A number of institutions, including the American Heart Association, provide guidelines for healthy living. They advise that adults should get regular cariovasular exercise. Most of these guidelines recommend that adults participate in moderately intense cardio exercise for at least 30 minutes per day, for five days a week. Moderately instense cardio is considered anything that raises the heart rate while still allowing an individual to have a conversation.

For those who can handle a harder workout, guidelines say that intense cardio workouts require only 20 minutes for 3 days each week. But even 20 minutes a day can be a challenge for many. One good thing to know is that these workouts can be broken up into 10 minute segments, as long as each one is intense – raising the heart beat and breaking a sweat.

Exercise can also be incorporated into a busy lifestyle by getting creative and doing some planning. For instance, setting a schedule and sticking to it can help most people meet the goal of exercising for 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week. Make exercise as routine as eating and sleeping.

Keep in mind that cardio exercise doesn’t necessarily require expensive equipment or a gym membership. Just going for a brisk walk or taking the stairs at work can help you reach your cardio goals.

Beyond these tips, remember that exercise needs to be fun. Make cardio workouts a social event if necessary, exercising with your family or friends at specific times each week. Doing this can help you enourage others, including your children, to live a healhier lifestyle. It can also increase social ties and provide stress relief in ways that solo exercise cannot, providing additional benefits to an already healthy activity.