Heart Healthy

Raise Your Heart Rate with a Brisk Walk

Ever arrive at a meeting huffing and puffing because you race-walked across the parking lot to get there on time? Bravo! Tiny workouts like these have a big payback: They make your heart healthier.
Is stress hurting your heart?
In fact, 20% of your fitness level may come from these micro bursts of activity. So don't overlook a chance to do some zooming around. All it takes: being sure that what you do makes you breathe a little faster and raises your heart rate some. That's what tones your heart and lungs.
The best workouts to help your heart
Of course, we want you to do more than tiny workouts (we don't cut ourselves any slack, either). Take a walk, pedal an exercise bike, or do a turn on the elliptical for 30 minutes. And aim for consistency: 30 minutes a day trumps a 90-minute killer workout once a week (though we like adding one of those). Then, throw yourself into bits of extra movement (Dr. Mike runs the stairs at the Cleveland Clinic; and good luck keeping up with Dr. Oz as he zooms from his office to the TV studio!). It could add an extra 10 or 20 minutes of heart-friendly exercise a day without your even scheduling it. That's no small potatoes.
Try leaving your office a little late for that walking-distance lunch date, then hustle so you're on time. Pick up the pace when you're running mall errands. Give the dog a real walk. Dust, sweep, fold the laundry, and vacuum at speed. Then, give yourself a pat on the back for harnessing the "zoom" factor.