Heart-Healthy Activities

Avoid drinks containing caffeine before vigorous activity, especially if you have high blood pressure, as caffeine further increases heart rate and blood pressure. Don’t exercise after a big meal or when you have been drinking alcohol. Finally, be keen, but don’t overdo it. You want to feel good enough tomorrow to do it again.

1 Sneak in surges
The next time you’re out walking and you’re warmed up, step up the pace for a minute or two. Slow down to take a breather, then repeat. You’ll not only burn more kilojoules, but you’ll also condition your body to feel comfortable at a faster pace so you’ll be able to move more briskly every time you walk.

2 Power clean
Give your home a regular, energetic cleaning. Alternate between upstairs and downstairs chores (instead of doing one floor at a time) to make use of the stairs – they’re your home’s best kilojoule burner. But be careful going downstairs, especially if you have problems with balance. It’s very easy to fall, particularly when carrying a vacuum cleaner.

3 Step up
Whenever you see a set of stairs, use them. If there’s time (and you’re really enthusiastic), go back down and climb them again. If flexibility and balance aren’t an issue, take two steps at a time. It’s an easy way to get a burst of exercise intensity every day.

4 Head for the hills
Walking or riding a bike uphill means working harder against gravity – an added challenge for your muscles, heart and lungs. Tackle some slopes (start with gentle ones) once or twice a week.

When walking uphill, lean forward slightly to engage your powerful gluteal muscles. Walking downhill can be harder on your knees, so slow your pace, keep your knees slightly bent and take shorter steps.

5 Dance, dance, dance
Whether it’s country dancing or ballroom, dancing burns 2015 kilojoules an hour, uses your muscles in new ways and puts joy in your heart. Some cardiologists say that patients who dance are the healthiest of them all. Try to go dancing twice a month.

6 Make a splash
Water is 800 times denser than air, so it provides instant intensity. Head for the pool, wade into the water about chest deep and try these moves.

■ Side kicks Bend your right knee and then, without lowering it, kick out to the side, leaning towards the left as you kick. Lower your leg and repeat. Do 15 to 25 repetitions, then switch legs.
■ High steps March quickly across the pool, raising your knees as high as possible as you step, then march back.
■ Zigzag run Pump your arms and legs and jog gently or run in a zigzag pattern across the pool and back. For the best results, keep your chest high and try not to bend forward.

7 Try some child’s play
Children are natural stop-and-go exercisers as they run and run, stop to catch a breath and then run some more. Play Frisbee, fly a kite or kick a football about. You’ll raise your heart rate and build priceless family bonds.

8 Cultivate fast friends
Plan a few walks a week with someone who is just a little fitter and faster than you. You’ll push beyond your comfort zone and get fitter faster. Exercising with a friend makes time fly, and you’re more likely to stick to the routine if you do it with someone else.

9 Pre-program it
If you use a treadmill or other aerobic exercise equipment, choose the ‘interval’ program to automatically add inclines, increased resistance and higher speed bursts to your work-out. Work up gradually and watch your strength and stamina improve.

10 Seek tougher terrain
Walking trails, soft sand and grassy fields all make you use more muscles and burn more kilojoules than you would going at the same pace on a path or the road. They’re often in prettier places, too – so get off the beaten track whenever possible. But make sure you’re not trespassing and, on farmland, obey all the rules about closing gates after you.

11 Get in the game
Resolve to take up one active hobby this year. Sporting hobbies such as tennis, cycling and even golf include short bursts of heartpumping effort. And they’re fun, so time really flies. Choose from some listed below.

ACTIVITY	KJ BURNED PER HR*	SPECIAL BENEFITS
Cycling	2285	You feel like a child again
Gardening	1430	Fresh, healthy vegetables
Golf (walking with clubs)	1570	Social contact; improves flexibilty
Hiking	1715	A chance to commune with nature
Ice skating/roller skating	1715	Great family fun
Kayaking/canoeing	1430	Builds upper body strength
Scuba Diving	2000	Scenic and serene
Swimming	2285	Low-impact; eases joint pain
Tennis	2000	Improves hand-eye coordination
Volleyball (casual)	855

*Based on a 67-kilogram person. Lighter people burn less; heavier people burn more.