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Monday, July 24, 2006

Cardio Report Card!

Going away to a cottage for a week so I'll leave you with my report card from the 13 week rehab program. It may help some design a program for their own cardio health.

My stress test last week went very well, in fact, it couldn’t have gone better!
I was worked really hard and was on the treadmill for 9 minutes 52 seconds. My heart rate went up to 150, mind you, I was having a hard time breathing by then and was going to have to tell him to stop soon, but I so didn’t want to do that! I hung on even though I was practically running and the elevation felt very steep, probably 12 %.


The doctor said my heart was in A-1 shape and that I didn’t have any limitations, short of running marathons…big laugh! I increased my METS level (oxygen uptake into the blood with every heartbeat) from 10.2 to 11.5 throughout the course. That doesn't sound like much of an improvement and other people improved by more but they said I had a pretty good level before the heart attack, thanks to the walking I had been doing for the past 5 years. Had I not had a walking program, I might have had a heart attack 10 years earlier!

My weight is good with a BMI of 22, although BMI isn't the best way possible to measure body fat. Weighing a person under water is quite accurate, but I guess they didn't want to do that with some elderly cardiac patients!
All this good news gives me great incentive to carry on the program on my own.


Here is my prescribed program:

Warm up: 5-10 mins-easy walking and stretching
Cool Down: 5-10 mins

Frequency: aerobic endurance exercise activities lasting 15-20 minutes gradually increasing in time to a maximum of 40-60 minutes at moderate to strong effort, 3-5 days per week.

At present, I am only at about 35 minutes, 3 times a week, so I do have a long way to go yet. Some days my muscles, greatly affected from fibromyalgia, will be too sore. Some days I will be too tired. Some days I simply won’t feel well. But I know it is crucial to work at this and to watch my fat intake. I also have to watch carb intake and try my hardest to match my insulin so that my blood sugar is not too high or too low.

This will be the way it is for the rest of my life so I might as well get used to it.

Here it goes!


Mother of Invention, wearing her heart rate monitor and ready to tackle the paddleboat at the cottage!

10 Comments:

Blogger Bobealia... said...

Congratulations! You must feel like you've made real progress that is tangible now. Yay! Lots of work, but as you said, it's not like you will magically get younger, so might as well get used to it. I think that is hard for all of us to accept. Have fun paddleboating. I wish I could be on the water! We'll miss you.

Monday, July 24, 2006

 
Blogger RennyBA said...

I wish you and your family a wonderful time at your cottage! We have to exchange one day: you in our summer house in Sweden and my family in your cottage:-)
Btw: Thanks for the health recipe!

Monday, July 24, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Bobealia: Thanks! Yeah, what's up with that magic de-ager?!!! Gotta get me one of them machines!

Renny: Thanks and I hope we get good weather! That would be a great thing to do an exchange some day!
Yes, you have to do exercise for sure as we get older!

Monday, July 24, 2006

 
Blogger Barbara said...

Thanks for sharing this information. It gives me a goal to shoot for. You have more reason to be serious about this. I'm glad it's turning out so well for you.

Monday, July 24, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Thanks, Barbara! Every workout is a bit of a struggle but another step closer to fitness.

Monday, July 24, 2006

 
Blogger Diana said...

Excellent job! The nice thing about the exercise program is that it should also help manage some of the fibromyalgia symptoms as well. Have a lovely week!

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

 
Blogger Coffee-Drinking Woman said...

How wonderful! Hooray. Isn't walking great?

Have a lovely time at the cottage.

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

 
Blogger RennyBA said...

Hi again! Could you please do me a favor when you are back: I'm nominated for Bloggs of Summer so please bring all your friends over to vote for me:-)

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

 
Blogger brooksba said...

Good news and I admire your dedication. Way to go! I hope you're having a lovely time at the cottage.

Sunday, July 30, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Diana: I sure hope so! Gotta be a gradual thing or if I overdo it, I suffer the next few days.

Teri: Thanks so much! I hope I can keep it up!

Renny: You got it, my friend from Norway!

Brooksba: Thanks. It is a sruggle to stay dedicated some days..like today since it's so bloody hot!

Monday, July 31, 2006

 

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