Hey Neil -
I've been a busy beaver, working a lot, but also finding time to fit in some running or running + a little weight lifting. A month or so ago I went out and ran 8 miles. Never ran that far in my life! It wasn't at any breakneck speed, probably 9 minutes per mile, but not bad.
In winter I got down to 190 pounds, but then slowly creeped back up to 200 (in the pic I'm at about 202). The funny thing is, when the construction season started, I stopped exercising, thinking I'd be so busy working I'd keep losing weight. But I forgot. I manage more than anything else now, or my ass is in a piece of equipment, digging or lifting or something. So I was eating the same amount and not exercising. When I hit 200 it woke me up and I started exercising in the evenings again. Running on average 30 minutes on the treadmill, 4-5 days a week, lifting a litte bit afterward (lifting AFTER running is supposed to be better for your heart) 2-3 times a week.
But the thing is, I still have palps. I just push them out. Ignore them. And there's really only two reasons I can do that, because 2 years ago I never would have been able to just ignore them. No way.
Reason 1: I got good advice from a cardio I trusted. I can't overstate the value of that in terms of confidence and mental health.
Reason 2: drugs. I've dropped down to a tiny dose of generic Zoloft, but it's enough to make me just not worry about it. I push myself as hard as I can sometimes. After a few 5 mile runs I actually had to just kneel down on the road to catch my breath I was so winded. And I have no idea how fast my heart was beating because I haven't worn my heart monitor in at least a year. I just go.
Unbelievably liberating.
And there's probably a reason 3, tied tight to reason 2: at some point you've just gotta let go. Trust that you won't die. Run knowing that your heart may flip out, you might pass out, hit face first on the pavement. And yes, you might even kick the bucket. But also recognize that those odds, if your doctor has cleared you, are unbelievably remote.
Throw caution to the wind once. Push through it.
Jodie's doing it. And I'm proud as hell for her for doing that. She's running now. A lot. You can, too. You've just gotta risk it once.
And a disclaimer - sometimes, for an hour after exercising, I have
PAC's every other beat. But I feel fine. So I just go about my business and just try to relax. And they go away.
Do it, Neil. Do it.