Fitness

Fitness plays an important part in maintaining healthy cholesterol.  Regular exercise helps to burn calories overall and can be especially effective when following a heart-healthy eating plan. In addition, it makes your heart stronger and helps lower LDL, while boosting your HDL.  I will be sharing other information on fitness and the effect that specific exercises can have on lowering your cholesterol.

According to Healthline "some research has indicated that it may be that how much you exercise is more important than what kind of exercise you do." They have therefore come up with Exercises for Lowering Cholesterol, while helping you to incorporate more activity into your daily routine. It is important to seek the counsel of your physician or health care professional before beginning any new fitness program.

Here are 6 Best Exercises for Lowering Cholesterol:

Exercise #1: Jogging/ Running 

Running is a great exercise for lowering cholesterol and controlling your weight. Studies show that you don't need to necessarily run at a fast pace, but a steady jog for a few miles can be more beneficial in lowering cholesterol than running at a fast pace.

Exercise #2: Walking

Walking is always a good choice of exercise. It is also much safer as we get older because it is better on our joints and feet as compared to running, jogging or other aerobic work outs. Consequently, studies show that people experienced similar benefits whether they walked or ran, as long as they put forth the same amount of energy. When comparing thousands of runners to walkers, the results showed that it wasn't the type of exercise that mattered, but the amount.

Exercise #3: Biking

Although cycling uses the same energy as jogging, it may be a better choice since it is easier on the joints. This is especially true as people become older and become challenged with arthritis, which can be hard on the joints, knees and hips. "Biking is a top-notch cardio work out....you'll burn about 400 calories an hour," according to WebMD.

Exercise #4: Swimming

Swimming is a fun aerobic that is easier on the joints than other aerobic exercises. Studies show that it can improve body weight, fat distribution and LDL cholesterol levels better than walking.

Exercise #5: Resistance Training: Weights

Lifting weights is a form of resistance training which is beneficial to those having high cholesterol. Studies show that those who participated in resistance training were able to clear LDL from their bloodstream faster than those who did not. It also can "help protect cardiovascular health."

Exercise #6: Yoga

Yoga can help with breathing, stretching and strengthening. Studies show that yoga may reduce risk of heart disease and in some case, may directly affect cholesterol levels.

Conclusion

Almost any exercise can work if you do it consistently. These are all helpful for reducing cholesterol and protecting you from cardiovascular disease. After consulting with your health professional, you can choose the one that will be best for you.