Why should I exercise if I have heart disease?

Your heart is a muscle. If you don't exercise it appropriately, it loses muscle tone and elasticity. And exercising your heart comes about through a program of regular physical exertion; exercise can drive the engine of your lifestyle change. The right exercise, done at the right time, and done in the right way, will help you burn off calories and lose weight, helping reduce stress on your heart. Over time, it will help build your stamina, which, in turn, will let you become more active. Think of it as a precious cycle -- that will replace the vicious cycle of sedentary lifestyle, weight gain, and health problems. Just half an hour of moderate exercise a day can help you lose weight -- and lower your blood pressure if it's high. So get up off the couch, and start walking -- even 5 to 10 minutes to start. A device called a pedometer will tell you how many steps you walk. Build up to a goal of at least 10,000 steps a day, which should take you 30 to 45 minutes.