Being active provides long term benefits for your heart health and general health. It helps control your weight, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol and improve your mental health – helping you to look and feel great. If you are inactive, you are more likely to have a heart attack than someone who is active.
Studies suggest that being physically active in middle age can increase your life expectancy by two years, the same benefit as giving up smoking.
Your heart is a muscle and needs exercise to help it keep fit so that it can pump blood efficiently around your body. We’ve got some top tips for staying active, but before you start becoming more physically active, it’s important to talk to your GP, especially if you have a condition that you’re taking prescribed medication for.
What kind of activity is good for my heart?
Being physically active doesn’t have to mean long gym sessions or strenuous work-out regimes. You could go swimming, take exercise classes or play a sport, but physical activity also includes everyday things like walking, gardening and climbing stairs.
You can reap the benefits of being more active from all sorts of physical activity – any increase will be good for your health.
How do I get started?
Set yourself a goal to build up to at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on five or more days a week. Moderate physical activity makes you breathe more heavily than normal and makes you warmer.
If 30 minutes is too much for you at the moment, build up slowly by:
- starting with ten minutes activity at least three times a day and start slowly at a level that suits you
- gradually building up the time and frequency until 30 minutes feels easier
- choosing a variety of activities that you enjoy
- trying to do something every day.
Remember to stop exercising if you feel any pain or discomfort.
It’s never too late to start
Everyone can benefit from getting physical – whatever your age, size or physical condition. Just remember that you are never too old or too unfit to start doing something.
The good news is that inactive people that start to do moderate physical activity feel the biggest health benefits. Your health risks will decrease as soon as you start to do more!
Top tips to help you stay active
Being active is great for keeping your heart healthy and, along with eating a healthy diet, can help you to manage your weight. And it’s not just good for your heart – physical activity also makes you look and feel great.
Adults should aim to do at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on five days or more a week. If you’re struggling to stay motivated, try these top tips to stay active:
Small changes add up
If 30 minutes of physical activity all at once seems like a lot to start with, try doing several short bouts of activity throughout the day.
Remember the positives
You’ll soon feel the benefits when you become more active. You’ll feel fitter, have more energy, be more relaxed and have more confidence.
Keep it real
Set yourself realistic goals that are specific and achievable. For example, set a goal to walk for 30 minutes every day or to learn how to swim.
Make a diary date
Plan a time to do some activity that fits in with the rest of your day and try keeping a diary to help monitor your progress and success. If you miss a day, don’t worry – just make sure that you start again the next day.
Keep on your toes!
Remember, everyday activities count so look for opportunities to be active during the day. For example, use the stairs instead of the escalators, walk to the local shop rather than taking the car and do some stretches when watching TV. Every little counts!
Have fun
Choose activities that you enjoy to help you achieve your goals and keep you motivated. Why not give ballroom dancing, tennis, trampolining, yoga or pilates a try?
Get a buddy
Involve friends and family to make activities more fun, sociable and enjoyable. Go jogging with a friend and support and motivate each other, take the children swimming or join an exercise class.
Mix it up
Make a list of enjoyable activities, such as dancing, gardening and yoga and place them in a jar. Pick a different activity to do each week. By varying your activities, you are less likely to get bored and lose interest.
Use reminders
Prompt yourself to be more physically active by keeping reminders around the house. Put Post-it notes on the fridge or by the kettle, place your cycling helmet on your dressing table or put your walking shoes near the door.
Check your progress
Use a pedometer to count your steps to show you how well you are doing. Walking is an ideal activity as it’s free and easy to do anywhere. You could walk your children to school and back every day, take the dog for a walk or find a local park and go walking with a friend.
Reward yourself
Recognise when you achieve your activity goals. Think of things that you could reward yourself with, like a copy of your favourite magazine, a new pair of trainers or a massage.
