New to board, new to CHD group.

BlueJean4114

Hello All,
I am BlueJean, new to this board, new to trying to lose weight, and have multiple heart conditions, including mitral valve prolapse, tachycardia, and multiple arrhythmias. I am 55 years old. My heart condition is becoming increasingly disabling, and i have gained weight in past 5 years. I want to lose 34 lbs.
I know i will feel better if i lose the weight, and there will be less strain on my heart, or at least, i hope so!

I am not sure if i belong in THIS group, but, i am looking for a group or partner, who understands i can't just jog or take up running, to egg each other on, even if it is only baby steps.

If there is another group i should belong to instead, feel free to point me in right direction, as i am new here.
THANK YOU to all who reply.
~BlueJean4114

liog

Hi BlueJean!

Have you talked with your cardiologist about starting an exercise program to see what kind of exercises s/he recommends? After my surgery, I had to take baby steps. I was in rehab for about 4 months and started with just 10 minutes of the treadmill, 10 minutes on an exercise bike, 3 minutes on the hand bike and a handful of reps with a 3 lb weight. I did that two to three days a week. As I got stronger I was able to increase my workouts.

I know you've not been on MFP very long, but I took a peek at your diary. I hope you don't mind. :flowerforyou: I don't know if Tuesday and Wednesday are accurate diary entries but if they are, you really need to eat more. Don't stress your body and your heart by drastically cutting calories. You may lose a bit, but eventually it will backfire and weight loss will stall and it will be hard to jump start it again.

BlueJean4114

THANK YOU Liog,
yes, my first day or two of eating, i was sort of doing a bit of a fast to get started, just to shrink my incredibly large stomach down a bit. It seemed to help, but, that is sure not my long term plan for daily living, was just a one-time thing, to reduce my stomach down a bit to help with hungries. YOu are so so right, eating like that EVERY day would be disaster, imo, i completely agree with you there.

Your rehab plan sounds very very sensible to me. How did this work for you, how much exercise are you able to tolerate now? (if you don't mind.) Of course, each person is different, and each cardiac condition is different, but, i am just curious. So few cardiac ppl on MFP so far as i can tell. I'M GLAD TO MEET ANOTHER!!

I can't afford a doctor at this time, but, i am hoping to soon,
but so far, all i am doing is walking, only for 20 minutes, and some toning/stretching exercises, to limber up. Just very gentle stuff, like arm twirling, and moving my legs around, nothing stressful at all.
Every hour or so, i try to move my limbs around and do some gentle, non-cardio stuff, just stretching and bending around, to limber up and increase my flexibility.

I plan to move fwd very very very slowly.
The other day, on my walk, i did feel energetic for the first time in a long time, and did walk at brisk pace, but, i won't be doing that too often, but wow, it felt good to me. I was smiling the whole time.

lol, if the runners around here read THAT last remark, they'd sure shake their heads, but, for ME, it is a good start. I won't be a runner.
I can't do anything that involves bouncing my heart around, like jumping or running, cuz the backflow of ventricular blood up into my atria causes guaranteed tachyarrythmias.

i am so so far gone, like a bowl of jello, i have to work towards getting in good enough shape, to begin getting in better shape. i can already feel more limber again, and i do believe i have lost some water, which was from the sedentary life i am just now leaving behind.

I feel hope building up in me, i do. I can picture ME getting healthy again,
which doesn't sound like much,
but, for me, even picturing myself being healthy again, living a more full life again, and beginning to believe i COULD do this, is a brand new feeling.

THANK YOU AGAIN, LIOG!! I SURE DO WISH YOU THE BEST OF SUCCESS IN GETTING/STAYING HEALTHY!!!!