Weight loss preparation for catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation?

[mrflibble]

Hey Jordan

Thanks for all you do here and on your channel. You’re making a real difference in people’s lives.

I have a question that is no doubt loaded with nuance but I’ll do my best to keep it simple. I’m certainly open to a consult if you think you can help with more detailed personalised advice.

In a nutshell, my question is how quickly should I drop fat, given that:

46 year old Male
I am strongly considering catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
Afib has wrecked my training over the past 18 months. Lifts have tanked due to inconsistency. Prior to 2015 an afib episode while lifting was rare. Now I'm in and out almost daily. It's very rare if lifting doesn't trigger afib, even just a warmup. I used to love lifting, now afib is making me dread it.
Since 2015 Weight 92-101kg. Waist 38 to 43 inches.
Late April 2018 I have an appointment with the cardiologist who initially diagnosed me mid 2015

So with 4 months until I can discuss my options I'd like to be in the best shape to make an informed decision and move forward as quickly as I can. To this end I figure I'd need to drop as much fat as I can to both help eliminate it as a variable possibly contributing to my worsening afib and/or for a better outcome if I proceed with surgery. If this is correct, how quickly should I drop fat? In my situation is it worth focusing purely on dropping fat quickly (perhaps even something drastic like an RFL style diet?) while minimising muscle/strength loss?

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

mrflibble,

I would recommend weight loss in a manner that facilitates long term adherence. I'm not sure if RFL without a notable training stimulus is a good idea, but I don't think you need to go super slow either. Given your waist size and atrial fibrillation, you would likely benefit from weight loss.

[mrflibble]

Thanks Jordan.

In that case, I suppose your TBAB fat loss macros would be a decent place to start?

Lifting-wise I don't want to give up, but not sure what to do. Should I just man up, stop missing sessions and re-run an SS LP as well as I can no matter what the afib does, and just accept some days will completely suck? (My worst days are those following nights when afib starts late pm or while asleep and doesn't stop until 8-10am) Or try to mangle the program into something that might work better around afib and do what little I can to minimise muscle loss while dropping fat? I have a home gym and a flexible schedule so I'd be able to experiment with spreading the volume out over 4-5 days while I rebuild some tolerance.

I'm thinking maybe add some stationary bike LISS too?

Cheers, Mark

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Mark,

Yea this is something I cannot directly advise on you know?

If it were me, knowing that SSLP requires one to add weight to the bar each time to be "DTFP" seems at odds with having a medical condition that prevents your ability to train productively. Additionally, cessation of all activity or just doing a bunch of different stuff seems like a bad idea too.

Given your symptoms, I would push for a follow up appointment with the cardiologist ASAP to get this under control (perhaps medically) prior to potentially undergoing a procedure.

It's hard to recommend training without having the ability to tweak/communicate about what's going on regularly given your current situation, BUT if pressed... I'd do the big lifts 2x/wk each using some sort of RPE to guide loading and 2 days of LISS.

[mrflibble]

Yeah I understand that some things you can advise, and some you can't. Sometimes I'll be unsure which is which and ask anyway, and other times it turns out I'm just asking the wrong question but get the right answer anyway - like this:

Given your symptoms, I would push for a follow up appointment with the cardiologist ASAP to get this under control (perhaps medically) prior to potentially undergoing a procedure.

Thanks Jordan! I needed to hear that. I made the appointment a few weeks ago and April was his first available. I'll contact them again and be more clear how afib is affecting me now and see if I can get it brought forward.

It's hard to recommend training without having the ability to tweak/communicate about what's going on regularly given your current situation

I'd be interested in online coaching at some point if you're taking on more clients and think I'd be suitable - I assume you'd want me to get the follow up with my cardiologist done first before considering this though, right?

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

I'd be interested in online coaching at some point if you're taking on more clients and think I'd be suitable - I assume you'd want me to get the follow up with my cardiologist done first before considering this though, right?

Yes, absolutely.

[Tinner2u]

Hey Jordan

Thanks for all you do here and on your channel. You’re making a real difference in people’s lives.

I have a question that is no doubt loaded with nuance but I’ll do my best to keep it simple. I’m certainly open to a consult if you think you can help with more detailed personalised advice.

In a nutshell, my question is how quickly should I drop fat, given that:

46 year old Male
I am strongly considering catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
Afib has wrecked my training over the past 18 months. Lifts have tanked due to inconsistency. Prior to 2015 an afib episode while lifting was rare. Now I'm in and out almost daily. It's very rare if lifting doesn't trigger afib, even just a warmup. I used to love lifting, now afib is making me dread it.
Since 2015 Weight 92-101kg. Waist 38 to 43 inches.
Late April 2018 I have an appointment with the cardiologist who initially diagnosed me mid 2015

So with 4 months until I can discuss my options I'd like to be in the best shape to make an informed decision and move forward as quickly as I can. To this end I figure I'd need to drop as much fat as I can to both help eliminate it as a variable possibly contributing to my worsening afib and/or for a better outcome if I proceed with surgery. If this is correct, how quickly should I drop fat? In my situation is it worth focusing purely on dropping fat quickly (perhaps even something drastic like an RFL style diet?) while minimising muscle/strength loss?

I lived with afib for 3 years before a catheter ablation. It was a nightmare, people who have never it had fail to grasp the physical and mental toll it takes on you. Due to insurance requirements i had to fail taking medication before i could get the abalation. If you have the procedure lined up I would say move forward as quickly as the process allows. No need to lose weight, your cardiologist isn't going to care. The recovery is surprisingly fast. I was on a treadmill within days and lifting again in a week. The only thing to watch for is that you don't tear open the incision on your thigh. Your heart will be ready to go before the rest of you will. I have been completely free of afib since the procedure. Feel free to PM if you would like to know more. Best of luck.

Rob