How hard should I exercise

[Debbrn]

I am trying to find that happy medium of exercising hard enough without exercising to hard. I was born with TOF. I have had 3 heart surgeries with my last one being a PVR 14 years ago. My cardio has been very little help in this area. I also am a staff nurse working 7 days in a row then 7 days off in a row. I am single so I take care of my own house and yard.

I am comfortable with a heart rate between 120-130. I just don't know how long I should do aerobic exercise and how much energy I should use in weight training.

Currently I am either walking on a treadmill for 25-40 minutes at a speed of 3.4-3.6 miles/hour or I am using a exercise bicycle on level 1 for 25-30 minutes at 70-80 RPMs. I have checked my oxygen levels a couple of times and they were 93-94%. I am also doing a little weight training for about 20 minutes. I get to the gym 2-3 times a week.

The only other way to know if I exercised at the correct level is how I feel an hour after I finish. After I finish, my energy ranges from mild-moderately tired to sleeping for an hour or so when I get home. Is being tired to the point of needing a nap appropriate, or have I exercised to hard? On my week off I am almost always fine by the next day. How tired I feel during my work week varies depending on how strenuous work is. I do limit the intensity of my work out when I have to work.

I know a small part of me pushes so far because I would love to have the potential that a healthy 39 year old has. I listen to my body enough to keep myself from pushing myself way over the line. I have always wanted to be able to finish a 5K (3.1 miles). I just don't know if that is reasonable. I am at about 2 miles at this point.

Another thing. Does anyone have trouble with lower sternum pain after doing sit ups? The area at the lower end of my sternum/xyphoid process always hurts after I do sit-ups.

Debbie

 

[MarkU]

Hi Debbie,
Listening to your body is probably the best way. As you have already recognized, there are a lot of variables: type of workout, time of day, how strenuous it was at work, etc. I would also add hydration and nutrition levels - exercising on an "empty tank".

Since my surgery, I have always monitored my heart rate as a measure of how hard I was exercising. I always tried to be somewhere between 60% to 80% of my max HR. Lots of opinions/theories about how to determine max HR, but short of lab testing, I like the formula: HRmax = 205 - (Age/2).

I would think that working out three days/week for 30-40 min. should be fine as long as you are exercising in a moderate aerobic range. If you want to improve your fitness level, you do need to push yourself a bit, but not so much that you can't recover in a reasonable time,certainly after a good night's sleep. As long as I'm working hard in my workouts, think it's usually better to stop sooner than to run myself into the ground. If I'm still tired that next day then I know I've done too much.

Are there any professional certified trainers at your gym? Might be worthwhile to talk to one and get their advice.

Regarding the 5K, I would highly recommend Jeff Galloway's training method of incorporating walk breaks into all your workouts. I've been able to increase my distances significantly by running for five minutes, then walking for one. The trick is to take the walking breaks throughout the run, not just at the end when you get too tired to run anymore. You can adjust the ratio of running-to-walking depending on your level of fitness. Also, don't increase your distances more than 10% per week.

The lower end of my sternum has always been somewhat tender since my surgery also. I still find it uncomfortable to use any of the machines at the gym where you have to press your chest up against a pad, like some of the back/rowing machines.

Hope this helps,
Mark

 

[Debbrn]

Dear Mark,

Thank you for your reply. I have tried to talk to the personal trainers, but they are nervous about pushing my limits. They are comfortable with me there, but not comfortable giving me advice on how much to push myself. One of the hospitals use the gym for their patients during their second stage of cardiac rehab. Therefore, during the week there are cardiac rehab nurses at the gym. I might try to get to know some of the nursing staff from their and see if they can tell me anything.

I will be walking the 5K, not running it. My goal would be to complete it in 40 minutes which would be a 4.5 mile/hour pace.

Like so many of my questions, my question about how hard to exercise probably does not have a concrete answer. When making my goals I try and ask if this is my goal or Gods goal. That helps me put things in perspective.

Debbie

 

[Debbrn]

Today I did a 12 minutes walk test. The results were pretty much what I kind of expected, but still a little disappointing. I was only able to walk about .86 miles in 12 minutes. That puts me in the very poor catagory for cardiac fitness. From there I calculated that the goal for walking should be about 3.5 miles an hour. I quess that goal of walking a 5k was a bit much for now. Oh well, things could be much much worse. I will be happy as long as I am exercising at my potential. Considering I have had 3 heart surgeries, I think I am doing pretty well. As I said though, I am a little disappointed.

Debbie

 

[Lynlw]

Debbie, Justin's chd is different he has TGA, not TOF and pulmonary stenosis, but his doc always said he would know when to stop or self regulate and except right before or right after surgeries he really doesn't have any restrictions (except football or lacrosse) and from my different CHD boards that seems to be what most the ped cards say. I know things have changed alot Just since Justin was born (he's 17) most doctors now seem to not limit the kids excersise wise as much as most did even when Justin was born, luckily for Justin his doctor was one of the ones that alwasy encouraged him to be active,but I know alot of the older CHD kids weren't even allowed to take gym or participate in any activities.
If you have concerns, have you had a stress test lately? that way you could find out how much you could do safely.
NOW with THAT being said, if you haven't excercised for a while, I think 12 min is goood, heck i have no heart problems and couldn't do that good
Oh I also have a neice Ryann (on my DH side) who is 4 and was born w/ TOF, so I'll have to tell her Mom about you, she will be happy, Lyn www.caringbridge.org/nj/justinw

 

[Cris N]

Today I did a 12 minutes walk test. The results were pretty much what I kind of expected, but still a little disappointing. I was only able to walk about .86 miles in 12 minutes. That puts me in the very poor catagory for cardiac fitness. From there I calculated that the goal for walking should be about 3.5 miles an hour. I quess that goal of walking a 5k was a bit much for now. Oh well, things could be much much worse. I will be happy as long as I am exercising at my potential. Considering I have had 3 heart surgeries, I think I am doing pretty well. As I said though, I am a little disappointed.

Debbie

Debbie,

I checked the math... I came up with .86 mile in 12 min. is 4.3 mph... not all that bad for walking. In your 'walk test' was this outdoors. I've found that I walk quite a bit faster on the treadmill than in real life... maybe if I had a speedometer attached to my leg I would do better

Cris

 

[Debbrn]

Dear Lyn,

I have been exercising for about 2 years. The 12 minute walk test gives me some of the same information as a stress test. I did a 12 minute walk test 14 years ago and was able to walk .9 miles. The doctors are not telling me not to exercise harder, my body is. At this point, exercising is more about maintaining my abilities not increasing my abilities. By maintaining my abilities, I will be working on keeping my heart and lung function at their best.

I hope everything is going well with your son.

Debbie

 

[Lynlw]

Debbie Justin is doing great, making up for lost time and having a great summer. Is you pulm stenosis ok? I know when ever we notice Justin gradually slowing down it's usually a sign his PS is worse. actually with him it is usually a slow gradual thing and he doesn't really notice, but I do and then after a ballon cath or conduit replacement he can't believe how good he feels, and it's not until after the intervention looking back he sees how tired he was.
I do want to thank you for being one of the kids that blazed the trail and now so many kids do good because of the older 'kids' like you and their parents, Lyn www.caringbridge.org/nj/justinw

 

[Debbrn]

Cris,

Sorry it took me so long to reply. My house has been having electrical problems so I have not had power to my computer. I have only been able to speed read the postings at work and accidently missed your total response in my hurry.

In the 12 minutes walk/run test, you move as fast as you can. I was exhausted when I finished. You are suppose to exercise at 70% of the energy level that you did in the walk test. I did the test on an indoor track. 8 laps per mile.

When I did the test 14 years ago on another indoor track I was able to do .9 miles. At that time I was 6 months post my PVR. The good point is that I am not getting worse. I had just hoped to be better after exercising consistently for 2 years. I have also been exercising on and off for the past 14 years.

Debbie