How do I know when it's too much?

thedreamhazer

I just want to some other to weigh in on this for me. Today, I took my first Circuit training class. Generally, I do slow work outs....distance running, slow reps in weight training, etc. However, this class was FAST. My heart rate got really high (I don't know what it was, I could just tell) and I would start to feel sick to my stomach. My question is-- it was POSSIBLE to push through the feeling, but the sickness would go away if I just rested a few seconds and got my heart rate down a bit. So, should I be pushing through it or should I take the rest until I'm better conditioned for this kind of exercise? I normally just try to listen to my body, but I'm not used to this so I'm not sure what my body is saying.

tmcowan

I would say listen to your body and take a few seconds for your heart rate to go down a little. The more that you do the activity, the quicker your recovery will become and eventually you'll be able to breeze right through it.

DancingDreamer

it really depends on who you talk to. there are ALOT of people who will tell you to work through it. but i've done that in the past (the last time i really tried to lose) and i ended up actually throwing up. not fun. and no...not worth the burn...at...all. i personally think taking a small break to get over the puking feeling is a great idea, because you really dont want to ACTUALLY throw up. there's a point where you need to listen to your body and rest, people that push past that and keep going have a touch of insanity to them in my opinion. your body is right, it knows what you need. sounds like you're doing the right thing to me.

tink63

Did you consult your doctor before starting this program? Ever had high blood pressure? Did you work out on a full stomach or empty stomach? If I work out on a full stomach, I will get sick. There are several reasons this could happen, you just need to make sure its not a dangerous one. Best to you on your journey.

LinnPitt

I would definitely talk to your doctor about what your target heart rate should be during your workouts.
your body may react differently than the person next to you. for some it takes more exertion to get their
heart rate to target where as you may not take as much effort.
normally for me working extra hard and getting my heart rate too high doesn't hit me until I stop. that is
when the room starts spinning. always remember pain is an indication that something is wrong.
listen to your body is the best advice I could give you.

thedreamhazer

LinPitt and Tink-- No, I haven't talked to a doctor, but I just had my blood pressure checked yesterday and it's fine. 95/65, or thereabouts. I didn't think about asking a doctor because I'm 22, in a normal weight range now, and have no blood pressure problems. I was planning to go get a physical soon, though, so I'll ask then.

Regarding food-- I ate half my lunch an hour before and ate the other half an hour after. So, I should have been fine there. Thanks for the advice, everyone, I appreciate it! I thought resting was probably right, but I needed to check that I wasn't just being wimpy!

Edestiny7

I highly recommend investing in a Polar heart rate monitor. Once you put in your height, weight, age, & activity level, it will tell you what your target heart rate zone should be. Mine says my range is 119 - 153. When I am above 170, I am breathing way too hard and it is hard to get a deep breath.

A quick way to get your heart rate down is to bend over if you can not lie down flat.

RaeN81

Take a break. You'll eventually be able to do it all if you keep going to the class. Why make exercise super unpleasant--in the long run this may make you want to quit entirely and that's certainly not what you are aiming for! Though a tough workout can be great, one that makes you physically ill doesn't make much sense. Also, when you work way above your target heart rate you run the risk of working anaerobically.

ANAEROBICALLY:
when our heart/lungs cannot keep up with the demand for oxygen, they work anaerobically.
-when this happens the body starts drawing fuel from the most readily available source, often muscle
-lactic acid begins to build up in the muscles more quickly, making for a much sorer body after the burn

You can still lose weight working anaerobically, but it won't be a fun experience and you could end up burnt out in the process. Listening to your body's cues is what you've been doing--keep doing it!

rybo

Barring any underlying health issues, its likely just a matter of how hard you want to push yourself in comparison to your current fitness level. My personal opinion is that unless you are training for a competitive sport, it’s not worth the effort of pushing thru those kinds of feelings. I did all that back in college, running track. Now I just exercise to stay fit & because I enjoy it. My days of pushing thru workouts to nearly getting sick are over.