Exercising with High Cholesterol

Increase the

-- By Jen Mueller & Nicole Nichols, Fitness Experts

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Being overweight is a leading risk factor for high cholesterol. The good news is that regular physical activity will help with both weight loss and lowering cholesterol. Exercise can actually increase your HDL (good) levels while lowering your LDL (bad) cholesterol. You’ll be happy to know that you don’t need to spend countless hours in the gym to achieve the heart-health benefits of getting active. The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week.

What the Research Shows

A 2001 study involving patients with high cholesterol showed improvements in HDL (good) and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels after just 12 weeks of following an exercise program. On average, subjects experienced a 4.6% increase in HDL, a 5.0% decrease in LDL, and a 3.7% decrease in triglycerides.
Even moderate activity, if done daily, can make a difference. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine compared the amount and intensity of exercise and their effects on cholesterol levels. The highest amount of weekly exercise had the most effect. In other words, improvement was related to the amount of activity and not to the intensity of exercise.
In the same study, participants lost little weight, but their cholesterol levels did decrease. This shows that heart-healthy changes can occur inside your body before any benefits are seen on the outside. So if you’re discouraged by not seeing weight results, you can still be motivated by the fact that you continue to get healthier!

Convinced yet? Hopefully you are. Remember that exercise is important for so many reasons, from weight maintenance to overall health. But how do you know where to start?

Exercise Tips for People with High Cholesterol
A safe exercise program can help you conquer cholesterol once and for all. Now that you're committed to start a heart-healthy exercise program, here are a few tips to help you start off on the right foot.

Always talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise program. Underlying health conditions, such as uncontrolled blood pressure, can make certain types of exercise unsafe for you. This is also true if you are on medications that affect your heart rate. Read and follow the guidelines in "Exercise Safety Tips for Beginners" before you start.
If you are new to exercise or haven’t been active in awhile, start slowly and increase your workout time and intensity as you get stronger. A good starting point is 20 minutes of aerobic activity, 3 times per week. Examples include walking, swimming and biking. The best activities to do are the ones you enjoy and will stick with. Eventually, the goal is to work up to 45-60 minutes, 5 times per week. It is also important to let your body warm up and cool down gradually during each exercise session (5-10 minutes each).
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About The Author

Jen Mueller
Jen received her master's degree in health promotion and education from the University of Cincinnati. A mom and avid marathon runner, she is a certified personal trainer, certified health coach and advanced health & fitness specialist. See all of Jen's articles.

Member Comments

PRUSSIANETTE

I have exercised almost all my life. When I was younger I was extremely fit, but have packed on the pounds over the last decade. My doctors keep thinking they can show the result of my being now overweight through blood work, but alas, I am always in normal ranges. I took a cardiac stress test with EKG and ultrasound a few months ago, again, passed with flying colors.

I do attribute all those positive results to exercise. However, the downside is, there is less incentive to lose weight. I have to concentrate solely on how I look and feel, as opposed to a cause/effect relationship to my health. (I should also add that I eat primarily organic healthy food--I "simply" overeat.) - 2/1/2012 8:00:51 AM
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FAVTLSMITH

Good article, This is the main reason i started this program ... I want to be able to control lmy cholesterol through diet and exercise - 9/9/2011 2:46:05 PM
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REGINAPOK

My cholestrol is hign , and my doctor increased my pills, but i am hopeing that through
exercise and following th way of eating on this program, i can bring it down, i am now
eating rice and beans wihich i never did before...it is a wonderful program......Regi
na - 8/1/2011 9:00:18 PM
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PEGGIE57

Thanks Jen. I had to quit taking my cholesterol medication because it was too expensive and while I was off it, I discovered my kidney function tests returned to normal! So, now I'm hesitant to go back on cholesterol lowering meds again. I have cut back on TV time to get off the couch and do other things like work around the house and strength training for my arthritis. Thanks again. - 11/3/2010 11:41:23 PM
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JIBBIE49

My cholestrol is still too high, but it had dropped 24 points since I've become a SPARKER and lost 33# so for.
- 6/12/2008 1:29:16 AM
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COOLINJEANS

My doctor is envious of my cholesterol and he feels it is because I workout regularly at the gym........ - 2/21/2008 4:26:50 PM
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NETTY1

Good article on exercise. Just keep moving.

Netty - 2/1/2008 11:52:25 PM
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GAZELLA

You bet, BYEPOUNDS! I feel encouraged that we don't need to knock ourselves out for exercise to lower our cholesterol. Here's to lower numbers! - 12/16/2007 7:49:33 AM
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BYEPOUNDS

It's the amount of exercise not the intensity that will help lower cholestrol, the article says! - 12/16/2007 1:47:35 AM
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JIBBIE49

Great article. The Baby Boomers need clear instruction on simple exercises that can be done easily and at home. - 12/1/2007 12:30:13 PM
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