What is your resting heart rate and BP please?

[dailycarbs]

@dailycarbs, what was your weight prior to this WOE? Do you exercise? If yes, can you elaborate on the exercise that you do please?

Poison Ivy, I was 195 prior to this woe. I used to cycle quite a bit before the woe and continued to do so after. 2 years ago, my wife and I moved into an apartment in town I have decreased my cycling considerably but now I walk and hike. Besides taking walks for exercise, I walk everywhere in town (much more than before) and use the stairs rather than the elevator. The health app on my phone says that I've averaged 8900 steps per day for the last year but much of that is hiking on difficult terrain, so I'm a little more active/fit than the app would show. I also do a bare minimum of stretching and some resistance training using those large rubber bands and a pull up bar. But I'm not as consistent with that as with the walking.

IMO, the woe was responsible for my improvement in BP. Exercise is important but a little goes a long way. I also think that some people are predisposed to low heart rates and/or BP. I'm not one of those people so I'm really happy with my results.

[geo]

Can you please post your resting heart rate and blood pressure? Do you exercise and how much? Is a too fast or too slow RHR something to be overly concerned about?

HR and BP are just 2 physical biomarkers of potential health. Lots of things can effect them. Whether you should be concerned about them depends on your current health and your diet and lifestyle. If you want to see what the McDougall program can do for a wide variety of biomarkers and overall health, take a look at my testimony link in my sig below.

[Skip]

Wow, you are really in peak physical condition Skip. Thanks so much for the link. What to you do for exercise? How often do you do it? I am going to read the link you posted.

Thanks also for the feedback Geoffrey. Seeing ppl healthy like this, esp as they age, is really inspirational.

I don't think that because my resting heart rate is lower than most that I am in peak physical condition. I was just blessed to be born with an efficient cardiovascular system. However, I have been a recreational athlete my entire life and I do an hour of aerobic activities everyday (run, swim, bike these days).

[kirkj]

My RHR was higher when I was heavier, in the 70s somewhere. My blood pressure was somewhat higher but never enough the doctor mentioned it.

[Poison Ivy]

@Ltldogg, have you always been 5'7" at 120 lbs. That is ultra thin for a guy. Your BP and RHR numbers are impressive.

Thanks GEO, I will take a look.

Dailycarbs, you went from 195 Lbs to 150 Lbs. How long have you maintained at 150?

[GeoffreyLevens]

Poison Ivy, since you seem interested in weight loss/gain/maintenance...I am 5'3" and weighed 138 lbs when I started eating this way. No one would have called me overweight I don't think. In a few months I was down to 120 and have now been 110 (plus or minus a couple pounds) for nearly 7 years.

[Ltldogg]

@Ltldogg, have you always been 5'7" at 120 lbs. That is ultra thin for a guy. Your BP and RHR numbers are impressive.

No, before I started eating this way I use to walk around 145-155, but I lifted and exercised a lot. One time I even got up to 170, which is the first and only time I have ever been chubby in my life. That is when I switched to this way of eating.

120 at 5' 6.5" is not ultra thin. It is about a 19.1 BMI and while that is thin, it is easily in a healthy range and actually at the very healthy BMI range. Ultra thin would be somebody well under the 18.5 minimum BMI.

[dailycarbs]

@Dailycarbs, you went from 195 Lbs to 150 Lbs. How long have you maintained at 150?

About the 6 years now. I've been 148-152 range for the last year and half. Prior to that I was low 140s for several years but I find 150 is more pleasant to maintain because I can enjoy breads, peanut butter, dried fruit and even the occasional restaurant meal when my wife and I go out with friends. These are "sometimes" foods, mind you. I don't eat them all the time.

I could maintain 140-143 on MWL but it got a little old for me because I was rarely eating any foods above the 600 calories/lb. density range and eating many large salads and raw fruit and veggies. I decided to let out the reins a bit and see what happened and so far it's worked out well but I always keep an eye out to see that I'm not trending ever upaward on the scale. If that happens, I know exactly how to adjust my diet more towards MWL to get back on track.