5 Tips for Building Your Heart-Healthy Exercise Routine
The American Heart Association® recommends getting 150 minutes, or two and a half hours, of moderate-intensity exercise each week. That can seem like a lot, especially if exercise isn’t part of your routine yet.
Here are some things to keep in mind as you start incorporating exercise into your heart-healthy lifestyle:
It’s not all or nothing: Not getting the full 150 minutes doesn’t mean you failed: It’s easy to fall into thinking that you “failed” if your exercise sessions didn’t add up to the recommended 150 minutes. Success isn’t black-and-white and it doesn’t have to happen all at once. [1]
Focus on cardio: While strength training certainly has its place in a well-rounded exercise plan, the American Heart Association recommends getting 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week, plus two or three strength training sessions on top of that. If 150 minutes of exercise feels like a big goal already, focus on getting your heart pumping during your sessions. Cardio exercise like swimming, hiking, biking, and brisk walking are great ways to strengthen your heart. [1]
Break up your goal: You don’t have to spend an hour or even 30 minutes exercising to achieve the AHA’s recommended 150 minutes per week. You can work towards your exercise goal by breaking up your sessions into 5-, 10-, or 20-minute sessions.
Choose activities you enjoy: It’s easier to stick with an exercise plan that’s full of activities you enjoy. As you add exercise to your daily routine, choose activities that sound like fun rather than like chores. Running and biking make great cardio workouts, but if they sound miserable, then try something else. Dancing, hiking, and group fitness classes also come with the benefits of traditional cardio exercise. [2]
Walk more: Walking is the most popular form of exercise. It’s also one of the most simple, cost-effective, and beneficial ways to stay physically fit. Even if walking is the only form of exercise you engage in, you may experience health improvements like better energy, blood pressure, and mood.[3]
There are countless ways to exercise and finding what works for you can be fun if you let it. Rather than settle for activities you hate, keep trying new ways to move until you find one you enjoy. Treat physical activity as a way to celebrate your body and take care of your heart. In the process, you will also be setting yourself up for a longer, healthier life.[1]