Heart Failure, A Fib and Weight Loss November 19, 2018

I have been living with AND AWARE of my Atrial Fibrillation ( AFib ) induced heart failure for about 18 months and I have seen benefits of a proper diet and exercise as well as the results when I slip.

I had a small health setback and put on a bunch of the weight I had lost and am feeling the effects of the AFib more and more. Focusing on diet ,low salt and low fat hav helped , but combining with exercise and weight loss will return me to the path of health.

The following video talks about the benefit of even a 10% reduction in weight. Since my BMI is up there and my weight is too, my ultimate loss could be as high as 35%.

https://youtu.be/RqRy1n-3SVc

I am enjoying the current trip to health but want to create a lifestyle that will keep me in a comfortable zone.

Dr. Gupta discusses the benefit of diet, good sleep, stress reduction and exercise for both the weight loss and AFib reduction. I see the above package as a team or total prescription. ..exercise helps sleep and stress, less stress helps sleep and diet, good diet gives energy and well being….

It all builds on the other and I look forward to,the journey.

A quick video on exercise… https://youtu.be/aHqfgs5lEGk.

@martyroddy

Are You a Runner or a Jogger ? August 14, 2018

I have often heard folks who run regularly “put down” folks that jog. They seem to think jogging is some how inherently LESS than running….or joggers are not up to the same “level” as runners.

When a person has a pair of sneakers, tennis shoes or running shoes on (depends on where you live, RIGHT??) and is on the road or track or treadmill they are , we are all the same …AT THAT MOMENT.... Are you running or jogging?

We are all working out / exercising and becoming more healthy and fit.

Joggers go out on the road track or treadmill regularly but usually have a smaller chance of injury because they tend to take it easier with each workout. Many of us “joggers” have chosen to be joggers to take it easy and exercise with focus on fun and fat and not time and performance. I have run in well over 100 races, but as a one time football player…the running is strictly for fun and fitness( physical and psychological )

Many runners and joggers share the same silly, shiny sweat resistant clothes, funny shoes and even crazy electronics. Let’s share the love and move and seat together.

@martyroddy

Change Begins with Choice (thanks J.Rohn) June 20, 2017

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going”    -Jim Rohn

I read an article by Jim Rohn about making changes and how to go about it, even when it is difficult. The fact that it is easy to ignore  and take the easy path so it is true that we must make the decision, the choice first…..

In  recent medical WAKEUP I found I had developed heart failure and Atrial Fibrillation (A Fib) . The initial treatment focused on losing, flushing fluid from the body…a secondary benefit of that was a loss of weight. This benefit showed itself when I began exercising and walking. A drop of 50 then 70 and now over 100 pounds has reduced the strain on my body, knees and legs allowing me to workout more frequently.

The cardio workouts are strengthening my heart and lungs and the weightlifting is strengthening the body and spirit…I love walking and running BUT pushing weights is a BLAST.  As I lost a lot of fluid weight and it is still gone- now I workout and lose the Fat and Gristle and continue to drop the weight, move towards a target body-weight and body shape for my 80 inch body .  Time to decide on where to settle but for now somewhere in the 245-250 lb neighborhood is the target.

Looking at the article by Mr.Rohn- I need to make the decision everyday to workout and eat properly. This will help develop the HABIT to allow for success in the process and later maintaining the target fitness level.

Will use this and other Rohn ideas and writings for setting and achieving goals and success.

 

http://www.success.com/article/rohn-change-begins-with-choice?utm_source=Maropost&utm_campaign=5%20Money%20Principles%20You%20Need%20to%20Know&utm_term=Jim%20Rohn&utm_medium=Email&mpweb=574-3714673-742241295

 

@martyroddy

HEART FAILURE – OK Now Whats for Dinner? May 30, 2017

The diagnosis of heart failure is/was shocking but additional information and research revealed that :

• it is not a death sentence
• it can be lived with and
• it can be overcome with diet and exercise

Now when I arrived at the hospital I could not walk 20 meters without being out of breath, the diagnosis was actually a relief before it was a shock.  I now knew why I felt so bad. AND the medical team made it clear that I  could overcome and even thrive.

A lifestyle change that includes adjustments in diet and an increase in exercise. The diet will be a lifestyle change “forever” not just temporarily reducing calories and  weight for now. It has been fun, learning some new foods and recipes.

There are 2 authors/physicians and cardiac experts that i have read about before and have read A LOT about recently.  Drs. Dean Ornish and John McDougall have been proponents of very low fat, plant-based/plant focused diets.

Dr.Ornish published a great book, EAT MORE, WEIGH LESS  and it is loaded with great recipes as well as tremendous common sense information with evidence that such a diet improves and even heals heart damage.

Dr.McDougall has 2 “cornerstone books” , MCDOUGALL PROGRAM FOR MAXIMUM WEIGHT LOSS and THE STARCH SOLUTION. Both focus on plant-based, low/no fat diet choices much like Dr.Ornish.

Where to find these guys?  search the web or go to:

1. http://www.ornish.com
2. http://www.drmcdougall.com

BUT WHAT CAN WE EAT?

• Beans- dried or canned (choose salt-free) – loaded with fiber and protein
• Garlic – eat, add to foods and take as supplement
• Spinach and Dark,leafy greens
• nuts and seeds – good fats and loaded with minerals and protein (almonds,walnuts, brazils, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds
• salmon- great omega fats as well as protein
• soy protein- organic tofu, tempeh, miso , edamame beans
• whole grains
• fresh fruits and vegetables

A future post may include information on specific nutrients required for heart failure patients( magnesium, potassium, good fats).

 

 

@martyroddy

 

 

Training Takes Effort..Sometime Effort “Hurts” April 24, 2017

My mileage is still limited to fractions of a mile but my lungs and heart are getting stronger and my body is trying to keep up. I should cross the 1 mile mark shortly and ….THE MARATHON DISTANCE IS SOON IN SIGHT…. Current complaints are coming from (in order of severity):

• left knee
• right shoulder
• right knee
• both ankles
• low back

Now I am planning to strengthen the legs and back and increase the flexibility of the joints involved with a 2-3 stage program . Starting with easy sets of exercises, with low reps and advancing to some heavier work and eventually High Intensity sets and Intervals.

The first 100 pounds came off with help of the medicine to drain the excess fluids, now the next 100 will have to be earned with sweat and discipline. I am still walking but hope to mix in some easy running intervals in 2-3 months.

I have read a few books and a lot  web-based information on the training but one book I have is one of the famous IDIOTS guides…..

I am also relying on several books and sites for the walking/run training but my favorite is ChiWalking / ChiRunning information, videos and books by Danny Dreyer and Katherine Dreyer. Their website http://www.chirunning.com/ is loaded with great information and can send us on a great journey of information gathering and fitness adventure. The central focus of the running and walking programs is doing so injury free. This has great appeal to me as I come back to walking and running with a bucket of injuries.

I will keep a clear record of my progress and maybe even some photos but some of the potential “selfies” are still too gruesome to contemplate, even after a 100 pound loss.(how bad was I?)

NOW TO THE TITLE…

Yesterday I went for a medium distance walk and felt good and walked a little faster than I had in recent efforts. While doing the walk I felt a bit of strain in my lungs but I was breathing OK so I kept going. Ever since the diagnosis any question in my breathing /cardio-pulmonary system gives me pause. When I finished and checked my phone app…I had completed the workout at a level 20% faster than any previous walk. It certainly wasn’t a No Pain No Gain effort but there was some discomfort and i am glad for that. Time to try that a little bit more…maybe every 3rd workout.

now to figure a way to measure this and keep it both safe and effective for improvement

 

 

@martyroddy

Make this a Training Log or Keep Writing About Workouts or ?? April 16, 2017

I continue to walk and do the workouts on my journey back to health and then fitness. I have comfortable crossed the half mile distance and should be beyond a mile soon. Some basic goals for the immediate future :

• Adding distance
• Increasing speed
• Improving flexibility and softness/ suppleness in my joints( knees)
• Adding strength throughout entire body

The first is a simple proposition…keep walking and everyday go a little bit longer. The biggest challenge I face with this (many of us face it) is repeating the daily mileage without hurting legs and knees that have already been stressed and damaged on the gridiron and basketball court.

This concern is being addressed with the 3rd and 4th bullets in this list. Increased flexibility and improved suppleness will allow me to move “over ” the ground rather than on and through the ground with the related pounding. Strength will also improve the ability of my muscles to “catch and release”each footstrike with negligible pounding.

When I start working on speed I will pick a few workout routes or section of routes to time and then later to ” time trial”. A section that took me 10 minutes might have an ultimate goal of 6 minutes 30 seconds but intermediate goals of 9 and 7 minutes. Successfully increasing speed will ultimately rely on common sense and patience….not always strengths of mine .

I hav been joking with a high school friend about getting ready for a Fall half marathon …when I wrote that to her on Facebook I had just walked a half mile for th first time since my heart diagnosis.

I am still looking into creating some sort or running/ walking / fitness club or group for folks recovering from or living with some sort of heart health diagnosis. 

martysmarch@yahoo.com for information or interest in the club.

@martyroddy

Looking into Starting a Fitness Club for Heart Patients April 6, 2017

I have been walking and exercising and getting stronger at a slow and steady pace since my diagnosis with heart failure and Ateial fibrillation . With the medicines I have also lost significant weight, which I hope to keep,off with healthy lifestyle ( exercise and diet). 

The best thing about the current weight loss is of course easier breathing but a secondary benefit is the reduced stress on my legs when I go for a walk and eventually runs .  My knees have some damage from other sports and the loss of weight gives me a chance, an opportunity to workout and get fit and heal the heart, knees and body.

I have been part of running and training groups in the past and the group “pressure” and camaraderie made for a great dynamic. Therefore I thought a group of like minded ( and body) cardiac-heart Patients could support, push and help each other reach physical goals.  The goals include weight loss, restoring heart function , life extension and possibly overcoming the dis-ease with exercise and diet.

There might be some medical guidance needed but exch member will also be responsible for their own medical needs and controls.

I have sent an invite out with Craigslist and will see where and how,this goes.
@martyroddy 

Start “Rolling”soon as injuries have heals but Illness snuck in. January 27, 2017

A little,while ago I was finishing the rehab and muscle rebuild in the current bad knee and was ready to get started with the return to the road.    BUT ………

That little chest cold started grabbing my breath and grew like a gathering storm. Small sputtering hacks  became loud, long growling rumbles . Easy walk from door to car took all of the breath I had.

Visit to doctor id’d a bad cold and recommended / prescribed meds and diet.

That did not help much and the cough/ lungs got heavier and another trip “gave” me bronchitis and different treatment . It started to work for the lungs but bronchitis is a tough bugger.

I then developed a painful rash on my lower legs and some of th mds for my lungs were useful and soaking and other topical treatments have been helpful. I plan to be healthy and ready to roll in a short time and need to decide what to do.

1. It will all be easy and be ALL WALKING for a few weeks at minimum.

2. It will include some muscle building , but only body weight exercises.

3. Focus on necessary weight loss will dictate when any extended running can begin.

4. Will investigate local gyms for best one to supportfitness and weight goals.

5. ULTIMATELY-Strive to have fun…so I do this forever.

I found this article / pin about returning after injury.   Some good information and guidance.

This is a simple chart for how it might be done. Starting from nothing and running in a reasonable time.

@martyroddy

Get Walking September 28, 2016

While rehabbing  a leg injury I have been doing a lot of walking and preparing to run again. The injury may limit my future running so I decided to look deeper into walking and the benefits of this aerobic activity.

• Walking can be done on all he same terrain as running so muscular / structural benefits re the same.
• Many races allow for walkers as long as you maintain a pace that will allow you to finish within the set time limits
• Walking usually puts less stress on the body and therefore may be pursued for later in life for most “runners”.

Walking burns calories and builds muscle in much the same way as running…..walk/run faster and burn more calories per hour//mile.  Looking at basic numbers for folks concentrating on health and fitness as well as weight maintenance the math is equivalent.

http://www.thewalkingsite.com/beginner.html

In very general terms for very “general” people— Running will burn 100 calories per mile. Walking on the other hand or flip side of the same hand…. will burn 60-75 calories per mile.

The most important factors impacting calorie burn are bodyweight, body fat and effort level. There is a minor gender difference as well.  A 200 lb. person at a an easy speed (2-4 mph) can  burn 106 calories, a 300 lb. person might  burn 160 cals.

The same 2 people might  burn  127 and 190 calories at 4-6 mph.

This article has some good total calorie vs. body weight vs. effort level while walking.

http://www.fitnessforweightloss.com/how-many-calories-do-i-burn-walking/

The following article has great info on walking for fitness.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/walking_for_fitness/article_em.htm

So grab your shoes and get walking.

 

Summer Running-Race Prep..How is Your Body? September 5, 2016

In many parts of the #USA the local race scene is put on hold until the Fall. But training continues and runners all over prepare for Fall/Winter races during the summer months.

If you have maintained proper hydration and used  sensible plan your training should going well and you might be ready for the fall race season . If you have trained reasonably then you should be in good condition, but so few people actually train properly for their lifestyle and physical specifics and lots of people join the walking[or running] wounded.

If you re among the many walking wounded there are some things you can do to get over it and continue to run. See your doctor as need d and do what they suggest but some of these can be used to healthy exercise and running program.

ICE packs -Great info on custom made ice packs to fit you and your injuries.

-have pain in both knees and a shin, 3 ice packs will get ex0pensive- Make 3 for ~$5-6

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2011/10/make-your-own-shapeable-ice-pack.html

 

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