Love Your Heart: Tips for Daily Living

Make Easy Lifestyle Changes. For Example:
  • Look for short breaks each day (approx. 10-30 minutes) to implement heart healthy activities such as walking or other types of enjoyable physical activity
  • Take the Go Red Heart Checkup at www.GoRedForWomen.org to learn your heart disease risk
  • Plan quick and simple healthy meals
  • Know your family heart health history

Tips for Women at Work:
  • Add extra walks to and from the water cooler
  • Take ten minute walks between meetings
  • Use the stairs instead of the elevator
  • Bring healthy snacks
  • Take time for lunch and eat at regular intervals versus skipping meals
  • Make time for physical activity – go to the gym and bring your favorite book or office materials to read or workout at home watching your favorite show

Tips for Moms on the Go:
  • Plan meals in advance – visit americanheart.org for recipes from a number of heart-healthy cookbooks and use the online grocery list builder to quickly identify heart-healthy products to add to your grocery list
  • Set up "physical activity time" on a daily basis
  • Walk around your neighborhood or in your office
  • Run up and down the stairs
  • Do an exercise video
  • Walk when doing errands and park farther from your destination
  • Take your kids to the park and identify play time activities that help keep you fit
  • Join a walking group or ask friends to join you in daily walking
  • Work out when your child is at practice or extra curricular activities
  • Exercise while watching your favorite TV show

Tips for Traveling for Work/Play:
  • Plan a physical activity routine
  • Airports and malls are great places to get in a brisk walk around the terminal or from one end of the mall to the other
  • Drink plenty of water
  • Take time to stretch while on the flight
  • Exercise in your hotel room – simple stretches or other exercise like sit ups and push ups
  • Take advantage of physical fitness facilities located in the hotel
  • Pack heart-healthy snacks, fruits, and know how to manage your snack triggers
  • Pack sneakers and comfortable clothes for working out
  • For frequent travel keep an extra pair of tennis shoes already packed in your bag

Love Your Heart: Relaxation Tips:
  • Keep a journal
  • Reduce stress: Plan a technology-free weekend balanced with active sports, swimming, skiing, horse-back riding, or other fun physical activity
  • Celebrate your successes with healthy rewards like a massage or facial
  • Read a book