Cathe, any advice for an anaemic exerciser?

[FiddleFit]

Hi Cathe,

After a couple of years of slowly feeling my energy levels decline, I was finally deemed to be anaemic. I'm relieved - it explains so much! I'm wondering if you have any suggestions about how I might want to structure my workouts or rotations, while I wait for my iron levels to return to normal (I'm seeing a doctor).

I've been avoiding HIIT/anaerobic workouts because they make me dizzy and nauseous. Anything involving deep squatting makes me dizzy and breathless. If I've been sitting for longer than a couple of minutes, I get very light headed when I stand up.

I'm a seasoned, advanced exericser, and avid fan of your workouts (since 1998!). In the summer I cycle to work and back (21miles/day), and do resistance training. I stopped doing extra cardio, when my energy levels started to decline. I love my cycles to work, and will only give them up if absolutely required. I'm wondering if my resistance training should change? Does it even make sense to be trying to do hypertrophy or strength training - can my body even respond effectively to that when my hemoglobin levels are low? Should I be focusing on light weights and endurance, or heavy lifting? Does my body need more recovery time in order for the weight training to give me the results I want? Would it make more sense to stick with yoga-only, and leave the weights alone? What kind of cardio do you recommend? I definitely need more sleep, including about 2 naps a day. But I also believe very strongly that I can't just stop exercising, I just need to do it in a way that it enhances my health, not impairs it.

For reference, I am about to turn 43 years old, and I think this situation is the result of years of heavy menstrual bleeding that just continues to get worse. The doctor will be addressing that. I have all of your workouts, as well as a large collection of yoga dvds (Eoin Finn and Shiva Rea, primarily). I would appreciate your advice about what kind of exercise would be effective for someone in my situation, understanding of course that you are not a medical doctor and I am not seeking medical advice.

Thanks!

 

[maddiesmum]

Sandra:

not Cathe, obviously, but from reading your post, descriptions of light headed-ness just from standing up, or from squats, I would suggest you back off entirely from all usual routines until such time as treatment is successfully underway with the doctor and improvement is seen as you go about your normal daily activities. If you feel light headed doing housework, forget advanced exercise with Cathe (no offence to Cathe intended).

Try yoga, but also just go for short walks to test out how you feel. Fuel up before you go though, so low blood sugar doesn't enter the mix.

People underestimate the effectiveness of walking all the time. The power walking I do on a regular basis keeps me in brilliant shape, it also gives me a butt of near steel, very defined abs and very lean thighs and the cardiovascular efficiency to be able to bang out 6-7 mile runs without specifically training for it.

While I am not suggesting you kill yourself with power walking, walking itself will do you good and will help satisfy your need for movement while you take this break from advanced, intense workouts and work with your doctor for a solution.

My eldest sister had the same problem. Her answer was a hysterectomy and she has never regretted it. If your family is complete, it is a possibility to consider..... In the meanwhile, give yourself permission for this much-needed break away from intense exercise. It is not what your body needs right now.

I wish you well.

Clare