What is Cozy Cardio?
The beauty of comfortable cardio, for people who don’t like the structure and rigidity of more traditional fitness programs, is that it can be whatever you want it to be. The whole point of comfortable cardio is that you move your body in a way that makes you feel happy and comfortable, rather than adopting a “no pain, no gain” mentality. According to Zuckerbrow’s videos on the subject, comfortable cardio helped her heal from toxic diet culture and improve your relationship with exercise while losing weight and gaining confidence. “Society puts so much pressure on women to look a certain way, and because of this, many of them have made exercise a punishment, or a way to only work off the calories from the last delicious meal that they ate… or didn’t eat. t,” she said in a TikTok. “Comfortable cardio rewrites all that. Cozy looks different for everyone, but my version is like the ambiance, the lighting, the flicker of a candle, the taste of my favorite protein coffee, or the comfort of the show I’m binging on. I just applied this to my exercise.
The principle reminds us live slowly, another concept that has gained traction on TikTok and involves slowing down and focusing on appreciating the little things in your day that you might otherwise neglect, rather than succumbing to societal pressure to participate in a mode of hectic life. This could involve incorporating mindfulness into your routine, spending more time on hobbies you really enjoy or getting out into nature and away from your phone. Basically, do things that make you feel good.
What do fitness professionals think of Cozy Cardio?
Heuisler, for one, agrees, telling us, “The goal of fitness is to get people moving, so we don’t need to define what is and isn’t a workout in terms of concerns movement. Adding that we have become more sedentary overall, he notes: “Whether someone goes out to walk their dog or mows the lawn for their daily ‘workout,’ we should celebrate their movement, without judging whether their activities constitute or not “training”. training.’ » He also thinks comfortable cardio could be a stepping stone for people who might not gravitate toward more aggressive forms of exercise to move their bodies. “If comfortable cardio gives someone who was struggling to find the motivation to get off the couch new inspiration to move, then I’m a fan of it. Let’s practice adding small, improved habits to our daily regimen as a way to live a healthier life.
What are some ways to try comfortable cardio?
As we mentioned, comfortable cardio is more of a wellness philosophy than a strict set of guidelines and rules. Nonetheless, here are some examples of ways to try the trend:
- Put on a comfy outfit, queue up your favorite podcast, and take your dog for a longer walk than usual.
- Set the mood in your living room by lighting candles or dimming the lights and follow a gentle yoga flow on YouTube.
- If you have a treadmill or easily transportable treadmillset it in front of your TV and walk (at the pace that suits you) while watching your favorite show or movie.
As Heuisler concludes: “What comfortable cardio allows you to do is have empathy for people who don’t know where to start or who feel stuck. It’s a safe and gentle way to open the door for anyone wanting to add more movement to their daily routine. And here’s the thing: any movement is better than no movement; Just because you’re not sprinting up and down a hill or doing as many burpees as your legs are made of cement doesn’t mean you’re not doing great things for your body and mind . And who knows, maybe your candlelit at-home yoga sessions will lead to a more robust practice as you become more comfortable.
