export_ofoct.com

[00:00.14] A new kind of exercise idea is becoming popular in the United States.

[00:07.32] Social media is bringing attention to “cozy cardio.”

[00:12.63] It means doing light cardiovascular exercise at home.

[00:17.94] Physical inactivity is a problem in the United States.

[00:22.72] The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says 25 percent of Americans reported they had not done any physical activity in the past month.

[00:38.92] The CDC says that one in two American adults do not get enough cardiovascular exercise.

[00:47.69] Inactivity can have serious health effects.

[00:51.67] So, many Americans are looking to develop a new exercise habit.

[00:58.31] “Cozy cardio” has gained popularity as an easy and painless way to increase physical activity levels.

[01:07.61] This method of calorie burning has gained popularity on TikTok and Instagram ever since a woman named Hope Zuckerbrow began posting videos in late 2022.

[01:22.48] Cozy cardio involves walking in place by using a small treadmill or “walking pad.”

[01:30.45] No gym payments are involved.

[01:33.38] “I get so many messages from men and women – so many people – saying something along the lines of ‘thank you so much for…flipping my mindset on what I thought exercise is supposed to be,’” Zuckerbrow said.

[01:50.91] “This feels so doable.”

[01:53.83] Supporters say what is important about “cozy cardio” is the setup.

[01:59.94] You wear comfortable clothes and organize your environment to your liking.

[02:05.25] You can light candles, have a healthy drink, or even put on a favorite TV show or movie.

[02:13.22] Alex Montoye of Alma College said, for some people, easy exercise such as “cozy cardio” could help them develop an exercise habit.

[02:26.50] Montoye said for people who would otherwise watch TV while sitting, walking can help them make progress.

[02:34.73] That is especially true if exercise becomes a habit.

[02:39.25] People struggle to make healthy habits last over time.

[02:44.03] That is why cozy exercise is such a good idea, said Catherine Sanderson of Amherst College in Massachusetts.

[02:54.13] She wrote the health book, The Positive Shift: Mastering Mindset to Improve Happiness, Health, and Longevity.

[03:03.95] “It fits in with a lot of what we know about how to get people to actually maintain behavior change,” Sanderson said.

[03:13.52] Along with removing the barriers to exercise, she said, “It very much relies on what psychologists would call positive reinforcement — the idea of, ’It’s not just that I’m exercising…I’m tapping into something I want to be doing already.”

[03:34.23] As cozy cardio becomes more popular, Zuckerbrow said she hears from people who did not realize they could enjoy easy exercise.

[03:45.39] Alyssa Royse, owner of Rocket Community Fitness in Seattle, has been mixing workouts at her gym and cozy exercise at home.

[03:56.28] Some days she turns off the sound on her Peloton exercise bicycle and watches TV because it takes her “brain somewhere else.”

[04:06.64] “Too many people look at exercise as an all-or-nothing thing,” Royse said.

[04:12.48] “It doesn’t give people room to just be where they are today. And I think that’s incredibly important.”