As a physiotherapist and business owner, I spend much of my time helping others move better, feel stronger, and live healthier lives. But recently, I’ve turned that focus inward — working on improving my own cardiovascular health.
Despite being lean, fit, and active, a recent health review showed a few areas that could be improved. My HDL (the “good” cholesterol) had dropped, and my ABI (a measure of arterial stiffness) was slightly elevated. These were early signs, not dramatic ones, but enough to warrant a proactive plan.
So, I’ve created a one-month cardiovascular health optimisation routine — built around simple, sustainable habits. Whether you’re looking to boost your own heart health, reduce cholesterol, or simply feel more energised, I hope this plan offers ideas you can borrow.
My Current Health Stats
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Weight: 67.4 kg
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Height: 168 cm
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Resting Heart Rate: 52 bpm
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Blood Pressure: 109/72 mmHg
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Body Composition: 88.7% muscle, 11.3% fat, 61.3% water
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Cholesterol Trend: Slightly rising total and non-HDL cholesterol, falling HDL
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ABI Ratio: 1.41 (suggestive of early arterial stiffness)
Despite these excellent markers overall, the trend in HDL and ABI told me it’s time to act — not react.
My Movement Plan
I’m currently dealing with a bit of hip discomfort, so I’ve adapted my training to focus on low-impact but highly effective methods:
Weekly Routine:
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Swimming: 3x/week – low impact, full-body cardio
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Walking: Daily – 20–60 minutes, depending on comfort
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Reformer Pilates: 2x/week – supporting hip stability, core, and functional movement
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Strength Training: 2x/week – upper/lower split, with hip-safe modifications
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Stretching & Mobility: Daily – focusing on hip flexors, calves, and thoracic mobility
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Sauna: 2–3x/week – to support vascular health, relaxation, and recovery
This balanced mix allows me to train consistently without aggravating the hip, while still targeting heart, muscle, and vascular health.
My Nutrition Plan
My daily diet is already whole-food based and structured, but I’ve made a few tweaks to support HDL and reduce arterial stiffness:
Daily Meals:
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Breakfast: Porridge with berries, chia seeds, cinnamon – and sometimes walnuts
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Lunch: Pret salad with protein and a rye bread roll
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Dinner: Fish (especially oily varieties) with legumes or beans, plus greens
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Dessert: A couple of squares of 70–85% dark chocolate and some berries
I’ve also increased healthy fats (like extra virgin olive oil, nuts, avocado) and included more omega-3 sources like sardines and mackerel.
Monitoring Progress
I use a Withings scale to track:
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Weight
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Body composition
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Resting heart rate
I’m also planning to re-check my lipids and ABI in 2–3 months. I may include additional tests such as ApoB and CRP-hs for a deeper picture of cardiovascular risk.
What I’m Hoping to Achieve
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Increase HDL cholesterol
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Reduce non-HDL levels
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Improve ABI through better arterial flexibility
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Support joint and muscle health through varied, low-impact training
If you’re thinking about improving your cardiovascular health, the key isn’t doing everything at once — it’s doing a few things consistently.