I'm struggling to exercise because I'm too heavy.
Victœria
Posts: 80 Member
Hi MFP community
I'm happy to say I have managed to keep off the alcohol for 2 whole weeks and I'm starting to see some small results already :-)
I am however struggling to exercise at my current weight. What can I do that won't kill me or take too long but has good results. I have thought about weights and swimming ?
I'm happy to say I have managed to keep off the alcohol for 2 whole weeks and I'm starting to see some small results already :-)
I am however struggling to exercise at my current weight. What can I do that won't kill me or take too long but has good results. I have thought about weights and swimming ?
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Replies
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weights, swimming and just walking0
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Walking and swimming are very doable, and if you have access to an exercise bike or cross-trainer they are good to. Weights also good for strength and at least maintaining lean body mass.
Take it easy, start of slow..as your fitness improves increase your intensity or speed. It doesn't hurt to get a little out of breath or work up a sweat...but at about 200lb unless you have medical issues you should be fine.0 -
Your profile says you were 201 lbs. starting weight? I was 226 lbs when I started. I actually love Jillian Michaels 30 day shred. It is tough at first and I took a lot of little breaks, but I saw results fairly quick and it got better even after 1 week. I also walk a lot. I have a treadmill but I also live about 1/2 mile from downtown and the beach so I walked with my daughter to the beach at least two days a week.
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You can also try the elliptical. It burns calories and gets your heart rate up.
Start out with 5-10 minutes and work your way up from there.
Walking is great! Start out slow and short walks and gradually build up distance and time.
Make exercise an everyday habit and soon you won't be able to do without!0 -
I started walking at 370 pounds and haven't stopped since. 103 pounds down. Firstly I couldn't even make it to the end of the street, now I can do 5 mile. Take it easy to start with. I used to trail behind my family constantly, now they say they can't keep up!0
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Walking, and if you have access to a pool, aqua jogging. Both are low impact and burn lots of calories, especially if you're obese.
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To echo what others have said, start slow and build from that. ANY movement is good! !!0
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Look into a lifting program like stronglifts or nrol . I did both when I was heavier then you are.0
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Lots of people start with just walking. Actually, that's the only exercise some people do, and it works out very well for them. You might find cycling or swimming easier, too. I always liked the elliptical, but some people report it was really hard for them at first.0
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You can walk. That's a good place to start. It is ALWAYS hard when you start. It gets easier. Don't give up. I promise you'll learn to love it. It just takes time. We've all been where you are right now. Swimming is good. Do you have a gym or YMCA around you - a lot of them have pool exercise classes.0
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Just to echo what others are saying, walk. I can't walk fast really, but I walk every single day, and it really helps.0
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Congratulations on your small results
As for the exercise, don't worry too much at this point. Eating at a deficit will help you drop the pounds initially and after a while, you may feel you are physically able to introduce some small exercises.
I'll also echo every one else - Walking will definitely help 0 -
Unless you have a medical condition you can do anythin you want. It will probably be uncomfortable at first but you will adjust and it will become easier. Start out slow. Don't overdue it. Like anything else it takes time and patience. Some weeks will be easier than others. I personally started running at 244lbs. I didn't get very far at first but now I'm up to 2 1/2 miles a day0
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Walk, swim, or just move in general.0
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one thing that made my walks more enjoyable is that I bought a headset to use with my phone and I downloaded a crap-load of music that I really like....0
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Don't mistake being unfit for being unable. At 200lbs you aren't so overweight that you need to only walk if you want to do more. You just need to build your fitness levels, exercise isn't easy for anyone just starting out. I was 220lbs and did pretty intense cardio and resistance work from the outset. I'm now 189lbs and run and still do intense resistance work. I just had to be careful of my knees at first as they weren't strong enough to be too high impact at my start weight. Now I have pretty much no knee problems.
So just get started on anything, be careful, watch your form and persevere. It gets easier, I promise!0 -
I just came back from a short walk. 30 mins slow pace. I feel it a little bit but I could have done a bit more. So I plan to use the 5kg kettle bell and do a little workout using workout trainer by ski blue I found in the App Store 0
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Hi MFP community
I'm happy to say I have managed to keep off the alcohol for 2 whole weeks and I'm starting to see some small results already :-)
I am however struggling to exercise at my current weight. What can I do that won't kill me or take too long but has good results. I have thought about weights and swimming ?
For cardio you need to keep your heart rate in a cardio zone for a minimum of 20 minutes non stop, and a minimum of 3 times per week to get a minimum training effect.
For muscular you need to do 3 sets of each exercise, and each set you have to do until you cannot do another rep. The amount of resistance will determine the number of reps you can do per set. more weight less reps will work more toward strength, and less weight more reps will work more toward endurance.
There is really no way to shortcut these things, and you have to put in the work, but there are ways to combine things into a smaller number of activities that do more than one thing at a time.
For example, I walk and ride my bike. So I get good cardio and a good endurance workout for my legs, but I was looking for something for my upper body. I discovered that kayaking works every muscle group in the upper body and core all in a single activity. In kayaking, you are using you pulling muscles on one side and your pushing muscles on the other side, and stabilizing with your core all at the same time and with each stroke. And if you do it fast, you can get a pretty good cardio as well.
I walk every day (at least 5 miles), bike (30 to 60 minutes) 2 to 3 times per week, and kayak (30 to 60 minutes) 2 to 3 times a week. So, with just those 3 activities, I get a good full muscular and cardio workout.0 -
bcalvanese wrote: »Hi MFP community
I'm happy to say I have managed to keep off the alcohol for 2 whole weeks and I'm starting to see some small results already :-)
I am however struggling to exercise at my current weight. What can I do that won't kill me or take too long but has good results. I have thought about weights and swimming ?
For cardio you need to keep your heart rate in a cardio zone for a minimum of 20 minutes non stop, and a minimum of 3 times per week to get a minimum training effect.
For muscular you need to do 3 sets of each exercise, and each set you have to do until you cannot do another rep. The amount of resistance will determine the number of reps you can do per set. more weight less reps will work more toward strength, and less weight more reps will work more toward endurance.
There is really no way to shortcut these things, and you have to put in the work, but there are ways to combine things into a smaller number of activities that do more than one thing at a time.
For example, I walk and ride my bike. So I get good cardio and a good endurance workout for my legs, but I was looking for something for my upper body. I discovered that kayaking works every muscle group in the upper body and core all in a single activity. In kayaking, you are using you pulling muscles on one side and your pushing muscles on the other side, and stabilizing with your core all at the same time and with each stroke. And if you do it fast, you can get a pretty good cardio as well.
I walk every day (at least 5 miles), bike (30 to 60 minutes) 2 to 3 times per week, and kayak (30 to 60 minutes) 2 to 3 times a week. So, with just those 3 activities, I get a good full muscular and cardio workout.
That's great advice for someone who is looking to improve an existing workout routine, but for someone who is struggling, setting the bar so high from the start can be quite off-putting and may discourage them. The OP is just starting off, and making some progress. She, and indeed anyone, can lose weight and become more fit without the level of workout you describe for yourself, which is 10-20 hours a week of exercise including the walking. OP, just keep walking, a little harder and a little faster each day. You'll get there.0 -
bcalvanese wrote: »Hi MFP community
I'm happy to say I have managed to keep off the alcohol for 2 whole weeks and I'm starting to see some small results already :-)
I am however struggling to exercise at my current weight. What can I do that won't kill me or take too long but has good results. I have thought about weights and swimming ?
For cardio you need to keep your heart rate in a cardio zone for a minimum of 20 minutes non stop, and a minimum of 3 times per week to get a minimum training effect.
For muscular you need to do 3 sets of each exercise, and each set you have to do until you cannot do another rep. The amount of resistance will determine the number of reps you can do per set. more weight less reps will work more toward strength, and less weight more reps will work more toward endurance.
There is really no way to shortcut these things, and you have to put in the work, but there are ways to combine things into a smaller number of activities that do more than one thing at a time.
For example, I walk and ride my bike. So I get good cardio and a good endurance workout for my legs, but I was looking for something for my upper body. I discovered that kayaking works every muscle group in the upper body and core all in a single activity. In kayaking, you are using you pulling muscles on one side and your pushing muscles on the other side, and stabilizing with your core all at the same time and with each stroke. And if you do it fast, you can get a pretty good cardio as well.
I walk every day (at least 5 miles), bike (30 to 60 minutes) 2 to 3 times per week, and kayak (30 to 60 minutes) 2 to 3 times a week. So, with just those 3 activities, I get a good full muscular and cardio workout.
That's great advice for someone who is looking to improve an existing workout routine, but for someone who is struggling, setting the bar so high from the start can be quite off-putting and may discourage them. The OP is just starting off, and making some progress. She, and indeed anyone, can lose weight and become more fit without the level of workout you describe for yourself, which is 10-20 hours a week of exercise including the walking. OP, just keep walking, a little harder and a little faster each day. You'll get there.
I was merely pointing out what it takes to get a minimum training effect. If a person is struggling, the first goal should be to achieve the minimum, and then improve from there. I had trouble walking a mile at first, and my first goal was to get to a level that I could do the minimum. Once I reached that goal, I was able to actually start getting a training effect.
My point is that it's not easy, and you have to put the work in to get there regardless of what level you are at.CitricAcidCycle wrote: »bcalvanese wrote: »Hi MFP community
I'm happy to say I have managed to keep off the alcohol for 2 whole weeks and I'm starting to see some small results already :-)
I am however struggling to exercise at my current weight. What can I do that won't kill me or take too long but has good results. I have thought about weights and swimming ?
For cardio you need to keep your heart rate in a cardio zone for a minimum of 20 minutes non stop, and a minimum of 3 times per week to get a minimum training effect.
For muscular you need to do 3 sets of each exercise, and each set you have to do until you cannot do another rep. The amount of resistance will determine the number of reps you can do per set. more weight less reps will work more toward strength, and less weight more reps will work more toward endurance.
There is really no way to shortcut these things, and you have to put in the work, but there are ways to combine things into a smaller number of activities that do more than one thing at a time.
For example, I walk and ride my bike. So I get good cardio and a good endurance workout for my legs, but I was looking for something for my upper body. I discovered that kayaking works every muscle group in the upper body and core all in a single activity. In kayaking, you are using you pulling muscles on one side and your pushing muscles on the other side, and stabilizing with your core all at the same time and with each stroke. And if you do it fast, you can get a pretty good cardio as well.
I walk every day (at least 5 miles), bike (30 to 60 minutes) 2 to 3 times per week, and kayak (30 to 60 minutes) 2 to 3 times a week. So, with just those 3 activities, I get a good full muscular and cardio workout.
OP, all those things above aren't things the "have to be done". For example, taking advice like do reps until you can't do another way is a great way to end up injured. You do what you can and progress as time goes on. If today you walked for 30 minutes and felt like you could do more then that's great, next time add a couple of minutes. Eventually you can pick up the pace. Maybe some day soon you'll find yourself jogging for a block or 2. You don't need to throw everything at the wall and hope it all sticks. Work your way up at a pace you find reasonable.
3 sets are needed to break both muscle fibers down and achieve muscular failure, and each set needs to be until you cannot do another rep. You do not have to do this from jump street if you are struggling, but it should be the goal. I think most injuries are from using very heavy weights. You should also do the proper warm up and cool down as with any exercise.
Again, I was only saying what is required to get improvement.0 -
+1 for the walking and swimming people. You really arent that large and id think your problem is more to do with lack of fitness rather than just your size. You arent in a race just trying to improve where you are at. Any movement is good, keep it consistent and progressive, then you will see improvement.0
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If it's not clear from my picture, I love skating. It's so low impact on the knees but actually builds muscles in new people. Core, glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves all get used and worked. At first you might be sore and unable to skate non-stop for the length of one song. But after 6 months, you'll improve your stamina and build muscles you didn't have (though many of them will be in your core and bum). I can casually skate 3 hours non-stop now (just stopping for a drink of water now and then). It also helped me with balance, flexibility, coordination, head independence, and other skills which have helped me be more active in general. (Just make sure to always wear knee pads and wrist guards.)
For $6+skate rental you can exercise for 3-4 hours to music if there's a rink nearby. (Or join a nearby roller derby team!)0 -
If it's not clear from my picture, I love skating. It's so low impact on the knees but actually builds muscles in new people. Core, glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves all get used and worked. At first you might be sore and unable to skate non-stop for the length of one song. But after 6 months, you'll improve your stamina and build muscles you didn't have (though many of them will be in your core and bum). I can casually skate 3 hours non-stop now (just stopping for a drink of water now and then). It also helped me with balance, flexibility, coordination, head independence, and other skills which have helped me be more active in general. (Just make sure to always wear knee pads and wrist guards.)
For $6+skate rental you can exercise for 3-4 hours to music if there's a rink nearby. (Or join a nearby roller derby team!)
Love this idea!
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I can do so much more today than a year ago. The fitness gains, truly, have been transformative. My advice is to start where you are and as that gets easy, do more. Try lots of stuff even non traditional fitness activities and keep doing those things that give you the most enjoyment.
For instance, push ups. If you can't do one from the floor, start from the wall.
http://pinterest.com/janetkarasz/fitness-at-home/0 -
I just came back from a short walk. 30 mins slow pace. I feel it a little bit but I could have done a bit more. So I plan to use the 5kg kettle bell and do a little workout using workout trainer by ski blue I found in the App Store
There ya go! That's great to start! You'll increase it pretty naturally as you just get used to it and get stronger.0 -
CitricAcidCycle wrote: »bcalvanese wrote: »bcalvanese wrote: »Hi MFP community
I'm happy to say I have managed to keep off the alcohol for 2 whole weeks and I'm starting to see some small results already :-)
I am however struggling to exercise at my current weight. What can I do that won't kill me or take too long but has good results. I have thought about weights and swimming ?
For cardio you need to keep your heart rate in a cardio zone for a minimum of 20 minutes non stop, and a minimum of 3 times per week to get a minimum training effect.
For muscular you need to do 3 sets of each exercise, and each set you have to do until you cannot do another rep. The amount of resistance will determine the number of reps you can do per set. more weight less reps will work more toward strength, and less weight more reps will work more toward endurance.
There is really no way to shortcut these things, and you have to put in the work, but there are ways to combine things into a smaller number of activities that do more than one thing at a time.
For example, I walk and ride my bike. So I get good cardio and a good endurance workout for my legs, but I was looking for something for my upper body. I discovered that kayaking works every muscle group in the upper body and core all in a single activity. In kayaking, you are using you pulling muscles on one side and your pushing muscles on the other side, and stabilizing with your core all at the same time and with each stroke. And if you do it fast, you can get a pretty good cardio as well.
I walk every day (at least 5 miles), bike (30 to 60 minutes) 2 to 3 times per week, and kayak (30 to 60 minutes) 2 to 3 times a week. So, with just those 3 activities, I get a good full muscular and cardio workout.
That's great advice for someone who is looking to improve an existing workout routine, but for someone who is struggling, setting the bar so high from the start can be quite off-putting and may discourage them. The OP is just starting off, and making some progress. She, and indeed anyone, can lose weight and become more fit without the level of workout you describe for yourself, which is 10-20 hours a week of exercise including the walking. OP, just keep walking, a little harder and a little faster each day. You'll get there.
I was merely pointing out what it takes to get a minimum training effect. If a person is struggling, the first goal should be to achieve the minimum, and then improve from there. I had trouble walking a mile at first, and my first goal was to get to a level that I could do the minimum. Once I reached that goal, I was able to actually start getting a training effect.
My point is that it's not easy, and you have to put the work in to get there regardless of what level you are at.CitricAcidCycle wrote: »bcalvanese wrote: »Hi MFP community
I'm happy to say I have managed to keep off the alcohol for 2 whole weeks and I'm starting to see some small results already :-)
I am however struggling to exercise at my current weight. What can I do that won't kill me or take too long but has good results. I have thought about weights and swimming ?
For cardio you need to keep your heart rate in a cardio zone for a minimum of 20 minutes non stop, and a minimum of 3 times per week to get a minimum training effect.
For muscular you need to do 3 sets of each exercise, and each set you have to do until you cannot do another rep. The amount of resistance will determine the number of reps you can do per set. more weight less reps will work more toward strength, and less weight more reps will work more toward endurance.
There is really no way to shortcut these things, and you have to put in the work, but there are ways to combine things into a smaller number of activities that do more than one thing at a time.
For example, I walk and ride my bike. So I get good cardio and a good endurance workout for my legs, but I was looking for something for my upper body. I discovered that kayaking works every muscle group in the upper body and core all in a single activity. In kayaking, you are using you pulling muscles on one side and your pushing muscles on the other side, and stabilizing with your core all at the same time and with each stroke. And if you do it fast, you can get a pretty good cardio as well.
I walk every day (at least 5 miles), bike (30 to 60 minutes) 2 to 3 times per week, and kayak (30 to 60 minutes) 2 to 3 times a week. So, with just those 3 activities, I get a good full muscular and cardio workout.
OP, all those things above aren't things the "have to be done". For example, taking advice like do reps until you can't do another way is a great way to end up injured. You do what you can and progress as time goes on. If today you walked for 30 minutes and felt like you could do more then that's great, next time add a couple of minutes. Eventually you can pick up the pace. Maybe some day soon you'll find yourself jogging for a block or 2. You don't need to throw everything at the wall and hope it all sticks. Work your way up at a pace you find reasonable.
3 sets are needed to break both muscle fibers down and achieve muscular failure, and each set needs to be until you cannot do another rep. You do not have to do this from jump street if you are struggling, but it should be the goal. I think most injuries are from using very heavy weights. You should also do the proper warm up and cool down as with any exercise.
Again, I was only saying what is required to get improvement.
None of that is "required", it is your preference. Muscle failure isn't necessary to achieve in order to get the proper muscle fiber recruitment. The amount of sets is also an individual thing and can be tailored to meet your training format. You do not need to work to failure because there aren't any proven benefits to pushing yourself to failure as opposed to meeting the goal you set out. If someone lifts heavy and at a low rep rate they can achieve slow twitch fiber recruitment as a primary and fast twitch on that back end as fatigue sets in but that doesn't mean the person needs to go to failure or where they can't push out the next rep. Also, recruitment of both muscle fibers all the time or evenly isn't a must. Once again, the person's goals will assist in dictating the direction that they take their training.
There are plenty of ways to structure a lifting program where it's conducive to the trainees goals and their current conditioning. The is no one set standard of what "needs to be done". That frame of thinking is a result of someone looking at what they found to work for them and thinking it needs to be applied across the board. Unfortunately when you work with individual clients that differ from each other you realize that the approach isn't black and white.
Would recommended be a better word than required?
I am making some basic suggestions, and you are overcomplicating.0 -
Walking. Easiest exercise you can do. I was completely out of shape a year ago. I couldn't even walk around the corner without needing a break.Now I walk about 6-8 miles a day.(4 of them nightly on my walk) I walk faster and longer than my kids lol.0
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karenrich77 wrote: »I started walking at 370 pounds and haven't stopped since. 103 pounds down. Firstly I couldn't even make it to the end of the street, now I can do 5 mile. Take it easy to start with. I used to trail behind my family constantly, now they say they can't keep up!
Thats amazing!!!!!Great job!!!!0
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