getting fit

Hi,
I've had a pacemaker for over 4 years now and it's great but I wonder what effect it would have if I took up more strenuous exercise. Im 71 and out of condition although my weight is ok.

4 Comments

nothing but good

by Tracey_E - 2014-12-14 08:12:38

As long as your dr has cleared you to exercise, then go for it. If you are out of condition, don't go crazy all at once., work up to it. IMO, the best thing we can do for ourselves it to keep our hearts strong.

Every little bit helps

by Theknotguy - 2014-12-14 09:12:08

Every little bit helps. Some surveys out there in the general public area indicate that any increase in activity is good.

Had a running (no pun intended) argument with the nurses at cardio rehab about doing just cardio exercise versus what I had been doing. I volunteer at a furniture bank charity where we regularly toss around furniture. Their argument was I needed to get my heart rate up. Doctor's told me if I hadn't been tossing furniture around I wouldn't have survived my heart episode. Wish these medical people would get their stories straight.

As TraceyE said, don't go out and try to run a 5K by next week. Start small and work gradually. The mind may be willing but the knees and hips may not be up to the strain. Then you'd be worse off than before.

I started out walking 500 feet, then kept working at it until I was at a mile. Would do one walk in the morning, another in the afternoon. By the end of a month was up to over a mile, then went into cardio rehab. After a year, am taking the dogs on the pet trail and do 4 1/2 miles in the morning and another 2 in the afternoon. The dogs sleep good after I have them for the day - so do I. Oh, and the dogs don't care how slow I walk.

Hope you can get moving.

Hi peegee

by IAN MC - 2014-12-14 09:12:15

Sorry, but it sounds as though you're looking for excuses not to exercise. As the Nike ad says " JUST DO IT ! "

Make it a New Year's Resolution that , this time next year you will not be writing " I am out of condition " .

Having a PM is totally irrelevant, as is your age . Neither prevent you from exercising.

Not carrying excess weight is an enormous advantage !

Decide your chosen way to get fit and just DO IT . I run most days and you may wish to try that ; there are few better ways of getting fit than running ; but there is a saying in running circles that " the longest distance is from the armchair to the front door " . I think this applies to most activities.

So over to you , and I really look forward to a post from you telling us how fit you are.

Best of luck

Ian ( also from the UK )

getting fit

by peegee - 2014-12-15 04:12:14

thanks for your comments. see you in Rio (only joking)

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I had a pacemaker since 2002 and ever since then my life has been a total blessing.