<p>I think offering their pants in various lengths is a new thing for Brooks, too. Hopefully, it will catch on.</p>
<p>I’m mapping out a little hike in a ocean-side state park on the New Hampshire coast for one day this weekend.</p>
<p>I’ve been checking into this thread off and on for the past couple of weeks, and all I can say is, WOW! You guys are really impressive, and I’ve been somewhat intimidated to try to join in the conversation, but I’ve decided to take the plunge. Please, all you uber-athletes, take pity on me, a rank beginner—well, begin againer:D.</p>
<p>I need to loose about 50 lbs. I have diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. I want to lower my numbers, and want to stop needing to take so many medicines. A couple of years ago, I lost 25 lbs, on the way to reaching my 50lb goal, but life circumstances interfered (long story) and I lost my routine and my mojo. I went about a year without going to the gym (YMCA), and just as I’d made up my mind to go back, I fell down the stairs and broke my fool ankle in three places. It took about a year for me to fully recover from that surgery and rehab to the extent that I was able to go back to the gym. But now, I’m back. The Precor Elliptical machine is my best friend, and I once again feel like I’m in the zone.</p>
<p>Right now, I’m just trying to acquire some level of cardio fitness. My resting heart rate is rather high (many times, above 100), so when I work out, I breeze right past the upper end of my target heart rate before I even begin to break a sweat. I told my primary care physician about this, and she ran a potassium check (something I’m gathering she’d never done before). It was pretty low, even though my BP meds are supposed to be “potassium sparing”, so I’ve been on potassium chloride twice a day for three months. I don’t know how well it’s working, though. My heart rate still goes above 170 without me even working very hard. I’ve begun usiing a personal heart rate monitor into which I’ve inputted my vitals (age, height, sex, weight), and it works pretty well at helping me keep track of my heart rate and calorie burn.</p>
<p>I had somewhat of a scare a couple of weeks ago when I was working out. At the time, I wasn’t using the personal heart rate monitor and was merely going by the default settings on the machine, using “quick start”. I somehow had it in my mind to bump up my efforts so that I registered 250 calories burned in 30 mins. About fifteen minutes in, I noticed that I seemed to be laboring somewhat in my breathing, so I backed off a bit. But when it looked like I wasn’t going to reach my goal, I bumped it up again, ignoring for a while the fact that my breathing was becoming quite labored and there was a slight pain in my chest (yeah, I know. Stupid). On a hunch, I checked my heart rate, and it was 227! Well that rather scared me, I must confess. I’m almost 54 years old. The high end of my target heart rate is supposed to be about 140. I slowed down quickly, and got off the machine when, after two minutes, it was still in the 200’s. That’s never happened to me before, and I was frankly pretty spooked. I thought, “My God, you could have had a heart attack if you’d continued like that!” Anyway, I was so scared, I stayed away from the Y for a week.</p>
<p>I just returned last night, and one thing I noticed immediately was the fact that my heart rate was 141 even before I started exercising. All I’d done was wiped down my machine and turned on my Ipod. So, of course, I blew past my target rate the moment I pushed “start”. I tried to go slow, but slow bores me to tears. I was careful to keep it 170 or below, and I think I got a good workout in. I burned 668 cals in an hour, and I felt really good. The hour went by in a flash, and I felt really energized.</p>
<p>So that’s all there is to tell about me and my puny efforts thus far. Now, I feel like I need to go back and start reading this thread from the beginning. All 131 pages worth:eek: That may take some time.:D</p>
<p>Welcome and don’t feel at all intimidated. We ALL started somewhere and it is just a matter of getting moving and not about ability levels or talent. We all have personal goals and interests, and they all belong on this thread.
I would check again with your doc about that high heart rate, though.</p>
<p>Poetsheart, we all need to start at the beginning, even if we do it multiple times in our lives. I certainly fall into that category! I don’t want to tell you how many times I’ve gotten religion around food and exercise. For me, eating has been the first major hurdle to get over. Now that I’m cautiously optimistic about that, I’m about to get back on the elliptical, but was sidelined for a week with a recurrence of a back issue–aggravated because I didn’t follow my personal back-care rules while traveling. I find all sorts of other excuses, including the relatively poor condition of the equipment at my gym. I’m resisting re-joining the more expensive, well-equipped gym where everyone is fit and young, but I may decide to do that. Otherwise, I walk, and that’s good for the spirit as well as the body, especially if I get my heart rate up with an iPod interval walking program and do the one hill near where I live. Hang in there, and do keep an eye on that heart rate.</p>
<p>Welcome poetsheart!!! Glad you are here! This thread has definitely helped me stay motivated and so many here have continued to inspire me. Definitely not an uber-athlete but I am a 50-something with a bum knee who is tired of being out of shape and wants to be able to walk in beautiful heels at my daughter’s wedding next summer! 
The people here got me to combine the exercise with the proper diet and take baby steps to good health. I have learned so much here and I think you will enjoy checking in here!</p>
<p>Gosh…I really need to get that HRM!!! I just don’t know what kind to buy! I have read so many reviews that they blend together.</p>
<p>We all have setbacks, sometimes for months, sometimes for years. Sometimes on a weekend vacation. Or projects at work that consume the time so that workouts are on the back burner. Those times away from home when it is so hard to eat well.</p>
<p>I would definitely get that heart rate checked. I used to get my heart rate into the 190s in my 30s. Today in my 50s, it gets up to the 160s with very hard exercise and at that point, I can “feel” it. To my knowledge, I’ve never been in the 200s. I don’t think that I’ve ever heard of anyone with that high a heart rate, at least in our age range.</p>
<p>Welcome poetsheart! I did the same as you, I read this thread for a good month before I got myself to commit to actually exercising so I could join in. </p>
<p>NorthMinnesota, I think I’m ready for a HR monitor too, but I am overwhelmed by the choices. Part of me wants to splurge on the Garmin with all the bells & whistles, but I feel like it might be overkill for my current level.</p>
<p>Welcome poetsheart! You’ve already accomplished so much! You’re hitting the gym and you’ve committed yourself publicly. Having the support of this thread, and feeling accountable to these people, is a huge help.</p>
<p>I hit the tippy top of the weight range for my height this week. Used the hand held body fat calculator thingy at the gym and my BMI is 27. It was 44 or 46 when I started in March. I was half fat!</p>
<p>Getting back into shape is a slow game, poetsheart. You made a big step by starting and you have everything to gain by staying with it. If the heart rate concerns you check with your GP. Good luck. This is a great place to get information and support when you need it.</p>
<p>poetsheart:</p>
<p>I know what’s causing your high heart rate! You had probably just read one my posts about Obama! :)</p>
<hr>
<p>Seriously, though. I don’t want to make suggestions about your high heart rate because that’s probably something that you and your doctor have to sort out. It would be crazy to say, “oh, that’s no problem” and then find out it that it is a problem. </p>
<p>With that caveat, we all have different heart rates and they don’t always correspond to the standard 220 minus your age formula. After wearing a heart rate monitor for six months while exercising, I would say that my max heart rate corresponds pretty closely with the formula. On the other hand,** Mom of Wild Child’s **max heart rate is much much higher than the formula would suggest. There’s a big genetic component and quite a bit of variability.</p>
<p>I learned a lot about heart rates from this guide that comes with the Timex heart rate monitors. </p>
<p><a href=“http://assets.timex.com/user_guides/Tools_For_Success_ENG-SPA.pdf[/url]”>http://assets.timex.com/user_guides/Tools_For_Success_ENG-SPA.pdf</a></p>
<p>Especially useful is a simple test that you can do at home to estimate your max heart rate. It takes fifteen minutes and involves two simple exercises: step up and down onto a step 90 times in three minutes and sitting down in a chair and back up 30 times in one minute. You check your heart rate after each of these exercises and then add a correction factor taking into account your current fitness level. It’s very simple. When I did this test, it confirmed that my peak heart rate is pretty much right in line with the age formula. Since then, I have hit 100% heart rate on two occasions, both during absolute max effort exercise of the sort that left me bent over panting like a dog to catch a breath.</p>
<p>The other general advice I can offer. When I started exercising, I was as de-conditioned as you could get. More than 50 pounds overweight. Hadn’t exercised iin years. Had smoked for 38 years. I can’t emphasize enough that it is a slow process and you have to be patient, especially in the early going. 30 minutes hard on an elliptical would have almost certainly been ridiculously challenging if not outright beyond my limits. Heck, to this day I’ve never been on a machine for more than 42 minutes. There’s a fine line to walk just to get enough conditioning to do a lot of the workouts: you have to push yourself to make progress, but you can’t be like a kid in a candy store whose eyes are bigger than his stomach when it comes to saying I’m going to do this workout or burn “x” number of calories on an exercise machine. </p>
<p>I’ve taken seven months to fully complete an workout program that is, in theory, designed to be done in two months because that’s how long it’s taken me to slowly gain the necessary conditioning (not to mention that it’s a helluva lot easier to do the exercises as I’ve shed some weight). It’s all about just setting the process in motion (as you have done) and then enjoying the ride as it unfolds. You can’t really force the issue. Six months ago, I couldn’t pedal my exercise bike for a minute at the pace/resistance that is now my easy warm up speed and nothing I could have done would have changed that without letting the process run its course.</p>
<p>Chintzy…you go Girl! Congratulations! That is a great milestone/achievement!:)</p>
<p>I hit the wall this morning while biking. Yesterday was a long day and I just couldn’t finish my time on the bike. My legs were so heavy. I got on the treadmill and walked for a half hour at just a 3.2 mph. Exhausted! Think I need a day off tomorrow.</p>
<p>idad…what Timex HRM do you have again???</p>
<p>I have this one:</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> Timex T5G971 Unisex Sports Personal Heart Rate Monitor Watch: Timex: Watches](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000P8VWQS]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000P8VWQS)</p>
<p>Gotta take a day off every so often or you really start to feel worn down. iPod nazi actually builds an easy recovery week into his program at the end of each phase, where the workouts are little lighter. Mixing it up day to day also helps me a lot. A day walking lets me recover from a day of exercise circuits and, alternatively, not hill walking for a day or two recharges those batteries.</p>
<p>Welcome poetshart! This is a very friendly and supportive group and the more the merrier!</p>
<p>BTW, as a group interested in promoting health and well-being, I think it’s best for ALL of us to stay out of the political forum…:). I pretend it’s not there. Even though I have low blood pressure.</p>
<p>My PT had me do 3 sets of ab exercises on Wednesday. (like I said- it’s like having a personal trainer that insurance pays for) I am SO sore that if I have to sneeze I have to wrap my arms around myself! And I DO ab exercises! I hope to catch the Phillies game after work while I do the stupid elliptical. </p>
<p>Tomorrow I’m trying something and I’ll need y’alls support. I plan to WALK for an hour on the nice, pretty path. WALK. NOT run. NOT run a few steps. NOT “see how it feels if I run just a little”. WALK. No time pressure. Just WALK. I want to do something outside and I don’t feel like riding the bike for now.</p>
<p>What were the exercises?</p>
<p>You can do it MOWC! Just enjoy the day as you walk. How cool that your PT can improve your core! Were they new exercises or just more of what you normally do?</p>
<p>I just ate the absolute best Honeycrisp apple for lunch. Delicious!</p>
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<p>No way! How do you think I get myself pumped up to do the Spartacus Workout? 
</p>
<p>You can’t get psyched up for something like that prancing around with unicorns in a field of clover under a rainbow, singing three verses of kumbaya. Heck no. You’ve gotta get mad at it to even begin the Spartacus Workout!!!</p>
<p>MoWC–some suggestions to make you just walk: borrow someone’s old dog, bring an old person, wear uncomfortable shoes, bring a camera to take pictures of the pretty path, ask your daughter to pray for patience (for you), carry a full wine glass…</p>
<p>I have a dog and I DO walk him, but he is too intent on peeing on every bush for me to take him on a real fitness walk! I thought about wearing sport sandals. I like the wineglass idea! </p>
<p>The core exercises involved bent knees and holding a bolster between my knees. So legs bent with feet/calves parallel to floor. Hands behind head. You lift your head/shoulders just a little bit up at the same time you try to lift your hips just a little bit up so you are sort of accordian-ing your core. I thought it was hard. Very small movements.</p>
<p>OK Idad…lol…I guess I’m not cut out to be a roman warrior. </p>
<p>Went to a different yoga class today. Tough teacher. Lots of strength work and holding positions for a LONG time…plank, down dog, seal than over and over again. Sore. </p>
<p>MOWC…good luck on your walk. I assume you’ll have music with you…maybe do a playlist that supports walking. If you find yourself breaking into a sprint…bring your mind to thoughts of of future PAIN. Sorry, but sometimes drastic measures are needed…
And yeah…GO PHILLIES!!!</p>