When facing major lifestyle changes like improving your heart health, it can feel intimidating to get started. Some people manage to rebuild a lifetime of habits with ease. For many, it’s quite the opposite. We start making changes before falling back into old routines.
The good news? You don’t need a total lifestyle overhaul. Just a few small habit tweaks can make a big difference. Here are five simple, realistic changes you can make today to improve your heart health.
Why You Should Start Small Even if your goals feel big? It’s best to start small... really small.
Telling yourself you’ll work out for an hour every day or overhaul your diet overnight is overwhelming. Instead, try the Two-Minute Rule: scale any habit down to something that takes two minutes.
Want to work out? Just roll out your jump rope mat.
Want to eat healthier? Start by setting veggies on the counter.
Taking action builds motivation. Over time, these small starts become routines. It’s not about doing one thing, it’s about mastering the habit of showing up.
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1. Prioritize Movement
Physical activity is one of the best ways to improve heart health. Two types of exercise are especially beneficial: aerobic and resistance training.
Aerobic exercise: This boosts circulation, lowers blood pressure, and strengthens your heart. It also helps reduce your risk of obesity, stroke, and heart disease. Jumping rope, brisk walking, running, swimming, and cycling are all great options.
Jumping rope is a standout cardio tool. It's low-impact and easy on your joints. It can:
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Lower resting heart rate
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Decrease blood pressure
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Reduce stress
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Improve cholesterol levels
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Lower cardiovascular risk
These examples are just a few jump rope benefits linked to heart health.
Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week. Because jumping rope is vigorous, just 15 minutes a day, five times a week, gets you there.
You can read more about the benefits of jumping rope in this post.
Resistance Training:
Research shows that a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance work may help raise good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol. It also helps reduce body fat (especially belly fat, a risk factor for heart disease) and builds lean muscle.
Use free weights, machines, resistance bands, or bodyweight moves like push-ups and squats. You can also use weighted jump ropes for added muscle engagement.
2. Eat Healthy
Small dietary shifts go a long way for your heart:
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Add one more fruit or veggie per day.
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Cut out one sugary drink.
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The World Health Organization advises adults to consume less than 2g sodium (approx. 5g of salt) per day for a healthy heart.
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To maximize your heart health, try eating foods like leafy green vegetables, whole grains, berries, avocados, fatty fish, nuts, beans, dark chocolate, garlic, olive oil, and green tea.
2. Manage Your Stress
Chronic stress can damage your heart. In addition to exercise and healthy eating, try:
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Laughing (watch stand-up or a funny show)
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Meditating (apps like Headspace or Calm are great)
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Listening to music (Check out some of these playlists.)
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Spending time with loved ones (One study showed that spending time with friends and children helps release the natural stress-relieving chemical oxytocin.)
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Journaling to process emotions
4. Improve Your Sleep Hygiene
Lack of sleep raises your risk of heart disease and stroke. Adults need at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night. Stick to a consistent sleep-and-wake schedule to support heart health.
Adults who sleep less than 7 hours each night are more likely to say they have had health problems. Some of these health problems raise the risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
A sleep schedule is particularly important. Sleep is as important to our bodies as eating, drinking, and breathing.
5. Build a Support System
You don’t have to do this alone. Having support makes lifestyle changes easier and more sustainable. Ask a friend or family member to be your accountability partner.
Or join our Facebook Community. We have over 97K wonderful and supportive people looking out and helping one another reach their goals.
Over To You
Improving your heart health doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Focus on small, consistent changes. With time, they add up.
What tips would you add? Let us know in the comments!
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