My goal - tips please

[skippy66]

I've decided that I need to change my life and change my mentality.

As a teen I played football 5 times a week, tennis all summer nearly every day and golf, swimming, athletics - I was super fit and rarely got ill.

10 years later and this has all changed. I am unfit, feel ill 95% of the time and wallow in my health anxiety.

Several things happened to make me this way, mainly that I developed palpitations aged 21 and soon after that a famous footballer died on the pitch. The palpitations got worse, and my anxiety fed off them big time. I have since developed chest pains, stomach problems, shortness of breath - loads of ailments which fade and return, but there is always something. Right now? Daily lower chest pains radiating to neck and upper chest. Scary right? Also palpitations to go with that - just google that combo if you want to be scared witless!!

I do exercise but I never really push myself through fear of something bad happening to my heart, and as a result I'm unfit. My body feels like I'm in my 60s when I'm still in my 20s.

Anyway, my goal - to play football again. If I was a pro I would be in the prime of my career age-wise, and I don't want to miss this window of opportunity. I will never be this young again.

Over the coming weeks and months My aim is to be getting my mind and body fit again to something resembling my old self. I want to sort out my chest and stomach problems either medically, mentally or otherwise. I want to improve my diet. I want to start an exercise regime. I want to rid myself of health anxiety. Ultimately I want to join a football team - I used to be quite good before all this!!


I know this will be tricky, because even now writing this the goal seems unattainable - easy to write down, but I can't see myself doing it. The road will be hard and long - this is why I am posting on here,I need your help.

Any tips on diet, how to start an exercise regime with palpitations (pacs and pvcs) (diagnosed benign by cardiologist), tips on getting more healthy would be greatly appreciated.

I will update this thread with my progress periodically.

Wish me luck! Here goes - life is not a rehearsal.

[suzannacorfu]

I like your goal Skippy66! I understand you perfectly! My only advice would be for you to break it up into "do-able" goals. Set yourself up for success!! You can do it!! If you can imagine it and write it down then...YOU CAN DO IT!
You already took the first step by writing it here for us to see! I won't wish you luck because you don't need luck but I will wish you every success. Keep us posted about your progress.
Suzi

[doodah]

I wish you all the luck in the world Skippy - well done you! And I agree with Suzi - try to break it up into "do-able" goals. Go for it!

[ozjeff]

mate, go for it.
as you get older it gets harder, your doc has given you the all clear, so hook in!
start slowly & build up, consistency is the key,
you will get there!

[blueangel]

Like ozjeff says, do it gradually. If you're really anxious about getting back into sport and exercising, start with something small, like power walking or playing a bit of table tennis to give yourself some flexibility. Also, if you haven't done much exercise for ages, then you could always take the precaution of talking to your GP about it, particularly in the context of your anxiety.

Was it Marc-Vivien Foe dying a few years ago that freaked you out? If so, he had a specific heart condition that is pretty rare, and a cardiologist would have picked it up, I'm sure.

PM me if you want to chat about footy as I'm a big fan.....

[skippy66]

Well day 1 going pretty well so far. Started badly - as soon as I woke up my stomach pains were still there, then I got bad shooting pains in my head when I got up.

Had a healthy breakfast then decided to go for a walk. I didn't stop once I got going - walked 4 miles and some of it I jogged! I just thought f*** it, if I'm gonna have a heart attack just get it over with - I'm not going to let this rule my life anymore.

Felt great for the rest of the morning, healthy lunch, then just played nearly 2 hrs tennis - so much for easing back in slowly!

I feel great except for minor headache - hopefully this evening will be a good one. Stomach pains are non-existent at the moment and these have dominated my life for the past few weeks.

Overall very happy!!

[randomworry]

congratulations skippy66 im going to try some of that positive attitude will power stuff tomorrow.........keep it up

[ozjeff]

great stuff mate!
well i guess if you were gunna keel over , it wouldve happened!
you can only get stronger from here, you have smashed the mental barrier you had put up.
well done