Improve your heart health with The Sunday Mail Suncorp Bridge to Brisbane

hfund_imageCardiovascular disease (heart, stroke and blood vessel disease) claims an Australian life every 10 minutes and is responsible for more than one in three deaths every year.

The good news is that cardiovascular disease is largely preventable. You can take action now by becoming physically active as evidence shows that regular, moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking or jogging, is good for the heart.

If you don’t know how to introduce physical activity into your life, The Sunday Mail Suncorp Bridge to Brisbane is a great place to start. Following are 10 tips from the Heart Foundation to help kick start your training:

1. Set aside certain times of the day or one period that suits you to be active -you’re more likely to be committed if you schedule it into your routine.
2. Be active with friends and family. This way you can motivate and encourage one another and have fun at the same time.
3. Set yourself small, realistic goals, such as “tomorrow I’ll start with a 15-minute walk to the train station rather than driving”.
4. Walk or ride a bike instead of driving.
5. If you must drive, park further away and walk the extra distance rather than driving around for the perfect park.
6. Reduce the amount of time you spend sitting – at work, in the car, and on the couch.
7. Take regular breaks during the busy working day – take a walk around the block at lunch time and get away from the office regularly.
8. Use a pedometer to measure your steps – aim for 10,000 steps a day.
9. Get stuck into the housework and work up a sweat.
10. Take the dog for a walk or walk the kids to school.

The Heart Foundation is proud to be the beneficiary of The Sunday Mail Suncorp Bridge to Brisbane in 2009. With heart disease as the biggest killer of Australian men and women, the funds being raised via this event will help the Heart Foundation change this! You can make even more of a difference by doing your own fundraising for the Heart Foundation – join the “Team Red” and start fundraising today for your chance to win some great prizes, while supporting a great cause.

Visit heartfoundation.org.au for more information.