01-26-2023 04:01
01-26-2023 04:01
01-27-2023 03:30 - edited 01-27-2023 04:24
01-27-2023 03:30 - edited 01-27-2023 04:24
@mikesf90 first, when you're in doubt you go to see a doctor, not a community forum 🙂 It doesn't mean that something is wrong but simply it will put your mind at ease to know whether there is anything to be worried about.
Lower RHR is often expected with an increasing level of fitness. Even slightly overweight your RHR may go quite low because it's also driven by your genetics. I'm in fact one of the examples as my RHR was always oscillating around 60bpm despite being obese (to the point NHS calculator ran out of scale on the BMI gauge :)). After I started dieting and getting more active I noticed my RHR dropping more into the 50bpm-60bpm area and just in case I consulted the doctor (same worries as yours). My current resting HR is between 39bpm-42bpm (unless I detrain for some reason like during injury, then goes up) so as you can see, it can go very low and it can be absolutely fine.
The problem would be if your RHR is low and you find it difficult to elevate your heart rate during activities. From what you are saying, the problem is not there. As well as you have a lower RHR, you can also elevate your HR to higher levels. Considering your max HR (and I assume your watch doesn't lie, I switched to the chest strap, I don't trust wrist HR monitors) you have quite a wide HRR (Heart Rate Reserve). This, with lowering RHR, is usually an indicator of improving fitness level. You may find out your max HR by trying to go all out short (30sec-1min) intervals but for that, I recommend using a chest strap (and forget about 220-age, max HR depends on a lot more things including your genetics).
Saying Zone 5 I understand it's not Fitbit's 3-zone model. What model do you use for zones? Is the 5th zone considered "anaerobic" (is it the last one?)? If you do the whole run in zone 5 then your zones are set wrong and your Anaerobic Threshold (binds to the HR over which fatigue starts piling up quickly) is quite high. Basically, you'd not be able to run the whole run in an anaerobic zone because your muscles would eventually give up due to lactic acid build-up (normal thing, nothing to worry) 🙂
You say you feel dizzy. Are you currently on diet (in a calorie deficit)? Sometimes short dizziness may occur and there's nothing unusual about it (for example, quickly standing up from bed right after waking up and there's a chance you'll feel dizzy for a few seconds). Being low on carbs may cause that, too etc. There are many reasons and it may also include medical issues but that's for the doctor to tell you.
So, as I said in the first paragraph, if you have doubts then ignore what I said and just see the doctor so you'll get the answers you need 🙂
01-27-2023 06:59
01-27-2023 06:59
Thank you for the detailed reply. Yes I know in any doubt I should be going to the doctors but getting seen at the doctors is more difficult than it should be. So I figured some information from people who know more than me may help
My resting heart rate previous to doing any exercise was in the 70s sometimes 80s. In a morning it's usually around 56 to 60. I'm finding doing day to day tasks it's now around 70 or 80 whereas before it was 90 to 100. Absolutely no problem when running. I went last night and my heart rate was up to 186. I feel fine running and after. It's just when resting. It seems rather strange. I'm not dieting. But my diet was very sugary before. I've took out fizzy drinks and swapped with water and now wer past Christmas I've stopped with the chocolate. So I guess I have cut sugar intake down a fair amount. Still have sugar in my cups of tea though.
I use fitbit for resting heart rate only. When I run I have a wahoo tickr heart rate monitor and I use strava. The zones are 5 zones on wahoo. Zone 4 is anaerobic and zone 5 is maximum. Over time it's gone where maximum is now 30% instead of like 90%. I agree the zones can't be right. I can't possibly run for 10 minutes at maximum. But when I first started doing the 2 miles or I push myself I know when I can't carry on. So I figure I'm near my maximum then. The highest I've had my heart rate is 196 or 198. Now it's usually 188 or 186 at the end of a run or going uphill. From the sounds of it we both have strong hearts if our resting heart rates can possibly be this low. I'm starting to think the dizziness is my body getting use to depleting its energy stores