Hectic!
I cannot pinpoint why this time of year feels so hectic, but it does. I keep waiting for a swathe of “wide open!” to just magically appear on my schedule . . . and yet it remains elusive.
Really, this is generally a good thing (and there is no one here to blame but the schedule-maker herself, ie ME) but man. There will be no slowdown anytime soon either because it seems like every weekend features travel or some big kid event (dance showcase, piano recital, etc). At least this upcoming weekend will probably be pretty chill.
I am feeling very glad I chose to keep things lower key on the business end this spring and summer – it’s always tempting to do MORE and try things (because it’s fun!) and I had some interesting ideas, but holding back was necessary even WITHOUT all of the medical stuff, and with it even more so.
Some Peloton Things
I am going to this live yoga class with Chelsea Jackson in Miami (event)! (There is an Aditi one too, but I’m trying to get back in time to take G to gymnastics; Josh is on call).
AND, I’ve been experimenting with the Hardcore on the Floor calendar — short strength-only workouts with days of yoga/stretching/etc interspersed. I am not entirely sure this is a viable long term plan because in some of the strength sessions my HR does get up a bit higher than is probably ideal, but I’m trying to figure out what IS okay to do (in part because then I can ask specifically about it, even having HR data to show, when I go to Hopkins). So that has been sort of fun (even though it’s fun spiked with anxiety about it being an eventual ‘no’ and knowing that if it comes, it will be disappointing).
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This workout calendar looks intense. You should probably stick with one workout a day for 20 minutes. Also to keep things easy on your heart you should do seated workouts. There are plenty on YouTube. Just type in seated strength workouts. Jessica Smith has some great ones and she also does like 1 mile walk and talk. Good luck and remember working out isn’t the only thing in life 😊
You may be right. Maybe 20 min would be a good time frame to stick to. I really am hoping I can get more specific guidance. If someone tells me “based on your stuff limit to X Y Z” I know I will be good about following it. My local EP (saw him today) said something like “oh strength is fine” but I am
not sure if that’s actually true.
I know you have done it for a while, but I just love all the peloton workouts. It is crazy to me how motivated I am to do things I would not just do on my own. I don’t do her classes, but I see Rebecca Kennedy’s splits recommended for non cardio strength. (I mostly stick to Callie and Adrian—and my heart rate will get up in some of theirs.) I am jealous of the live class!!
Strength work can definitely be cardio depending on how it’s structured and the types of exercises you’re doing. Like what is the pacing, does it incorporate breaks between exercises, are the individual exercises more cardiovascular. Are you still going to your group personal training? I would talk with the trainer there about creating strength routines that are low cardio. Yes, a doctor may be able to give you concrete rules of thumb to follow to make sure you’re staying in a heart safe territory, but it’s the personal trainer who should be qualified to help you craft a routine that maximizes the strength building while minimizing the cardio. And should be able to teach you what to look for and how to modify other workouts/substitute exercises to stay safe. In your shoes, I would absolutely prioritize one-on-one time with a trainer over videos or non-customized group fitness as you learn how to exercise in a safe way.
That is another really good point. I stopped using the gym I was at bc I felt like many people were athletes training for other things and I don’t know that’s the environment I want right now but the guy I was working with was really good and could do this.
A few thoughts from my (very exercise dependent for mental health) perspective. I think hardcore on the floor is probably a great mix and way less tachycardia inducing than your recent running routine. I would second that going back to weight lifting sounds like a great idea – good for keeping your BMR up, great for posture, bone density etc you know all this. A lot of people in the perimenopause health sphere really advocate for lifting w progressive overload plus walking as the optimal exercise mix for this (my, maybe our?) age group.
Last thought about workout advice from your upcoming cardiology/EP visit. I really hope this group is soundly based on evidence and objective experience with people similar to you. But im skeptical that they’ll be able to give you guidelines that are based on more than expert opinion. A lateral example: I am a long time yoga practitioner and teacher. When I was pregnant with both children, I practiced (then called) Bikram almost every day. It felt spectacular and was a major part of my physical and mental health plan during pregnancy. HOWEVER, most ob’s advise complete avoidance of heated yoga for pregnant people. There is literally zero evidence to support this. As a group, ob’s are often risk averse and may be quick to prescribe limits if they are worried about risk with little attention paid to the mental health and QOL associated with certain habits etc.
I’m sure you’re already anticipating this to some degree. And truthfully I’ll be interested to hear what they say. Thinking of you!
I remember the woman from the podcast (the runner who has the same condition is you) said she does a couple days a week of strength training. So apparently it is possible- but of course all strength training is not created equal. You might as well try it and then ask when you go to Hopkins- if the answer is no, you’ll find something else. There’s always a solution, you may just have to look around a bit to find it.
I will say that as someone who primarily only lifts (I have to remind myself to do cardio every so often), my heart rate does not really go up much with the lifting I do. When I did Peloton strength workouts they definitely did, because the structure of the program is so different, and in my opinion and experience it is not as helpful. But if you do the traditional heavy lifting, progressive overload, rest 2-3 minutes between compound lifts — it is not cardio. I think you likely have a future in that world. 🙂
I love hearing that!!!
It really does require a mindset shift away from thinking an elevated heart rate / red face / being sweaty = great workout. I used to wear a fitbit and it would never, ever recognize when I had done a strength workout. I spent about 6 months doing Peloton strength but gave it up because I wasn’t seeing progress. And as we get older, a lot of workouts fall into that hole of hard enough to increase appetite / stress the body, but not actually all that effective for building muscle or promoting heart health (whatever that is going to mean for you) — so you’re wasting your time. I think another commenter also says that there is a lot of evidence that for those of us in our 40s and above, lifting heavy + walking / chill cardio is the best combination. I know it certainly has been for me.
I can totally see how that would be true (as it was, even while running I really wanted weights that didn’t include cardio element and you’re right that Pelo is engaging, but I can tell from the HRM that it definitely does invoke elevated HR/”cardio”aspects). I don’t want to be “sweaty” (or feel palpitations during / after).
Didn’t see your comment until I posted mine, Amy, and I 100% agree. Heavier weights with more rest in between sets will lead to excellent strength gains and will help you avoid spiking your HR. And NO you will not get bulky. Good luck!
The busyness at the end of the school year always catches me by surprise. Every.Single.Year. Will this be our last year of it since it’s our last year of high school or am I already setting myself up for the surprise next year? Time will tell!
What everyone else said – there is a fine line between lifting and cardio!
I’m happy for you that you’ve been able to experiment with some new and different workouts!
Love Chelsea Jackson-Roberts and Aditi! I hope you have fun at their live event! I did an Anna Greenberg 45 min combo yoga and pilates workout last weekend and it was super hard, but my HR stayed lower than 130 for most of it. I find most of the peloton strength workouts keep my HR in the 140s (and sometimes 150s) for the entire duration, mostly because they don’t budget in adequate rest in between sets. That… is probably higher than you want to go — just guessing. You may find that if you lift heavier for 6 reps or less and take long breaks that you don’t spike your HR. I second the suggestion to ask your personal trainer.
Peloton strength workouts are usually exhausting, which tricks us into thinking we’ve gotten a good workout in, but building muscle and engaging in cardio are two really different things and when they get mixed up together I think it’s ineffective.