Exercising to Treat Hypertension

Being overweight or obese is one of the leading causes of hypertension. The reasons why you are overweight or obese in the first place really do not matter. What is important is that you recognize that you are overweight or obese. Once you acknowledge that, then you can begin to take steps to lose the weight and lower your blood pressure.

You do not need an expensive fitness center membership in order to exercise. You can exercise at home for free. When starting out, you should exercise in small steps and not try to do too much too soon. Learning to follow a schedule and routine is also important. You have to be serious about losing the weight or your exercise program will fail.

The easiest exercise to begin with is walking. Not jogging or running or power walking, but walking at a normal pace. You should walk at least three times a week for about twenty minutes. You should make sure that you wear the proper shoes and comfortable loose fitting clothing. You might want to take a water bottle and a small towel with you. When you find that you are no longer winded or tired at the end of twenty minutes, you can start power walking or jogging. If you are not comfortable with that, then increase the time to thirty minutes.

You can also add ankle weight or wrist weights to your routine. You should allow a cool down period where you keep walking at a slow pace until your heart beat level begins to slow down. This also keeps the muscles from having spasms.

Using a scale to keep track of your weight loss is a good idea. However you should be aware that as fat is lost from the body and muscle mass increases, you may reach a point where you are no longer losing weight. You may even start to gain weight again. This is nothing to worry about as muscle weighs more than fat.

If you have shortness of breath, difficulty walking or standing, dizziness, or are morbidly obese, you should consult with your medical provider before beginning any exercise program or routine to treat hypertension.