Cardio?

Question

Hello Julia,

About eight months ago, I lost over fifty pounds by various forms of starvation dieting.  I've managed to keep the weight off, but now that I'm eating normally, I'm not losing anymore.

My lifestyle is very sedentary and it worries me.  I already have high blood pressure and I'm only eighteen, but I'm kind of afraid to exercise because I have this overwhelming fear that I'm going to have a heart attack.

Back in February, I was taken to the hospital by ambulance because I thought I was having a heart attack.  I started getting short of breath, I was lightheaded/dizzy, and I had chest pain.  They sent me home with "Vertigo."  To make a really long story short, I was diagnosed with Anxiety shortly after and suffered many panic attacks.  I'm now on medication to control my panic attacks, as well as my high blood pressure, but lately, my blood pressure has been higher than usual and it's really starting to scare me.  I had been eating pretty bad up until a few weeks ago, when I started eating healthy again, like I used to.

I'm at a loss of what to do.  Right now, I'm about 230 pounds and 5'5".  My entire family is overweight and no one in my family eats remotely healthy, or is active.

Is cardio really the best form of working out?  Does it benefit blood pressure?  I know you may not know much about blood pressure since it wasn't on your bio, but ANY advice, information, or hope, you can give me would be fantastic.

So many hours out of the day, I'm stressed and scared for my health.  I've had a fear of having a heart attack for a long time, and in August, I witnessed my step-father die from a heart attack.  Needless to say, if I wasn't a complete cardiophobe then, I am now.

Thanks for listening and for your time.

-Laura

Answer
Laura, you can get healthy w/out anxiety over it.

First off focus on your diet for a while rather than exercising--getting some pounds off will make your gym time more effective and less scarey, so WALK for now! do a 30 minute WALK each day and work up to doing an hour 4 times a week.

Eat a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and proteins. Whenver you eat bread, take Phase 2 with it, see http://www.Phase2info.com  for information. It helps your body digest 40% pasta, bread, potatoes eaten as fiber rather than sugar--a good thing.

Drink 64 ounces up to 115 ounces a day. NOT all at once but throughout the day in small sips. You family is overweight due to their lifestyle not genetics change your lifestyle, change your body!

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