My heart does not have room to effectively pump so I am unable to do much cardio? What exercise will help me lose weight?
I have pectus excavatum and my heart is turned in such a way that it is not able to effectively pump when I exercise. As a result I get dizzy and nauseous. I had a baby about 1 1/2 years ago and I am unable to get rid of an extra 20 pounds. How can I do that without overexerting? Don’t I need the cardio in order to lose weight?
Get tested to find what your resting metabolic rate is and then control your calories to maintain a slight caloric deficit.Add resistance training to increase your muscle mass.Building up your lean muscle tissue will increase your metabolism even while you are at rest. Make sure your diet is full of nutrient dense foods to fuel lean muscle tissue and aviod the empty calories. And after each meal take a short walk (within your aerobic capacity) to aid in digestion and kick up your metabolism slightly. Kudos to you for finding ways to be fit and stay active despite your health issues. I wish you all the best.
Have you ever thought of aquatic exercise? In the water, your heart does not have to work so hard. One theory is that the buoyancy of the water assists in venous return to the heart with less effort, another that the cooler environment requires less effort for thermo-regulation. The result is that the heart rate in the water tends to be lower even for the same rating of perceived exertion.
If this is an option for you, I would try this in a supervised setting so that somebody can be there immediately if you are not well.
I wish you good luck.
