I Get Really Winded Whenever I Work Out

A friend of mine who is not that much older than me recently underwent emergency triple bi-pass surgery. He is recovering well, he looks great and has a radiant glow on his face I've never seen before.

You look fabulous! I told him recently. Better than ever!

Thanks, he told me. Everyone says that. I tell ya, it's the healthy living. Eating right and exercising regularly.

Oh, crap. Does that mean if I don't do these things I too could end up having to have triple bi-pass surgery in a few years? (Yes, I straight-out asked him that.)

I used to think the same thing, he admitted. That I didn't have to worry about it, that I had 20 or so years to get my act together. It's just not true. He delivered the hammer. You have to exercise regularly to keep your heart strong.

My heart sank. His words made me literally depressed. You see, I'm that girl who puts on her work-out clothes approximately 2 times per week, but gets busy doing other things and ends up changing into regular clothes sometime in mid-afternoon. I have a membership at the Y, but haven't graced the establishment for over a year.

I'm also a rationalizer by nature. I talk myself out of working out with thoughts like, What? I'm going to burn say, 300 calories. I'll just eat less food for lunch. It's a wash.

I've never been able to establish a "regular" work-out routine (or even an "irregular" one) because, face it, I hate to work out.

I pressed the issue.

How did you know you needed to see a doctor to have your heart checked out? I asked my newly-healthy friend.

Well, I just got really winded whenever I tried to exercise, he revealed. And I was making some pretty bad choices, eating a lot of fried food.

By now, I'm past depressed and moving into full panic mode. I GET REALLY WINDED WHENEVER I WORK OUT! That's why I don't do it! I make bad food choices. Yes, I drink a smoothie every morning, but in my world that affords me free points to eat chips, salsa, wine, fries, eggs, bacon, etc. etc.

So, I calculated quickly, I have two choices. Drag myself to the gym (at least once) to check in on this "really winded" thing OR go straight to the heart doctor to have an MRI. I decided to start at the gym. I haven't keeled over on the elliptical yet, but I'll keep you posted, no pun intended.