Regular physical activity can:
Help you lose excess weight
Improve physical fitness
Lower many heart disease risk factors such as “bad” LDL cholesterol levels, increase “good” HDL cholesterol levels, and manage high blood pressure
Lower stress and improve your mental health
Lower your risk for other conditions such as type 2 diabetes, depression, and cancer
Talk with your doctor before you start a new exercise plan. Discuss how much and what types of physical activity are safe for you. Even modest amounts of physical activity are good for your health. Get inspired from this video.
Aerobic exercise benefits your lungs the most. This is any exercise in which your heart beats faster and you use more oxygen than usual, such as brisk walking, running, biking, and swimming.
The more active you are, the more you will benefit. Participate in aerobic exercise for at least a few minutes at a time throughout the week. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans external link recommends that each week, adults get at least:
2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (for example, 30 minutes 5 days a week), or
1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (for example, 25 minutes 3 days a week), or
A combination of both moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity activity.
Another way you can begin to increase your activity level is by reducing how long you sit at a given time. Breaking up how long you sit will benefit your overall health.
Learn more about physical activity in our Physical Activity and Your Heart Health Topic.
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