HEART CONDITION AND EXERCISE

"Hi Bobby,
I can't go to a gym because of my heart condition. I walk and do crunches but my belly still won't come off. What can I do? Is there any exercise video for people with heart conditions?

I need to lose at least 5 pounds." -- John

Thanks for writing John.  You didn’t state what your heart condition is, so it’s a little difficult to really suggest what you can do. Did you have surgery recently?  First I would suggest if you haven’t already, talk with your doctor to see what his or her recommendations would be.  He or she may have limitations on what you can do and what limit your heart rate should get to during exercise.  Are you on any medication? If so, find out any side effects the medicine might have, such as difficulty breathing or change in heart rate.

Crunches are great to build and strengthen the abdominals, however if you are carrying extra weight then you really won’t see the fruits of your labor. You need to focus on burning more calories than you are taking in. 

Walking is a great form of exercise for anyone.  How long should you walk?  I would suggest getting a pedometer and strive to achieve 10,000 steps a day.  Some ways to add up steps are parking in the farthest space in a parking lot, taking stairs instead of the elevator, walking the dog an extra time during the day (Fido will love that one!), or walking to the mailbox down the street instead of using your own box at home.  Find whatever ways it takes to get you walking more because each step will bring you closer to losing those extra 5 pounds. 

Focus also on what you are putting in your mouth. Get your mind out of the gutter boys!  I know I have said this before but it’s worth repeating: stay away from refined sugar, processed flour and unhealthy fats, drink lots of water and limit the amount of alcoholic beverages you have when going out (No Cosmos or Appletinis!!).

As far as workout videos for people with heart conditions I would check out the American Heart Association’s website (go.heart.org) and see if they have any recommendations. You might be able to find some great DVDs at some of the personal training websites such as American Council on Exercise or National Academy of Sports Medicine.  

I also just read a great article in the Los Angeles Times (“Web Gym”; Health Section 3/16) that talks about the many free resources online that show videos of exercises or workouts.  Go online and search YouTube or Exercise TV.  Make sure to use key words "heart condition and exercise" when searching the sites.

I hope this helps John, and keep me posted on your progress!

Do you have a question for Bobby about how to improve your time in the gym? Send us an email.

(Photo: Getty Images)

A.C.E.- and N.A.S.M.-certified, Bobby Solorio has been personal training for over 10 years. You might recognize him from Bravo TV's "Kathy Griffin: My Life
on the D-List," where he trains his now-A-list client. For more info check out Bobby's website.