How do I begin living a healthy lifestyle to benefit my heart?

@gramps64, what a great topic!

I would like to believe that by posting this message you just took the first step to begin living a healthier lifestyle. Making small changes, hearing what others are doing and talking about your successes and setbacks can really make a difference. Think positive peer support.

I'm going to bring @cynthiamary, @barbarajane, @HeartPatches and @cynaburst into this discussion. I bet we'll get more people joining too. I can't wait to hear people's ideas for taking those first small steps to big changes.

@gramps64, in the meantime, this is pretty good reading from the American Heart Association http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/How-to-Change-Bad-Habits-and-Live-a-Heart-Healthy-Lifestyle_UCM_434369_Article.jsp#.VwhFy_krKUk Help sets the expectations about changing longstanding behaviors and habits.

You can do this!

Oh, I also want to share this discussion thread with you on eating well with heart disease https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/i-have-congested-heart-failure-had-a-quadruple-heart-surgery-8-years/

Hi, <br />
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Living a healthy lifestyle is key to getting well. Extra weight makes the heart pump harder. Eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, fish (if you can) and plenty of water.<br />
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Exercise and do a lot of walking. <br />
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Best of luck!<br />
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Patience, Perseverance, Faith and Prayer.

Exercise is the best. Join the local YMCA with a pool and start lap swimming. Get lessons so it is comfortable and fun. I ruined my back and took up swimming to make it well. RonBee

Good morning @ronbee,
Congrats on taking the first step towards wanting to improve your health and your heart. I have recently been working on weight loss and healthy eating also, as I also have heart disease and am overweight. I have gone to a nutritionist and she has given me the amount of carbs, proteins, and fats that I can consume daily. This has been helpful and there is an app if you have a smart phone that works well to keep track of this also. -- FatSecret -- is the app. Also, remember they even say walking 10 minutes three times a day can count as your cardiovascular exercise. The main thing here is to get your heart rate up. I wear a FitBit HR which helps me keep track of my heart rate In fact, by watching my diet and increasing my physical activity to five times a week, I have lowered my resting heart rate by over 15 points since January, which indicates I am improving my heart health. Also, I am going to copy/paste a website which is working on strength training using our own body weight. Remember begin slow and modify to your other physical limitations.
https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/
Good luck. Sometimes it seems like we are not getting anywhere in our fitness, but small changes come and do not give up. We all struggle at some point in our life with something, but remember to push ahead and know you can do it.

Make a plan and never suffer an exception no matter how tired you are.<br />

Gramps 64, Welcome, You just got started! 22 years ago , when I was 42 years old, I smoked, I was fit and had a high resistance, I suffered all the signs of a heart attack, pale as a glass of milk, extreme pain in my left arm,chest,cold sweat etc. I was alone that day at home. When I awoke the next day I went to see a cardiologist. I passed the stress test and he determined by the electrocardiogram that I had experienced some sort of blockage. My BP was normal. My cholesterol was very high. I am 5'9" and weighted 180 lbs. Only medications I was prescribed was LIPITOR, After 6 months I stopped taking them due to pain in my joints.

Five Years ago I visited the hospital due to an allergic reaction of AVELOX. My BP was sky high, A catherization was performed and I had a stent placed. Plavix and 81 mg for a year.

Instead of eating a full plate morning, noon and night , I eat 40% ! I read all the labels and try to eat as healthy as I can. I quit smoking 22 years ago "cold turky" I weight 210 now and like You I have a plan to get the weight off. Yes I get tired, some days I slack off. But I always go back.

You have Your plan, Not everyday you will stick to it, but you should always go back to it.
This is a TEAM effort, Yes , You , Me and all that belong to this forum will support You.

Thank You for letting me be part of this group.

Welcome to the Get Heart Fit team @joem! I love your attitude. Two steps forward and one step back is still progression. I'm working with D & D - determination and dedication. A little slacking off doesn't mean I've lost sight of the end goal.

It looks like you already got all the help you needed but remember to eat well and sleep well. Good luck

Hi, eating healthy and staying active is the key to a healthy heart. Reduce sugar intake. Eat more vegetables and less red meat. Drink enough water. Stay positive