I need to whine and cry for a minute or two, please bear with me. I decided Friday evening that I was going to go for a walk. My driveway is about 1/8 of a mile straight up. I live on a small country backroad. I thought I'd walk up the drive then walk for a mile or so on the road. Uh, yeah right. I had to stop 3 times going up the hill, by the time I got to the top my chest hurt so bad, I sounded like I was having an attack of some sort I couldn't breathe. I had to sit and rest a minute right on the ground
I know I'm doing well on my eating. I just wish I could get motivated to exercise. It is my secret goal to be able to run someday. I just don't ever see that happening. Even in high school when my weight was 120lbs I had no breath. Any suggestions on how to improve stamina?
I think just keep doing it...for a long time. I think it comes naturally to some people, but like you I've always struggled with running/jogging or any higher intensity cardio types. I start very slow, I am doing WATP and just working on getting better and better at that. Sticking with it over long periods of time definitely help, and having fitness goals will keep your mind off the more-disappointing scale goals. Good luck with it, you will persevere and get more fit I know it!
At the risk of sounding like a Nike ad, just do it Start slowly and gradually increase your activity. I recommend scheduling it into your day. If you can only do 5 minutes, start with 5 minutes!
Also, have you ever been checked out for asthma? I would suggest a doctor's appointment to check on your lung capacity. You might require some medication.
Food? Well usually 1/2 cup eggbeaters with fat free cheese (1 slice) maybe 1 piece whole wheat toast. Lunch either salad with chicken, lean cuisine dinner (I don't do this often maybe 1 day a week) dinner, baked chicken, fish, or pork chops with steamed veggies, if I want a snack during the day I eat a piece of fruit or small fat free yogurt.
As far as asthma, I've wondered about it before actually. Even when I was relatively fit (not only thin) I had no stamina as far as breath was concerned. It is something worth looking into. Thanks.
First, are u sure u don't have some health problems, maybe asthma? Check to be absolutely sure. Even if u do working out can help it a lot, and u may not want to push to an insane point cause u could hurt ureslf (this applies to even when u reach a running level - u will).
Second, are u getting enough to eat. Are u eating the stuff that's gonna get u up or the stuff that's gonna make u tired and sleppy. U may also want to eat something about an hour or 1.5 hours before u workout. Nothing crazy a piece of fruit some thing small but that has something to give u a pick me up. Carbs is what we need here. Some protein too, but more carbs.
If these two areas are in check, then in truth u just need to push. I hate it too and I just got a gazelle for that reason ( I started looking for an elliptical but settled for a gazelle - very happy in the end). Try something u really enjoy to start off and then after a while start incorporating walking then running as u go. U need to just get something to get in shape enough and break that barrier that says I am gonna sit cause I rather sit here bored or sit here entertained then get my butt moving and be bored. B-Ball, mall walking, workout videos, a threadmill (can give better cushion and u can watch the tube at the same time - till ur ready for the trips outside). I tried mall walking twice and it is actually good if u push yourself. Now I do the gazelle and I still say u gotta push but even when I don't I get a great workout. It makes me want to get on it - that's my way. Heck if I could tie a twinkie to a string and then that to a stick and attach it to myself so i'd chase it and never get it so i'd move around - IN all honest and truth - i'd do it. But none of us is that foolish, we would take the easy way to getting that twinkie. Don't take the easy way and sit this one out, or the next one out. Sorry if that last one might have offended anyone but there a point to it. Do it, do it anyway u have to get it done, and try to realize u gotta find another way to do it cause it ain't gonna work if u don't find a way that will make u come back to it again today or the next day's today. I just got into using my machine while watching movies like rocky, and mortal kombat, and stuff that will make me movie cause I like martal arts. I am not in shape to do it and i'm not sure i'd like to do it myself but to watch the moves done in movies makes me want to get up and move. I tried Akido and Tae Kwon Do a long time ago but watching even the segments where bruce lee is going crazy on a legion of guys is amazing and energizing. That probably is just me though.
If I were you I'd walk that 1/8 of a mile slowly everday until it was easy. I'd make myself really MAD at that hill so I could conquer it. Then I'd add to that, and add to that, and add to that.
Yes, sure--check for health problems. But if all comes back clear then you need to know that pushing HURTS. Your chest hurts because your lungs are working extra hard to get enough oxegen to fuel your heart so it can pump blood to your body and it hurts more when you're overweight because your heart has more work to do. And your heart having more work to do takes YEARS off your life. So get smaller and then your heart will work better and your lungs will be able to keep up. And your heart and lungs will get stronger with every step.
And when you were 120lbs you might not have been eating right. I'm more fit now than I was when I was 145 lbs because I lift weights and do cardio and live a healthy lifestyle.
You aren't a big fat failure unless you let that driveway beat you! You're working for your life. Keep motivated and know this: YOU CAN DO IT!
Hmmm...I have to say that personally I do NOT think it's asthma, although you can go get checked out if you want. *I* have asthma and unless you have "exercise induced" asthma, you would most likely be experiencing problems at other times; not just when you decide to go for a walk.
Like Tani, I'm in the "Just Do It" school--the thing is, "doing it" might really be for just a few minutes initially. You just have to stick with it. It *will* get easier, but it takes time...and perseverance...and you need to do it regularly. With exercise, the "training effect" is usually about two weeks. That means that you will begin to feel the beneficial effects of whatever you do today in about two weeks. So...when you start exercising you have to expect that it's gonna take some time.
BTW, I was having some VERY scary asthma moments (can you say sitting with the cell phone and 9-1 dialed and ready to hit that final 1 before passing out?) just a few months ago. I started getting serious about exercise in November and I've had several incidents with triggers that I'm pretty sure would have led me into a full-blown attack just a few months ago that don't do ANYTHING to me anymore. Probably my best NSV when I think about it.
One thing I tried in the past that really helped was to walk briskly in place during the commercial breaks of my favorite shows. If your show is an hour long you will probably get in a good fifteen minutes worth and it doesn't even feel like exercise! The more you do the more you will improve stamina wise. I experienced that this week at the gym with the elliptical. Last week I was able to stay on it barely five minutes, now I'm able to do fifteen. Just take baby steps, don't push yourself too hard. Let your body get adjusted to "intentional exercise".
Wow! Good for you, you took the first step and made an attempt at the hill! Bravo!
When I walked my son to school this past September I was unable to walk the 1/4 block to the school without puffing and feeling tired, by the time I turned around to go home I could barely shuffle back.
I know how you feel, I was out of breath for just that short walk and it was on level ground!
I started walking around the house more and parking a little further away when I went shopping and after about three weeks of that I was able to finally walk to the school without needing to stop for a deep breath.
It took about 2 1/2 months before I was ready for anything more strenuous and I started trying to do my Richard Simmons tapes. I did 5-10 minutes for a week then tried for 15. Then I found the WATP tapes by Leslie Sansone and they were perfect for someone in my condition. You can work at the intensity that is right for you and still keep up with her.
Now I can do a whole tape which is 2 miles with alternating strength exercises in it and I walk 30 minutes ever morning as well as go to the gym and to the strength circuit and eliptical machine.
It had felt like I would never be able to do anything but it really gets easier very quickly. You can do it, just don't push yourself to do too much more than what you are able to do.
If you are out of breath you are pushing too hard. I recommend you read
The New Fit or Fat by Covert Bailey It is a great book for anyone who wants to lose weight but he talks a lot about people with more than 50 pounds to lose.
Those of us with 50+ pounds to lose do not need to work at the same intensity as those who have less to lose and this book will teach you how to go about exercising for your weight.
I promise you if you take it slowly and make sure to add activity every day you will soon be walking and moving without gasping for air.
You have taken the first step in the right direction and you should be so proud of yourself. Now go and walk around the yard until you are about to be out of breath then do it again tomorrow and so on.
A woman here in Australia started her exercise regime by walking around her clothesline every day. Everyday she would walk a little bit further. Maybe you could walk around your house, and then start walking a little of the way up the hill each day, until one day you wont have a problem making it to the top.
As everyone else has said--small steps, and keep on plugging away at it! You can do it, and the only way to get better at exercise is to keep at it!
There *is* a legitimate form of asthma that is called exercise-induced asthma. I was a competitive skater growing up, incredibly fit (20+ hours of intense cardio a week), but still could have trouble breathing/asthma attacks when active (but never really any other time)--but an inhaler worked wonders. I think the difference vs. regular asthma is the attack trigger for those with exercise-induced is often temp/humidity change, because they are sensitive enough to the temp/humidity difference between breathing through your mouth (exercising, colder) vs. your nose (normal breathing, warmer).
That said, for most people being short-of-breath exercising really is just being out of shape (or pushing too hard). ;-) But even if you do have some form of asthma it's easily treated (since I'm assuming you would have a mild form to go undiagnosed this long) it shouldn't be an excuse to avoid exercising. and if anything more inspiration to get fit! Good luck!
I feel like a big fat failure!!!!!
Start slowly and gradually increase your activity. I recommend scheduling it into your day. If you can only do 5 minutes, start with 5 minutes! 
