Cardi-oh-no!

[FluffEverywhere]

So, I'm getting back to the gym, I've been taking part in a research study and it's opened my eyes to just how awful my cardiac health is..

Resting heartrate when asleep averages 84, HRV 22-30ms. Not good really..!

I'm 36, 5'3 weigh 57kg, size 10. On the outside, I look quite healthy. My heart tells other stories it seems!

So, fast walking for 20 minutes (level 3.8 on the treadmill, incline at 2), heart rate reaches 190 within minutes. If I run it exceeds 220. I struggle to breath fast enough!

Do I just need to stick at it and slowly increase the speed and duration? I'm also doing some classes and weight training, but the cardio is my big concern..

Any tips more than welcome!

Yep just stick it out, but start where you are comfortable and gradually increase. You will get there

Thank you! Thinking if I go up 0.1 each time speed wise, that should be enough..
I just want to be healthy!

It will change quite quickly as you get fitter.

You'll definitely see improvement over time as long as you do something that increases your heart rate regularly.

I remember feeling wiped after 5 minutes on the cross trainer at level 3. I can now jump on there and do 30 minutes at level 12-14 before going to do a bodypump class. It took me a few years of regular exercise to get to this point. Cardio wise I found spinning was good. A spin class gave me the motivation to keep going til the end of the class whereas I'd do 10-15 minutes fast(ish!) walking on the treadmill and give up either through boredom or thinking that I could do no more. The great thing about spinning is that you are in charge of the resistance and speed so you can keep it lighter and go slower as you need. As your fitness improves you start keeping up with the speed of the instructor and are able to increase your resistance.

But you might want to do more than 20 minutes, or ensure that you do 20 minutes every day. 3.8 (is that in kilometres or miles?) isn't a particularly fast walking pace ...

Can ou put some extra exercise into your daily life? Ditch the car, and walk as much as possible to get to places.

Strongly recommend couch 2 5k for this. It’s amazing how quickly it improves.

It's funny you say you look healthy on outside I am the opposite to some degree

I'm 5ft 10 and 14.5 stone at least 2 prob more like 3 stone overweight but I run 25/30 miles a week and Resting HR is 48

I just have a binge eating problem

But I tell myself at least my heart is kinda healthy

I agree C25K to get you started

Check out your local parkrun's also they are a great event

Every Saturday morning

By the way you could also have a naturally higher HR than some

Thanks everyone!

Level 3.8 is just the speed of the treadmill, I do about 2km in 20 minutes that way, so not fast at all, but all my heart can keep up with at the moment. Doing it 4 times/week, followed by 40 minutes of weighted exercises, and two classes a week (Les Mills Body Combat and Pilates). We do go on a 6km walk at weekends at quite a good pace, but other than that I don't do much. I also have a sit down job and chronic fatigue as a result of Crohn's Disease, so everything is hard!

I will defo look at C25K, thank you!

@Indoctro that's a great resting heart rate - I wish mine was that low! My heart rate was much faster (90+ when asleep) when I used to smoke (quit 8 years ago), so I guess it's decreased a little.. I just need to not get so puffed out just walking up a hill!

Level 3.8 is just the speed of the treadmill, I do about 2km in 20 minutes that way, so not fast at all, but all my heart can keep up with at the moment. Doing it 4 times/week, followed by 40 minutes of weighted exercises, and two classes a week (Les Mills Body Combat and Pilates). We do go on a 6km walk at weekends at quite a good pace

That sounds like quite a good lot of exercise! The treadmill is probably in miles per hour.

My resting heart rate (in my early 60s) is around 65. I train really hard for an hour at least 3 times a week in a mix of heavy weight lifting and HIIT/Metcon, plus a couple of Pilates classes and maybe a Body Pump class or two (depending on my work load and hours).

I find that my heart rate will hit around 160 - even briefly 180 or so, in very intense running intervals (I can only manage about 10 seconds at 18kph - that feels so fast it's scary!) , for example. And I'm gasping for breath, and have to focus to control my breathing (and not be sick ).

But my HR recovers relatively quickly, as soon as I go from intervals on the treadmill of 15 to 20 seconds at, say, 15 or 16 kph, to a gentle walk at 4kph , my HR comes down in about 20 or 30 seconds.

So maybe look at what your recovery rate is? Does your HR lower fairly quickly when you stop running/walking briskly? Also, when do you get out of breath? And do you exercise conscious control of your breathing in Pilates for example? All that might help train your heart?

I need to aim for 65!!

Did a Les Mills Body Combat class on Saturday morning, followed by Pilates - the BC nearly killed me but I had such fun and sweated so much! Still aching too much today though!

Did a 3.7km walk up and down hills yesterday, and will go this afternoon and aim to jog rather than walk on the treadmill.. I'm determined to do this!

I've also stopped taking sugar in my tea and have banned biscuits and crisps in the house..!!