Light Exercises for When You're Out of Shape

Choose an exercise intensity that raises your heart rate and gets you breathing harder than normal, but doesn’t start you sweating profusely. Perform exercises at the same pace you would use for a brisk walk. You should be able to continue your exercises at this pace without having to stop after a few minutes.

Maintain the exercise pace you determined would let you exercise without stopping, and exercise for 10 minutes or longer. The American Heart Associations states that 10- and 15-minute workouts, performed two or three times daily, provide healthful benefits that help you get on the road to good cardio health. Add a few minutes to each workout as you improve your fitness, aiming for a goal of being able to exercise for 30 minutes or longer. How long you exercise is more important than how hard you work out as you start to get in shape. The longer you use your heart, lung and other muscles, the more stamina and endurance you’ll build and the more calories you’ll burn.

Perform exercises at home that include walking up and down stairs, jogging in place, rope skipping, jumping jacks, pushups from a kneeling position, butt kicks, squats, lunges and situps. Use dumbbells or resistance bands to create a workout while you watch TV, either sitting or standing. Ride a bike or roller skate. Follow an TV exercise program at your own speed if you have a fitness channel that offers a workout program. Dance using full-body movements as you listen to your favorite tunes.

Use cardio machines at a moderate intensity if you have access to a gym or fitness center. Warm up on a treadmill at 2 mph for two or three minutes to get warmed up, then raise your speed to 3 mph to 3.5 mph to create an easy, heart-healthy workout. Change the gear settings on an exercise bike to build muscle with harder pedaling, and raise your heart rate with fast pedaling. Use a rowing machine with very little resistance to work your upper and lower body muscles.