Your doctor will recommend an activity program to meet your needs. If you have been inactive for a long time, you will be instructed to start with low-to-moderate level activities, such as:
- Walking
- Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
- Gardening
- Housework
- Dancing
- Exercising at home
- Begin by doing the activity for a few minutes most days
Your doctor will then increase your activity level, allowing you to work up to a longer program -- for most people, the goal is at least 30 minutes per day, 3 or 4 days per week. This can include regular aerobic activity, such as:
- Brisk walking
- Jogging
- Swimming
- Bicycling
- Playing tennis
If you have chest pain, feel faint or light-headed, or become extremely out of breath while exercising, stop the activity at once and tell your doctor as soon as possible.
If you are currently recovering from a heart attack or heart surgery, your doctor may suggest that you begin your new exercise program in a cardiac rehabilitation center. A cardiac rehabilitation center is a place that you can go to exercise under the supervision of a nurse or doctor.
