A heart-healthy diet and exercise are the best things you can do to maintain and improve your heart's health.

Exercise is crucial whether you want to keep your heart functioning as it should, prevent heart problems, or build your heart health back up to where it needs to be.

Exercise doesn't have to be strenuous or monotonous to be effective.

Increase your activity level.

One of the best things you can do if you are just getting started with exercising is to simply move more.

Get up and walk.

Buy a step tracker (pedometer) or fitness tracker, set a goal, and find ways to walk more. When you reach that goal, set another one and work on that. 

Some consider 10,000 steps a day the gold standard for maintaining your health. Wear a step counter for a week and see what your average daily step count is. Whatever that is, start there and gradually build up to 10,000 steps a day.

Here are some ideas for increasing your step count every day:

• Park farther away from the store.
• Take the stairs.
• Take a walk around the store before you start shopping.
• Place a mini trampoline by the bathroom door and jump 100 times after you come out.
• Place a mini trampoline in front of your refrigerator and jump 100 times before grabbing a snack.
• Do an aerobic exercise you enjoy.
• Adopt a hyper dog.
• Borrow a friend's toddler.

Aerobics

Aerobics is a great way to add to your step count each day and the best way to exercise your heart.

Your heart is a muscle, and just like any muscle, it needs to be pushed to its limits to reach its peak performance. Aerobics works the heart muscle and improves circulation and blood pressure.

Aerobics doesn't necessarily mean running a marathon. Many exercises can get your heart pumping and raise your heart rate without spending hours pounding the pavement. Find an aerobic activity that fits your lifestyle and do it consistently, or pick several that you enjoy and mix them up. 

Just get up and do some form of aerobics every day.

If you enjoy running or other vigorous exercises, try to fit in at least 75 minutes of exercise every week. That comes out to only about 15 minutes 5 days a week! 

Vigorous exercise can include:

• Running
• Jumping rope
• Stair climbing
• Bicycling
• Dancing
• Jumping jacks
• Jumping on a trampoline (rebounding)

If you cannot do these vigorous activities, you can opt for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week; that's only 30 minutes 5 days a week! Some suggestions for moderate-intensity activities include:

• Walking
• Gardening
• Raking leaves
• Shoveling snow
• Gentle bouncing or jogging on a mini trampoline

You don't need to do all your exercises at the same time, either. 

Walking for 10 minutes 3 times a day counts for your 30 minutes. You can mix it up any way you like. Jump rope for 15 minutes in the morning and then walk your dog for 15 minutes in the evening. The key is the consistency of aerobic exercise, not necessarily your specific activity.

Remember to start slowly and build. Talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise, especially one considered vigorous, or if you have any questions.

Stretching

Stretching should be the starting point for any exercise you do. 

In and of itself, it doesn't help your heart muscle, but it does help to build the other muscles in your body and prevent injuries.

 Always stretch before and after aerobic activities.

Strength Training

Strength training, either with free weights at home or with machines at a gym, can help maintain a healthy weight, lower your bad cholesterol (LDL), and raise your good cholesterol (HDL), which are vital to keeping your heart healthy.

Try to fit at least two strength-training sessions into your week. Always skip a day between strength training sessions; this gives your muscles a chance to heal and build up properly.

Summary

Eating a nutritious heart-healthy diet and increasing your activity level, especially aerobic activity, are the keys to maintaining and improving your heart's health.

Remember to stretch before and after any aerobic exercise.

Add strength training exercises if you can.

Always talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise, especially one considered vigorous.

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Sources:

3 Kinds of Exercise That Boost Heart Health | Johns Hopkins Medicine

What Are the Best Exercises for Heart Health? (verywellhealth.com)

10,000 steps a day: Too low? Too high? - Mayo Clinic

Diet and Exercise | Cardiac Health

Rebounding: Science Behind the 7 Major Health Benefits of Rebound Exercise - Cancer Tutor