How to Exercise to Help Prevent Heart Disease
In this article
- How Often and How Long Should I Exercise?
- What Type of Exercise Should I Do?
- What to Do In Every Workout
- How Hard Should I Work?
- How Can I Stick With It?
How Hard Should I Work?
When you're doing a cardio workout, it's moderate if you can talk but not sing. You're exercising vigorously if you can't say more than a few words without taking a breath, according to the CDC.
Ask your doctor if you should limit the intensity of your workouts. It's much better to start out taking it easier and work up to more challenging workouts, so you help prevent injury.
How Can I Stick With It?
- Ban boredom. Pick a variety of activities that you like. Don't do the same thing over and over again.
- Make playlists. Use music to keep you entertained.
- Commit. You won't always feel like it, and you'll find all sorts of excuses not to do it. You'll need to make a decision ahead of time and ignore that impulse and exercise anyway.
- Socialize. Working out is more fun if you have a friend with you.
- Stay within your budget. Avoid buying expensive equipment or health club memberships unless you’re certain you’ll use them.