Working out, losing weight :)

M

mjuszczak

0
Hi all!

I was about 265 pounds and my doctor told me my heart was slightly thickening due to chronic high blood pressure. I was at 40% body fat. Now,

I'm on meds for the BP, but I've gotten in shape, am down to 215-220 (fluctuates), and I eat REALLY well and run about 10 miles per week, split up across a couple days, while also doing moderate weight training. My current BMI is 33 and my current body fat is around 25 or 26%.

A couple questions:

First, my pulse gets up to about 175 when I run at 6.5 on the treadmill. Is this normal? Also, about 10 minutes after I am done working out, my pulse hovers around 115-120, and then about an hour after working out, it is still about ~100. My resting pulse rate (sitting at work right now) is about 80-85, variable. Also, about 15 minutes after I finish exercising, my blood pressure is usually 150/90. Is this incredibly high for someone who just finished running three miles?

Are these pulse rates semi normal? Will they continue to drop as I get down to 18% body fat and lower? I really don't want to go on more medicine, as I am an active person! :)

Thanks for any comments anyone has!

-Matt
 
First, congratulations on your progress so far.

How old are you? How long were you 50+ pounds overweight? How long have you been running consistantly? And at 26% body fat you realize you are still 20+ pounds over weight, assuming 8-15% is the healthy range for a male.

One classic measure of "fitness" is how long it takes your heart rate to drop from an elevated state to a resting state. So as your fitness level improves your heart rate should drop to a resting rate more quickly. Also a resting heart rate of 80+ is still pretty high, normal is 60-80. That should also improve as you reach a more healthy body composition.
 
dswithers said:
First, congratulations on your progress so far.

How old are you? How long were you 50+ pounds overweight? How long have you been running consistantly? And at 26% body fat you realize you are still 20+ pounds over weight, assuming 8-15% is the healthy range for a male.

One classic measure of "fitness" is how long it takes your heart rate to drop from an elevated state to a resting state. So as your fitness level improves your heart rate should drop to a resting rate more quickly. Also a resting heart rate of 80+ is still pretty high, normal is 60-80. That should also improve as you reach a more healthy body composition.
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I am 23. I was 265 for a year, but I've been overweight all of my life. This is most likely the lowest body fat percentage I have ever had. Yes, at 26% body fat, I still realize I am 20+ pounds over weight, and I am really trying to lose that last bit as I think it will make a significant impact on my health :) I am 215-220 right now and I want to break 200 before the end of January, which I am working to do.

As far as my resting pulse, it varies. Yes, it is mostly in the 80's, but sometimes I get it into the 70's. I think once I become more fit, this will drop.

As far as running consistently, I was doing eliptical workouts every day or two up until June... no weight training. In June, I started doing a little weight traning and such. Only recently did I switch to running, maybe about three weeks ago, its all I do now instead of the eliptical. I can run 2 miles or so with no problem, but no, I haven't been doing it consistently for very long.

My recovery rate drops pretty quickly, but only down to about 100. What I mean by that is, I can be at 180 after running 3 miles, and after two-three minutes of not running anymore (I cool down to about 160 usually), I'll be in the 120's. The drop from 180 to 120 occurs fairly quickly. But it takes my pulse about 10-15 minutes longer to get down to 100, and then even longer to get back to the 80's, sometimes as much as an hour, or more.
 
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Update

Hi all,

OK here's the update from the gym today.

First, I did a warm up mile on the treadmill. Pulse was 172 average while running. I did this at 6.0-6.5. When I stopped, my pulse was down to 150 within 1 minute, and by 2 minutes it was in the high 130's and low 140's.

Then, I worked out and weight trained. While lifting, my pulse remained between 110-120.

Afterwards, I did eliptical for about 28 minutes. During this time, my pulse was between 148 and 158, depending on the level of the exercise (it switched back and forth). After I stoped this, my pulse was 135 within 1 minute, and in the 120's by the end of the second minute.

How do these numbers look?

Also, my main concern: About 15 minutes after my work out, my pulse was 100. But what I find is that my pulse stays around 95-100 for a few HOURS after I work out, not dropping fully down to the 80's (which is my normal resting heart rate) for a while. This may be because I tend to be more active after I work out (run around and such still).... I dunno, is this normal?

EDIT: After drinking four bottles of water, my pulse dropped pretty quickly back into the 80's... I think if I don't rehydrate myself properly after running/lifting, it stays elevated more.

Thanks all,

Matt
 
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Well your pulse levels are perfectly healthy. Hydration is very key to body temp, pulse, and so on.

Blood pressure does have to do with activity, but you can have a good active heart rate and still have high blood pressure. Diet is very important and key to lowering body fat and blood pressure. Its a tricky system sometimes and creates confusion when trying to get the right diet to combine as well with your activity. For example if you are eating to under your caloric needs and engaging in this activity with blood pressure issues, you could be hindering your results. At the same time if you are getting in the wrong foods and to much of them, same principal applies.

If you want list your current diet in as much detail as possible with caloric totals.
 
theleip said:
Well your pulse levels are perfectly healthy. Hydration is very key to body temp, pulse, and so on.

Blood pressure does have to do with activity, but you can have a good active heart rate and still have high blood pressure. Diet is very important and key to lowering body fat and blood pressure. Its a tricky system sometimes and creates confusion when trying to get the right diet to combine as well with your activity. For example if you are eating to under your caloric needs and engaging in this activity with blood pressure issues, you could be hindering your results. At the same time if you are getting in the wrong foods and to much of them, same principal applies.

If you want list your current diet in as much detail as possible with caloric totals.
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My blood pressure is actually not something I'm as worried about as my pulse. Ever since I started drinking MUCH more water, and not eating ANYTHING bad for me ... I mean no fast food, no applebees/fridays, no chocolate/bad sugar/sweets --- nada. My blood pressure has been awesome. The highest I can get to go on the monitor is 150/90, but that's after running up and down and up and down and up and down the stairs and then taking it RIGHT away. If I haven't been doing any physical activity in the last minute, the most I get is 140/80. Today, about 20 minutes after running, my pulse was still in the 80's and 90's, but my blood pressure was 125/75. :) :) This major improvement has only come in the past two weeks, because of my diet change and increased intake of water.

There is a DIRECT correlation (proven by me) with water levels and blood pressure. For instance, if my lips are chapped, my blood pressure is most likely high. If I drink four glasses of water, my BP drops, and my lips become unchapped naturally.......

My main worry is my pulse though. Right now, I'm sitting at the computer and my pulse is 68. About half hour ago, it was high 70's, low 80's, but we were walking around and I was playing with the cat and such --- I guess my main worry is that my doctor told me I have a slightly thicker heart wall.... but the thing is, my heart was 100% normal in May before i started working out a lot, and I read that athletes and people who run and lift weights can have slightly thickened heart walls (the normal is below 1.1, mine was like 1.2 --- very minor --- and this change only occured since May, when I started working out, but I've had high blood pressure for years). So I'm semi-convinced that the slightly thickened heart wall has to do with my recent increased activity... I'm hoping :) Also the doctor said that the machine was most likely off, and that he sees "variable thickness" like that all the time.

I'm just worried doc is going to put me on a beta blocker, because when I'm in his office, my pulse is high 80's low 90's... but it isn't always like that. I just get nervous.

Maybe next time I go I'll try drinking a crap load of water first :)

As far as diet, I usually have a banana or two for breakfast, a wheat wrap or wheat bread sandwich with grilled chicken, onions, lettuce, and LIGHT mayo in the afternoon, and then something else for dinner --- some kind of pasta or something. I eat very healthy now and have for a few weeks now. I'm compulsive though. Once I start something, I never go back. So this will be my diet from now on, no excuses :) I'm like that.

I also take fish oil in the morning along with my multi vitamin. Recently (yesterday), I started taking concentrated garlic too.

When you say my pulse is normal, are you saying that some people can just have a resting heart rate of 85 and its fine? Especially since I'm still 25-30 pounds overweight, I hope once i lose this fat my body won't have to carry so much weight and the pulse will drop! :) Also, are you saying that my recovery rate is normal? After I stop doing whatever I'm doing, within 2-3 minutes I'm usually back below 120... even if I was at 185. And then the drop slows down, but I eventually get back below 100... This is normal?

Thanks,

Matt
 
There is a DIRECT correlation (proven by me) with water levels and blood pressure. For instance, if my lips are chapped, my blood pressure is most likely high. If I drink four glasses of water, my BP drops, and my lips become unchapped naturally.......
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Agreed. The average recommendation for water intake is not always enough. The easiest way to know if your water intake is sufficient lies in your bathroom visits. If you urine is clear, then you are getting enough water. You might find there is a period of adjustment and you are visiting the bathroom quite often in the beginning. This is because your body will run a in/out system due to water retention, once your body believes though that it is going to daily get enough water source then it will stop retaining and visit will become less frequent.

My main worry is my pulse though. Right now, I'm sitting at the computer and my pulse is 68.
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That is an excellent sitting heart rate. I say sitting instead of resting because there is a difference. Your resting heart, your true one is the one you have right when you wake up in the morning after sleep. Just typing, breathing more, going to the kitchen, coming back, all these things can increase your heart rate. Granted not by any large amount but still an increase. Your sitting heart rate is very good and noting to worry about.

I'm just worried doc is going to put me on a beta blocker, because when I'm in his office, my pulse is high 80's low 90's... but it isn't always like that. I just get nervous.
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Even a 80's pulse is normal. When I go to the doctor (cause I hate doctors;) )
My heart rate can get higher than that ha. That still is not at the level to prescribe a beta blocker and with all you are doing for your health the doc will most likely give you a pat on the back.



As far as diet, I usually have a banana or two for breakfast, a wheat wrap or wheat bread sandwich with grilled chicken, onions, lettuce, and LIGHT mayo in the afternoon, and then something else for dinner --- some kind of pasta or something. I eat very healthy now and have for a few weeks now. I'm compulsive though. Once I start something, I never go back. So this will be my diet from now on, no excuses :) I'm like that.

I also take fish oil in the morning along with my multi vitamin. Recently (yesterday), I started taking concentrated garlic too.
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The Fish Oil and Garlic are great. Your food choices aren't bad either (though more of a fan of oatmeal over bread for the heart myself). However it seems your calories and protein intake is low. Also having more than three meals a day helps with sugar and blood level sensitives. Pairing protein with everymeal is very important. For example breakfast could be omelet(1 omega-3 egg to three egg whites with peppers) and oatmeal with banana. This provides EFA's, protein and complex carbohydrates. A great heart make happy meal and provides energy you would need for the start of the day.If you aren't sure what your caloric intake should be to lose weight but still be healthy go here...
when you get your final number subtract 500-700 and that should be your daily caloric intake to lose fat safely.



When you say my pulse is normal, are you saying that some people can just have a resting heart rate of 85 and its fine? Especially since I'm still 25-30 pounds overweight, I hope once i lose this fat my body won't have to carry so much weight and the pulse will drop! :) Also, are you saying that my recovery rate is normal? After I stop doing whatever I'm doing, within 2-3 minutes I'm usually back below 120... even if I was at 185. And then the drop slows down, but I eventually get back below 100... This is normal?
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Yes it is normal and the drops that happen that fast are even better. It means you have a quick recovery rate which stands to show that you are increasing the strength of your cardiovascular system.

Overall I think the only problem you have is worrying so much about it;) Stress not good for the heart. You are doing great and are on the right track. I would focus on that diet a little more and other than that keep it up. A good lifting program and cardio work mixed with a healthy diet and your aren't just normal, you are above average;)
 
I definitely do worry a lot :) for instance, I just took my blood pressure in my car after we got back from driving. It was 139/79. Not too bad, but my pulse was 88. Granted, this was right after driving.

My problem is that my morning pulse (the pulse I have when I wake up in the morning) is EXTREMELY high. In fact, the pulse I have when I first wake up in the morning is the highest of the day. Usually in the high 90's. I don't know why. Maybe I wake up scared every morning or something. Its always been a curiosity of mine.
 
Your heart rate should be at its lowest when you first wake up in the morning, before getting out of bed. It should get beter as your fitness level improves, unless you have some psychological thing going on. Iguess only you can answer that. Stress and/or aniety can sertainly raise and lower pulse rate and blood pressure. Maybe you need to just relax and know this is a long term life-style change you are making and it will take years to get to a totally healthy level. You are young and you should have plenty of time. If you haven't already you should definately discuss it with your doctor, who can do more tests or recommend diet and exercise changes or councelling as needed.
 
long time no talk

hey everybody

Im lose mad weight!! but the thing is I really want to get my arms bigger I still got that flabby stuff on my arms!!

Here is my weight loss plan I still am using.
Morning- One hour of cardio= running=elipticil( sorry cant spell)
Afternoon- 30 mins on tredmill on high speed, then I hit the stair master
Night- Stright cardio kickboxing. I gotta burn the dinner calories.

I lost mad wieght from this

how u been trainer lynn?
 
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