To wonder if I'm really just unfit?

[contactusdeletus]

Some background: I'm just turning thirty and work retail, on my feet and up and down stairs a hundred times or more in a day. I'm of a pretty slim build and have no car, so also walk everywhere.

I've never really considered myself "fit" but I didn't think I was unfit either, if that makes sense? But in recent years I've noticed I really struggle with heavy lifting at work - my chest will become unbearably tight, like my lungs are about to explode, and I can't seem to catch my breath. (This is after taking one 20kg box up a flight of stairs.)

It's a bit embarrassing but I've been putting it off as nothing until this week, when we were all sent home due to the coronavirus. I tried to do an online workout, just to keep myself active while stuck at home. It was a Joe Wicks one. For kids! It was five minutes long, with breaks of twenty seconds after doing forty seconds of one simple activity, eg star jumps.

I made it through the first forty seconds of marching on the spot okay, took twenty seconds rest, then tackled the star jumps. I couldn't go on after that. Pushed myself through the forty seconds but collapsed on the floor coughing and shaking after that. It took me fifteen minutes to recover.

Is this normal? I know it's not the kind of exercise I normally do, but my reaction seems so extreme. Should I be worried about this? Or just keep at it and hope I'll get fitter in time?

Honestly, I used to think I was pretty fit because I walked several miles a day, carried heavy bags of groceries home from the supermarket, always took the stairs, was slim etc.

And then I took up spin classes and running and realised quite how absolutely unfit I was. Breathless within a minute, took forever to recover, felt like I was dying.

I think many people are much less fit than they realise and don’t realise what actual exertion feel like. Keep at the workouts. You’ll get a little bit quicker each time and a little less breathless. Within a couple of months you’ll really notice a difference.

Oh that's a relief! The coughing and gasping after less than a minute had me worried it might be asthma or something

Guess I'm just a couch potato! I'll stick at it. Thanks for that, I know it sounds silly but sometimes you wonder what a normal level of unfitness actually is.

Any tips on improving my breathing during a workout? I'd love to be able to stick at it for longer. Nothing crazy, just the full five minute work out would be nice

I realised how unfit I was when we took up karate (it was a Family Thing for a while). I was only just overweight and could walk all day and my normal walking pace was about 4mph - except uphill.

But I wouldn't have been able to do even four seconds of star jumps. Once you ask me to take both feet off the floor at once, that's it. I'd get breathless after ten seconds of running and could only do a few jumps at a time. And then we tried press-ups. Ahahahahaha. Core shot to pieces and arms totally useless.

That was in 2012, and I've stuck with it in a fairly desultory fashion (I've decided I have Executive Function Disorder...). I'm still not great at the running, and I can't do more than a few - very bad - tuck jumps. Sit-ups are doable for a bit, and I've finally worked out how to do a crunch and can manage some pretend press-ups if no-one insists I get anywhere near the floor .

So yes, it can get better. If you actually put in the effort it needn't take as long as 8 years...

Defo go to a gym after we are out of covid and start slow and build up, I started with 3 gym visits a week and a couple of aqua classes. My gym was 1km on the cross trainer, 15 mins walking on treadmill (can't run due to fucked knees and large breasts) and 1km rowing plus weights, now I am. Doing 7km Cross trainer - and quick - and 2km rowing. I am now doing 2 pilates classes, 2 gym sessions, 2 zumba sessions, 2 different dance fit style classes, 1 clubbersize and 2 aqua sessions a week - so over 8 hours a week and I feel really good for it! Hence me now having to source a cross trainer and some dvds for this quarantine phase as I have asthma and have to stay away at the mo, don't want to lose my momentum!

Fitness is a range of attributes and you probably have good stamina if you're on your feet all day and up and down stairs.

Cardio for heart and lung efficiency is a different attribute and the star jumps need bursts of explosive power.

You can adapt workouts and build up the impact as you adapt, so rather than a straight star jump, start with a half jack or jumping jack. Jo Wicks is quite intense anyway for maximum results in minimal time. I'd feel his workouts and I can run sub 30 5ks and HMs in a mainstream time, so I'd like to think my cardio is pretty decent!

You can be fit for one thing, but not another

I cycle a lot, when I cycle with a friend of mine who runs, she finds it hard as it is different muscles/heart rate etc

And I can’t run !

I don’t think coughing and gasping is normal though? Could it be asthma?

My DH is very fit ( weights , resistance and cardio ) and went with my DD to a Pilates class to humour her after a bit of a debate - he was exhausted after and could barely walk for 2 days !

Sounds like exercise induced asthma to me, (when you can) go see GP

If you've never exercised before then you won't be accustomed to it. You'll imptovecreally fast though.

The first time I did the 30 Day Shred I had to pause it twice and lie on the floor in the recovery position

• improve really fast

Whoops

Me being breathless, sweaty, and needing to sit down = being unfit

Me coughing and gasping with exercise = my asthma playing up

Might be worth trialling a blue inhaler to see if it makes a difference?

I cycle 50 miles a week, could easily do double that.
Ten minutes of yoga had me a sweaty shaky mess.

I don't think it sounds normal to feel like your lungs will explode after carrying a 20kg box upstairs. The unbearable chest tightening sounds like a medical issue that needs looking into pronto.

Ditto the collapsing coughing after such a short time exercising. Please go and see a doctor. That doesn't sound like just being a big unfit.

This activity contravenes health and safety guidelines OP.
Women should lift no more than 16Kg at work and carrying a heavy load should not be done if the route is unsafe- ie using stairs- you are unable to hold a handrail for instance as both hands are carrying the load.
Your employer is in violation of safe working practices if expecting you to carry 20Kg up or down a flight of stairs, and if you fell and injured yourself would be obliged to pay you compensation.
Your employer needs to do some risk assessment to protect you- and them. Do you have a union? If not speak to HR.

I was like this and kept trying and trying to get fitter to no avail. It turned out I was seriously anaemic. You don't have very heavy periods by any chance do you?