[Closed] How to get fit with minimal exercise?

Visit a doctor? You can't get fit with minimal exercise.

Keep trying swimming, at first any number of lengths will wipe people who are unused to it out

Blimey Ton,that sounds grim. See a Doctor ASAP.

i need to try and get into half decent shape.
cant exercise with any vigour, cant cycle with any kind of effort, walking the dog longer than 30mins kills me, went swimming, managed 2 lengths breaststroke and had to call it a day.

any idea's please?

keep up the walking, cycling and swimming, create a "training plan" and try and stick to it. Even if it doesn't seem like training treat it as such, look for a slow steady improvement rather than massive leaps

also look at your diet, weight loss will make the above easier

Try whatever you can, and drink water with one of those fat burner tabs by High5 in, no idea if they work but every little helps. Make sure the water is cold too, helps burn fat apparently. Good luck.

stick with the swimming, even if it's swim one length ,breather, swim one length , breather to start. in conjuction with the dog walking should be fine.

. in conjuction with the dog walking should be fine

Swimming mate just keep at it it's tough if you do t do it regularly

Think sWimmings one of the better ones cos it's low impact..
Thought the ablation sorted you out pretty much Ton?
Guessing you're stArting from nothing so gonna be hard- keep up the walking, try and lengthen the walks every coupla weeks.. Same with the swimming and cycling..
Speak to your consultant too- they might have a better idea of what you can handle at the mo. A wee referral to physics might not be a bad idea maybe?
All the best anyway mate.

I think the clue is in what you have described as you can only manage a limited amount of exercise then if I were you I would continue on that basis a little but often, split your exercise into 30 min intervals 3-4 time a day and see how that goes.

Thought the ablation sorted you out pretty much Ton?

it worked for 10 days mate.
waiting to go back in for some more doing.
i should have said 'getting fit with minimal exercise, whilst having a dodgy ticker'.......... 😀

Swimming, I reckon. When I started my recovery from wrecking my leg, I couldn't walk a mile never mind jog or go to a gym- partly because of all the damage but also largely because I'd been so inactive for 6 months. But I could very slowly and gently swim. No shame in using floatation aids either- not armbands mind but I was given a wee handheld float by my physio, which meant there was no minimum level of exertion needed- when all I could do was vaguely paddle and barely move, I could still do that.

Swimming is far harder than people think, especially with a dodgy ticker. Best way to exercise the lungs and heart but it puts a lot of stress onto them areas, i dont want to go into what happened in our work gym when i guy which a dodgy ticker went on the running machine.....

See a doctor and they will point you in the right direction, one thing for sure its not going to be a overnight things its going to take months if not longer, dont want to sound grim but im being honest we are not doctors and we dont know the full story, get the advice from people who know.

Walking the dog longer than 30mins kills me, went swimming, managed 2 lengths breaststroke and had to call it a day.

What do you mean by "kills me"?

With the 'dodgy ticker' I'd ask your doctor rather than the well meaning folks on here 🙂

But here's my ha'penny's worth. Stick to regular exercise and try to slowly build up the length of the sessions that you do.

Sorry to hear that you're still having troubles Ton 🙁

As above i would keep at what you're already doing but speak to the GP as well. Also look at your diet, if you've not already done so.

The exercise will seem easier the lighter you are (i speak from experience). I find that cutting out/down on carb's, beer, pastry etc works a treat & is what I'll be doing as of tomorrow.

Hope that helps & good luck fella 😛

i'd disagree about swimming tbh.

i'm still in regular [20km/week] training at high threshold, but reckon a "non-club-swimmer" will struggle to achieve fitness through plowing lengths.....

although i could be wrong......

This has intrigued me for a while

[url= http://www.bodybyscience.net/home.html/ ]body by science[/url]

It was recommended by a doctor for those who arent that able to get fit using norml methods (CFS in my case)

No one who is likely to know the optimal solution would give it online to someone with a heart problem. Forget about training, get the OK from your GP to be as active as your health allows, and sort your diet out. That will make more difference. Good luck.

Bushwacked - are you suggesting that someone with a heart condition follows that kind of program? 🙄

Hi Ton - I am an exercise physiologist and I have experience of helping cardiac rehab patients return (safely) to exercise. I might be able to help you - drop me an email if you are interested.
Cheers, Jon
Ps. iDave speaks sense - I can't help you over the Internet, but I do have laboratories for safe physiological/exercise capacity testing.

Idave - have you even read it before commenting?

Yes I read the first post - so you're advising ton to do the same regime knowing that he has a heart condition?

Hi Ton. Sorry to hear you are still under the weather. No need to tell you that you need to walk before you can run.....
As with biking some skills session for swimming will help with technique and help make it easier. Some vids;
http://www.swimsmooth.co.uk/
Other stuff on youtube.
Just like other sports doing it proper like makes it easier. Wearing baggy shorts is like towing a tyre behind a bike, get into some speedos 😉 You are a big lad so it is not going to be easy. Advice above is good; 1 length, rest; repeat. Or do some knee lifts, side leg raises, squats etc. For interest count your strokes and then you will be able to tell if your technique and fitness are improving.
Maybe get an hrm so that you know how hard you are working.
Have a word at the pool there may be someone who can observe and give you some guidance. Get the body position and breathing right for starters.
http://www.heartratemonitor.co.uk/polar_f6_heart_monitor.html
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/92140-waterproof-water-resistant-hrm

Paleo diet seems to lose weight and improve fitness with little or no exercise.

i have the 'pleasure' of a dodgy ticker.. heart attacks strokes etc.. the secret is be healthy first.. do the 5 a day greasy fish no salt etc that they all bang on about drink plenty of water.. do light excersixe once a day for 30 mins.. short amble not a walk short ride to the paper shop.. get you body used to doing a variety of easy tasks.. get domw flexobility by stretching.. not like in a jane fonda video but just loads of tying shoe laces whilst standing touvhing the cieling every hour.. get the body ude to moving keep that up till the sun come out in april and then add an hours amble of 30 mins bike ride.. lifes a distance event not a race to the finish.. so take your time

I'm certainly no expert but I'd have thought that low intensity turbo training, walking and diet chages would be the way forward, good luck anyway....

Idave - have you made a resolution to be an arse?? 😉

it was posted more following on from the comments that there isnt an easy way to get fit as this method intrigues me. as other posters have said he should seek medical advice nit sure what it would add ti say it again but if the doc says go ahead this could be an option

schrickvr6 - Member

I'm certainly no expert but I'd have thought that low intensity turbo training, walking and diet chages would be the way forward, good luck anyway....

The main trouble with walking at this sort of entry-level, is that you tend to find yourself somewhere awkward when you discover you're knackered. Can't speak for Ton but I found my stamina was incredibly variable

Probably easier said than done but whatever regime the medical profession recommend, it would surely be easier if you were able to follow it with someone in a similar position to yourself. I would guess this is how the likes of weigh****chers works - a bit of peer pressure etc. Can't think of anything worse than exercising on your own. Good luck.

Walking at the gym on a tread mill. You have to start somewhere and walking is probably the best place. If you are at the gym you can stop when you want, take a break, eat, drink, whatever.

Paleo diet seems to lose weight and improve fitness with little or no exercise.

😐

Are there any physio led cardiac rehab classes close to you?

ton - Member
i should have said 'getting fit with minimal exercise, whilst having a dodgy ticker'

Erm....I'd be asking your doctor, not some internet strangers...presumably if you overdo it you could die?

went swimming, managed 2 lengths breaststroke and had to call it a day.

i would'nt worry about that. i surf, regularly, i'm not unfit, i find swimming a nightmare. i timed myself over 400m, i was in the 'also-ran' times for the swimming clubs junior girls category.

mind you i did then do a session with a coach and found that my technique was totally wrong!

excercise wise, walking is never to be overlooked.

Whatever you don, Ton, take it steady, mate.

Make your goal a lap at BBB, with a pint at halfway to get your breath back. 😛

Jamie,
certainly doesn't work for everyone. But some interesting results with some folk.

Ton,

Sorry to hear about your troubles. If you don't mind I will private mail you.

Carl

the reason i asked on here is because i know a couple of the stw'rs work in cardiac wards.

Carl, no problem mate, email in profile.

Maybe you could carry my bike up the hills at Hit The North if you want some [i]really[/i] gentle exercise

Dave, walking to my marshall point nearly killed me last year, thought about asking harry to piggyback me to it this year........ 😉

Ton - I don't know if you saw my earlier post? But I might be able to help you out a little, email in profile if interested. Cheers, Jon

will do, cheers Jon

Cant help on the cardio front. But saw this [url= http://www.cube.eu/en/29er/epo-29er/ ]cube 29er ebike[/url]and wondered who would benefit from it. I had a wee spin on the hybrid version at my LBS and was really impressed with how light it pedalled.

Ticklinjock, thanks for that mate, i already have a ebike, been using it for about 5 months.
it is very good, but it is not the same as doing it for real.

No one who is likely to know the optimal solution would give it online to someone with a heart problem. Forget about training, get the OK from your GP to be as active as your health allows, and sort your diet out. That will make more difference. Good luck.

+1

In my distant past I had the same background as Jon; I worked in cardiac rehab as an exercise practitioner with a NHS/LA background. Speak to your GP and ask to be referred to someone local; as I recall there's a very good person in Morley, although that was a few years ago. There were some links between some of the Leeds GP's and Carnegie at Beckett Park in Headingley. Email me and I'll put you in contact with a friend of mine.

I reckon the safest way, from my Granddad who survived a dodgy ticker for a long long time, is to take very long, very gentle walks. ie. increase the quantity not the intensity.

What Bullheart said. Don't be too hard on yourself.
Get your GP to refer you for proper capacity testing + cardiac rehab. Finding out what your capacity is + taking specialist advice on how to build from that works. But it can be frustrating learning to manage your expectations. Good luck.