“How can I exercise and not strain my heart?”

If you keep to an intensity of exercise that feels quite comfortable it will not strain your heart. But walking to much suddenly or especially jogging could easily strain your knees so vary the kind of exercise you do, and include cycle machine and swimming.

See a doctor and get a stress test. Start slowly, watch your diet, and reduce your weight.

First, see your physician to make sure you are stable, which I would suspect from your age. Then start a cardio workout keeping your heart rate at 85% of 220-your age. Finally, change your diet with the help of your physician, making sure you are not pre-diabetic.

First, it is important to evaluate your exercise capability now, meaning are you able to walk up a flight of stairs without developing shortness of breath, can you walk a block without developing shortness of breath, do you have shortness of breath at rest? Do you develop any chest pain while performing any of the above activities. This will give me basic information regarding your cardiac status. Once this is evaluatedquestions regarding family history of cardiac disease, hypertension, diabetes should be evaluated. Walking is a low impact exercise but if any of the answers to the questions above are yes, it would be important to perform an exercise nuclear stress. Initially, a low fat weight loss diet should be instituted. Your baseline blood pressure and heart rate must be measured. Low impact exercise ncluding walking and swimming are strongly suggested. Further cardiac work-up can then ensue

Start with exercising four days a week, 20 min on the treadmill or bike, in addition to some weight training and slowly increase speed, inclination, and duration on the treadmill to 30-40 minutes.