Exercise for Heart Health
Did you know that one out of every four deaths1 each year in the U.S. is caused by heart disease? And as we become older, our risk of heart disease increases dramatically. According to the American Heart Association2, cardiovascular disease causes one in three women’s deaths a year, approximately one woman every minute. One fun, effective way to help prevent heart disease: Exercise regularly with activities like the Curves Circuit!
How does exercise reduce your risk of heart disease?
You may already be familiar with many of the risks of heart disease. Obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes all put us at higher risk of experiencing heart-related illnesses. But based on several research studies conducted over many years, we know that exercise can help reduce each of these risks.
When we engage in physical activity such as the Curves Circuit, two very important physiological changes occur in our body. First, exercise strengthens our heart, which is a muscle. Next, physical activity – particularly aerobic exercise – improves our ability to use oxygen efficiently. Both of these changes allow us to complete our daily routines and gym workouts with less stress on our heart, thus reducing our risk of heart disease and stroke.
For people who already suffer from heart disease, exercise can help build their tolerance to activity. According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology3, it can also reduce risk of death. The study looked at 15,486 patients with heart disease and found the more exercise the participants got, the lower their risk of death. Those who exercised 10 minutes a day, for example, had a 33 percent lower risk of death compared with people who didn’t exercise at all. Those who exercised more had an even lower risk of death.
The moral: engage in a regular workout plan or gym workout like the Curves Circuit to prevent heart disease and stroke, and to lower your risk of death if you’ve already been diagnosed with one of these conditions.
How can Curves help you be heart healthy?
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, adults should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise (2 hours and 30 minutes, or five 30-minute workouts at Curves) per week. As an alternative, adults can engage in 75 minutes (1 hours and 15 minutes) per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.
The Curves Circuit is based on a 30-minute whole body workout and combines strength training and aerobic exercise to support your heart and increase your aerobic conditioning. Exercising at Curves three to four times a week, combined with 30-minutes of moderate physical activity each day on your off days, fulfills the recommendation for better heart health.
Get the word out about Curves
Chances are you know other women who may be at risk of heart disease. Why not use National Heart Month as your opening to invite them along to Curves with you? It’s a great way to get them started on the path to a heart healthier lifestyle and an excellent reminder for you as well! Remember, if we each bring just one new person to Curves to try the fun, total body workout, together we will help change the lives of TENS OF THOUSANDS of women. In turn, these women can then become healthy role models and inspire many more people around them as well. So, make it your mission to partner with Curves over the next 30 days to help someone you know and love to live a healthier, stronger life.
The Curves Circuit produces some pretty powerful cardiovascular results, so work your muscle for the most important muscle in your body—your heart. For more information on the benefits of the Curves circuit, visit ‘Why Curves‘.
