Exhausted and Can’t breathe

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I do not typically like working out because I get tired faster than the average person and out of breathe super fast. I definitely find it hard to run. I used to run track when I was younger and I was even short winded the… any tips?

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  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
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    You don't have to run if you don't want to or it's hard. Walking is perfectly fine. If you do want to run, you can use a program like Couch to 5k to gradually build up your running stamina.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,293 Member
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    First: Get a full OK from your doctor.

    Second: Two or three times a day just push yourself a little bit. Do that for a few weeks. Adding maybe 30 seconds to two minutes each time.
    As long as you can talk while pushing yourself it should be OK.

    But don’t push so hard that it hurts, or you can’t talk.
  • yelenad678
    yelenad678 Posts: 21 Member
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    I think you should probably take a stroll to the doctors office or just buy some crystals...they specialise in healing!
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,400 Member
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    I'd agree--see your doctor. To build up stamina you can start with walking, then up your speed and distance slowly week by week. Also, there are many other exercises that you can try. Running might not be a good fit with your health.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    get a physical.

    if given the okay, start slow. you dont have to run. i HATE running. therefore, i do not.

    find an activity you enjoy, or at least dont hate. walking is fine.

    the more you are active (in any activity) the more your endurance builds. but it takes time.

    I started by just going on a walk 2-3 times a week. and.... it wasn't much of a walk. at almost 400 pounds i could not go very far at all. 10 minutes was about all i had in me. but i kept doing it. and it didnt take long, really, before i could go a little bit longer. and then, i started to go more often. more days added. my neighbor was a member at planet fitness and asked me if i wanted to go with her (she only went occasionally). I said sure. So I'd go with her. i thought i was going to die on the elliptical. lasted about 7 minutes. But kept going. within a few months could last much, much longer.

    it just takes time and consistency.

    but i do not ever, ever, run. LOL
  • 39flavours
    39flavours Posts: 1,494 Member
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    I have always found it hard to breathe when doing strenuous cardio, especially running. Back in the day when I was much fitter and lighter I did find that focusing on my breathing patterns helped me feel more like I was getting better oxygen and could go for longer. Probably partly because it gave me something to focus on rather than being stressed out about how I was feeling. Wear a heartrate monitor and set it to warn you when you're reaching your upper heart rate zone as to go beyond that can be dangerous. But yes, see a doctor first and get your heart and thyroid checked.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    I do not typically like working out because I get tired faster than the average person and out of breathe super fast. I definitely find it hard to run. I used to run track when I was younger and I was even short winded the… any tips?

    Start with just walking and getting your body moving and used to moving. Fitness is something that is built up over time. If you want to graduate to running from walking I'd recommend a program like C25K but I'd recommend being able to walk a good 60 minutes at least 5x per week before jumping into anything else.

    Personally, I do not like running and therefore I do not run. There are many other things you can do for exercise and fitness besides running. I started out trying to be a runner because that's just what I thought fit people do...they go running. I ended up discovering a love for cycling when I was training for a sprint tri and haven't looked back. My primary forms of cardio are road cycling, mountain biking on weekends when I can, recreational cycling (ie meeting up with friends at Bike In Coffee or Ex Novo or something like that by bike), and walking my dog most mornings.

    Just start slow and build your fitness...you need to build a base foundation. You don't build a house roof first...
  • mjglantz
    mjglantz Posts: 487 Member
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    As others have said, check with your doctor. If you are healthy then maybe running isn't the exercise for you right now. Fast walking is just fine and you can do several fast walks each day of 10 - 15 minutes each to improve your stamina.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,293 Member
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    yelenad678 wrote: »
    I think you should probably take a stroll to the doctors office or just buy some crystals...they specialise in healing!

    Please. Not crystals.
    They’re pretty.
    They don’t do anything for anyone’s health.
    Except look pretty.
  • thisvickyruns
    thisvickyruns Posts: 193 Member
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    I do not typically like working out because I get tired faster than the average person and out of breathe super fast. I definitely find it hard to run. I used to run track when I was younger and I was even short winded the… any tips?

    as the saying goes, if you find running hard, you need to run more!

    same goes for any exercise. if you're unfit, it'll seem like hard work until you gain some fitness.
  • DoctorMOHSEN
    DoctorMOHSEN Posts: 53 Member
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    Stamina and endurance takes time to be build up, you don't have to start vigorously and run. Take things easy. Progress is gradual.