Exercise: Before Starting an Exercise Program
It is always important to consult your physician before starting an exercise program. This is particularly true if any of the following apply to your current medical condition:
- chest pain or pain in the neck and/or arm
- shortness of breath
- a diagnosed heart condition
- joint and/or bone problems
- currently taking cardiac and/or blood pressure medications
- have not previously been physically active
- dizziness
If none of these apply to you, start gradually and sensibly. However, if you feel any of the physical symptoms listed above when you start your exercise program, contact your physician right away.
If one or more of the statements listed above applies for you, see your physician before beginning an exercise program. An exercise-stress test may be used to help plan your exercise program.
Designing an Exercise Program
Even low-to-moderate intensity activities for as little as 30 minutes a day can be beneficial. These activities may include:
- pleasure walking
- climbing stairs
- gardening
- yard work
- moderate-to-heavy housework
- dancing
- home exercise
However, more vigorous aerobic activities, done three or four times a week for 30 to 60 minutes, are best for improving the fitness of the heart and lungs. Regular, aerobic physical activity increases a person's capacity for exercise and plays a role in prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Aerobic exercise may also help to lower blood pressure.
These activities may include:
- brisk walking
- running
- swimming
- cycling
- roller skating
- jumping rope
- improves blood circulation throughout the body
- keeps weight under control
- improves blood cholesterol levels
- prevents and manages high blood pressure
- prevents bone loss
- boosts energy level
- releases tension
- improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well
- improves self-image
- helps manage stress
- counters anxiety and depression
- increases enthusiasm and optimism
- increases muscle strength
A daily exercise program can provide a way to share an activity with family and friends, while helping establish good heart-healthy habits. For children, daily exercise deters conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, poor cholesterol levels, and poor lifestyle habits that lead to heart attack and stroke later in life. For older people, daily physical activity helps delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases associated with aging, and maintains quality of life and independence longer.
Risks of Physical Inactivity
Lack of physical activity has clearly been shown to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
- Less active, less fit persons have a 30 to 50 percent greater risk of developing high blood pressure.
- Although no direct link exists between regular exercise and stroke, it is known that exercise reduces the risk of other health problems, such as heart disease, which can contribute to stroke.
Thousands and thousands of deaths result each year due to a lack of regular physical activity. According to the Surgeon General's report, more than 60 percent of adults do not get the recommended amount of exercise. The report also stated that:
- One-third of adults are not physically active at all.
- Inactivity increases with age.
- Women are more likely to lead sedentary lifestyles than men.
- Physical activity declines rapidly with age during adolescence, especially among females.
The Healthy People 2010 report, produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, found that physically inactive people are twice as likely to develop coronary heart disease (CHD) as people who do regular physical exercises. Physical inactivity, which is almost as high of a risk factor as cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol, is far more prevalent than any other risk factor.