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Looking for some exercise advice Anonymous
Hi there, /fit/. I'm a newfag here and so I hope this isn't out of line, but I'm just at the beginning of changing by diet and behavior and so I need some advice.

I'm well aware of "any exercise + healthy foods = good". I'm starting to work on switching over to less processed foods, eating less meat, whole wheat vs white bread, etc;. That I'm sure overtime I can change and feel better about.

But I'm stuck on the exercise. I have exercise induced asthma, and a pretty bad case of it. Even with meds and inhalers I get this sharp pain when I run too long or too far. Jogging/running and things like DDR are really tough for me.

But I'm tired of having it as an excuse to not exercise. I don't think I should be pulled down by it any longer. So does anyone have any suggestions for what kind of exercise I should try? I'm getting a bike for my birthday because back when I was a kid biking was like everything to me and it wasn't as hard on my system. Anything else I should try?

Also: what's better to follow, BMI or body fat %?

Female/5'4"/140lbs; trying to get to a better "ideal" weight and get the little gut off her tummy.
>> Anonymous
bump?
>> Anonymous
Have you tried lifting weights or low rep, high intensity exercises in general?
>> Anonymous
>>Also: what's better to follow, BMI or body fat %?
body fat%
BMI is just a rough estimate and it fails when you're muscular. It's also slightly out of proportion when you're small.
>> Anonymous
I don't know much about asthma but it's normal for running to bring on some amount of discomfort, especially when you're not used to it.

As far as other cardio exercises, maybe swimming? I wonder if it will help to be cool and refreshed as you're exerting yourself. Biking sounds like a good bet. How about some kind of yoga or dancing? Dunno.
>> Anonymous
% fat is better. BMI is those "if you X feet tall, you should weigh Y pounds" charts. And those tell you nothing. They're just good for having something to point to when you want to tell someone they're too fat.
>> Anonymous
How about walking or hiking or something? It isn't high intensity so your asthma might do okay, and if you walk long enough, you'll still burn calories. Maybe find a bike trail or something near where you live and go for a 5 mile walk each day? Bring water in case you get thirsty and you can stop to rest or slow down if ever you feel out of breath.
>> Anonymous
athletes have asthma but are still in great shape so you shouldnt be an exception.

my guess the reason you get an asthma attack so early is because you're pretty fat.

just keep running. 30 minutes 3 times a week. dont drink a teaspoon of soda. drink water instead. sweeten tea is ok but make sure there is not too much sugar.

forget building muscle at his point. your goal is to drop the fat. after you get rid of that excess fat, then start building muscle to get a slim fighting body.
>> Anonymous
>>30118
140 lbs isnt fat.
>> Anonymous
>>30125

For a 5'4" female it is.
>> Anonymous
>>30118
Good advice. I'd like to also suggest doing breathing yoga.
>> Anonymous
>>30118

I had it way back since I was 8 and skinny as a beanpole, so I don't think that it's because I'm getting a little bit of a tummy. I was diagnosed with the asthma around 12 years old when I became incapacitated from running the mile at school.

30 minutes a day 3 days a week sounds good. I don't think I'm up for running just yet, but biking or hiking sounds like it'd be perfect.

I'm not really up for muscle building. I just want to be able to function well and have a little less fat on the hips, you know?
>> Anonymous
>>30133
yoga sounds great!

>>30106
>>30116

Thanks. The Body Fat % scales I've been following say "you're in okay shape" but the BMI was telling me "you're kinda getting pudgy". So I didn't know what to think.
>> Anonymous
>>eating less meat

If you're going to be exercising there's no reason to eat less meat, as it's a good source of protein.

If you have a hard time running try HIIT cardio, run for 1min fast walk for 1 min, and work your way up lengthening your running time once a week or so. Also light weights, high reps are a bit better for women, pick weights you can do 3 sets of 12-15 reps and work your way up from there. Biking would also be good, but its only a benefit if you keep your heart rate up while biking, not just casually strolling along the street.

AND if you're going to be running, DO NOT run on the concrete, it is very hard on your knees and will lead to knee problems.
>> Anonymous
>>30160

The less meat thing is more like an "environmentally conscious" thing and trying to wean myself off of my vice (steak). I don't intend to cut it out of my diet entirely.

Thanks for the advice on weights and cardio; gives me a better picture of what I should start doing. I think it's been hard to get myself back into exercise because my standards have started off too high and I get discouraged.
>> Anonymous
>>30169

exactly. thats why i suggest just running 30mins/3weeks and nothing else. after doing that for a month, you'll get so use to doing it, you can start adding other exercises to the plan that you want to work on.

NEVER GET LAZY RUNNING.

I can't stress that enough.
>> Asthma RSI guy !HjbWRiSTJ.
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My (minor?) asthma disappeared with a diet change. Learn everything you can about nutrition, experiment with times off foods known to cause allergic reactions. I mean the less advertised ones like milk and cheese, not the obvious peanut butter.

Also, I heard, once, the nightshade family of vegetables can cause some inflammation. Since asthma is inflammation of the throat, check it out. Didn't affect me though. Hell, try 'em all, slowly reintroduce one at a time, and watch your body's reactions (other signs like runny nose maybe) for a few days each.

There's also a cookbook I had, Allergy Free Cooking, or something like that. I can't find it now, so if I do I'll post it here eventually.