How can a person with respiratory problems get a good workout and lose some weight?

I have what my doctor termed a "bronchial allergy" (I live in Japan, so there might be a more appropriate term that my doctor doesn't know), and it basically means that most physical ex...

I have what my doctor termed a "bronchial allergy" (I live in Japan, so there might be a more appropriate term that my doctor doesn't know), and it basically means that most physical excersion steals the wind from me. I'm a little pudgy round my middle and buttocks, and would rather not be. I'm only 26, but am afraid that my body is starting to look a bit Homer Simpson like (without the jaundice). Any advice on some good excersises would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

GOLDILOCKS	You poor thing, I know what is like to be unable to exercise ! I found Pilates ! You can teach it yourself from books, if you haven't got any classes where you are ! It doesn't make you breathless because it doesn't have to be cardiovascular, but it tones your body .Halve an hour everyday will do you good ! I got so used to doing now it is like brushing my teeth,just part of the morning routine ! Good luck,try it !

Nepali	There is a typical respiratory track exercise called 'The Pranayam'. What you have to learn is the art of taking breath and throwing it away. An Indian Swamy 'Ram Dev' is pretty busy in teachin the techniques from India to UK. Many TV channels broadcast it everyday. I strongly suggest you to practice Pranayam. You can find books and CDs of the program too. It is very much useful to lose your weight too.! Best of luck.

citta_uk	I have asthma and have found that walking is the best form of exercise especially with good company. You can walk as slow or as fast as you want to. When I come to a hill I just take my time and only push myself a little, but not to the point where I am so out of breath and need my inhalor. Swimming is also good for weight loss and you can decide yourself on how far to push yourself.

mishnbong	as u lose weight ur "allergy" will ease off making any excercise possible

tayler_lisa	If you e-mail me i have something that can help you and i'll give you a website that you can look at! Take care Little.lost

jacky	lifting weight doesn't cause "hard breathing". so u might do weight lifting, yoga, pilates (well, mostly for women, but i heard it helps). i believe u might find on internet the pilates exercises, but youga u should do under the professional guidance and weight lifting too (at least from the beginning). but if u go to your doctor he HAS TO tell u what kind of physical exercises u can do. there re no illnesses with which u can't do physical exercises. even after infarction or stroke there re physical exercises

MissBehave	Swimming. You dont feel like you are exercising and it tones. Really good form of exercise. They even recommend it for animals who have hip problems. So it definitely wont cause any problems for your chest.

joinlondon	Try Yoga... In the West, the most widely taught form of yoga is Hatha Yoga with classes offering students exercises to stretch and flex the body, develop breath awareness, relaxation and sometimes meditation.

errie	Try dynamic tension. You can do it in a chair one arm, one leg, two arms etc at the same time. It really does work and if you do it on a daily basis you will see a vast improvement. People do it with their bum cheeks to tighten up, but it can be applied to any part of the body. Look it up on the net. It does work and you won't get out of breath. Actually it sounds like you have Asthma. Do you use inhalers?

ewanspewan	try swimming, you can go at your own pace. I lost about a stone in a month of swimming every 2 days.

amsterdam	get a pedometer, and start walking. Lots of info on this website: http://walk.ideacog.net I started tracking my steps on this site in March and have lost a stone already, without dieting. When I started, my average daily stepcount was 6,000 - just achieved 12,000 last week. Walking is so easy to incorporate into your life, no special equipment required, go with a friend and use the time to chat, go at your own pace. Then there's swimming

diyanah p	swimming or arobics

Sam	I suffer from emphysema and I find that Gentle walking & weight training usually keeps me at my best. However be careful if you get out of breath, stop for a rest, because if the carbon dioxide levels in your body get too high, it can be very dangerous. Good luck.

dymps	Running, joggin, or riding a bike. Make sure your lungs get a good workout and is healthy; then when it gets stronger do more exercises, but check with your doctor before you do any exercises. The exercise you do should be in conjuction with the medication you take for your condition. There have been some athletes that have even competed in the olympics that had a respiratory condition but were able to compete because their lungs had been exercised and they had good cardio workouts earlier on. Take is easy though, there is no rush: don't push yourself more than you have to.

romanyqueen	I am asthmatic and the best exercise I was told to do was swimmimg it is low impact so doesn't hurts your joints too. Do a little walking if you can but if you get too out of breath stop. With swimming you dont feel the impact as much to your body and tones al over your body. If you are very weezy stick to doing width of pool not lengths and stay where you can stand if you need to rest suddenly.

mr_a_shepherd	Howdy, There are a few things which would help. First, and most obvious is diet. this should be easy living in Japan. Keep the miso soup and sushi flowing! (Lay of the Moshi though). As for exercise, you do not need to work hard to loose weight. Try this calculation, and work out an exercise routine from it - 220-age = max heart rate (ie the number 220 minus your age, eg for me 220 minus 29 equals 191) this max figure can be broken down to give you an idea of what your heart rate should be doing if you are working the body most effectively to loose weight. It is now very clear that 60% of this figure is the perfect level to loose weight, so again for me 60% of 191 is 114bpm (that is the heart is beating 114 times a minute) you will find that this is what most would call minimal exertion, that is, very easy. If you get your heart rate to this figure for 30 Min's three times a week, you should start to see weight gradually fall off. There might be some respiratory benefits as well.

J. Charles	I'm Asthmatic and I find Cycling the Best exercise,combined with swimming! Go see Your Doctor before considering any exercise!! Hope you get Fit !!!

goobygum	You could try some Gentle stomach crunches, sit up and muscle work. I would join a gym as they are able to assess your particular needs and montor what kind of exercise is best for you. Reduce your fat intake, eat 5 portions fruit n veg a day. Reduce your alcohol intake, 3 units per day for a man and 1 per day for women is currently recommended. Reduce sugar and salt. If you smoke stop. Yoga may be good for you as its more Gentle. If you like to swim and dont find it too streneous try that. Walking is always a good form of exercise and you do not need to get out of breath to feel the benefits. Cycling may be too much for you unless you are very careful and avoid hills! Above all, any exercise you do listen to your body and dont let yourself get so breathless that you are struggling to breath. If you have inhalers, have them on your possession at all times. Oh and pillates is another option.

michelangelo	I am an ex heart attack victim and it was hard to change my lifestyle. Start with short walks each day, when you are tired, stop. Build up each day or week. Set yourself targets. Get on a healthy diet, plenty of fresh fruit, veg, no fats. Slowly your weight will come down and you will look and feel good.Your breathing will improve....I promise. You will only ever have one body....look after it.

RANJIT G	do half jogging and half walking

Lalalala	Swimming would probably be great as it doesn't put too much stress on the body...but is an effective form of exercise.

Milo T	why exercise that sounds too much like hard work just have it chopped off or sucked out i would.

JOANNE C	Could it be allergy related asthma that you have?! I have asthma and I enjoy swimming, brisk walking and in the summer this year I completed my first 5k run which I really had to train for to build up my stamina. It was quite interesting when I was training as I felt like I was having an asthma attack at some points but then I realised I was just really unfit!!!! Yoga is great for improving your lung strength as is swimming. Give these a try and you may find you can do more of the more strenuous stuff with time, all the best :)

Val G	I used to do Callenetics. They're very Gentle toning exercises and I found them brilliant because they didn't involve leaping up and down, or any form of huffing and puffing!

speshal	Hi. I have asthma and find great relief from symptoms when doing Gentle exercise. Try not to do any strenuous aerobic exercises - they are not useful. Brisk walking or steady cycling (on the level if you can so as not to trigger respiratory problems), Ti Chi is brilliant, as is Yoga. Swimming is a very good all round exercise - careful with breast stroke though - make sure you keep your back nice and level. With all exercise you need to do at least 20 minutes each session. Remember also that it's not necessary every day - every other day or every 2 or 3 days is fine - it's the quality of exercise that counts, not the quantity. Really Useful Tip: Try taking a teaspoonful of Apple Cider Vinegar (in apple juice if you prefer) before each meal: not only does it help to break down fat, but also assists your respiratory system brilliantly! Good luck! x

proofreadergirl	I just wonder, have you been checked for iron deficiency? I used to enjoy running, but found myself getting out of breath, and tired. The doc did a blood test & found out I was seriously anaemic. He explained that iron is needed to build red blood cells, which carry oxygen round the body, so without enough iron you don't get oxygen quickly enough when you exercise. Now I take an iron tablet every day and I'm fine.

michael b	Swimming at your own pace.

Chemical Jelly	Cycling or swimming - but not too much and not for too long.

sexy legs	Bedroom aerobics hehe

Jabba_da_hut_07	Blow jobs may be the answer *:)

Valiant	I am asthmatic ( I think this is what your doictor means) also and have found the following to be good. Walking - Don't go crazy. Start with what you can and then build up. Swimming - Great as your lungs are using all the oxygen in them. Cycling - Take my little boy for a bike ride every week. Just stop for 5 minutes when I get a little out of breath. Start by running (or walking quicker) up stairs and build it from there. Also, watch what you eat as some foods can trigger astmatic or allergic reactions (mine is rape seed oil, starts me wheezing like a cart horse). Cut down on the fats and increase the exercise, this should help. Best of luck.