You may wonder how you can improve the health of your heart. If you're thinking about exercise, you're on the right track. You don't need to become an athlete. But you do need a certain amount of brisk exercise to help strengthen your heart. If you have been diagnosed with a heart condition, your doctor may advise exercise to help your condition. To help make exercise a habit, choose safe, fun activities.

Check with your doctor before starting an exercise program. This is especially important if you haven't been active for a while. It's also important if you have a long-term (chronic) health problem, such as heart disease, diabetes, or obesity. Also check with your doctor if you're at high risk for having these problems.

Exercising regularly offers many healthy rewards. It can help you do all of these:

• Improve your blood cholesterol level to help prevent further heart trouble.
• Lower your blood pressure to help prevent a stroke or heart attack.
• Control diabetes or reduce your risk of getting this disease.
• Improve your heart and lung function.
• Reach and stay at a healthy weight.
• Make your muscles stronger so you can stay active.
• Prevent falls and fractures by slowing the loss of bone mass (osteoporosis).
• Manage stress better.
• Improve your sense of self and your body image.

• Ease into your routine. Set small goals. Then build on them. Talk with your doctor first before starting an exercise routine if you're not sure what your activity level should be.
• Exercise on most days. Aim for a total of at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) or more of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. Or you could do 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) or more of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week. Or try for a combination of both. Moderate activity means that you breathe heavier and your heart rate increases, but you can still talk. Think about doing at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, 5 times a week. It's OK to work up to the 30-minute period over time. Examples of moderate-intensity activity are brisk walking, gardening, and water aerobics.
• Step up your daily activity level. Along with your exercise program, try being more active the whole day. Walk instead of drive. Or park further away so that you take more steps each day. Do more household tasks or yard work. You may not be able to meet the advised amount of physical activity. But doing some moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic activity can help reduce your risk for heart disease. Your doctor can help you figure out what is best for you.
• Choose 1 or more activities you enjoy. Walking is one of the easiest things you can do. You can also try swimming, riding a bike, dancing, or taking an exercise class.

Call 911 right away if:

• You have chest pain that doesn't go away quickly with rest.
• You feel new burning, tightness, pressure, or heaviness in your chest, neck, shoulders, back, or arms.
• You have abnormal or severe shortness of breath.
• You have a very fast or irregular heartbeat (palpitations).
• You faint.

Contact your doctor if:

• You feel dizzy or lightheaded.
• You have mild shortness of breath or chest pain.
• You have increased or new joint or muscle pain.