The trainer was dead wrong! You can't go by standard heart rate guides when you're on BP meds. Just like you figured out, they'll keep your heart rate artifically low. He's a moron, if you'll pardon my French.
Since you can't go by heart rate, there are a couple of ways to judge how hard you're working - that is, your intensity. First is Perceived Exertion. All that means is on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the hardest you could possibly ever go, like an all-out sprint) how hard do you feel like you're working?
Here are some descriptions from
About.com:
Level 1: I'm watching TV and eating bon bons
Level 2: I'm comfortable and could maintain this pace all day long
Level 3: I'm still comfortable, but am breathing a bit harder
Level 4: I'm sweating a little, but feel good and can carry on a conversation effortlessly
Level 5: I'm just above comfortable, am sweating more and can still talk easily
Level 6: I can still talk, but am slightly breathless
Level 7: I can still talk, but I don't really want to. I'm sweating like a pig
Level 8: I can grunt in response to your questions and can only keep this pace for a short time period
Level 9: I am probably going to die
Level 10: I am dead
You want to be somewhere in the 5 - 7 range most of the time, maybe occasionally going into 8.
Second is the Talk Test. The talk test method of measuring intensity is simple. If you're at a light intensity level, you should be able to sing while doing the activity. When you're at a moderate intensity level, you should be able to talk and carry on a conversation comfortably. If you can only speak in sentence fragments or not at all, that's high intensity. You'll want to be in the moderate intensity range.
You're doing fantastically well and should be very proud of yourself. Please don't listen to that idiot trainer ... and if he says anything else to you, tell him that you talked to your own personal trainer and she said you're doing it perfectly!!
New to Exercise and Need Help
Today I was at the gym - I've been going every day at lunch and am finding that I really enjoy it - I wished I would have done this a long time ago. Anyway, no matter what I do, whether it be the eliptical machine, treadmill, bike, etc., my heart rate will never go over 110. It is because I am on a medication that slows my heart down - it's actually a blood pressure pill. Anyway, the trainer came over to see how I was doing and he said that I was going to have to get my heart rate up to about 130 for the exercise to do me any good. So I worked harder, and harder and still couldn't get it over 110. He basically said that I'm getting the same benefit from laying on a couch. I wasn't happy. Is that true? I'm not sure what to do to get it any higher - I work really hard and work up a good sweat and find it hard to believe that I'm not getting any benefit. I'd appreciate any feedback ya'll can give - I really want to get in better shape. Thanks!
If you can work at the level 6 -7 for 30 minutes, that's perfect. If you're not quite up to a half hour yet, just work on adding an extra minute every few days or so.
