Maintaining your heart health is one of the most important things a person can do to increase the longevity of their life. The importance of maintaining a healthy heart increases the older you get, which is why you should always be thinking about ways that you can maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Changing your lifestyle can prove to be difficult though, as you’re often left questioning, “What can I do?” The best person to consult with is your doctor, as they tend to know your health condition best, and will be able to recommend the proper steps to getting you on the right track to becoming more healthy. Your doctor should be able to answer questions like:

• What exercises should I do?
• What exercises should I avoid?
• How long and how often should I exercise?
• What are the right foods for me to eat?
• What foods should I avoid?
• Among a multitude of other heart health questions.

Walking is one of the easiest ways to start getting active, and most beneficial things that will help your heart. It has been proven that walking at a quick pace will help to regulate your heart activity and is one of the least stressful exercises on the body. Most research suggests that walking from three to five hours a week is optimum for improving health.

How do you track this though? Most of us can’t mentally track every minute or second that we spend walking around. That’s where technology comes in.

One of the best things to help to track your health is a fitness tracker

There are many types and brands of fitness trackers. There are bands you wear around your wrist, and little devices you clip to your clothes or put in your pocket. Some of the most popular trackers are from Fitbit and Garmin, but hybrid fitness tracker/smart-watch options from Apple and Samsung are gaining popularity as well.

Getting a device that monitors your heart rate can be very beneficial to your fitness goals, especially if you are just getting started. In addition to monitoring your heart, these devices can keep track of the number of steps that you have taken that day, and will also help you to create manageable fitness goals. It’s important to do your research when purchasing one though, as reports have surfaced that some aren’t as accurate at reporting as they portray themselves to be.

Athletic headphones

The addition of Athletic headphones could be a great addition to your tracker as the technology is usually compatible and has grown steadily over the past 5 years. You can now purchase many headphones that are lightweight and are perfect to take while on walks or runs. They’ll provide you with the same quality of sound that you would find with a high-performance sound system and can range in styles from Bluetooth to clip on’s. Having headphones with you during a workout can help to increase your overall motivation throughout the workout.

Clothing and Shoes

Lastly, an important piece of high-tech equipment that often goes overlooked for beginning a healthy fitness routine, is clothing and shoes. Both of these items have come a long way in terms of the technology that are put into them. You can find fabrics that are breathable, while also being rain resistant. Shoes that offer you comfort and support, while allowing you to walk in all sorts of terrain. If you’re prepared for your workout, you will generally have a more successful one. This is why it’s important to invest in the proper athletic wear and shoes, for the exercise that you’re performing.

Here is a list of what you should look for in a shoe, as well as a list of some of this year’s most coveted options for both men and women.

Here is a list of types of athletic wear you should look for, as well as a list of some athletic options for both men and women.

Technology can make getting back into fitness a game you can win. Counting steps, monitoring your heart rate, counting the calories you’re burning, all help you keep “score” so you can monitor your progress. No matter what you do, or what you get, the most important thing is that you get out there. Just making those first steps to get off the couch and exercise are often the most important. To borrow a slogan, just do it!

This past week, The Mikey Network was happy to deliver a MIKEY AED to Creating Alternatives.  

Creating Alternatives acts as a day program for adults with developmental disabilities. It was developed after their founder, Phyllis Santone, needed to find suitable day programs for her daughter Rita. Since Phyllis began trying to find a place for her daughter in the mid 1990’s, the organization has gone through different stages of development, focusing on employing adults with developmental disabilities, to an organization that focuses primarily on providing day programs.  

The day programs vary, but include everything from fitness, to money management, to gift, party, and event planning. Each participant is given a personalized assessment when they begin with the organization and are encouraged to do programs that are designed to develop their communication, social skills, life skills; maturity and leave them with a sense of empowerment.

We have donated a MIKEY to the organization to have on hand in case there’s ever a cardiac emergency within the facility. We hope they never have to use their MIKEY, but we’re happy that it’s available to such a wonderful group of people.

You can learn more about Creating Alternatives here.