For many people, attaining financial and social success is the ultimate goal of life. However, we also have to realize that maintaining and improving one's health is essential to a high quality of life. Your heart's health is a treasure that has to be cherished, maintained, and improved throughout life by constant cardio fitness workout and exercise.

So, here are three main goals people may pursue, when exercising :

&bullImproving heart health;

&bullLosing weight (fat);

&bullGaining weight (muscle).

Let us take a closer look at each of them and see how cardio fitness routine can help in attaining each of these goals.

&bullImproving your heart's health

First of all, before starting any heart exercises you need to learn what your present heart condition is. It is best to consult your doctor before you start any new rigorous activity. The duration, intensity and frequency of your cardio workouts will depend on your physical shape.

The general guidelines for health improving cardio fitness are the following: the duration of your exercises should be 20 - 40 minutes per workout. You may do three or four sessions per week.

It would be better to stick with moderate intensity fitness. Doing your exercises you should run out of breathe too soon. You should simply start breathing deeper and deeper as your lungs and heart begin to function better.

&bullLosing weight

Low intensity cardio fitness would suit those who wish to lose fat, especially if you have lots of extra weight. In this case, your heart is already overstrained and you should not overload it with much workout. Losing weight and reducing the amount of fat in your body lightens the load on your heart and reduces the strain on your cardiovascular system. Walking, swimming, and other low intensity workouts that raise your heart rate slightly are best for those who have been inactive for long periods or for some reason are not in full health.

Besides, some research estimates that low intensity cardio exercise can burn some 10 percent more calories than the high intensity workout programs.

Your cardio workout sessions may last for 20 - 40 minutes. As to the frequency, it can be 3 - 5 times a week. Though, at first it would be the best to start with minimal load of 20 minutes sessions thrice a week. You will feel some discomfort at the very beginning, which is normal. However, if you feel any pain in your muscles or bones then you should restrain from working out until you are fully healed. Repeated exercise will strain your muscles, bones, and ligaments, which need to be stretched and built up before they are fully capable of bearing the strain of a rigourous workout.

&bullGaining weight

Even though cardio fitness is more recommended for people who try to lose weight, it can also be useful and improve the health of those who are trying to gain weight or muscle mass. If you are underweight or have very little muscle mass then your heart and lungs are most likely not functioning efficiently. Building muscle mass requires your heart to pump blood throughout the body and helps improve your cardiovascular system by distributing blood through all parts of your body. The process of building muscle mass creates chemical byproducts that are removed by the blood through the kidneys and liver. This cleansing cycle helps improve blood flow and helps maintain the elasticity of the circulatory system.

In this case, you should minimize your cardio workouts to 20 minutes per session twice a week. Chose low intensity exercises for your workouts. This way cardio fitness will not affect you in respect of gaining weight, but it will help heart to stay healthy as your muscles and bones regenerate and grow stronger. Cardio workouts will improve your lung function and the rate at which oxygen is delivered to your body. Resistance and Strength training relies on proper lung function and a strong heart to ensure that your body can handle the strain.

As you see, cardio fitness may help you to maintain your body in excellent physical shape, to improve your heart health and help you lose some extra pounds. The most important thing is to take action now. Don't worry about joining a health club or buying any products. Go take a walk, or simply go to the mall and do some window shopping. As you begin, any activity can be exercise. Just make sure you are up and moving about, and stay active!