Just a quick update about starting cardiac rehab. Last week I had a VO2 stress test where they hooked me up to monitors and ran me on a treadmill. I scored a 21.7, which is a few points better than the last one I had in Aug 2010. So, that was encouraging.
This week I have gone to cardiac rehab 3 times. They hook you up to a heart monitor and then take you through a good aerobic routine. It was surprising to me how scientific the calculations were for coming up with the targeted heart rate and exercise routines. They took the results of the stress test, combined with weight, age, etc. and the results of my cholesterol and blood screenings to come up with the goals. I have been impressed with how much I have learned in my first week.
Also, there is a short class each week to teach various heart healthy topics. This week focused on fat and cholesterol. A few things I learned:
You can eat as many egg whites/egg substitutes as you want; however, you should only have 3 whole eggs a week.
The three commonly used items with the highest concentration of saturated fat are butter, sour cream, and cheese. (Who doesn't use cheese on almost every dish?)
They recommend you use olive oil for cooking and grinding up flax seed and using it as butter. I am going to try it, but I'm a little skeptical on how it will taste... Stay tuned.
Having finished my first week, I feel great... and crazy tired. I may just lay around the rest of the day and try to catch up on a little rest. I suggest you do the same (even if you aren't in heart failure). :-)
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