EXERCISE HELP

1lexisva

I am about 250 lbs 5'6ish and I just joined the Gym....My heart rate was around 170-180ish and that didn't seem right to me...Question for bigger women who have lost weight...what did you do when you were a bigger size? I don't want to push myself that hard and have a heart attack but I do want to have a good workout...Thanks!

martyqueen52

You should probably go ask a doctor this question... not randoms on MyFitnessPal Forums

imacrazycatlady

First see a doc to make sure there are no actual heart issues. Then, until you build a strong aerobic base, work at a "conversational" intensity -- meaning you are still able to talk in complete sentences. No gasping for air in between words. As you get stronger, you'll be able to work harder at that same intensity.

ladyargentum

It depends hugely on your health & fitness level. Agree that you should ask your doc.

10 weeks ago I was 216 (5'5") & pretty unfit. My heartrate was reaching 180+ fairly quickly. Now It is hard to get it above 170. I initially just did ALOT of walking to build up some level of fitness & now I am running.

Just don't push yourself too hard to fast. If in doubt- slow down, take a brief rest to recover and then go again.

Good Luck

TrainingWithTonya

In order to know your target heart rate, I would need more information. Do you have any health issues that would impact your heart rate? Are you on any medications (blood pressure, asthma, allergy, etc.) that would impact your heart rate? How old are you? What is your family history with regard to heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, etc.? I'm actually a Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist, which allows me to work with people who have those issues going on (standard personal training certifications are only for working with apparently healthy individuals), so I wouldn't give a recommendation for heart rate without knowing those things. I will tell you however, that it is not uncommon for those who are just starting a fitness program to have a very high heart rate (and blood pressure) while exercising and the heart rate response to exercise tends to be lower after achieving a higher fitness level, so the heart rate you are seeing now is probably higher than you want but after exercising for a few months, you will get a lower heart rate from doing the same level of activity. If you want me to help you with figuring a target heart range and planning your exercise, PM me.

1lexisva

Thanks everyone!!

1lexisva

I sent you a pm