12 months on !

[Instructor57]

So it was 12 months ago today that I was rushed to hospital in the back of an ambulance weighing 13.5 stone (I'm 5'8") and having a heart attack at the age of 66 and a type 2 diagnosis that came soon after .0ne defib and 3 stents later and feeling better than ever !

More than 3 stone lighter, type 2 in Remission.

A VO2 Max of 41 which gives me a fitness age of 40 !

And a Bodytrax Analyser metabolic age of 52 !

All blood tests bang in the middle of normal range.

Thanks to Diet, excercise and of course, intermittent fasting.

Oh, and now off Clopidogrel as well as beta blockers

😁👍

[Jalia]

Well done you! I'm a recent convert to intermittent fasting and certainly feel the benefits.

[Instructor57 in reply to Jalia]

Thank you !The IF was a life changer (if not saver) for me .

Not sure if you are familiar with the works of Nephrologist Dr Jason Fung and also Cardiologist Dr Pradip Jamnadas.

Both advocates of IF

[Jalia in reply to Instructor57]

No, not familiar but I shall look them up !

[baly_2023]

Love these success posts, we need more, having a heart attack, heart issue is a bitch but life can go on, does go on and can go on in a better, healthier, stronger way.

[Instructor57 in reply to baly_2023]

Thank you !I guess for me it was the kick up the backside that I needed 🤔

[DocEmmett]

Always inspirational Instructor57! So happy for you. Sterling effort and well-deserved progress. Wishing you the best of health and happiness.

[Instructor57 in reply to DocEmmett]

Many thanks ,Appreciate your comments ...

Wishing you the same also 🙂👍

[babssugar]

brilliant 😁

[Instructor57 in reply to babssugar]

Thank you 🙂👍

[Cee-Cee1]

Many congratulations on your first anniversary, Instructor. You've worked hard and deserve credit for everything you've achieved in the space of only one year! Thank you for sharing your story which will be inspirational to a lot of people here. Here's to many more years filled with health & happiness. Carol

[Instructor57 in reply to Cee-Cee1]

Thank you Carol for your kind comments!It's been a challenging but interesting and rewarding 12 months 🙂

[Larneybuds]

Fantastic.... you've done so well....encouragement and positivity for people who are in a similar position to what you were. Xx

[Instructor57 in reply to Larneybuds]

Many thanks . ... I can honestly say I feel better than I have for several years ! 🙂

[Larneybuds in reply to Instructor57]

I'm sure you do. Personally I think we have to try to make positives out of negatives and you've certainly done that....fab....long may it continue x

[Noodlesalad]

Well done 😊you put the work in and it's paid off, you turned your life around and are an inspiration. X

[Instructor57 in reply to Noodlesalad]

Thank you ..... Daunting at first but we know what they say .Each journey starts with that first step 🙂

[Holidayman]

Great positive message.

[Instructor57 in reply to Holidayman]

Many thanks 🙏

[MountainGoat52]

Yes yes yes! Brilliant news. Well done on everything. I often say that my heart attack did me a favour, which people think is bizarre, but it set me on the road to better health. I lost 7kg in the first week and it wasn't down to hospital food. 😁

Keep doing what you're doing, keep positive and enjoy life. All the best for the future. 😀

Gerald

[Instructor57 in reply to MountainGoat52]

Many thanks for your message.And yes I can relate to what you say about it doing a favour .

I actually feel the same .

Just a shame I couldn't see it before hand

[MountainGoat52 in reply to Instructor57]

Indeed... but mine might have happened anyway. Hereditary factor + stress overruled the fitness regime. 😯

[Killerblue]

What you have managed to do really is amazing! I do find your posts very motivating and also love seeing your meals.

[Instructor57 in reply to Killerblue]

Thank you for your kind message, nice to know the posts can be motivating!To me it was a no brainer !

I had a warning alone with another chance.

I had to grab it with both hands 🙂

And thanks for the comment on the meals 😁👍

[Sljp0000]

I'm so happy for you. Well done! 🎉I'm in a never ending circle of not getting any fitter, my type 2 is a mess, I try hard, get nowhere then eat stuff I shouldn't (not massively though) Exercise is hard. My VO2 max is 11. I can't seem to get any fitter. (My phrenic nerve was severed during surgery so I have limited air in one lung) My Bypasses all failed so I've had 4 massive stents. I try so hard but get so knackered. I REALLY wish I could get further in my rehab.

I had stents the same time roughly as your emergency so I've followed you. Damm, I could be as fit as you now. Ugh!

I am so pleased for you, must feel amazing!

Keep it up!

Susie

[Instructor57 in reply to Sljp0000]

Thanks for your message!I'm sorry to hear of your battle .. but you certainly sound determined.

As far as the type 2 is concerned I just started off with cutting out ANY added sugar and went low carb ... Then 1.5 stone later started with the intermittent fasting.

But I must add, that was with the approval of both my GP and Cardiologist.

Good luck 👍

[iansHealth1]

hey buddy. As others have said, we need more good news stories like yours. Very uplifting.

As an aside, can you share the reason - if known to you - why you had the HA in the first place?

[Instructor57 in reply to iansHealth1]

Thank you !Appreciate your comments.

As far as the reason goes I'm really not too sure .. I was told possibly hereditary, and I used to smoke (27 years ago)

But I also have my own thoughts which may be controversial but I put a lot of it down to sugar and processed foods!

We are (imho) heading into a 'Metabolic syndrome' epidemic

If I look k back over my medical record (which I certainly have done)

From what I can now see there were many clues but no-one appeared to be able to join up the dots .

I could actually write a book on this but perhaps not something for this forum 🙂

[DWizza]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Boom 💥 💥💥

This is what we want 👊🏻. Well played fella . Fantastic work and results .

What was the discussion like to come off beta blockers ?

Are you still on a statin ? I know we’ve discussed them previously re plaque 👍🏻

[Andy455 in reply to DWizza]

It would be interesting to hear this.

[Instructor57 in reply to DWizza]

Many thanks, I've been off the beta blockers for a few months now and it was actually my GP's Suggestion although they were my thoughts also ...I was getting a lot fitter and my resting heart rate was getting lower and also pretty low blood pressure at times .

My BP is quite stable now nearly always in the 'Ideal' range .

Infact 10 minutes ago it was 117/75.

I'm still on the Statins, I did have a discussion about them with the GP but he certainly will not budge on that .

So I'm not going to go against him but I will have the same discussion with my cardiologist next time I see him

[DWizza in reply to Instructor57]

Thank you 👍🏻. Sounds like my stats are heading in a similar direction , current testing HR 44, BP 107-115 over 73-75 (has been much lower , bit of dizziness) only on 1.25 mg Bisoprolol and half a a 1.25 tablet Rampiril, plus the Pravastatin 40mg ( changed from 80mg arvovastatin) , pantaprazole, clopidogrel, aspirin..

[Instructor57 in reply to DWizza]

Even now my RHR will be mid 40's but often around 50-55.I certainly don't stress about it as much as I used to do though.

My biggest battle atm though is my fight against ultra processed foods

[LSCE]

Great to hear such good news.

[Instructor57 in reply to LSCE]

Many thanks 🙏

[TAVIshock]

Great to hear. Warm best,

Tavishock

[Instructor57 in reply to TAVIshock]

Thank you 🙂🙏

[Zed1063]

HI What is intermittent fasting?

[Chappychap in reply to Zed1063]

It's an eating style I also follow. In my case I only eat in the eight hour window between 1.00pm and 9.00pm. Along with weight loss and regular exercise this has reduced my HbA1c levels from pre-diabetic to well back in the safe zone.

It won't work for every one, but for many of us it's transformational and a critical part of our health regime.

[Instructor57 in reply to Chappychap]

Not sure if you are familiar with the works of Nephrologist Dr Jason Fung and also Cardiologist Dr Pradip Jamnadas.Worth a search if your not !

Both advocates of IF

[Instructor57 in reply to Zed1063]

It's is basically time restricted eating !You have an eating window of so many hours and then the rest of the 24 hours you don't eat anything.

You can of course vary these windows to fit in with your personal lifestyle.

I started with 16/8

So 16 HR fasting and an 8 hour eating window.

I then increased to 18/6

Then I went onto OMAD (one meal a day)

I varied these windows from week to week.

Now I'm just maintaining my weight and glucose levels I tend to just stick to 16/8 as a normal eating regime but then do the occasional 24 hrs fast just to keep my insulin sensitivity .

I brought my Hba1c levels down from diabetic to normal , so now below even the pre diabetic range, so I'm now in a stable Remission.

Hope that helps 🙂

[Chappychap]

Congratulations on your first anniversary, and here's to many, many more!

[Instructor57 in reply to Chappychap]

Thank you and yes, here's hoping 🙂🤞

[Babz7019]

I still take my Clopidogrel as had several strokes n allergic to Aspirin

[Instructor57 in reply to Babz7019]

Yes, I understand.I came off after confirming with my GP and Cardiologist...

Still on Aspirin

[Andy455]

Great job! 😊 Congratulations on your progress! Two years post-heart attack, and I've made remarkable changes, shedding weight through a healthy diet and exercise. Despite maintaining excellent blood pressure (average 107/70) , a low resting heart rate of around 58-60, and a solid Vo2 max of 46, my cardiologist advises continuing Bisoprolol for heart protection. I have wanted to come off it for a while now but I get told the same thing every time I ask which leaves me frustrated as i do get side effects. Keep up the fantastic work on your health journey! 💪

[Instructor57 in reply to Andy455]

Great progress!And a great Vo2Max 👍

Yes I understand about the bisoprolol, I guess if your rhr is normal on them it's a difficult one to argue 🤔

[Andy455]

Yeah that's true. What is your RHR?

[Instructor57 in reply to Andy455]

Usually anything between 45-55

Having said that I just nodded off on the sofa, then woke up saw your message and checked and it was 63

[Andy455]

Saying that though, I'm only on 1.25 twice a day. A study found significant reductions in heart rate of 9.3 beats/min with 2.5 mg/day. So not a massive difference.