VOA健康报道2024--What Is 'Cozy Cardio?'

What Is 'Cozy¹ Cardio?'

A new kind of exercise idea is becoming popular in the United States. Social media is bringing attention to "cozy cardio." It means doing light cardiovascular exercise at home.

Physical inactivity and "cozy cardio"

Physical inactivity is a problem in the United States. 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.

The CDC says that one in two American adults do not get enough cardiovascular exercise. Inactivity can have serious health effects. So, many Americans are looking to develop a new exercise habit.

Cozy cardio

"Cozy cardio" has gained popularity² as an easy and painless way to increase physical activity levels. 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.

Cozy cardio involves walking in place by using a small treadmill³ or "walking pad."

No gym payments are involved.

"I get so many messages from men and women – so many people – saying something along the lines of ‘thank you so much for...flipping⁵ my mindset on what I thought exercise is supposed to be,'" Zuckerbrow said. "This feels so doable."

Building the habit

Supporters say what is important about "cozy cardio" is the setup.

You wear comfortable clothes and organize your environment to your liking⁶. You can light candles, have a healthy drink, or even put on a favorite TV show or movie.

Alex Montoye of Alma College said, for some people, easy exercise such as "cozy cardio" could help them develop an exercise habit.

Montoye said for people who would otherwise watch TV while sitting, walking can help them make progress. That is especially true if exercise becomes a habit.

People struggle to make healthy habits last over time. That is why cozy exercise is such a good idea, said Catherine Sanderson of Amherst College in Massachusetts. She wrote the health book, The Positive Shift: Mastering Mindset to Improve Happiness, Health, and Longevity⁷.

"It fits in with a lot of what we know about how to get people to actually maintain behavior change," Sanderson said.

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."

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

Alyssa Royse, owner of Rocket Community Fitness⁸ in Seattle, has been mixing workouts at her gym and cozy exercise at home. Some days she turns off the sound on her Peloton exercise bicycle and watches TV because it takes her "brain somewhere else."

"Too many people look at exercise as an all-or-nothing thing," Royse said. "It doesn't give people room to just be where they are today. And I think that's incredibly important."

Words in This Story

cozy – adj. pleasant, warm

cardiovascular –adj. related to the heart and blood vessels⁹ in the body — especially exercises that cause the heart to beat faster

habit – n. something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way

treadmill – n. an exercise machine which has a large belt that moves around while a person walks or runs on it

gym –n. a building, often a business, that contains exercise equipment and space for activities and classes

flip⁴ –v. to turn upside down

rely on – phrasal verb to need (someone or something) for support, help, etc.: to depend on (someone or something)

positive reinforcement – n. (psychology) the process of rewarding good behavior so that it is more likely to be repeated in the future

tap into –v. (phrasal) to make use of something; to get something of value from

1 cozy   

adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的

参考例句：

• I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯，因为他们是舒适的。
• We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。

2 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。

3 treadmill   

n.踏车；单调的工作

参考例句：

• The treadmill has a heart rate monitor.跑步机上有个脉搏监视器。
• Drugs remove man from the treadmill of routine.药物可以使人摆脱日常单调的工作带来的疲劳。

4 flip   

vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的

参考例句：

• I had a quick flip through the book and it looked very interesting.我很快翻阅了一下那本书，看来似乎很有趣。
• Let's flip a coin to see who pays the bill.咱们来抛硬币决定谁付钱。

5 flipping   

讨厌之极的

参考例句：

• I hate this flipping hotel! 我讨厌这个该死的旅馆！
• Don't go flipping your lid. 别发火。

6 liking   

n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢

参考例句：

• The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
• I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

7 longevity   

n.长命；长寿

参考例句：

• Good habits promote longevity.良好的习惯能增长寿命。
• Human longevity runs in families.人类的长寿具有家族遗传性。

8 fitness   

n.适合，适当，健康，健身

参考例句：

• They're doing exercises to improve their fitness.他们为增强体质而做体操。
• No one questions her fitness for the job.没人怀疑她能胜任这项工作。

9 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》