Keeping fit and a breathing problem

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My partner and I have just started to try and get ourselves fit. I'm 64 and she's 56 and we are both putting on weight and found that when out for a walk we were basically getting knackered just on a gentle 2 mile stroll.

We're not one's for taking up jogging or going to the gym so we bought a second hand treadmill. After a week of using it a couple of times a day I'm finding it good and feel good after although I'm not sure I'm any fitter yet. The problem is that I start off on 4 (warm up setting) for two minutes then I go to 6 or 7 (fast walking speed - 5 minutes) and I'm ok. It's when I notch it up to 8 (running - 2 minutes) that I try and measure my breathing with the pace that I'm going at but find that I can't breath fully. Just short breaths. So my lung capacity seems to be limited.

Will that breathing problem improve over the weeks/months or should I pack it in and go see a doctor? Do I have a medical problem?

I know that this isn't a medical forum. Just looking for a little advice please.
 
any pains? I've been short of breath even though my blood oxygen is 99-100%. I'd get it checked if I were you, I did even though I probably left it too long and it was the best thing I did.
 
It could well be down to lung capacity. Do you smoke or ever smoked that could be a contributing factor. Your doctor should be able to measure your lung capacity for you. I'd check that first.
Whilst running or speed walking will improve your lung capacity over time it could be a slow process. I would recommend standing up from a low solid chair without pushing yourself up with your hands. Then sit and stand. Keep repeating for 10 -15 repetitions. Rest to get your breath back then repeat 3-5 times. Do this every day and your breathing should improve. Once you have mastered that find a lower chair or bench and continue the exercise using that.
 
I suspect if you are out walking and after 2 miles you are out of breath then going forward to a tread mill is a way bad idea.

Have a look at your body first, are you overweight if so lose weight on a balanced diet,
are you a smoker? or have you been in the past?

Any history in your family?
I would go for a checking and get lung volume checked, you are 64 as you say
 
Neither of us have ever smoked. I have the occasional pint. We both eat 'healthily' with plenty of fruit although I'm not keen on vegetables apart from peas and carrots (she makes me eat french beans but I'm not keen).

We both have toast or granola for breakfast. Lunch is usually a small pasta or a sandwich with fruit and dinner is meat and veg / fish and salad or a stirfry/meatballs thing. We don't eat between meals.

I'm 14st 6lbs at 5ft 10ins and she's 12st 2lbs at 5ft

So really we're not gross and we try to eat sensibly.
 
Sue is also diabetic btw. Type 2 and she has a review this week.

I might tag along and suggest we both get our lungs checked even though she's doesn't have the same problem as me.
 
I'm sorry to be blunt but given your description of yourselves I doubt either of you are muscle bound as such so your current weights are far too high in my very amateur opinion ...

I know that this isn't a medical forum. Just looking for a little advice please.
Indeed and my advice would be to see a doctor and take their advice :)
 
I have a similiar problem with my breathing. I love mountain biking and generally OK on the trails but when I need to climb a track I'm left behind by my mates as I cannot get enough air into my lungs to keep up and if it's a particularly steep climb I can be in a real mess at the top literally gasping for air. It's been like for most of my life any real effort leaves me very short of breath when exercising , I have had asthma from a very early age too. This year my regular asthma nurse was changed and on my review I had to do my usual peak flow, the new nurse said my peak flow was extremely low, should be 560 for my height/weight but I can only manage about 300 and that's on a good day.
I was asked to have a spirometry and reversibility test which the results stated I have the lung function of an 84 yo the amount of air I exchange is only 57% when for a 54yo it should be 80%, also tested for COPD which turned out negative. I was told that although I have never smoked damage may have done at an early age as I lived in a house full of smokers.
 
The more you exercise the better your lungs will get.

If you get rid of the tread mill and go for 2 miles walks instead, you will get optimum exercise, plenty of sunlight (which is very good for you) and the opportunity to take photographs as well - a three way win.
You don't say how long you have been exercising for, but to go from unfit to fit takes a long time - many months to produce a noticable improvement in lung function.
 
I'm asthmatic. If you look at peak flow charts, ling function rises with age till about 30-35 after which they decline with age. Something like a 20-25% drop going from 35 years age to 70 years.

But it takes time for adaptation. When I starter running, I couldn't do a quarter of a mile without collapsing in a heap. I built up and found I could run about 3 miles over time. You will improve but it will take weeks for it to happen.

Keep at it.
 
I'm 14st 6lbs at 5ft 10ins and she's 12st 2lbs at 5ft.

So your BMI is 29. That's on the high side - it's the same as mine! - but it's not disastrous and shouldn't, of itself, prevent you from being physically active. You'd be better off if you could get your weight down to around 13st, but if you were to walk 2 miles a day and not increase your food intake to compensate (yeah, I know, that's the hard part) then you would lose that weight within a year or so. I would suggest there's no need to go on a diet or anything; it's more important to make changes which are sustainable, and diets aren't.

Your wife's BMI is 33 though, which is more worrying. Since she's so short, she would need to get down to about 10½st just to get her BMI down to where yours is now. If you get down to 13st, which is by no means light, then to achieve the same BMI she would need to be about 9½st. It's going to be much harder for her.

Of course this BMI stiff is a bit simplistic. People have different builds, different metabolisms, and so on. Still, it might be useful as a first-order quantitative assessment or a reality check.
 
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Basically you have a long way to go in order to build up some basic fitness, and unless you're very heavy boned then you could both do with losing around 30lb in weight, possibly more for your partner, and that's going to make exercise feel really hard at first. The good thing is that you're moving in the right direction.

Lung capacity can be developed, but it's going to require carefully pushing your body against it's limits of comfort. From the sound of things the muscles that control your breathing are very tight, making it difficult to breath deeply, and your body is unfamiliar with struggling for lack of oxygen, causing you to pant instead of breathing deeper. Also all that fat simply makes it harder for your chest to expand deeply an fully - there's less room and it will be weighting you down. What helps me with my breathing - and this may or may not be useful for you - is to regulate the pace I set according to breathing, taking longer or shorter strides to use more or less energy and oxygen. So I carefully breath deeply, with 2 footfalls on the in and 2 on the out for normal flat running, but increase the breathing rate if running faster or uphill. My natural tendancy is to breath faster and shallower, and eventually run out of lungs. :(

I had pneumonia about 20 years ago, and that affected my breathing - the guys I used to cycle with would joke about my wheezing uphill - and it made life quite difficult trying to keep up. I did start getting fit again in 2014, and after 2 years of building up, managed to run a half marathon in 2016, but the first few months were really hard, overcoming my lack of lung capacity - the muscles were fine, but the lungs couldn't cope at all. The upside is that my breathing is much better and I suffer much less when I get a cold.
 
My partner and I have just started to try and get ourselves fit. I'm 64 and she's 56 and we are both putting on weight and found that when out for a walk we were basically getting knackered just on a gentle 2 mile stroll.

We're not one's for taking up jogging or going to the gym so we bought a second hand treadmill. After a week of using it a couple of times a day I'm finding it good and feel good after although I'm not sure I'm any fitter yet. The problem is that I start off on 4 (warm up setting) for two minutes then I go to 6 or 7 (fast walking speed - 5 minutes) and I'm ok. It's when I notch it up to 8 (running - 2 minutes) that I try and measure my breathing with the pace that I'm going at but find that I can't breath fully. Just short breaths. So my lung capacity seems to be limited.

Will that breathing problem improve over the weeks/months or should I pack it in and go see a doctor? Do I have a medical problem?

I know that this isn't a medical forum. Just looking for a little advice please.


I'm 67, after a heart attack a few years ago I was a bit worried about exerting myself too much so the pounds piled on and on, last year at this time I was almost up to 21 stone and unfit. Walking knackered me and got me out of breath, even talking to someone I was out of breath and at times I couldn't complete a sentence without pausing for a breath.
I've now lost about 4 1/2 stones and down to 16.5 stone but stiil a long way to go but I'm no longer out of breath like I used to be, I can walk a fair distance without stopping, 5 miles is the longest to date. Nothing for a young guy but to me it was a marathon.
Your breathing will get easier as the weight comes off, your legs muscles will get stronger too, my calfs used to ache after a 1/4 mile :)
Gentle walking and maybe increasing the pace for two or three minutes a few times during your walk, keep at it it will work for you but not overnight. Running has never been my thing for about 30 years now, I bought a treadmill a while back then got rid of it, I prefer my walks in the open air, I think that is better than using a treadmill in a stuffy house. Walking and a weightwatchers diet worked wonders for me, wife joined weightwatchers and I used the same diet as her, some tasty recipes on there nowadays.
 
None of the above is really bad advice, don't be hard on yourself, depending on your personality, high expectations will either make you fail or succeed.

You said in your opening post you weren't up to running, then that you're concerned when you run o_O

A check up at the doctor is a good idea for anyone increasing their amount of exercise, but on the face of it, I wouldn't be too concerned. Keep at it on the treadmill, but hold off the running till you've had a check up. And @nilagin 's advice to build your general fitness will help too.

Good work on realising you need to get fitter and doing something about it, but for it to work, it shouldn't be 'easy'.
 
I'm sorry to be blunt but given your description of yourselves I doubt either of you are muscle bound as such so your current weights are far too high in my very amateur opinion ...


Indeed and my advice would be to see a doctor and take their advice :)

Blimey, I'm 14 stone and six foot, so don't think the OP is that grossly overweight, I would be like a famine victim at what some consider my ideal weight.

Walking in the fresh air is as good as anything, just build it up gradually, not so sure running is that great. Swimming is also supposed to be good, personally hate it and sets my allergies off something awful.
 
So your BMI is 29. That's on the high side.

BMI should just be used as a guide. Myself and a work colleague are the same height and weight and therefore, the same BMI. He is fit, goes mountain biking and plays rugby. I need to lose a bit more weight (it's going in the right direction). He does not.


Steve.
 
Will that breathing problem improve over the weeks/months or should I pack it in and go see a doctor? Do I have a medical problem?

You've answered your own question there, go see a doctor.
This is an internet forum for photography and I suspect most members here are not qualified to give advice on a possible medical issue, I know I'm certainly not. The only advice I, or anyone else could offer really, is that of any gym which is see your doctor before starting a new fitness regime.
 
There is a lot of evidence to suggest Vitamin D improves lung function. Try to make sure these foods are part of your diet.
. Fatty fish, like tuna, mackerel, and salmon.
  • Foods fortified with vitamin D, like some dairy products, orange juice, soy milk, and cereals.
  • Beef liver.
  • Cheese.
  • Egg yolks.
 
The more you exercise the better your lungs will get.

If you get rid of the tread mill and go for 2 miles walks instead, you will get optimum exercise, plenty of sunlight (which is very good for you) and the opportunity to take photographs as well - a three way win.
You don't say how long you have been exercising for, but to go from unfit to fit takes a long time - many months to produce a noticable improvement in lung function.

Pretty much. Go for walks, make small sustainable changes to your diet rather than fad/crash diets and see your GP if you're worried about your breathing
 
Well done for trying to do something about it most importantly. It isn't supposed to be easy though, and your breathing problem is more than likely just down to a lack of fitness whihc will improve quickly if you keep it up, but a check-up with the doc wouldn't hurt.

With regards to BMI as mentioned above, it's surprising how many people carry around much more weight than they should but don't realise what effect it has on them, their bodies, mood, concentration levels and general health. Looking at most people you pass in the street 80% of them could do to lose some weight.
 
BMI should just be used as a guide. Myself and a work colleague are the same height and weight and therefore, the same BMI. He is fit, goes mountain biking and plays rugby. I need to lose a bit more weight (it's going in the right direction). He does not.
Absolutely. that's why I wrote this:
Of course this BMI stiff is a bit simplistic. People have different builds, different metabolisms, and so on. Still, it might be useful as a first-order quantitative assessment or a reality check.
 
A word of warning. Vitamin D is toxic and taking high doses of it can do you harm. If you think you might need high doses of Vitamin D, see your doctor first.
 
After a hike earlier this year which I found much harder than ever before I've also decided to do something about it. I did try exercise machine at home and that was a start. seeing the doc a few months ago he recommended getting along to a gym. I'd never been to a gym before so have had some training in how to use the stuff, and I'm finding my fitness improving quite well now. So I'd also recommend checking in with the GP and take it from there. Hope this helps and good luck.
 
I'm currently recovering from a really bad chest infection that needed steroids and bags of antibiotics to clear up and my lungs have taken a right beating
 
I supplement my food intake with additional high dose vitamin D for the gym and it certainly seems to work especially on leg day performing heavy squats for reps where otherwise I would rapidly get out of breath.
I'm sure you believe it seems to work for you, but I thought we were talking about high quality evidence? No disrespect, but a Cochrane review is going to be a bit more reliable than one person's anecdote.
 
There's quite a bit of mind over matter stuff when it comes to amateur 'athletics' too, and often thinking something will help means that you feel like it has helped.

I was possibly a bit hard on the OP. For me, I know that any exercise that's going to increase my fitness is going to hurt, therefore I have a slightly more hard-nosed approach to personal fitness than would suit most people.
 
I'm sure you believe it seems to work for you, but I thought we were talking about high quality evidence? No disrespect, but a Cochrane review is going to be a bit more reliable than one person's anecdote.
I have spent well over 35yrs weight training and exercising and trying various supplements, I have a pretty good idea of those that work and those that don't and vitamin D is one that does,
 
Thanks for the responses that have given me plenty to think about.

We do go for walks as often as possible but sadly not every day due to her work commitments and my working from home. On a weekend Saturdays revolve around following Kidderminster Harriers home and away and on a Sunday Sue is a bell ringer (very healthy) Never get a chance to take photographs :( Hence the need for something at home that we can use when we can.

She had her Diabetes review this morning and was told that the treadmill was a good idea but to wear shoes (diabetes affects your feet it seems). Her BMI was just under 32 and although it is classed as obese the doctor said there was nothing wrong with it and as long as she looked and felt fit then don't worry about it. Mine is 29.1 and I'm classed as overweight but I presume the same criteria would apply.

The doctor told her/us to carry on. He wouldn't give us a lung capacity test because it was a diabetic clinic and not in their remit. We'll sort that out soon.
 
When you go on your walks do you take a drink. Rehydration during even light exercise can help with your fitness and recovery rate. Water should suffice as opposed to energy drinks.
 
Working from home is very difficult for fitness - when I set up a business in 2009 I had 3 months of it & put on more than half a stone despite trying to get out a little.
 
When you go on your walks do you take a drink. Rehydration during even light exercise can help with your fitness and recovery rate. Water should suffice as opposed to energy drinks.

Yes. That's something my father was always saying, adding that if you wait until you are thirsty to have a drink, you have left it too late.


Steve.
 
Yep, plenty of water.

As I was told, if your urine is too dark you're de-hydrated............... aim for the colour of gin & tonic. (y)
 
I'm currently recovering from a really bad chest infection that needed steroids and bags of antibiotics to clear up and my lungs have taken a right beating


I have sleep apnoea (being kept under control) and if I get a chest infection, my aerobic capacity really suffers for a few months. Back in May I picked up some bug, and it threw my gym routine right out the window. Whereas previously, I could do a good 45 minute routine on the cross trainer or bike, I was finding it difficult to do more than ten minutes.
For someone starting an exercise routine in their fifties or sixties, when they may have played sports when they were younger, it may come as a big shock to see how much their engine (heart and lungs) has suffered - I speak from experience.
Take it slowly at first, taking note of the time and level you are exercising at. Be aware of any chest pains, dizziness or sudden shortness of breath. Walking is great exercise, particularly brisk walking (where you find it difficult to hold a conversation), because as well as building up the aerobic capacity, it will help to strengthen the bones, offsetting the risk of osteoporosis.
With regard to diet, a good mix of dairy, protein, fruit and veg will help, and I have found that eating a lighter meal later in the day helps with weight loss (as has the 5:2 diet). I try to eat less carbs in the later meal, and cut out tea and coffee after 6pm.
 
Like everything on the internet, it's either nothing to worry about - or something to worry about and nobody at a distance really knows. Maybe mention it to your doctor?

It's either not being fit enough to run at that speed (and most people in their 60s can't run for 2 minutes if they have never taken exercise) but possibly it could be exercise induced asthma (which is surprisingly common). Check with somebody who knows the difference ;)
 
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