10 easy ways to get moving (and why your heart needs it) - Women's Agenda

10 easy ways to get moving (and why your heart needs it)

Do you know that heart disease is the single biggest killer of Australian women and that women are three times more likely to die from heart disease than from breast cancer? It’s the reason each year in June The Heart Foundation runs a campaign called Go Red For Women. It is aimed at raising awareness of the prevalence of heart disease and, importantly, the ways to improve heart health.

The risk factors for heart disease are having a family history, having high blood pressure or high cholesterol, smoking, eating a diet full of saturated fat and salt, carrying too much weight and being inactive.

Regular physical activity is not only important for your weight, it’s also vitally important for your heart, helping to keep it healthy and manage other heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure. This doesn’t mean hours in the gym each day. Instead, aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, on all or most days.

10 easy tips for being active:

  1. Walk briskly for at least 30 minutes on most, if not all, days of the week (you can do 3 x 10 minute walks, if it’s easier)
  2. Work out at your gym three times a week
  3. Do an organised class such as yoga, pilates, dance or Zumba class at least once a week
  4. Commit to taking the stairs rather than the escalators when shopping, going to the movies or catching a train
  5. Be more active in the workplace – walk to the printer, stand up rather than sit when answering the phone, and aim for one ‘walking’ meeting a week, e.g. a meeting with a staff member
  6. Work up to swimming 1km at your local pool, beach or river at least twice a week
  7. Leave the car at home one day a week and walk or catch public transport instead • Get off the bus, train or tram one or two stops earlier and walk the extra distance
  8. Cycle along your favourite bike path twice a week
  9. Join your work colleagues for a lunchtime walk, swim or ball game once a week.
  10. Join the Heart Foundation Walking program and walk with them at least once a week

Physical activity shouldn’t be a tedious chore. There are plenty of ways to make it fun by being active with others, which will also help keep you motivated. Here are some ways to do this:

  1. Lock in a weekend walk. If you like to walk with your friends, turn it into a fixed appointment in your weekend calendars.
  2. Find a gym buddy. Convince one of your friends to go to the gym with you. Make it a regular day or days and don’t let each other slack off. Perhaps enjoy a healthy breakfast together afterwards?
  3. Hire a personal trainer. While not for everyone, personal trainers are a good way to ensure you stay motivated and achieve your goal. You don’t have to see them every day – once a week is fine. They’ll help you stay motivated!
  4. Ride to work. If any of your workmates live nearby, ride to work with them. Make it a regular day or days and stick to it, rain, hail or shine. Imagine how good you’ll feel arriving at work knowing that you’ve done your 30 minutes of activity for the day!

Physical activity is a miracle cure! Go and get some today!

If you’d like to join the Heart Foundation’s Go Red for Women campaign visit goredforwomen.org.au for more information.

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