Hi - i have googled phrases along the lines of the topic of this thread and also searched on this site on the same topic and found nothing helpful. I am hoping my poor search and googling skills is the problem ...
I was hoping to find some advice that would guide a-fibers as on an exercise programme (and/or principles) on how to optimise the limited time they have during the week to increase their fitness.
The fitness "outcomes" I am hoping for are to be able to enjoy hikes and be less wiped out at the end of them.
The only ideas I have to achieve this is to spend more time walking and hiking (and keep your weight in check).
Any other suggestions would be most appreciated.
Written by
Jonathan_C
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Put , ' Hiking with Persistent Afib' , ' Walking with Persistent Afib' or ' Best Exercises for Persistent Afib' in the Google search and you get lots of useful articles and recommendations.Walking and certain levels or distances of hiking are considered the best forms of exercise for atrial fibrillation as long as you keep to some key rules.
Don't exercise if you are feeling unwell or when your symptoms are not well controlled by your medications and Self care. Leave at least a few days to a week after an infection or injury before doing a strenuous workout or long walk.
Hydrate well before the activity, drink as you walk , especially before taking in steeper surfaces.
Eat a healthy nutrient rich snack 30 mins before and take something with you.
Warm and cool down with gentle stretching properly and wear appropriate clothing and footwear , comfortable, cool layers appropriate for the weather.
Build up your activity slowly , from a little but often method within your comfort zone and as things feel easy add in a tiny bit more . Consistency and following your bodies lead is essential for improvement and to prevent triggering symptoms or causing an injury.
Don't push through.Take more short rests , understand you will probably need more time to complete an activity or you may need to change to a shorter , less steep route than you used to do. When you feel like it's enough don't keep on to the end turn back ; the exercise is the achievement not the destination, so choose routes and distances carefully at first. Have a walking buddy and explain that they need to go at your pace rather than pushing for speed especially until you have increased your confidence and exercise tolerance.
Start with shorter walks on even surfaces and be patient.
The biggest mistake people make with any exercises with a cardiac health issue is trying to exercise for the same distance , in the same time and on the same terrain as they did before diagnosis straight away just because they've begun treatment.
Your treatment can only do so much and your body won't accept being pushed too quickly no matter how much your mind wants to climb that hill.
Keep active each day ; through the day, even if you can't fit in a 15-30 minute activity this improves your exercise tolerance and energy levels .
If you have an active physical job , you need to pace your work plan to have five minutes rest each half hour and a proper lunch and breaks, you can get help making sure this is in your work contract by speaking to occupational health or HR.
If you find it hard to be active for various reasons or have a seated work role , pace your work or day to get up and do some gentle body movement and a stroll 5 minutes each half hour. Also have proper breaks and a lunch period at work but try to do some movement and have a little walk, this can also be arranged using occupational health in the workplace.
Keeping active , little and often helps to improve your heart regulation , rather than trying to push in an exercise activity into a busy week day especially if you also have other health problems , mobility issues or fatigue.
This improves your exercise tolerance for a weekend activity, but you still need to build things up if you haven't walked for some time. Even healthy people get delayed onset muscle soreness ( DOMS) and feel ill going from very little to a 5K hike.
Try five minutes low intensity steady state activities like moderate or slow pace recumbent/ exercise bike , gentle pilates , tai chi, walking style practise, stretching and flexing isometric and resistance exercises to improve your tone and strength. Doing two or three five minute sessions each day when you are less able or a beginner still adds up to the recommended amount of exercise each week. You can then increase to 2-3 ten minute sessions if you have time or increase five minute activities and manage 30 minutes a day without overtaxing your heart or overfilling your day.
Walk at a pace that does not leave you breathless.
You should be able to hum or speak whilst walking to ensure your heart and breathing rate isn't likely to trigger an event.
Use a slower pace and breath in a regular time with your steps. Often two steps to a breath in , two to a breath out is a good option to try when using a moderate or leisure speed.
Improve your posture so that you get more oxygen.
Using Nordic walking sticks even on flat even walks is a great way to do this as they keep your back straight , diaphragm open and help with stability and arm strength, as well as building confidence and reducing the risk of falls for fainting for those people with mobility or severe health conditions.
Wow, Blearyeyed, what an incredibly informative and helpful post, thank you! As a fellow persistent a fibber who also struggles with exercise (thinking I should still be able to do what I used to do and getting frustrated when I can’t 🙄) your suggestions and ideas are very useful indeed, thank you.
I was hoping for some magic recipe. There are a lot of solid bits of advice I know I need to accept, but don't want to.
Since being in persistent a-fib I have kept "fit" through resistance/weight training at home and walking/hiking (usually always with the dogs).
I am now wondering if there is benefit to setting up my bike on the indoor training stand and setting it at a resistance that is equivalent to the steepest incline I can handle without needing to stop (which is not very steep). My theory is that in say 10 minutes (figuratively) of training of consistent exertion I can get the same burn (cardiovascular output) that I can get in 20 minutes of walking - because when i walk I will have to go up and down hills.
But I think maybe its better for me - physically, cardio-vascular and mentally - to rather walk for the 20 minutes than the 10.
Why can you not accept that you have a condition that means you have to change your ideas about how much you can and can't do? Really it's not much different than aging. Part of aging well is accepting that there are things that we did when we were young that are now just not possible. My husband and I are keen motor cyclists . But the journey's we were able to undertake 30/40years ago are totally out of the question now. One day we will have to give it up entirely. I am a keen gardener . I used to work 4 hours a day in the garden - now I can only manage between two and 3 hours but can still spend the rest of the time lying on my lounger and reading or just looking at my beautiful garden. I am not less happy . It probably is not much different from a cardiovascular viewpoint for you to do the 10 minute bike ride than the 20min walk. But the 20min walk is outside which is a plus. If you feel wiped out why not take it at a slower pace ?
You are doing well and you were right to continue the resistance training. I use a bike for 15 minutes - I have one at home now set up in the living room so I can watch TV and exercise and also a treadmill in the garage. I got the treadmill when i had a hip replaced as we lived in the middle of a hill so could not immediately get out and walk on level ground and sometimes didn't want to get out and drive to a place where I could do so. I use these on the days I cannot get out to the gym for whatever reason. I don't know how old you are or whether or not you have low or high rate permanent AF or what medication you are on which may help with advice. I now have permanent low rate AF. I wear a fit bit type watch but also when starting back to walking and cycling I used a Polar heart rate device on a chest strap with a wrist worn read out (like a watch) I do not let my heart rate get over the 120 - 130 mark when exercising. I keep checking and once my rate is getting high I stop and rest. Better to use this sort of device as it gives an instant read out rather than a fit bit as the information displayed is not current - though it will tell you if you have already reached that rate - I don't know how a smart watch would work. After about 6 months using this I got to know when my rate would be getting high so no longer use it. When I check my fit bit read out I find that there is an occasional peak at 120 or higher for a split second so can see that I have got things right have noticed my rate is going high and stopped just in time.
You may not get back to the fitness level you were at previously. You may have to go slower or lighter or for a shorter period of time with your exercising but it's the fact that you are actually doing it that counts and does you good.
Technically yes, you will burn about the same or more calories doing 10 minutes at any incline on a bike than 20 minutes walking , but the theory of maintaining your ability to consistently exercise without triggering your aFib or requiring days off on the sofa is the same.You certainly wouldn't go from no static biking to the steepest incline because your body and heart would not respond well to that , and it could put you off doing another useful form of activity.
I have Dysautonomia which involves two Tachycardia syndromes as well as Afib. The motto for my conditions is , " Standing is my Cardio" ( my heart rate shoots to 110+ just by standing) and part of my requirement is to try to maintain a heart rate below 150 BPM even when walking. Most people should aim for a heart rate during exercise between 110-130 , with just a short 1 minute interval of high cardio output of 140-150 for a safe , sensible workout.
I have to use a recumbent bike rather than a standing option. When I began on the bike I could hardly manage ten minutes on it on a flat surface without causing increased symptoms.
Like Des, I put it in front of the TV and I put on one of those virtual cycle videos on YouTube so I can feel like I'm outside.
Now , on good weeks, I can add 10-30 minutes biking to my activity about three times a week. I mix the incline if I'm feeling less able it can still be 10 minutes on the flat and a slow pace, but if I'm really doing well and my symptoms are controlled I can manage 12 K in 25 minutes now. It took about a year for me to get there but I did it , and did it safely. And in reality burn the calories I'd use on a 90 minute jog or steep hike.
The thing about walking or moderate swimming in comparison biking is that you exercise your whole body improving overall muscle tone and strength rather than just a few muscle groups. Walking outdoors also improves your oxygen volume and breathing which helps keep your heart rate low and improves your sleep. That's as true for someone whom manages a couple of ten minute walks a day as it is for someone whom can hike up a steep hill.
I've been working with my Physiotherapist on a set of researched exercise options for people with Dysautonomia and for people with Chronic Pain. We hope to be able to write a paper and possibly a book at some point. My Physio will tell you the same thing .
No Pain, No Gain is a dangerous myth, especially when it comes to Cardiac Health Maintenance. Listening to your body , stopping when it's still easy , accepting but not being downhearted by your new limits, and adapting what you do to gradually progress while enjoying yourself are the fundamental things that will allow you to maintain health , build muscle and strength and use up more calories through consistency in the long run.
Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes , trying to use them will only end in tears just as it does with weight loss programmes.
If you goal is weight loss and not just fitness management, it is your diet that makes more difference than your exercise regime.
The worst thing anyone can do is believe that they can exercise away gained weight quickly or that excessive cardio will superspeed their weight loss.
It really won't ,it will only allow you a slightly larger calorie count per day or help you lose about a pound a week .
Weight loss at its simplest is only achieved by consuming less calories than you use each day in routine activities.
It also requires three things Patience. Persistence and Portion Control if you want to get weight loss that stays off.
After the basics you choose a nutrient rich , higher protein Mediterranean style diet and apart from the usual fast from after evening meal to morning breakfast never skip meals.
You allow yourself an occasional treat once the good work has started , and have the odd Day Off your weight loss, partly so that you don't lose your will and motivation and then overeat , and also to vary your calorie intake occasionally to help prevent your weight plateauing.
As you lose weight, your calorie intake will also need to reduce to maintain weight loss to your healthy BMI, which is why you don't want to go on too extreme a calorie deficit too early (except for the first two weeks of weight reduction in some cases).
You choose healthier options of foods that you will enjoy because your weight loss goals include learning a new way to eat not just the loss of pounds that will become your flexible " Diet for Life" when you reach the point of weight maintenance.
The principles remain the same eat for enjoyment and health with the odd treat day to fill your happy space.
No extreme diets work. Most extreme diets are not good for your heart health in the long run. And if you choose the extremes which cannot be healthily sustained long term without the risk of nutrient deficiency and muscle loss you will put weight back on twice as fast.
And remember , food and exercise should both be a pleasure not a form of torture , it's the only way that will make you want to eat and act healthy for a lifetime.
Mental health is part of the goal not rapid and temporary physical change. Without mental enjoyment you won't stick to a long term routine and you will also exercise in extreme ways that will cause injuries and trigger aFib. That's as true for the generally health population as it is for a person with a diagnosed Arrhythmia.
Good luck with your goals , you will get there just remember you get the oat on the back for trying so don't get too obsessed or beat yourself up if you have to take your time or make the odd slip along the way. Bee
I do feel your pain and frustration Jonathan_C . I’m 59 but still want to do all the stuff I did when I was 20 and a lot fitter! For me walking is my main issue. I do resistance exercise no problem but walking anywhere is a feat of endurance because old idiot here still hasn’t learned the art of pacing myself , even though I’ve been in persistent AF for 18 months now.🙄 When I get frustrated I just remind myself of all the things I can do and how lucky I am to only have AF, having recently supported a neighbour through a terminal cancer diagnosis.
Mental health trumps anything else in my view, so if I were in your position I would opt for walking outside and enjoying nature and the fresh air, over indoor cycling. I’m sure your dogs would agree, too😊
Thanks for the comments. I am glad I started this thread as it has been reassuring. The change I intend to make (and have started already) is to do more but shorter workouts.
I was stuck in the mind set that the most time effective way to exercise is the combination of working to the point of muscle failure and having sufficient rest between workouts to recover properly - that works for the young and those in NSR, but a completely different approach is needed when you are in persistent a-fib.
I also need to redefine what "effective" means when it comes to being "time effective" with my exercise ... my 20 minute walk with the dogs around a flattish field this morning during sunrise had lots of worthwhile positive effects, one of them being a moderate impact on my fitness.
Threecats - my experience with resistance training is the same. As its easier and feels more rewarding (and time effective ...) I tend to default to weight training during the week.
Almost last - its interesting to see so many comments about "triggering afib when exercising" ... I am in persistent a-fib, nothing triggers it or stops it. Its always there
... and very last - a "secret" to weight loss is to go gluten free.
I’m glad you started the thread, too, it’s been very useful as well as interesting. Like you, I do have a wry smile to myself when mention of triggering an AF episode is raised. At least being in AF all the time means it doesn’t take us by surprise!
Thank you for the gluten free tip. I did drop gluten some years ago when I developed rheumatoid arthritis and doing so did help that. I’m currently following a low carb/keto diet and that has helped me shift some weight that was stubbornly resistant to go otherwise. I’m now back to the weight I was when in my 20s - never thought I’d see that again😀 I feel much clearer in my head too, despite the best efforts of the beta blocker I’m on to dumb me down . I have read that keto can trigger AF but as I’m in it anyway, I figured I’d nothing to lose. So far, the changes I’ve experienced have been positive, so wonder if it might be worth you looking into it if weight loss is a thing for you.
Brilliant Blearyeyed. I'd forgotten about the nordic walking sticks I used them to help me keep mobile before I had my new hip. A little and often and build up slowly is the best advice for any and everything.
Definitely improve your posture , reduce the post walk back pain and breathlessness on steeper hills. They also work out the upper body and arms which we often find more difficult to do on more restricted mobility.
I also have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome so I can't use weights of any worthwhile amount. ..... Well not without having a wrist pop out!😆😆😆
I don't even start me on the more active rotations of Yoga......ticket to AandE , please😆😆😆
Yes they do. When we are challenged by our bodies as we get older and poorly we just have to do what we can do as anything is better than nothing. You are doing well my friend.
In the Uk we often find that there are rehab gym classes run by BHF nurses in local hospitals and gyms. I got on a Phase III class through my local hospital and we started off very slowly and lightly and eventually got into the gym exercising. All supervised by a hospital physio and BHF cardio nurse both of whom who had tested me before I started. You may find you have something similar where you are as quite often gyms run rehab classes for people who have injuries or difficulties so you may be able to find one that way and get yourself up a reasonable level? Remember you may find that you can't do things as you used to but doing them is the main thing don't go the no pain, no gain way if you feel tired unwell or in pain stop. Usually if you can keep up a conversation or sing whilst exercising that's great. Once you can't do this you need to stop and rest. Keep well hydrated whilst exercising.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
and exercise and also a treadmill in the garage. I got the treadmill when i had a hip replaced as we lived in the middle of a hill so could not immediately get out and walk on level ground and sometimes didn't want to get out and drive to a place where I could do so. I use these on the days I cannot get out to the gym for whatever reason. I don't know how old you are or whether or not you have low or high rate permanent AF or what medication you are on which may help with advice. I now have permanent low rate AF. I wear a fit bit type watch but also when starting back to walking and cycling I used a Polar heart rate device on a chest strap with a wrist worn read out (like a watch) I do not let my heart rate get over the 120 - 130 mark when exercising. I keep checking and once my rate is getting high I stop and rest. Better to use this sort of device as it gives an instant read out rather than a fit bit as the information displayed is not current - though it will tell you if you have already reached that rate - I don't know how a smart watch would work. After about 6 months using this I got to know when my rate would be getting high so no longer use it. When I check my fit bit read out I find that there is an occasional peak at 120 or higher for a split second so can see that I have got things right have noticed my rate is going high and stopped just in time.
Back in A-Fib 
colonoscopy and A fib
Varicose veins and A Fib
A. Fib gone
Permanent a fib
