The sessions I've had with my personal trainer have been torture!
After nearly dying every single time I've gone into the gym, I was complaining to my mom and wondering if I should quit.
Me: I just don't get it. It's been over two weeks and it's still just as hard! I thought it'd get better, but my legs are so sore I feel like they're going to buckle with every step I take. And forget about putting my bra on- my arms won't cooperate.
Mom: It'll get easier, just stick with it.
Me: I will, but during my workouts, I just can't catch my breath. It's a horrible feeling! And I've almost passed out so many times. I get lightheaded and I can see a black cloud squeezing my vision in. I feel like such a wimp.
Mom: Hmmm. And you're taking your inhaler?
Me: My inhaler? Wow, no.
Mom: You have exercise induced asthma and need to take your inhaler before every work out! What were you thinking?
Me: I forgot!
Mom: You forgot that you have ASTHMA?
Me: Yeah! I can't believe it, but I did! And now everything makes so much more sense!
Like, how after 10 minutes of strength training I'd already be a red faced, sweaty mess, gasping for breath as I stumbled for the balance bar after each rep to keep myself from falling to the ground. And how no matter how deeply I breathed, I never really felt like I was getting enough oxygen. Silly me, I WASN'T.
I wonder how many brain cells I killed in the last two weeks. At my age, I don't have any to spare. Obviously.
I bought an inhaler and took it before my next session, and oh my word, what a world of difference it made! My trainer was shocked at how much better I was doing. And it felt so good to be able to say, "See! I'm not just an intolerable complainer! I really WAS going to pass out dead."
The inhaler has also made a huge difference for my cardio workouts. I used to climb on the elliptical and it would feel like I was dredging through a swamp with weights on my ankles. When I was done I'd be so worn out I could barely get off the thing. Not anymore! Still a little swampy, but without the dredging or weighted ankles.
And the way I see things, more oxygen = better results = more leeway in how many Trader Joe's Maple Leaf Cookies I can consume. Have you had one? They are DIVINE.
Asthma To The Rescue
Friday, April 24, 2009
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Happy to hear that your workouts are going better, oxygen can do that! LOL
I want maple leaf cookies . . .
you should save me some . . .
you know how I love cookies . . .
Now I want cookies - damn.
I'm just impressed about the working out - let alone sticking through the pain when you weren't using your inhaler!
Rock on!
Oh my! HA! That's so something I would do :)
Well, I'm so glad that you started taking your inhaler. It'll help with the workout itself, and it should also help with the soreness afterwards since your muscles won't be so oxygen deprived ;)
Oh, LAURAL! Your mother must be sprouting gray hairs right now. Hahahaha...you're nuts, you know that, right?
Glad the workouts are getting easier. ;-)
Thanks goodness for moms! I hope the exercise goes better now!
Wow! That could be dangerous Laural! Take care!
I have the same thing! I can't believe you made through one without it!!
So glad you are oxygenated now!! I cant believe you were running around without your inhaler!! I HATE feeling like I cant breathe! I dont have too many problems, but I carry my inhaler EVERYWHERE!
Air helps. :)
Glad you found the problem! now you should be good! (as long as you remember, that is)
I know the feeling well..but I know my "I think I'm dying" feeling is just plain out-of-shapeness.
SIGH. I hope your workouts are going better. :)
Seriously, you crack me up. You forgot??? lol! Glad you are feeling better in the workouts now.
LOL - how did you forget? Perhaps you have killed too many brain cells :)
Good job sticking with it.
And as for me, I will not be reporting on any more 5Ks in the blog ;)