then the instructor took her place on the bike in front of the class and the music started – I fell in love.

Spinning class has everything I look for in a good run – there is room for me to mentally focus on the work-out, there is someone pushing me to go faster and work harder, there is music to help keep up the pace and even better, there is a big group of people fighting along side you.

Unlike a regular gym class, I didn’t have to remember a series of movements, I didn’t need to be concerned with not bumping into other people and staring at the weird jiggle my belly makes in the mirror. Instead I could focus on me and my workout.

After 75 minutes, I was exhausted, sweaty, and feeling incredible. And I was hooked.

So for all of you out there dreading the gym this winter and avoiding classes like the plague, take a chance on spinning. When you are back to hitting the pavement when the snow and ice melts, you will be right where you left off, or maybe even the slightest bit faster.

As the name suggests, an HRM monitors your heart rate. Most can be paired with training watches to provide real-time updates on your heart rate during cardiovascular activity. Combined with stored information on your weight, height, age, and gender, an HRM serves to create a more accurate picture of how hard you’re working out, and if you can push yourself further.

Those who exercise for fitness would use the data gathered by an HRM to monitor the intensity of their cardiovascular activity. For example, an HRM would make it easier for a runner to check if she is within 65% of her maximum heart rate rather than by manually checking her pulse. In turn, this enables the runner to track her cardiovascular fitness level and refine her runs to achieve the goals she has set for cardiovascular fitness.

For those who tend to become too immersed in their cardiovascular routine, an HRM prevents them from pushing themselves too hard, i.e., overtraining. Monitoring your heart rate during rest days ensures that the cardiovascular system is given adequate rest, which translates into a lower risk of fatigue or sustaining injuries related to overtraining.

Conversely, you might want to use an HRM if you’re the sort who is prone to not working out hard enough. Rather than hiring a trainer to tell you that you’re running too slowly, the HRM will perform the same function, but without the yelling. In order for HRM use to be effective though, you should first define a threshold heart rate, and the HRM will alert you if your heart rate drops below this during a cardio workout, following which you should increase the intensity of the workout.

Generally, the people who truly need an HRM are those who must maintain a particular heart rate because they have a medical condition that necessitates it, and athletes who want to maximize their training efficacy. For the dedicated exerciser, an HRM is an excellent means of keeping track of one’s fitness progress.

My doctor recommended hitting the pool. Thanks to an easily removable boot cast, this wasn’t completely out of the question. The only problem? I have never been a strong swimmer, and I wasn’t sure I could get a good workout just doing slow laps back and forth doing the breaststroke.

Here’s what I learned from the experience:

*Take it easy! You are injured, so give your body time to heal.

*It will take time to build up the strength to be able to swim well, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t getting a good cardio workout.

*You don’t need to be out of breath to get a good workout. Just like when you are out for a jog, you should be able to hold a conversation, or in this case, breathe without drinking down the pool.

*Try other strokes. I hated doing the crawl, but now I find it very relaxing.

*If you can’t get very far, take some time to just tread water.

*It will get better – you felt this way about running once, too.

These days I am, thankfully, back on my feet. After four weeks of swimming, I mixed in a short elliptical session, and transitioned over to more elliptical work before picking up running again.

Despite my hesitation and lack of speed, swimming helped me to maintain my stamina. I picked up my workouts on the elliptical almost exactly where I left off, and eventually hit the pavement without seeing too much change in my physical abilities.

Not only was I able to maintain good speed and challenging workouts, I also built a great deal of upper body strength.

These days I still keep up my swimming habit, but only about once every two weeks, rather than the three-four days a week I was doing it when my injury was new. If you are an injured runner worrying about losing your stamina because you are sidelined due to injury, don’t be afraid to hit the pool.