Would you like to give your heart the best exercise ever?

Looking for a heart-friendly workout? You may want to lace up your comfy shoes, put on your cycling helmet or grab a jump rope.

Activities that bump up your heart rate and make you breathe harder than usual are especially good for your heart.

They are called aerobic or endurance activities, and they should be a part of your exercise routine.

 But before you significantly increase your level of physical activity, be sure to talk with your doctor.

This is especially important, if you have been inactive or have any health problems.

When you do aerobic exercise, it helps your heart, lungs and blood vessels become strong and fit.

Aerobic exercise boosts your fitness level. And also it helps protect against heart disease and risk factors such as high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.

There are many activities that get your body and heart working. For health and fitness benefits, plan to move at a moderate or vigorous pace. Need a few ideas?

Moderate activities include:

1. Taking a brisk walk

2. Riding a bike

3. Playing doubles tennis

4. Doing water aerobics

Vigorous moves include:

1. Jogging

2. Running

3. Fast cycling

4. Jumping rope

5. Swimming laps

6. Hiking up hills

Are you working out hard enough?

Of course, it is possible to do activities such as walking at an intensity level that might not give you the most benefit.

You need to remember that such activities as cycling can be moderate or vigorous, depending on your pace.

Your doctor will let you know the intensity you should aim for. Here are two ways to gauge your effort:

• Talk or sing. During moderate activities, such as brisk walking, you will feel your heart rate and breathing pick up. But you should be able to have a conversation. If you’re breathing too hard to say much, you are probably doing vigorous exercise.

If you find that you are out of breath, it is a good idea to slow down. Belting out a song is not something you would normally do on a morning walk, but it can help you get a feel for how hard you are exercising. Give it a shot.

If you can sing, it is a sign to pick up the pace.

• Rate your exertion. Use an intensity scale — where 0 is sitting and 10 is max effort — to help estimate how hard you are exercising relative to your fitness.

If your workout feels like a 5 or 6, it is probably moderate exercise. Vigorous activity usually is a 7 or 8.

In general, healthy adults should start slowly and gradually work their way up to a weekly goal of at least 2.5 hours of moderate activities.

If — once you get up to speed — you decide to do vigorous activities, another option is to exercise at this pace for a total of 5 hours a week.

Regular aerobic exercise has a world of benefits beyond the good it does your heart. It can help you feel and look your best and maintain strong bones, for instance. Strengthening exercises, such as working with resistance bands or doing push-ups, also are recommended at least two days a week

Finding time for your heart and health may be easier than you think. Even 10-minute sessions of exercise throughout the week can help you reach your weekly goal and boost your heart and overall health. Shorter bursts of activity will not do as much good.

No matter which activities you choose, keep in mind that they work best when you do them on a regular basis. So, choose moves you enjoy and can make part of your routine.

Articles on Healthy Living:

• Keep Moving
• Why Do People Drink – Finding the Way Out
• Healthy Eating Tips
• Caffeine and Blood Pressure
• Mental Health Tips

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