Guidelines for Healthy Living through Exercise
Why is exercise good for my heart?
Exercise makes your heart stronger, helping it pump more blood with each heartbeat. The blood then delivers more oxygen to your body. Exercise can also lower blood pressure, reduce your risk of heart disease and reduce levels of LDL ("bad" cholesterol), which clogs the arteries and can cause a heart attack. At the same time, exercise can raise levels of HDL ("good" cholesterol), which helps protect against heart disease.

Exercise is the best way to lose weight. Burning calories and working off the fat will help you look and feel better. Regular exercise helps you burn calories faster, even when you're sitting still.

What's the best type of exercise for my heart?
Aerobic exercise causes you to breathe more deeply and makes your heart work harder to pump blood. Aerobic exercise also raises your heart rate (which also burns calories). Examples of aerobic exercise include walking, jogging, running, swimming and bicycling.

How much exercise do I need?

You should slowly work up to 30 minutes, 4 to 6 times a week. Your doctor may make a different recommendation based on your health. For example, if you haven't exercised for a while it may be best to start with a couple of minutes of exercise and work up to a half hour. One sign that you may be overdoing it is if you can't carry on a conversation while you exercise. It is best to alternate exercise days with rest days to prevent injuries.

How will I fit exercise into my busy schedule?

There are lots of ways to raise your heart rate during your regular day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk during a coffee break or lunch. Walk to work or park at the end of the parking lot so you have to walk farther. Walk more briskly. Do housework at a quicker pace and more often (like vacuuming every day). Rake leaves, push the lawn mower or do other yard work.


Don't be discouraged if you can't exercise as often as you would like. Exercisers should try to at least follow the guidelines for three or four days a week for 30 minutes, but if you can't, don't let that stop you from taking even a single walk. It is possible to improve your health even with a sporadic exercise program. A little exercise is better than nothing!

It takes ten to twelve weeks of regular exercise to become "fit" but your health can improve after even one brisk walk. One single session of aerobic activity can decrease your blood pressure, increase your heart rate, lower your triglycerides and improve your health. And the health benefits will last for up to 24 hours after the exercise.


Developed in cooperation with the American Heart Association

For more information on exercise:

Court South

Just MOVE! From Am. Heart Assoc: http://www.justmove.org/home.cfm
Medline: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/exercisephysicalfitness.html
And more from ahs: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=15