How to Exercise for a Healthy Heart

What could be more important than keeping your heart healthy? These guidelines follow the recommendations of the American Heart Association.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Distilled Water

1. Talk to your doctor about creating an exercise program.

2. Ask a friend or family member to start your program with you.

3. Work out a convenient schedule, right down to the time of day, to help you develop a consistent pattern.

4. Gradually build up your workout to 30 to 60 minutes, three to four times a week.

5. Be sure to drink water before, during and after your workout.

6. Use an exercise log to track your activities. Mark the time or distance of each workout on a calendar, and note how you feel afterward.

7. Make up for missed sessions. Reschedule them for another day, or add time to your next workout.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider learning a new sport or exercise, or improving on one that you know, when developing a workout strategy.

• The American Heart Association recommends aerobic exercise, such as jogging, running, swimming or brisk walking, as well as aerobic sports such as soccer, basketball or singles tennis.

• Try variety in your workout. Walk one day, swim another and bike the next.

• Joining a group or sports team provides great motivation that will help you stick with your exercise routine.

• Recent studies have shown that meditation may decrease the risk of heart disease, possibly because the resulting stress relief may promote the body's self-repair system to thin the fatty buildup on artery walls.

• This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.