Rotation to increase cardio endurance

[BunnyHop]

Add me to the 'check with your doctor' chorus.

For a really long time I attributed my a lot of my fatigue and discomforts to peri-menopause, menopause, post-hysterectomy recovery, stress from caregiving and lack of sleep.

A bit of blood work revealed some deficiencies that supplementation has helped (with my doctor's supervision) and further testing showed that I have some digestive issues and food sensitivities that were adding to my discomforts. Insomnia and hormone issues were also a factor.

Once I figured out what was going on, I've been much more willing to work out and even push myself. Before that, I hoarded my energy reserves as though they were made of gold.

For me, relatively gentle but consistent exercise and meditation have made a world of difference.

For example, adding even a few minutes of J. Brown's yoga to my day has improved my strength and stamina.

[Demeris]

In addition to 'check with your doctor,' I want to add a suggestion to check out Phil Maffetone's MAF method:

https://philmaffetone.com/method/

[Eibhinn]

Four suggestions, that are all variations on the same thing

1. Be gentle with yourself and realize that aging bodies can do lots, but not the same as when we were teenagers. Pushing too hard will make things more difficult.

2. Consider trying some lower intensity, steady state cardio. Longer Leslie walking workouts, or walking or hiking outdoors might be easier on your body (at least for awhile) than running. In addition, maybe incorporate some gentle yoga or strength training like pilates to give your body some rest and recovery.

3. Use a heart rate monitor. My husband was constantly hurting himself and hitting plateaus in his running until I essentially forced him to start wearing a hrm, because he was pushing himself way too hard. It was an adjustment to slow down, but ended up helping him out a lot in the long run, and he's made a lot of strides since then.

4. Like everyone else suggests, it's worthwhile to check in with a doctor to rule out a physical source of your fatigue. I was feeling tired a lot, and bloodwork showed I had a B12 deficiency and elevated cortisol levels from too much stress and pushing myself too hard. No amount of pushing myself with exercise was going to help these things: I needed to take supplements and relax.