Living with heart disease or the side effects of heart surgery comes with its challenges, but that doesn’t mean you should live your life differently. Aside from dietary restrictions and the need for a healthier lifestyle, you can actually enjoy life the way you want to without worrying too much about your illness.

One of the ways you can improve your overall health and live a healthier lifestyle is by exercising regularly. Regular exercise – at the right intensity – can help your heart regenerate at a healthier pace, allowing you to enjoy more stamina and better endurance in general. These exercise tips will help you get started in on time.

Consult Your Doctor

Before you start plotting an exercise regime or doing heavy workouts, make sure you take the time to consult your doctor. Any doctor will recommend regular exercise, but the intensity recommended to you may be different. Consulting your doctor is a great way to begin formulating a suitable set of workouts to try.

While you are consulting your doctor, don’t forget to ask about the specific activities that you want to try. This includes everyday activities that you want to do, including mowing the lawn or pushing (and lifting) heavy objects. You want to be extra careful with what you decide to do every day when you have problems with your heart.

Install Monitoring Systems

Medical alert systems are great for people living with heart disease. It is even better when you are thinking about returning to regular exercise or you want to participate in heavier activities. A medical alert system can help you reach family, friends, and emergency services even in the worst situation, so you know you are always protected.

A good medical alert system, with modules or devices installed around the house, provides blanket protection no matter where you are. There are some interesting modules too, including wearables that you can keep on you at all times. Thanks to 4G connectivity, you can wear a medical alert watch or necklace conveniently.

Start Light

Now that you are ready for the workouts, begin with lighter exercises first. Taking a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood when it is not too cold and humid is highly recommended. You can also take bicycle rides or try other type of light exercise; a good one is swimming since it imposes the least amount of stress on the body.

Starting with lighter exercise allows your body to adapt to the new regime gradually. Your heart will have the opportunity to regain its strength and make the necessary adjustments. Once you are used to the lighter exercise, you can add additional routines until you reach the optimum level according to your personal preferences.

Watch the Heart

So, how can you tell if you are ready for heavier exercise? Your heart rate is your best friend when it comes to intensifying your workouts.

Monitor your heart rate, particularly your resting and peak heart rates, and understand how your body reacts to different workouts accordingly. You want to bring your resting heart rate to an acceptable level before increasing the intensity of your workouts.

To help speed up the process, include some short breaks in your exercise routine. Taking short breaks after several cycles or adding a 15-minute break in the middle of your morning run is how you pace yourself even more. Your body will adapt to the exercise routine faster than you anticipate with these short breaks.

That’s how you get ready to start exercising regularly. With the tips and tricks that we discussed in this article, you can start exercising regularly and assume a healthier lifestyle, even when you are living with heart disease.