Build Muscle – Get Strong

Lowering Your Cholesterol With Regular Exercise

In the previous article, we discussed what cholesterol is and how it is used by the body and how it can  harm the body.  We’ll pick up there and cover how you can lower your cholesterol levels with exercise and about how much exercise you’ll need. 

Before, you learned that LDL cholesterol’s job was to deliver cholesterol to cells and to deposit cholesterol on the walls of your arteries.  You also learned that HDL cholesterol travels around the body collecting the extra cholesterol deposited on the arterial walls and from cells.  With this in mind, it’s easy to understand how lowering your level of LDL cholesterol and increasing your level of HDL can allow you to reap a great benefit for your cardiovascular system.

Without getting too technical, I’ll tell you that exercise increases the production of several enzymes that enhance the reverse cholesterol transport system (this is the duty of HDL cholesterol).  Exercise also helps increase the action of these enzymes.  In other words, HDL cholesterol production increases because of the increased production and actions of these enzymes. 

What type and how much exercise do you need?  A moderate intensity exercise (walking, swimming, cycling, dancing, etc), which is roughly 75% of your maximum heart rate (MHR).  The exercise you choose is up to you, but it should be something you’ll enjoy that will increase your heart rate. You want to be able to be able to maintain this exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes.  The 30-minute guideline should be viewed as a goal for your exercise routine.  If it’s impossible to do 30 minutes at a time right now, do 5 or 10 minutes, whatever you can tolerate. 

The important thing is that you do something.  You have to start somewhere.  Eventually, you’ll be able to work yourself up to 30 minutes of exercise, and believe it or not, it probably won’t take as long as you think.  Your weekly goal should be about 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise 3 – 6 days per week.  Ultimately, the more days, the better.  Seem impossible?  It’s not. 

Click here to lower your cholesterol with a portable, compact home gym system.