Warnings to watch for during exercise
Exercise is beneficial for everyone, even those who have heart disease or have had a heart attack. Regular exercise can strengthen your heart and promote quicker recovery.
Safe Exercise for Heart Disease
However, there are warning signs to watch for.
Stop exercise if you become short of breath or overly fatigued. Granted, exercise will cause you to breathe harder and you should feel like you have exerted yourself after a solid workout. Discuss what is acceptable for you with your doctor.
If you deal with shortness of breath regularly, even when not exercising, contact your doctor. You may need to adjust your diet, fluid intake, or medications.
If you develop heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat, stop exercising, rest for 15 minutes and then take your pulse. If you heart rate remains greater than 120 beats per minutes, contact your doctor.
Don’t ignore pain. Ignoring pain can lead to injury.
When to stop exercising
Stop exercising if you experience any of the following symptoms.
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Unusual shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Chest pain or pressure
- Irregular heart beat
- Swelling or unexpected weight gain
- Pain in your neck, arm, jaw, shoulder or other symptoms that cause concern of a heart attack
Contact your doctor or seek emergency care.
How much exercise
Aerobic exercise is one of the best choices for improving your cardiovascular health. Being aerobically fit means your body is able to more efficiently perform activities without having to gasp for breath/oxygen. Some aerobic activities include walking, swimming, running, basketball, and tennis.
If you are just getting started, walking is likely your best choice. Don’t underrate the benefits or difficulty of establishing a brisk walking program. Walking allows for different intensity levels and results in fewer injuries than many other options. Walking does not require special equipment and it can be completed just about anywhere.
One aerobic exercise session should include a minimum of 30 minutes. You may opt to break this into three 10-minutes segments. Exercise intensity is generally 70 to 85 percent of max heart rate. HOWEVER, this will vary for each individual. Discuss with your doctor to confirm your goal intensity level.
The most consistent benefits tend to be seen if aerobic exercise takes place at least three times a week for a duration of at least 12 weeks. Exercising more than three times weekly can equal greater results.
Benefits gained from exercise are typically lost within a few weeks of stopping an exercise routine.
You do also want to include resistance training in your routine if approved by your doctor. Resistance training should be performed a minimum of two to three times weekly with eight to ten different exercises for all major muscle groups. The major muscle groups include your arms, shoulders, chest, back, hips, and legs. Lift a weight that allows for 10 to 15 repetitions resulting in moderate fatigue by your last few reps.
There is greater risk for injury with resistance training. If you have never done resistance training, you should get guidance from your physical therapist or a trainer before starting.
Get in the routine
Getting into a regular habit of exercising throughout the week can be difficult…even if you know the benefits are worth it. Utilize How to Make Heart Healthy Changes into Lifelong Habits to set yourself up for success as you work to add exercise to your routine.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Health Pro for HealthCentral
Image courtesy of lekkyjustdoit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
