Why do YOU do it?
Regular physical activity lowers heart disease and reduces your blood pressure by (1)
Aerobic or cardio exercise is essential for a healthy heart! Aerobic or cardio exercise is anything that gets you breathing harder and your heart beating faster. (2) All different types of activities count as aerobic, including walking, jogging and dancing.
You just have to do the exercise for 10 minutes at a time to get healthy heart benefits. If you can’t make it for 10 minutes at first, start smaller and work up.
What is moderate exercise?
On a scale of 1 to 10:
How do I start?
It might sound silly, but it research proves that it helps to succeed by writing down goals.
First: pick an activity that you enjoy and can do at a moderate pace. Pick something that’s accessible to you, and fits your current needs. For example, if you have joint pain you might want to pick an activity that’s low to no impact.
Here’s a few options to choose from:
Second: decide on how long and how hard to exercise.
Experts recommend 20 to 30 minutes per day, but if you haven’t been physically active in a while, you might want to start at 10 minutes and work up. (3) Don’t forget to add a few minutes to the beginning and end of your routine for mild stretching.
Start with a moderate pace and then increase the pace, or intensity, as your muscles and lungs become stronger, and you gain more stamina.
Third: decide how often you will exercise.
If you are a beginner, or haven’t been physically active lately, start with just 3 alternating days, and work your way up to the recommended 150 minutes per week.
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