It is really interesting to read about how shipmates are managing their exercise. Good luck to those who are slipping a bit on things like weight - all the efforts made will give you a bit longer a life, I think
I’ve spent the last 3 months rehabilitating my body to exercise despite my post-viral (covid) postural tachycardia syndrome.
Does this symptom of yours cause any back or shoulder ache? I ask because that is what happens for the first eight or so laps and I assume it is angina, but it doesn't stop me - I just walk moe slowely and pause for breathing!
I now am walking 2 miles every morning (except Monday mornings when I have a Zoom yoga class) and try to do more yoga during the week. I have to walk early in the morning on hot days as my syndrome includes heat intolerance. My pulse is now sometimes normal during walking and yoga, though it still can’t cope with anything that involves lifting; it thinks hanging the laundry out is an aerobic activity that needs a pulse of up to 130!
That sounds somewhat too high - is it okay with your doctore? May I ask you how long it takes to walk 2 miles? Do you walk at a brisk pace? My heart doesn't seem to approve of briskness any more! I take about 53 minutes on average doing my up-and-down the Close so I think it must be about 1.3miles.
Before I had covid I walked at least 4 miles a day - I’m fifty and was fit and well before. Post-covid I started out having difficulty walking to the end of my street and it’s taken 3 months to achieve two miles. I don’t walk as briskly as before as my pulse rate becomes less easy to control; at the moment I stand still and tense my legs if my pulse goes towards 120 and it then drops back below 100. It used to take me just over 35 minutes to do 2 miles before covid; it’s definitely longer now. But the only way I am going to rehabilitate my body is by re-teaching my body how to respond to activity correctly. By increasing my exercise gradually and keeping hydrated (I need 3 litres water a day to maintain blood volume to my heart) I find I’m not getting fatigued.
As for my GP, they have less idea what is going on with me than I do and I’ve had to explain what is happening to my body and what my rehabilitation should look like. I’m an ex-nurse and lecture in health so I’m very well informed. I’ve researched my symptoms and drawn the conclusion that my problem is a dysautonomia, that is, a problem with my autonomic nervous system and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome is the most likely culprit, especially as it is a known post-viral complication. I do communicate with the GP what I’m doing though.
The syndrome has a particular problem with movement that involves lifting arms hence tachycardia is triggered hanging out the washing, chopping vegetables, getting dressed. My pulse is worse getting dressed than walking 2 miles.
Thank you so much for a most interesting reply. It certainly makes one realise how important it is to avoid catching covid 19 if one possibly can. I much admire your determination. I hope you get the best of medical help until your organs are back to normal.
I must just add that there is nothing wrong with my heart (or lungs for that matter). I’ve had numerous ECGs, including a 24 hour tape, a CT scan and chest X-ray of my lungs and an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound scan) and everything is in good working order. My high heart rate is due to my nervous system not working properly.
I must just add that there is nothing wrong with my heart (or lungs for that matter). I’ve had numerous ECGs, including a 24 hour tape, a CT scan and chest X-ray of my lungs and an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound scan) and everything is in good working order. My high heart rate is due to my nervous system not working properly.
Waking this thread up because I am getting really lazy. The City Council here have just put out a new booklet about walking trails here including which bus route they are closest to. I'm going to grab one and find some suitable places to walk.
Christchurch is quite flat, apart from the Port Hills which are volcanic remnants, but there are still bumpy footpaths that were affected by the quakes.
So, last week, I started the 5:2 diet. I’m enjoying it! It’s simple and straightforward. My appetite is lower on non-fast days too, which is really helping.
I’d really like to weigh 140Lb by Christmas. I think that will mean doing the 5:2 every week until then. My 2 days are Tuesdays and Thursdays.
We've been away for a week with some friends (in a big enough apartment to make social distancing possible) and they're very into their food and drink. A hearty and enjoyable time was had by all, although I dread to think what the Slimming World scales will tell me on Wednesday. The sessions start back face to face this week, but with new rules for social distancing, a shorter time and smaller groups. We also have to weigh with shoes on and the toilets are open for emergencies only and not for that last "squeeze one" which we all fondly imagine will make a loss of at least 3lb on the scales.
I'm pretty annoyed with myself over it all, actually, as I was into my target stone bracket and had only about 10lb to lose before I started losing the plot after Christmas, then there was MrNen's 60th and then lockdown. It sounds as though some people have done really well during this time but I suspect they're the exception rather than the rule, and I'm certainly not one of them.
Swimming pools and leisure centres are opening this week and we'd really looked forward to getting back into the water ... except that our local one has made an arrangement for a local professional sports team to use it as a training facility till the end of October! We are NOT , repeat NOT, amused.
Swimming pools and leisure centres are opening this week and we'd really looked forward to getting back into the water ... except that our local one has made an arrangement for a local professional sports team to use it as a training facility till the end of October! We are NOT , repeat NOT, amused.
I'm not surprised! That doesn't sound at all fair. The pool here is not opening until September, although that would not have affected me, as there are no suitable times during the summer holidays for me.
I'm looking forward to the gym being available to subscribed members who pay a nominal membership fee and pay as they go. At the moment it is only open to those who pay a yearly, cover-all membership. It is arms and shoulders that need some strengthening! The walking up and down the Close has taken care of the general fitness.
What did the professional sports team do before? Why do they suddenly need your swimming pool?
Their usual facility has been taken over by a field hospital - which is obviously a Virtuous Thing. But the public weren't informed, nor it appears were the local councillors who IMO should have been as the facility, though leased to a private company, is still Council owned and intended for the benefit of the public. People are asking why the sports team couldn't have gone to a private facility.
On Friday, I went to the local Health and Leisure Centre to see how things have been arranged. The CV area is well spaced out and the reclined bikes are in another room, which was where the spinning classes used to be held. The weight -resistance pull-downs, leg machines etc are all in the same place.
The cleaning after each hour-long sessions seems to be very thorough so it will be interesting to start back on Tuesday and see how it goes.
I am in desperate need of some more structure in my life, as so many things I used to do have stopped or gone online.
I have found several training schedules to work up to walking a half-marathon. Most of them seem to be aimed at people who are fit, but don't walk regularly, whereas I am not fit, but am used to walking.
I have printed one out, and am going to give it a go. Anyone else done anything like this?
I just googled how long is a half marathon in steps, and it says it's roughly 20k steps. In which case, I guess I am sometimes walking half marathons, though I do have many rest breaks, and stop for an hour in the middle to have a cappuccino. I am walking to a national trust place, which is about 10k steps to get there, and then I sit and have a coffee there, and sometimes read for a bit too, and do a bit of sketching, and then walk home. I'm finding it much easier to structure exercise and be motivated if I have a specific place to walk to, with the knowledge that I can have a nice cappuccino when I get there. It gives a sense of purpose. And breaks up the walk, so it's not too exhausting.
According to my fitbit, on Friday I walked 10, 700 steps / 4.55 miles. That wasn't "going for a walk" walking though, it was going to the Post Office in the morning and to Sainsburys in the afternoon.
On that basis, a half marathon would be about 32,000 steps for me, I think. Unless "going for a walk" walking involves longer strides.
Ah yes, googling again, now I'm seeing something saying it's around 30k steps. That does make more sense. My max in the past few months is 26k steps. And that is having long breaks along the way, which is the only way I can do it, for health reasons. And I do count popping into Asda on my way home. But I'm not interested in doing an official half marathon as that isn't the kind of structure that would motivate me. I'm happy doing it my way, with a cappuccino being my structure. If I were to aim for 30k steps, I'd aim for two separate walks, to two different coffee shops.
Yeah, not sure what new motivation I'll find if we have another lockdown, and coffee shops close, especially with the weather getting colder. In the first lockdown, my motive was picking nettles and wild garlic. Guess I could pick some sweet chestnuts - I saw a family doing that the other day, My Walkr app motivates me a bit, as I'm in a team where you contribute energy points that you get from walking, and if you don't contribute enough, you get kicked out. But still, I like to walk somewhere where there is a destination, a reward, a purpose, to keep me going. Today I am meeting a friend, which is a very nice incentive.
My fitbit reckons it takes me 12,500ish steps to walk five miles which is what it expects me to do every day. I mange it about 95% of the time. I am short though. I'm amazed at how many steps going for a mooch round the shops can rack up.
My fitbit reckons it takes me 12,500ish steps to walk five miles which is what it expects me to do every day. I mange it about 95% of the time. I am short though. I'm amazed at how many steps going for a mooch round the shops can rack up.
Yes, mine says 2,500 is roughly one mile but it will depend on your stride, which in my case is very small. I try to do my 10,000 steps and can do it on most days but had a bad bout of fatigue last week and only managed half some days.
My stride length varies considerably, depending whether I'm going uphill, downhill, or on level ground. Also depends how stony the ground is, and also how fatigued I am. I did a fairly easy walk today (on road, mostly flat), and it was three miles and I walked about 6.5k steps. I don't normally know how many miles I do though, as I usually walk in the woods, wandering around different pathways. Today I walked a road way, so my google maps tells me how many miles it is for a car to go that way. But I usually measure my progress in steps rather than miles.
I did a 7 mile walk with a friend today, which included an uphill section (and corresponding downhill section!) It took 2 3/4 hours. That included stopping twice to talk to people we met, and brief pauses to watch birds, admire cows etc etc.
I not only need to be able to walk further, but I need to be able to walk faster.
I swam 27 lengths today (675m) so I was pleased. I'll go again on Friday - then it's lockdown for a fortnight, just as I was getting into the swing of it.
Most days have had enough time without rain to walk up-and-down the Close in the morning so I have continued with that and have been to the gym a few times, but it's just not the same having to book the day before for a particular time. Unfortunately, there is no chance of going back to my swimming time on a Monday afternoon.
Walking into town is certainly much easier with my rolling, noisy sweep stick!!
I've given myself a goal of at least 5k steps a day. I've downloaded a habit streak app so I get a reminder every day, and I need to tick it off every day. I'm adding all sorts of other habits to do every day too, for improvement of health and wellbeing, both physical and mental. I have discovered that it is far more effective and reliable to put my phone into my leggings pocket than into my coat pocket, for counting all my steps, so it is now easier to get to 5k, because in my coat pocket, it didn't always count them all.
I do so envy all you people who are able to walk un-muzzled. Here in Melbourne we are not allowed beyond our front door without one.
Such a disincentive to walking anywhere.
I wear a mask if I'm walking on pavements where I'm likely to be passing people. Of my last five walks, two have been maskless, the other three masked for some of the time.
I take a mask with me, but I don't wear it outdoors, unless I am approaching an indoor place that I am planning to enter. I generally cross to the other side of the road if in a residential area and someone is approaching, but most of the time I am in the woods or fields, and there is plenty of room and not many people at all.
I didn't know there were any places where you had to wear a mask outdoors. Having a look now about the rules in Melbourne. Interesting that you don't have to wear one 'When you are doing any exercise or physical activity where you are out of breath or puffing. Examples include jogging or running, but not walking.' I wonder how that works if you get out of breath and puffing when walking! I guess that might count as a problem with breathing and you might be exempt. It sounds like you have really good, clear rules and guidelines though.
Last swim this morning until our "fire break" ends - it was heavy going, I don't know why. I thought the pool would be packed, but it was actually quite empty.
Today's walk training was "2 miles at a brisk pace" and I managed 2.1 miles in 39 mins.
That's pretty brisk. I find 3mph is as much as I can maintain for any distance, always have. Mind you, I can keep it up for hours. I usually pass the people who overtook me when they're having to take a break later on.
Now I'm back at my educational workplace, where they are keen to encourage those of us who use public transport to walk to work rather than use bus/train, my walking levels are back at my pre-March levels very easily. My general activity during the day is much higher as well. The March to July Weight Gain as a result of not doing this walking, no matter how much I tried to keep active within my house and garden, has now been banished.
Today's walk training was "2 miles at a brisk pace" and I managed 2.1 miles in 39 mins.
That's pretty brisk. I find 3mph is as much as I can maintain for any distance, always have. Mind you, I can keep it up for hours. I usually pass the people who overtook me when they're having to take a break later on.
I can also keep walking for hours and deeply annoy those who have overtaken me as I tootle past merrily when they are slumped in a heap and worn out having huffed and puffed their way past me impatiently about an hour previously.
I was the same with running when I was but a Young Japes at school, but PE lessons weren't long enough for me to demonstrate this properly.
I went for a walk this afternoon and discovered that my "walking" muscles aren't the same as my "swimming" ones!
My yoga teacher decided we would spend Friday morning’s class doing seated twists. I spent Saturday with some entirely new chest pain to go with the chest pain I usually have.
Though I am sometimes experiencing the kind of thing Japes describes, with people huffing and puffing impatiently past me and then I pass them later on. Normally because I slow down considerably walking uphill, and other people don't. Though it's a good idea to - I was googling ways to make walking uphill easier and taking smaller steps is one of them. So I take smaller steps, to stop my heart rate going too high, and people huff and puff impatiently past, and then at the top of the hill they are stopped getting their breath back, while I walk past them.
I find the overtaking thing odd in general, especially when it's a narrow path that will soon widen out. I'm always happy to slow down if I have people walking slowly in front of me. I generally don't overtake unless they stop, or see me and step aside. I would certainly be very happy to slow down further on a narrow uphill path!
Today I was aiming for 4 miles "at a brisk p[ace" and managed 4.3 miles in 76 minutes.
My 4.3 miles ended at the butcher, where I bought the next three nights' dinners. The half mile walk home from the butcher's carrying my shopping just about did for me.
Our butcher gave a talk to the church Women's Group. He brought along a lamb carcass, set up his stainless steel table in the Session room, and demonstrated cutting it into assorted cuts and joints.
I was desperate for a passer-by to glance in the window and see the lamb laid out on the table, with the knives, but alas, no-one went past.
It was, however, the standard by which I judged all future Women's Group meetings - if the evening didn't end up with us wiping blood spatter off the Session room walls, it hadn't matched up.
Today I dug a quite unfeasible area of my allotment, and decided to treat myself to a walk round Port Meadow (I teckon about a three-mile round) to give my back a rest. I plan to spend tomorrow clutching myeslf and going "Argh, f*ck!" at regular intervals... though having booked a weeek off work with allotmenteering in mind, I have booked a sesh with Madam Hannah and her House of Pain to sort me out. She's an osteopath, in case you get ideas.
I have been having Pilates sessions via Zoom, and - ouch - I hurt in places I never even knew I had places! Who knew, it seems such a calm and relaxing form of exercise which doesn't hurt at all while you are actually doing it...but the following morning you certainly know you have done something!!
I'm also back at WW...as a stress eater, lockdown hasn't been kind and I feel fat, sluggish and unhappy. I might not be able to do anything about the last, but I ought to be able to do something about the first two.
Comments
As for my GP, they have less idea what is going on with me than I do and I’ve had to explain what is happening to my body and what my rehabilitation should look like. I’m an ex-nurse and lecture in health so I’m very well informed. I’ve researched my symptoms and drawn the conclusion that my problem is a dysautonomia, that is, a problem with my autonomic nervous system and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome is the most likely culprit, especially as it is a known post-viral complication. I do communicate with the GP what I’m doing though.
The syndrome has a particular problem with movement that involves lifting arms hence tachycardia is triggered hanging out the washing, chopping vegetables, getting dressed. My pulse is worse getting dressed than walking 2 miles.
Christchurch is quite flat, apart from the Port Hills which are volcanic remnants, but there are still bumpy footpaths that were affected by the quakes.
I have put on several Corona Kilos!
So, last week, I started the 5:2 diet. I’m enjoying it! It’s simple and straightforward. My appetite is lower on non-fast days too, which is really helping.
I’d really like to weigh 140Lb by Christmas. I think that will mean doing the 5:2 every week until then. My 2 days are Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Exercise wise - two good dog walks a day.
I’m going to start step counting too.
I'm pretty annoyed with myself over it all, actually, as I was into my target stone bracket and had only about 10lb to lose before I started losing the plot after Christmas, then there was MrNen's 60th and then lockdown. It sounds as though some people have done really well during this time but I suspect they're the exception rather than the rule, and I'm certainly not one of them.
I'm looking forward to the gym being available to subscribed members who pay a nominal membership fee and pay as they go. At the moment it is only open to those who pay a yearly, cover-all membership. It is arms and shoulders that need some strengthening! The walking up and down the Close has taken care of the general fitness.
The cleaning after each hour-long sessions seems to be very thorough so it will be interesting to start back on Tuesday and see how it goes.
I have found several training schedules to work up to walking a half-marathon. Most of them seem to be aimed at people who are fit, but don't walk regularly, whereas I am not fit, but am used to walking.
I have printed one out, and am going to give it a go. Anyone else done anything like this?
On that basis, a half marathon would be about 32,000 steps for me, I think. Unless "going for a walk" walking involves longer strides.
That's a bummer for you - are you still allowed to go for walks (presuming the weather doesn't get too Welsh)?
Yes - in fact it is encouraged!
I not only need to be able to walk further, but I need to be able to walk faster.
Walking into town is certainly much easier with my rolling, noisy sweep stick!!
Such a disincentive to walking anywhere.
I didn't know there were any places where you had to wear a mask outdoors. Having a look now about the rules in Melbourne. Interesting that you don't have to wear one 'When you are doing any exercise or physical activity where you are out of breath or puffing. Examples include jogging or running, but not walking.' I wonder how that works if you get out of breath and puffing when walking! I guess that might count as a problem with breathing and you might be exempt. It sounds like you have really good, clear rules and guidelines though.
That's pretty brisk. I find 3mph is as much as I can maintain for any distance, always have. Mind you, I can keep it up for hours. I usually pass the people who overtook me when they're having to take a break later on.
I can also keep walking for hours and deeply annoy those who have overtaken me as I tootle past merrily when they are slumped in a heap and worn out having huffed and puffed their way past me impatiently about an hour previously.
I was the same with running when I was but a Young Japes at school, but PE lessons weren't long enough for me to demonstrate this properly.
My yoga teacher decided we would spend Friday morning’s class doing seated twists. I spent Saturday with some entirely new chest pain to go with the chest pain I usually have.
Ha, me too!
Though I am sometimes experiencing the kind of thing Japes describes, with people huffing and puffing impatiently past me and then I pass them later on. Normally because I slow down considerably walking uphill, and other people don't. Though it's a good idea to - I was googling ways to make walking uphill easier and taking smaller steps is one of them. So I take smaller steps, to stop my heart rate going too high, and people huff and puff impatiently past, and then at the top of the hill they are stopped getting their breath back, while I walk past them.
I find the overtaking thing odd in general, especially when it's a narrow path that will soon widen out. I'm always happy to slow down if I have people walking slowly in front of me. I generally don't overtake unless they stop, or see me and step aside. I would certainly be very happy to slow down further on a narrow uphill path!
The fact that they existed at all was a blight on my young life.
My 4.3 miles ended at the butcher, where I bought the next three nights' dinners. The half mile walk home from the butcher's carrying my shopping just about did for me.
Next time, get them to deliver!
Our butcher gave a talk to the church Women's Group. He brought along a lamb carcass, set up his stainless steel table in the Session room, and demonstrated cutting it into assorted cuts and joints.
I was desperate for a passer-by to glance in the window and see the lamb laid out on the table, with the knives, but alas, no-one went past.
It was, however, the standard by which I judged all future Women's Group meetings - if the evening didn't end up with us wiping blood spatter off the Session room walls, it hadn't matched up.
Today I dug a quite unfeasible area of my allotment, and decided to treat myself to a walk round Port Meadow (I teckon about a three-mile round) to give my back a rest. I plan to spend tomorrow clutching myeslf and going "Argh, f*ck!" at regular intervals... though having booked a weeek off work with allotmenteering in mind, I have booked a sesh with Madam Hannah and her House of Pain to sort me out. She's an osteopath, in case you get ideas.
I'm also back at WW...as a stress eater, lockdown hasn't been kind and I feel fat, sluggish and unhappy. I might not be able to do anything about the last, but I ought to be able to do something about the first two.
Wish me luck!