Fitness help please.

[Kelvos]

can anyone recommend a training program that I could do as preventative measures moving forward, I have changed my diet to low saturated fat and have lost 14kg so far, my doctor wants me to lose another 6kg but said I need to do strength workouts to reduce muscle wasting?

[Rhinos67]

I would ask the professionals, but Pilates is fabulous for strength.I go the council owned leisure centres and have gym programmes devised for me by the fitness instructors who are aware of my medical history

😊

[DWizza]

Hi Kelvos, a huge congratulations on your weight loss . That really shows that you’ve got your mindset in the right place , bloody awesome work 👊👊👊.

resistance/weight training is very important , along with getting the right notion and enough protein to prevent that sarcopenia that your GP had mentioned as we age .

What sort of training do you see yourself doing that will be a long lasting commitment? What do you enjoy? As Rhinos67 has mentioned , a Pilates class might be for you , or vinyasa yoga ( strenuous ) , these have elements that will benefit strength, core strength, balance and mobility. Or you might prefer a gym based weight training and add a yoga/mobility class to that. I currently train 3 times a week with weights and running (treadmill atm) plus a vinyasa flow yoga class once a week and I’m very active/physical work around our small holding.

You can use body weight exercises or learn to lift weights . I would say that it is worth investing in yourself by getting some oversight from a coach . I started out years ago and did 3 months with a coach to learn how to lift , about the amount of protein I should be eating etc.

If it helps to see what type of training I do following a heart attack in July this year and quadruple bypass surgery , I’m on Instagram Wizza2018 and would gladly help and give you some ideas of body home weight routines or discuss other options. Have you been in touch with your local health centre (not leisure centre) to see what classes are available?

All the best Wizza

[JeremiahObadiah]

Good Morning

This is a good question and I think could have many different and yet still valid answers. I’ll offer my thoughts which are obviously just those of a non medically trained amateur…

First of all, what are your current fitness levels like? Don’t try to build up too fast if you are at the moment quite sedentary-gradual and incremental should be the goal.

Can you walk for an hour comfortably? Can you walk up two or three flights of stairs comfortably? If not devise yourself a daily walking programme to get to this goal. Maybe do a 20 mins then half hour walk where you do fast walking for 30seconds after five /ten/fifteen mins and then increase those sections and the length of walk.

Can you do body weight squats ? Maybe aim for 10 of those three times a day, then 4/5/6 etc. Then you could add in some weights if you have any or use first tins of beans and build up from there. Then you could find some arm /shoulder exercises online and do those starting with body weight. You might want to invest in some hand weights eventually to extend the range of things you can do.

If you were already able to comfortably and regularly do the above, or once you’ve done that for a few weeks, then you would want something more challenging. There are many free online classes available. You could Google and try some. MadFit is one which I’ve used but I’ve used others and heard recommendations for many I’ve never tried. You’ll get a feel for the sort of exercises you need to do and can either continue with guided online videos or devise your own routines.. I would think one hour three times a week or every other day would be the sort of optimum goal but with continued daily walks /activities.

There is a Strength and Flex forum on this HealthUnlocked which you could access and ask the same question. I feel you might get more detailed responses there.

If you have a local gym it could be that there are suitable classes actually in the gym which will show you how to use the equipment and guide you through programmes or you could, if affordable, have a few classes with an instructor to get you confident with training.

Whatever you do do, warming up is an important part of exercising whatever age and fitness level but the older you are the more you should warm up. There are separate warm up videos available online. The NHS has a few good ones. And stretching and cool downs after exercise are also very beneficial. You don’t want to hurt yourself /pull muscles and put yourself off.

Sorry if you know all this already, I’ve tried to think about this from an angle of someone with no previous gym type exercise experience . I’m not a trainer. I’ve been to a lot of classes over decades/been to a personal trainer/been to different gyms/done online classes so that’s the experience I can share with you. I’ve also put these thoughts together quite quickly so may have overlooked something that someone else will pick up on…,

[Kelvos in reply to JeremiahObadiah]

thank you for taking the time to reply, very useful information, I have done fitness before but not with a health issue attached so looking for reassurance.

[CyclingTime]

Ask your doctor to recommend you to the physio, they can then provide you a sheet with the exercises you should do

[fixedrider]

As others have said, ask at the gym. I too got referred to the Council-backed one after my surgery, and from time-to-time see a physio with special training for heart patients, to get an updated programme. (Strictly, I went from surgery to a few weeks of NHS physio, and they then referred me onwards to the gym.)

[edplayer]

If you can afford it i have had a brilliant experience training at home on zoom with a cardiac coach from CP+R. They cover everything from strength to cardio and diet.

[Grassmower]

I did swimming classes at my local pool several years ago: cheap and a quick google shows it is good for building muscle in many parts of the body.

you have to think about what you might do long term and enjoy.

[Kwakkers]

Swim. After 5 heart attacks, a cardiac arrest and AAA repair I have been swimming for 12 years (Mon/Wed/Fri). I feel brrrrrillliant. My hospital friends only want to see me every 18 months, although I`m monitored via a modem.

Try it.

Frank

[Lowerfield_no_more]

Join a gym, but check first that you will be inducted by a staff member who will offer you a fitness programme matched to your capabilities and requirements from which you can go forward . If that is not offered look elsewhere.