Hi everyone-

I am a certified perosnal trainer for over 12 years. My problem is that what was once my best therapy/medicine/working out, has now become my last fear to overcome.

I had an episode where I was overdoing it, my throat muscles were tight and I couldn't seem to get my breath. Now when I do anything that is hard, that really gets you breathing hard, I am afraid that I won't be able to catch my breath.

The only thing that helps right now is to lean over, put my hands on my knees and catch my breath that way- it seems to make my throat and my airway feel alot more open.

I can take walks, etc.. but if I do do anything really stenuous (and I am used to lifting weights, etc..) that really requires you to breathe heavy- then I get afraid.

Any suggestions? I am hoping this will pass soon because I teach other people about fitness and nutrition- and here I am fearing exercise.

-Chanin

Chanin,
I gotta tell ya...I was TERRIFIED to exercise myself and I know the whole throat tightening thing so well!!! It is anxiety..you know that. It is a symptom of one of the many hundreds of things that can happen when our bodies are under too much stress for prolonged periods of time. When your stress levels fall, the tightening will decrease and so will the fear of it happening again. When we are stressed, our brains ability to rationalize the symptoms become surpressed which makes the fear build and build. What I did was cut back to baby stepping through the fear...started out walking just 5 minutes a day until I was feeling more confident to progress. Then I moved up the time and the intensity with doing lots of hills etc. It does ease up and sometimes even switches to something else. When the tightening thing left me it went to vertigo...and then nubness and tingling in the extemities. Such fun!!! Hang in there honey...the symptoms will decrease and your body needs to remain active to continue to burn this stuff off. It will take some time, but the fear will lessen.

Many Hugs,
Diane

oh my gosh, I can soooo relate to this, I have had anxiety all my life.. I used to deal with it with exercise, I am a certified trainer, aerobics instructor and a few other fitness certifications... I cannot get my butt back to the exercise right now!! It is so frustrating, when the depression hit I completely quit being active, I have gained so much weight and find myself so embarrassed to go back to the gym, I feel like such a failure over getting out of shape. I struggle with this everyday and having been a fitness professional for years just multiplies my anxiety in getting back into it, the fear can be overwhelming, it is the hardest part of my recovery because I was so good at it for so long, I just feel stupid... I taught and motivated people on how to stay fit and exercise and now I can't get myself to do it, but I know it will come I will get there, I am working through my fear and embarrassment over my poor physical shape and one thing I know for sure is that once I work through this I will be back in top physical condition.. I know I can, I know I did it before, I just need to get over my thoughts... which is my current daily struggle, but I do feel very hopeful, I can definately see the light at the end of the tunnel, I have been incorporating small exercises into my day, doing squats here and there, doing yardwork, going through a few challenging yoga poses.. every little bit is helping and every little bit gets me one step closer to once again incorporating a regular exercise routine.. just keep working on it, keep working through the fear... we will get there again!!
Peace.. Namaste... Julia

Hey Everyone,

This all hit a little to close to home. First let me say I am in the same situation. I can relate to omg cannot breathe to not wanting to go to the gym was sooo motivated and feeling really good until last November. I am having a hard time with the weight. Never had a hard time till I had my twins. I feel like the weight is never gonna come off. I wish I knew a trainor to work out I am not sure I even know how to use the machines anymore. The sad part is I have never stopped paying for the gym. Much thanks to all of you. I am gonna start back soon. I miss the classes and I know it is gonna kick my but to finish the class. I am sorry if I sound selfish. Just a note Everyone I know loves trainors. So even if you are feeling out of breath ect, Everyone will still be envious.

I can identify too, but ccan tell you that you can and will heal.

My attacks first started coming back at the end of marathons. I went to the hospital once shaking and dizy, etc. Of course, nothing was really wrong with me. I finally realized it was panic after running 10 miles and experiencing the same thing. Obviously, this is much less, and I could not have been dying of dehydreation or exertion. I was a little tired because I had not been getting enough sleep. I was also beating myself up for not being faster, training better etc.

The solution came down to two things. the first was identifying that I was having negative thinking (see above). The second is that it only happened when I was running alone. Without a running buddy, I had too much opportunity to get drowned in those negative thoughts.

Maybe you are obsessing about it happening again??

You are a personel trainer, so you know academically that you are not in real danger. Don't think yourself into a hole.

Rock on!

Thanks everyone for your replys.

I think that I just need to ease into it. I know it is my thinking. I am up to walking 30 minutes and I can do modified pushups as long as I don't do too many and I can do about 3 squats with the bar across my shoulders.

Doing legs really gets your heart pumping and therefore I get out of breath really easy. I remember months and months ago being at the gym and doing walking lunges and getting really winded and worring about whether I was going to be able to breath.

I guess I'll just work at adding one or two reps or exercises as I feel comfortable. At least I am doing something, right?

I also teach a weightloss bible study group and the fall group starts back up in Sept. I didn't want to be teaching what I couldn't do!

Pressing on, Chanin

I just turned 50. About 3 years ago I got serious about excercise and diet. At first it (the exercise) was difficult. But then I worked up to riding 15 miles. This is something I've never done. At first the panic held me back. But I kept pushing a little at a time. This was all before the Anxiety hit me earlier this year.

After I started having panic and anxiety attacks earlier this year I could not even walk accross the street. Physically I could but the anxiety made my heart start to pound. Again I started slow and am working my way up.

Something my boss told me really struck a cord. "Don't let the things that you can't do hold you back from doing what you can do." I was out riding my bike several weeks ago and realized, so maybe I can't go 15 miles, but I can go 1 mile. How about 1.5 miles, and so on. Will I ever ride long distance again (15 miles) I don't know but why should that hold me back from doing what I can do?

Another great tip I heard was start out excercising 1 minute and then add a minute each day. At the end of the month you will work up to 30 minutes.

Take it one day at a time. Just because you can't do the marathon should not hold you back from going the first mile.