The road to heart health starts at home

After a long day at work, it’s easy to go home, kick off your shoes, and grab the remote. While this may help you unwind, it’s not doing any favors for your heart. In fact, if you’re like most Americans, it’s complicating an already sedentary lifestyle and increasing your risk of a number of health problems, including heart disease.

So tonight, instead of snuggling into the couch to catch your favorite shows, try incorporating some physical activity into your evening routine.

• Take an after-dinner walk, just remember to bundle up! (if it’s cold)
• Sit on the floor and stretch during your favorite primetime shows.
• Set a goal to do 100 jumping jacks, 25 pushups, 25 lunges, and 50 sit-ups.
• Dust off the X-box or Wii for 30 minutes of dancing, bowling, tennis, guitar hero, or another other interactive game.
• Play Twister or charades with your family.
• Do squats while you brush your teeth.

The neat thing is that exercise doesn’t have to be “work”. It comes in all shapes and sizes, and it can be done from the comfort of your living room.