I'm really out of shape. Just started doing cardio 30 min. each day 5 days ago. When will I feel better?

Question

My resting heart rate was 80-90 BPM, and my heart rate would go up just doing simple things. I was pretty sedentary for over a year, due to the fact that I spent the majority of it pregnant with my daughter. I wasn't in wonderful cardiovascular shape in the first place, though.

Now, I am not overweight (still within a normal BMI, although I have a few pounds to still shed from the pregnancy). I succumbed to smoking again after the pregnancy, I eat a good diet, and drink plenty of water.

I also had a normal EKG and blood enzyme test. I don't think that there's anything wrong with my heart (those tests would have shown it if there was, right?).

I want to know when I'm going to start feeling better. I've maintained 120-130 BPM during moderate cardio exercise (brisk walking about a mile and a half a night). I hate walking up a flight of stairs and getting out of breath!

Answer 1

Stop smoking first of all, that increases both your heart rate and blood pressure. Yes the ECG would have shown how healthy your heart function is. You are right about starting cardio exercise, however, the results will not be seen immediately, it will take a good few weeks for you to see an improvement. Take your age and subtract it from 220, then multiply the result by 0.6 to get the base target heart rate and work from there.

Answer 2

If you're talking about the "feel good" thing, it's immediate!

This occurs after your exercise because exercise elevates your mood, relaxes you, releases tension and stress in you and makes you feel so good.

You feel a sense of mastery and satisfaction over your situation given that you've succefully accomplished the task at hand.

This article on exercise and stress might help you to understand more: http://www.perfect-body-toning.com/relieving-stress-by-exercise.html

If you're talking about getting benefits, it should be immediate as well - increased oxygen intake, heart gets strengthened, blood pump more efficiently, blood circulation improves, lymphatic movement quickens........

If you're talking about getting weight loss results, then it'll take a while, say 6-8 weeks, to see shedding of pounds occurring.

You're doing good but do you know that smoking may negate all your effort?

Quit smoking and I think the benefits and the results will surely come......

Answer 3

Keep it up, you will start to feel better in about month maybe even sooner, that that.

Keep making and eating healthy food choices, and keep drinking that water. I would say about 2 litters. You should be fine.