Could I just be THAT out of shape?

[Guest BikiniBeachy]

I had my surgery nine months ago. I've lost 65 pounds and I have walked almost everyday since my 6 week out mark. A few times a month, I do the elliptical for 30 minutes. I also do yoga class three times a week and I've gained some awesome flexibilty and can do most of the poses at the top of the class! (Something I never thought I'd acheive) I thought I was doing pretty good and was about to up my cardio as I break away from the initial honeymoon phase and settle back down to my 'chubby' weight I had as a teen....(But I broke my foot three weeks ago and I'm in a boot, so I knew I'd have to wait to become the runner I one day dream of being.)

BUT today sucked and I really need some kind advice from you fellow Lapbanders!

My brother asked me to walk to the top of my grandma's building with him and my nephews. It's 21 floors up! And about four floors into it, I felt like I was dying. It wasn't that my legs were sore or anything, my BODY felt like I was OK, but my LUNGS started to burn and I got that horrible, awful pain in my lungs. My brother used to play professional sports, so he was explaining 'that's what it feels like to be out of shape, since "you haven't been getting much cardio wth yoga." It was honestly worse than when I was 250 pounds. I was coughing and it's been a few hours and I still like I have 'gunky' lungs. Cardio has never been my forte, so I wanted to ask you guys if you experienced this as you eased your way into serious exercise.

Thanks for your ideas.

[Who'sThere 331]

I am THAT out of shape! I realized that when I switched the laundry and was out of breath. I used to be very active, and I'm still really flexible, but I have no stamina. I am sincerely hoping to work on that!

You've come a long way; be proud of that. Good luck with the rest of your journey!

[Jachut 487]

Walking up 21flights of stairs is a pretty good workout! Most people, even those who are fit, would end up out of breath.

BUT - walking is a great way to start out when you're very heavy, havent exercised, or want to go gentle on your body and there are a million other health benefits. It is never a waste of time or a "lazy" option, however if you're looking to walking to get you to a superior level of cardiovascular fitness, it just isnt going to happen, unless you're a very dedicated power walker (true POWER walker!) with lots of hills to tackle. Ordinary working the way most people do it is good exercise, will keep you out of the cardiac ward but will not build really great cardiovascular fitness. For that you need more intense activities.

Even then its hard, because your body adapts. In short, you need to be feeling that lungs burning, gonna die feeling for at least intervals of your workout to keep advancing your cardio fitness.

However, fitness is a subjective concept. You want to be fit enough for YOUR lifestyle, apart from for reasons of basic health. You dont need to be able to run a marathon to be healthy.

I tend to call "acceptable" cardio fitness as being able to run 10kms in about an hour. That to me would be a person who can engage in effective weight reducing exercise, tackle any sort of active sport or pursuit that normal life would throw up and do it easily. But that's only defined by the boundaries of MY life. Yours may be different.

Edited July 13, 2009 by Jachut