Key Points

• Physical activity is any body movement that works your muscles and uses more energy than you use when you're resting. Walking, running, dancing, swimming, yoga, and gardening are examples of physical activity.
• Exercise is a type of physical activity that's planned and structured. Lifting weights, taking an aerobics class, and playing on a sports team are examples of exercise.
• Being physically active, along with following a healthy diet and not smoking, is one of the most important things you can do to keep your heart and lungs healthy.
• The four main types of physical activity are aerobic, muscle-strengthening, bone strengthening, and stretching. Aerobic activity is the type that benefits your heart and lungs the most.
• Aerobic activity makes your heart beat faster than usual. You also breathe harder during this type of activity. Over time, regular aerobic activity makes your heart and lungs stronger and able to work better. Examples of aerobic activities include walking, running, swimming, and bicycling.
• Muscle-strengthening activities improve the strength, power, and endurance of your muscles. Doing pushups and situps and lifting weights are examples of muscle-strengthening activities.
• With bone-strengthening activities, your feet, legs, or arms support your body's weight, and your muscles push against your bones. Walking and jumping rope are examples of bone-strengthening activities.
• Stretching helps improve your flexibility and your ability to fully move your joints. Touching your toes and doing yoga are examples of stretching.
• You can do physical activity with light, moderate, or vigorous intensity, depending on how hard you work. Light-intensity activities are common daily activities that don't require much effort. Moderate-intensity activities make your heart, lungs, and muscles work harder than light-intensity activities. Vigorous-intensity activities make your heart, lungs, and muscles work hard. On a scale of 1 to 10, moderate-intensity activity is a 5 or 6 and vigorous-intensity activity is a 7 or 8.
• Physical activity benefits all parts of your body. Even modest amounts of activity are good for your health. The more active you are, the more you will benefit.
• Aerobic activity strengthens your heart and improves lung function, reduces coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors, and reduces the risk for heart attack.
• In general, the benefits of physical activity far outweigh the risks to the heart and lungs. Rarely, heart problems, such as arrhythmia, sudden cardiac arrest, or heart attack, occur during physical activity. These events generally happen to people who already have heart conditions.
• In youth and young adults, the risk for heart problems due to physical activity is higher in people who have underlying congenital heart problems. In middle-aged and older adults, the risk for heart problems due to physical activity is related to CHD.
• If you have a heart problem or chronic (ongoing) disease, such as heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about what types of physical activity are safe for you. You also should talk to your doctor about safe physical activities if you have symptoms such as chest pain or dizziness.
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released the "2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans." The guidelines explain that regular physical activity improves health, and they encourage people to be as active as possible. The guidelines also contain specific recommendations for children, adults, older adults, and other groups.
• Physical activity is an important part of a heart healthy lifestyle. To get started and stay active, make physical activity part of your daily routine, keep track of your progress, be active and safe, and talk to your doctor if you have a chronic health condition.
• In addition to physical activity, a heart healthy lifestyle involves staying at a healthy weight, following a healthy diet, and not smoking.