Hi from Sandringham Australia,
I am 75 years old, 184cm and 94Kg, so moderately obese. Two and a half years ago I suffered a VF arrest at a motor racing track after 6 hot laps in my car. Fortunately J had just got out off the car and was standing talking in the pits. Also fortunately, I was talking to a friend who only a few weeks before had taken a course in CPR sponsored by the MG Car Club Victoria. He and another member immediately went to work on me and kept the lubricants flowing until the trackside ambulance arrived with a defibrillator and jump started me. When I reached hospital the staff told me how lucky I was as it appeared that because of the speed with which my friends got started, and the correctness, of their technique I had no brain damage. I now have a Pacemaker/Defibrillator in my chest and six monthly checks have all confirmed that it and my ticker are running fine.

Weight has always been a problem for me and I have tried numerous diet regimes including Dukan which worked reasonably well until I discovered the “Fast Diet” which is so logical, simple and easy to work with. Christmas New Year knocked the plan about a bit but I am now back into a routine.

As I also suffer from mild bronchiatsis I find exercise a bit trying and get breathless easily. For the past couple of years I have told myself that I am fragile and just cannot do strenuous exercise. Then along came Michael’s “Fast Exercise” which was downloaded on to my iPad within days of publication and read within the following day. My cardiologist has not given me any rules and simply told me to do no more than I am comfortable with, my level of exercise is up to me. He did though stop me driving my fast cars on the track – spoil sport!

I took the cover off my exercise bike and tried one of Michael’s 30 second sprints. One was enough and I thought my legs we’re going to incinerate right there and then. Back to “Fast Exercise” on my iPad and I decided I would try fast walking. This was just over a week ago and I found that about 400metres of fast walking was enough. However, I have brought myself back from extreme unfitness before and determined to stick at it and gradually build up. I began the routine of ambling and then walking very hard between two roadside electricity poles then amble for the next three then fast walk for one etc etc. About three of the little “walking sprints” were enough and I was back home within half an hour on day one. Each day I achieved a little more and stayed out longer and am now in a state of euphoria having spent an hour out walking fast for 90% of the time and actually jogging for 4 electricity pole gaps without blowing a foofer valve. It is amazing how quickly the body responds to exercise if one does not give up. Next week I will get back on that exercise bike and work my way back in the same way as I have done with the walking. Thank you Michael for two great programs. I am really feeling quite optimistic and believe I have turned a real corner and can see the way ahead.

Many thanks Sylvestra. It is great to share success as well as the hard bits. That Couch to 5K looks a good routine and I’ll give it ago but might have to start at about half the recommended level. But there is no rush, the critical bit is to have started the journey and then sticking with it whatever the pace. My only concern with jogging is that I find it quite jarring on the undercarriage. Maybe I will gradually get a lighter tread. At the moment there is a lot of mass flopping around and I don’t want to trade my present sound mechanical structure for rickety knees, ankles and hips. Cheers.