HOW DO I KEEP FIT?

[averil80]

HI, I could do with some advice on keeping fit, I have a few heart problems but enjoy walking. I also suffer from ligament and joint problems and chronic fatigue. I am about 1 & half - 2 stone overweight i have just started to follow a calorie controlled diet but i'm aware i need to try and do more exercise. if i over exert myself i get angina pains in my chest and sometimes just have to lie down until it passes.

[sandybrown]

Food intake control and exercise are very important to keep the three numbers, BP, blood sugar and blood cholesterol. Have a look for a gym near you, gym membership allows you to go regularly to the gym as well as other keep fit activities. I have been going to the gym for few years, my wife started the gym a year ago. Now days she goes for two keep fit program and three days on the gym machines where as I go on the machines every day.

Take a look at low cab high fat food, understanding and following the LCHF can also help.

This has helped both of us to keep the numbers under control. There is cost involved.

Going for daily walk can also help

Good luck.

[Penel]

I have found Pilates to be good for improving flexibility and strength without putting too much pressure on joints. Exercising in a swimming pool will also take weight off your joints.

[OliasOfSunhillow]

Hi First of all forget the calorie counting, if you eat only non processed food, remove all simple carb's and eliminate sugar I guarantee you will lose weight eating as much as you want. The key word there is 'want'. Secondly stick to walking, if you can. If you are doing half an hour of vigorous walking per day you are on the right path. If you can up it a bit then all the better. Can you swim ?, if yes then swimming would be a good alternative to get round the joint problem. Also give yoga a try. With regard to fat there is a lot of exposure at the moment surrounding the idea that high fat is good and the low fat stance is attracting some derision. By and large this is true as 64% of the population have a non 4 carrying APO E gene. If you are carrying a 3,4 or 4,4 APO E gene then low fat is recommended by the gene brigade.

[cleocat]

Having had CFS I can understand that the thought of vigorous exercise is daunting. If you overdo exercising then you will pay for it. I found meditation to be of benefit when I was really ill. It seems to tap into hidden reserves and makes your mind calm. I meditated for twenty minutes a day morning and night and managed to exercise without ensuing pain. Walking and swimming are good. Trying to avoid all processed food can only help you. Good luck.

[Andyman]

)after my heart attack I was told to walk everyday if possible so I did and I walked starting with 10 minute a say. Slowly I walked for longer and now can walk for 3 hours of i want. I also got quicker and more agile. I began to feel I wanted to run so I did. I also wanted to go further from my house and not drive so I got my old bike out. So now I walk run once a week and cycle once a week. I lost 80 pounds doing this and with diet calorie controlled (sorry I know it's not trendy but hey it works) and portion control. By calorie counting you will find you will low carb in the end.

I noticed, well actually couldn't avoid seeing I had flabby skin under my arms, on my chest and stomach so I joined a gym to tone up a bit which works slowly and I can do this when it rains or it is too cold outside to walk. But if the idea of a gym horrified you then it's not essential. The internet will show you videos of exercises you can do at home.

I used the app myfitnesspal to control my calories and track my fitness with runtastic which links to myfitnesspal. Good luck.

[averil80 in reply to Andyman]

Thanks for reply Andyman, i'm already counting calories, yes sound of gym horrifies me but will try to do more walking also I will try that app you recommend. Cheers

[DakCB-UK in reply to Andyman]

I like cycling most days - it lets me go further than walking for the same energy and without the joint damage I seem to suffer from running.

Exercise seems to be very good. I had two blood tests two weeks apart a few years ago (mixup between GP and specialist) with the only difference being the amount of cycling and the after-daily-exercise test had something like 20% lower total cholesterol than the little-exercise test and it was all LDL reduction.