If I don't exercise I will literally die.

jade2112 · April 2013

I had a massive heart attack 1.5 years ago and had a stent placed. They tell me I was actually dead for almost 10 minutes. Spent 10 days in the hospital in a medically induced coma. I'm lucky I'm still here.

I am so sedentary it's ridiculous.

In mid December 2012 I joined a gym even paying for classes for a lifetime. I've gone about eight times and not done any classes.

Three days ago it struck me that I'm so out of shape my muscles are mush. I'm also weak as a kitten.

This led me to feel an overall sense of unease and fear for my life. I know in my heart that if I don't go to the gym at least five times a week I'm going to die soon.

I don't want to fade away sitting in my chair in front of the TV and computer, because I turned into a puddle of mushy muscles.

I'm a bit depressed over this realization and angry at myself for being so lazy all these years. I want to live to be at least 120.

RedneckMomma77 · April 2013

If you are serious about working out, talk to your doctor about what he/she would want you doing. I would assume that your medical history will dictate what and how much you can do to begin with. Start slow, and don't overload yourself to begin with. You'll burn yourself out and quit. Make this a gradual change so your body and mind have time to accept this new change and adapt accordingly.

Have a nice evening.

makeitallsue · April 2013

You have taken the first steps.. you have written it down, acknowledged and even put some goals out there.
Nothing can stop you now!!
Just keep moving forward, one day at a time, one change at a time. Your body will respond! :flowerforyou:

jade2112 · April 2013

If you are serious about working out, talk to your doctor about what he/she would want you doing. I would assume that your medical history will dictate what and how much you can do to begin with. Start slow, and don't overload yourself to begin with. You'll burn yourself out and quit. Make this a gradual change so your body and mind have time to accept this new change and adapt accordingly.

Have a nice evening.

I feel better after I workout too.

Yeah, the gym sent my cardiologist a form to fill out before I could start using the facilities. The trainer wants me to take it slow too.

jade2112 · April 2013

You have taken the first steps.. you have written it down, acknowledged and even put some goals out there.
Nothing can stop you now!!
Just keep moving forward, one day at a time, one change at a time. Your body will respond! :flowerforyou:

Thank you for your kind reply.

KaraAlste · April 2013

120 is a good goal for you. You are a positive thinker, that's half the battle right there!

HSingMomto7Kids · April 2013

You can do it!! Get all the support that you need!!

lintino · April 2013

You can do this. Don't expect to change over night. I started in June. I could not stand up straight and could not walk 1/8 of a mile without gasping for breath and hurting all over. I started with water aerobics. In the beginning even the easy classes killed me. I now do 90 minutes of water aerobics 3 days a week, a 90 minute yoga class and walk 1 1/2 miles 2 days a week. Please add me as a friend if you want.

metacognition · April 2013

You don't have to go to a gym.

You don't have to jump right into a hard exercise program.

Start walking at a light pace for 30 minutes, a few times a week. Then creep it up to an hour, five days per week.

Ease into it gradually.

You can gradually put on the intensity until your body is challenged and healthy. When you first start working out, it can feel like a truck hit you. Exercise always shocks the body if you are not used to it. After about eight months of exercising regularly I find that I recover almost instantly and it's no sweat - even when I sweat hard.

jade2112 · April 2013

Thank you everyone for the wonderful advice.

Graelwyn75 · April 2013

Best way is to go to the gym, not with the thought of 'I must work out like a lunatic' but rather to go to the gym, thinking of just maybe doing 5 minutes walking on the treadmill, then after 5 minutes, you might want to do another 5, you might want to increase the speed, or try an incline, or you might even want to play about on the other machines. Don't feel compelled to go there and do a certain amount. Go there and just do what you can, and what does not make you feel overwhelmed.

make_it_so · April 2013

Hi! I know about heart disease because my mom had it. It was sad seeing her want to do things, but not being physically able. I feel for you. She has since passed away, but it was from complications during her 3rd and final open heart surgery (there was too much scar tissue to operate from previous surgeries.)

I was just a kid then, but looking back, I think of some things that may have helped her stay healthier and become stronger. If I could offer you advice it would be to:

Buy a heart rate monitor. I have a Polar FT-60 that I love. I think as you are getting active, it will be reassuring for you to be able to set and monitor heart rate goals, to know if you are improving and also to make sure that you are in a safe percentage of your maximum heart rate. I use mine every day. My particular model has a "Star Training Program" that allows me to track my progress and keeps me motivated. It will track 100 workout sessions, plenty for you to settle into a beginner, safe routine. Consult your doctor about what range your beats per minute should be, etc.

Also, the human body is very dynamic. What you eat is very important in order to supply your body with what it needs to regain health. You may want to consider becoming a vegetarian for a while at least until your cholesterol levels and blood pressure get to normal if they aren't already. I am going to school to become a nurse, and what I have learned is that although the body needs cholesterol, it can make it on its own without you obtaining it from animal products. If it is hard for you to cut out certain things, you can substitute. Ex. Egg Beaters have no cholesterol, but are made from real eggs, Splenda for Sugar, etc.

Limiting sodium can drastically improve blood pressure and greatly reduce the risk of another heart attack. Try to look on the nutrition label- any sodium above 20% daily value is very high in sodium. Try to aim for at least 10% daily value of sodium or less.

Also, try to find something fun to do! I hate working out at the gym but I love to hike and trail run! At many parks, they mark the trails by level of difficulty so you can start low and move up! Swimming my also be easier to begin with because it is low impact.

In closing, maybe the best thing is to find something that you can stick with and try not to worry! You may live to be 120 while a very fit person could go at 30! No one knows, all we can do is try our best and not look back. I am thinking of you and know that you can do this one step at time. Good luck!

make_it_so · April 2013

Edit: Even if you don't want to do a vegetarian diet, you may want to do a plant based diet as a compromise.

JessiBelleW · April 2013

some one mentioned there are some walking vids on youtube - these could be a great way to start off your exercise routine without placing too much stress on the body - perfect for a beginner!

jade2112 · April 2013

Hi! I know about heart disease because my mom had it. It was sad seeing her want to do things, but not being physically able. I feel for you. She has since passed away, but it was from complications during her 3rd and final open heart surgery (there was too much scar tissue to operate from previous surgeries.)

I was just a kid then, but looking back, I think of some things that may have helped her stay healthier and become stronger. If I could offer you advice it would be to:

Buy a heart rate monitor. I have a Polar FT-60 that I love. I think as you are getting active, it will be reassuring for you to be able to set and monitor heart rate goals, to know if you are improving and also to make sure that you are in a safe percentage of your maximum heart rate. I use mine every day. My particular model has a "Star Training Program" that allows me to track my progress and keeps me motivated. It will track 100 workout sessions, plenty for you to settle into a beginner, safe routine. Consult your doctor about what range your beats per minute should be, etc.

Also, the human body is very dynamic. What you eat is very important in order to supply your body with what it needs to regain health. You may want to consider becoming a vegetarian for a while at least until your cholesterol levels and blood pressure get to normal if they aren't already. I am going to school to become a nurse, and what I have learned is that although the body needs cholesterol, it can make it on its own without you obtaining it from animal products. If it is hard for you to cut out certain things, you can substitute. Ex. Egg Beaters have no cholesterol, but are made from real eggs, Splenda for Sugar, etc.

Limiting sodium can drastically improve blood pressure and greatly reduce the risk of another heart attack. Try to look on the nutrition label- any sodium above 20% daily value is very high in sodium. Try to aim for at least 10% daily value of sodium or less.

Also, try to find something fun to do! I hate working out at the gym but I love to hike and trail run! At many parks, they mark the trails by level of difficulty so you can start low and move up! Swimming my also be easier to begin with because it is low impact.

In closing, maybe the best thing is to find something that you can stick with and try not to worry! You may live to be 120 while a very fit person could go at 30! No one knows, all we can do is try our best and not look back. I am thinking of you and know that you can do this one step at time. Good luck!

You've given me some excellent advice. You're right about the sodium and I have to admit that I sometimes feel nothing is salty enough and use the shaker liberally. I know this is bad for me and have recently made a strong effort not to salt my food.

I did buy a seasoning that has a salt substitute in it that I really like. Don't know if that's any better for me than plain salt or not.

The heart rate monitor is something I have been researching over the past week or two and think I will be purchasing one. It will make me feel more secure knowing the information it will provide.

Thanks again.

jade2112 · April 2013

some one mentioned there are some walking vids on youtube - these could be a great way to start off your exercise routine without placing too much stress on the body - perfect for a beginner!

There is a nice trail right behind my house and I plan to walk it this spring and summer. It's a beautiful walk and a shame that I don't utilize it like I should.

I'm without a dog at the moment and am thinking of getting another. A dog has to be walked every day and I would feel safer with one along.

nekoface · April 2013

I totally agree with walking. The upside of walking is you can do it for a long time and and won't discourage you. After walking for a while you might also like to try gentle social dancing - these keep you moving for at least an hour and are fun.

ThriftyChica12 · April 2013

in addition to exercising, PLEASE watch the documentary Forks Over Knives: it's about food's relationship to heart disease and other illness, and how to REVERSE and CURE the heart disease.

u can watch it instantly on Netflix, or I guess u could rent it from the library, etc.

here's the trailer:

http://youtu.be/F-OzTWY2J8E

Vailara · April 2013

Are you able to get professional advice related to your condition from a doctor, physiotherapist, nurse, etc? I think exercise can be more complicated with heart disease - medications affect your heart rate, you have to remember not to push too hard, heart failure makes it more difficult, etc. You need to be sure what's safe and right for you.

I have heart disease, and I found exercise scary but I've got more used to it now. I do have to keep reminding myself not to over-exert myself! Things like HIIT are out, sadly. When I started getting more active I was also very obese and found Leslie Sansone videos were great (there are some on youtube if you want to try), just to start moving more at an easy level. I do a mixture of things now: occasional cycling, dance, bodyweight exercises and some lifting. I have found that my chest pain has improved recently.

I've been told that heart monitors aren't as useful if you're on medication that affects your heart rate (I am, but you might not be). The information might still be useful, but I suppose you maybe have to interpret differently than somebody who isn't on those medications and I'm not sure how to do that! So I used to use one, but don't bother now. But I agree that it might be helpful just for reassurance.

Best of luck!

pennydreadful270 · April 2013

I think the heart rate monitor is a great idea if you can afford one. The most improtant things for you are to get moving, but do so safely - you need to keep a careful eye on how hard you are pushing your heart. Going from completely sedentary to gym 5 times a week is a big change and needs to be done slooooooowly to give your heart and your muscles time to get stronger.

jade2112 · April 2013

in addition to exercising, PLEASE watch the documentary Forks Over Knives: it's about food's relationship to heart disease and other illness, and how to REVERSE and CURE the heart disease.

u can watch it instantly on Netflix, or I guess u could rent it from the library, etc.

here's the trailer:

http://youtu.be/F-OzTWY2J8E

Thanks for the link and suggestion. I do have Netflix and lots of free time at work so I'll be watching it tonight.

jade2112 · April 2013

Are you able to get professional advice related to your condition from a doctor, physiotherapist, nurse, etc? I think exercise can be more complicated with heart disease - medications affect your heart rate, you have to remember not to push too hard, heart failure makes it more difficult, etc. You need to be sure what's safe and right for you.

I have heart disease, and I found exercise scary but I've got more used to it now. I do have to keep reminding myself not to over-exert myself! Things like HIIT are out, sadly. When I started getting more active I was also very obese and found Leslie Sansone videos were great (there are some on youtube if you want to try), just to start moving more at an easy level. I do a mixture of things now: occasional cycling, dance, bodyweight exercises and some lifting. I have found that my chest pain has improved recently.

I've been told that heart monitors aren't as useful if you're on medication that affects your heart rate (I am, but you might not be). The information might still be useful, but I suppose you maybe have to interpret differently than somebody who isn't on those medications and I'm not sure how to do that! So I used to use one, but don't bother now. But I agree that it might be helpful just for reassurance.

Best of luck!

I never thought about the medications possibly changing the results on a heart rate monitor. I have to think this over again before I spend the money.

MissMormie · April 2013

I never thought about the medications possibly changing the results on a heart rate monitor. I have to think this over again before I spend the money.

The result you see on the heart rate monitor will give your accurate heart rate, but your heart rate will, with some medications, not be an accurate reflection of how hard your exercising. I know my MIL has medication that basically limits her heart rate around 120. Which for most people would be barely exercising is going all out for her. I would definitely talk to your doctor about which heart rate is good for your with your condition and combination of medicine your taking. And after doing that definitely use a heart rate monitor (unless recommended differently by your doctor) to feel sure you're not over stressing your heart.

Next to that find a trick to get you to the gym (or outside, or on a treadmill or whatever exercise). What worked for me was putting smiley face stickers on the calender every time I worked out. That, and asking myself every day what I would make me happier tomorrow. Would it being mindlessly zapping past every TV show (which feels quite nice while doing so) or getting out and doing something for an hour. Thinking about what I wanted now never worked, 'now' is never the moment I want to exercise. But tomorrow is always the day I feel good about myself for getting my *kitten* of the couch yesterday.

And finally remember that you just take little steps to get a whole lot better. Your workout today doesn't have to be the workout someone does who lives to be 120. Your workout today just has to get you 1 day close to reaching that 120. If every workout buys you an extra day you'll get to the 120 eventually.

Xiaolongbao · April 2013

This led me to feel an overall sense of unease and fear for my life. I know in my heart that if I don't go to the gym at least five times a week I'm going to die soon.

It's great that you're planning to make some changes - now carry through and do it! But, don't be so overly dramatic. By telling yourself that you have to go "at least 5 times a week" you're almost ensuring failure. How about starting by going once a week and walking for half an hour at least 4 other days? Or something like that. Something that you can easily achieve

minizebu · April 2013

You might want to consult with your cardiologist to find out if there is a cardiac therapy group in your area. You may be more successful exercising under the watchful eye of a such a group, as the check vitals periodically and follow up with you to make sure you are taking your meds, etc. They ease you into the exercise program at a pace befitting your current fitness level and in consultation with your physician.

I realize that you have already paid for a regular gym membership, but you should start at a place where they will check your blood pressure regularly, as well as your other vitals.

Good luck.

iamlaprell · April 2013

I agree with most responders so far, talk to your doctor and build up slowly. Some exercises may not be healthy for you at this point and you don't want to start trying to get healthy and do it in a way that actually creates more problems for your condition.

Sqeekyjojo · April 2013

So you're scared.

That's reasonable.

Use your fear to get yourself moving - twice a week to the gym, for a start. Twice may not be five times, but it's more than when you're sitting on the couch feeling scared.

Don't overdo it - build up slowly. I wasn't able to do much on my first weeks back at the gym - but last night I did an aqua zumba class and was concerned I was only mildly breathless after an hour. Then I woke up this morning and moved my legs. I now know I worked plenty hard enough, but my fitness level has improved dramatically in that time.

Once you build it up, you are more likely to keep on going for months instead of giving up again. And you'll make healthier choices as a matter of course.

The reason we feel fear is to make us take action to protect ourselves - your fear is doing exactly that. Don't ignore it.

If I don't exercise I will literally die.

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