Exercise Benefits

  • This is going to sound ridiculous but I don't really care.

    I have ALWAYS been a fit fat girl. My cholesterol has always been good. My blood pressure is in range and only fluctuates when I'm stressed (or in the last week of pregnancy). I don't take regular medications. I can keep up with you in the pool, I do triathlons, etc, etc, etc. Overall, I kick butt.

    Anyway, my last couple doctor's visits have been stressful for one reason or another and my blood pressure has been elevated. I considered it an anomaly due to stress and dismissed it BUT in my head, I was concerned.

    Fast forward to the last few months when I've been running like a crazy person to train for a half marathon (this weekend). Three times a week. Sweating and cursing the whole time. But pretty religiously running.

    I went to the doctor on Friday because I had pink eye and they needed to see me before they could prescribe eye drops. Anyway, I haven't dropped any weight since the last doctor's visit (despite my crazypants running) but my blood pressure! HOLY CRAP. 110/69. I've never seen it that low below. I made him take it again so I could get all excited again.

    Yes, this is expected when you exercise but because I wasn't coming from a "bad place", I didn't expect it. I couldn't imagine things getting better than they already were. SO delightful.
  • My blood pressure was always normal. At 344 pounds it was 122/80. Since I've lost the weight it is now 106/60. So I assume I DID have elevated BP for ME it just looked normal....
  • Heck yeah Jessica!!!! That's a great thing to see for sure! At my heaviest my blood pressure was higher but I noticed at my last doctor's appt a few pounds heavier and it was 120/78. I was stoked!
  • This is a funny thread because my blood pressure has always been high even when I was 16 and fit. I have been taking blood pressure medication for 30 years. Anytime I go off of it my blood pressure shoots right back up.
  • That's an interesting thought. I, too, have been a fat, fit girl. I always feel like when the nurses take my weight and blood pressure, they are expecting it to be high, and the same with blood tests. No problems there either. But, how much lower could it be? I think I'll try to find out!!
  • I second the fit fat. We need to get blood work done to not get penalized at work. They will charge us higher rates for health insurance if we don't get the testing done. It's always expected because I'm obese that my numbers won't be so great, but alas...my numbers are always pretty darn great.