One of the reasons I love cardio is because it gets my heart elevated for an extended period of time. When I’m walking or hiking at a fast pace, my heart rate can get up to 90 beats per minute. When I’m running/jogging, it’s usually 120 to 130 beats per minute. For me, it’s critical to run because it seems as though it keeps my heart beating more “rhythmically” when I’m not running.
When I don’t run a lot, my heart skips beats all the time, which can be quite scary. It may beat five times, then skip, four times, then skip, five times, then skip, etc. I’ve always felt that if it skips two beats in a row, I’m immediately going to the emergency room.
I told my doctor about it and I’ve been tested, but they can’t find anything wrong. But I do know, when I get lots of jogging in, it doesn’t skip beats as much, if at all. I’ve read that it could be an “athletic heart,” but I’m an old guy now, not that much of an athlete. Regardless, I’ll keep running to keep my ticker ticking!
Remember that the heart is a muscle and it needs exercise. In fact, every muscle in your body needs exercise. That said, experiment with yourself. I get some cardio in at least six days a week, which is about all that my body can handle. There may be a fine line between how much your body needs and how much your body can tolerate.
In my case, my heart needs the exercise, but my flat feet oftentimes object, forcing me to take a break. Therefore, I’m always searching for that perfect mix of activity versus rest, so I’m constantly experimenting with myself, which I greatly encourage you to do.
Get some type of cardio in as much as you can. Monitor your heart rate, your blood pressure, your weight and what you’re eating. When you have all of that documented, you can go to the doctor with information instead of just saying how you feel. Although they certainly don’t have all the answers, doctors need help to help us, so let’s give them as much as we can!
