Dottie:

Great section to your blog!! I have been reading your blog and I love it!! I just have been so busy this summer that I haven't commented a lot.

Even though I have been busy, I have not let my exercise slide. I am exercising 5 times a week and can now walk 2 miles at 3.4/mph.

Hi Karen,

Thanks for the kind words and I LOVE that you have been busy! So Great that you have made your exercise and training a priority-I can see it has been paying off-GREAT JOB!

Q.I do have a question for you. Do you find that your PFT numbers are better when you have been doing more aerobic activity like walking/running or when lifting weights?

Thanks Dottie for all you do!!

God Bless!

Great question Karen...

A.  YES.  It does show in PFT's when you are training and creating a demand on your heart, lungs, system to "work" .  By doing some activity for 30 ins to 60 minutes a day (and you can break that time up if you want or need to) you are "reminding your body" of what it needs to do to function and causing it to "have to meet the demands to do so"  aka, "giving it a push"

In terms of PFT's improving better with aerobic activity versus lifting weights, I would say that both can create an improvement in PFT's as long as they are done correctly.  If you lift weights properly, breathe properly while doing them and do them "with purpose' meaning don't just life, lower....slowly and without emotion-lift them with purpose, with emotion and conviction-you will create all of your body to react.  same as aerobic activity.  

I think having a nice balance of both works great and even doing a sport that you enjoy-even if it is silly, will show your body that you want to move it and use it the way it was meant to be used-FULLY!

Listen to your body Karen and enjoy watching yourself be rewarded now for the work you are doing to strengthen it-I am SO excited for you!! I hope this helps and really, great way to be using those new lungs!  Keep up the great work! PLEASE keep me updated on your progress and come back with more questions as they come and you grow!

Will you be at the transplant games? If not this year I look forward to seeing you in 2!  Again, keep up the GREAT work -you are truly LIVING LIFE FULLY!

With healthy wishes, Dottie