According to experts, there are a variety of activities that are equally as beneficial for heart health if we perform them aggressively, so we don’t have to force ourselves to run, swim, or ride a bike if we don’t enjoy it.
You don’t have to force yourself into a fitness regimen like running or cycling or any other cardio exercise you don’t enjoy because many other forms of exercise can be helpful for boosting immunity, strengthening the heart, and promoting healthy blood and oxygen flow. They can also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and reduce insulin resistance. All of these elements have an impact on longevity.
Adults should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week, according to the American Heart Association’s recommendations. Muscle-building exercises should be done at least twice a week. You don’t necessarily have to engage in what is seen as typical “cardio” exercise, such running, swimming, or cycling, to meet this weekly objective.
According to Jennifer Su Hu, a clinical rehabilitation fellow at Weill Cornell University Medicine, “Any activity that may raise the heart rate at this type of moderate intensity can be deemed sufficient aerobic activity to protect the heart.” The following are all the activities that experts advise:
Walking fast
According to Su Hu, walking at a pace of 5 to 6 kilometers per hour should be fast enough to qualify as moderate-intensity exercise, which is good for the heart health of an average adult. Anyone can participate in it, it doesn’t harm joints, and there are few risks of injury, according to HuffPost.
You can assess the health benefits of walking if you have an Apple Watch, Fitbit, or app that can measure your heart rate and estimate how long you spent in the moderate-intensity zone on your smartphone.
You must deduct your age from the beginning base of 220 to determine your maximal heart rate. This translates to 185 beats per minute for a 30-year-old.
Check the exercise’s level of difficulty, and based on your personal observations: Consider whether it appears challenging, whether your breathing is rapid, whether you can talk or sing, and more. Su Hu argues that moderately intense workouts are those that allow you to speak 5 to 6 words per breath, but robust activities exhaust us and leave us unable to speak more than 2 or 3 words.
Mowing the grass, washing the car, gardening, shoveling snow, cleaning the tub, and mopping the floor are all examples of chores that can count if you work hard at them. Additionally, the area around you will be spotless.
Walking or running to work
Remember that you can travel by foot, bike, or vehicle other than a car the next time you need to do anything in the city or commute to work. Instead of using the elevator, you can also use the steps. In the end, everything balances out.
Don’t forget to do your strength training
Strength training, which indirectly affects the health of the heart and keeps the skeletal system in form, should be done twice a week.
“You need to enhance your strength and flexibility to be able to conduct aerobic exercises for extended periods of time,” advises Su Hu. Shawn Heffron, a cardiologist at the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in New York, adds, “In addition, the effect that strength training has on growing muscle mass and bone density can speed up metabolism and help us maintain a healthy body weight.”
Yoga and pilates, which develop basic strength and flexibility, might be used for this. Along with weightlifting, resistance training is also an option. If you perform some of these exercises quickly enough to raise your heart rate, they may have an aerobic effect.
Focus on enjoyable activities
Don’t think of exercise as a punishment. In conclusion, activities like hula hooping, backyard basketball games, playing brisk games with your dog, and dancing to your favorite self-recorded songs all count as aerobic exercise and reduce stress. Get inventive, and you’ll be more inspired to stick to your fitness regimen.
Practice whenever it is convenient for you
You can exercise for the prescribed 150 or 70 minutes each week in any way you choose, in little increments. For instance, you may take a 10-minute break from work to jump rope in the backyard or go for a fast walk across the neighborhood.
Eat healthfully and reduce your stress
Don’t undervalue alternative ways of living because heart health involves more than just physical activity. It can be very beneficial to follow the Mediterranean diet or a similar plan that helps reduce blood pressure and fat.
According to Heffron, “all of these diets include fresh fruits and vegetables, high-fiber foods, more fish, barely any processed foods, and red meat.” Limit your alcohol intake, give up smoking, and make an effort to lower your stress levels.
