Exercise - not as hard as you might think!

You don't have to hit the gym for an hour a day of cardio-vascular work.  You don't have to sweat your way through an hour long aerobics class.  You could just get 150 minutes a week and your heart will benefit.  That's just a 20-25 minute walk each day.  Or, just 30 minutes of stationary biking 5 days per week.  If you exercise more than that, the benefits increase, but the biggest benefits occur at this level.  If you are currently stationary, 20-25 minutes a day will create heart healthy benefits, reducing your risk of heart disease by 14%.  5 hours per week equates to 20% improvement.

I know it's been said before, but you can do this without scheduling a daily workout or signing up for a class or a gym membership.  Walk the stairs, park further away, walk to the bus stop and take the bus to work, bike to work.......the list goes on.  Just finding 4-5 five minute exercise activities a day can create heart healthy benefits!  Be sure you are doing cardio or aerobic exercise - the kind of exercise that gets your heart pumping and your breathing challenged - walking, running, biking, jumping jacks, stair climbing, rowing, etc.  Other exercise - strength training and stretching is necessary too, but the benfits are different from cardio-vascular benefits.

How are you getting your 150 minutes this week?