Workout ideas for the "morbidly obese"

addily1986

I hate the term "morbidly obese" .. That's the label my doctor gave me. Awesome.

So here is the jist of my story. Dr. Awesome diagnosed me with PCOS and a major thyroid issue. I'm dieting (obviously) as well as on phentermine (a diet pill) ... I would like to get suggestions of work outs I can do. I am very serious this time around to lose weight but it really physically hurts to exercise. One work out session or too long of a walk and I'm in bed for a day or two. The only thing that I have been able to do with ease, is swim. But Seattle weather is tricky and I'd like a back up plan. Suggestions??

JeffreyOC

Have you tried Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home? it's pretty good she adds in side steps, knee lifts & other stuff which you can do at your own pace.

middlehaitch

Good for you for getting started

I get the weather thing. I am a tad north of you in Victoria, not quite as wet.

Any water exercise will be really good for you as it gives you some resistance work as well as cardio and is low impact, so easy on your joints. Try water walking in a pool, or Aqua fit, my personal fav as it is fun, as well as swimming.

Try walking, but take it slowly, build a good solid base then look at a couch to 5km programme. For now though a walk around the block, and building from there, is good.

There are programmes on YouTube for seated exercises. Google them. Some have you using light weights, start with just the movements if you wish, then move to a couple of cans of beans ( or whatever) to add a little weight if you don't have any hand weights.

Take it as slowly as you need. Don't exert yourself to the point of making yourself ill.

A calorie deficit is the important thing to focus on for weight loss.
Use a digital scale to measure all you food and track as accurately as possible.
You may find it easier to lower your calorie intake a couple of hundred calories at a time to reach your deficit rather than making a large drop all at once. It gives you a chance to analyze your intake and decide what and where you can cut calories.

Cheers, h.

mumof5

Some of my clients are morbidly obese. We start slow. With weights. They can sit if need be. Remember heavy lifting is when the third set is a struggle - 1 kg may be your heavy!! This is your journey, take it slow, ease into it, move in some way every day. You deserve to be the healthiest version of you.

louann_jude

I understand this completely. When I started my BMI was 47. I am 5' 5" and weighed 283, I couldn't work out either. So I got up and cleaned. It started with putting the timer on and cleaning 15 minutes straight without sitting down. Then I gradually added more time. Now almost seven months later I am doing cize and my bmi is. 33.9. Thursday I weighed 203.8. I am just obese now.

I also did the Walk at home video's on Youtube they are just 15 minutes and they work. Just a little fyi if you log it, it will go under low impact aerobics. I would also put on music and dance and be silly with the kids. Anything to get movement in. When I go to the grocery store and it's just me I park farther away and I will try to walk around the store to get steps. Plus being a stay at home mom it helps with extra alone time,lol.

2essie

Youtube is your friend. You can get the walking at home videos, the chair exercises, the body weight exercises, the lifting exercises and thousands more all for free.

skmonak

I agree with water activities. Check out your local Ymca. In my area the Y adjusts your membership fee based on your income, so if you don't work or have a small income your fees are less and most Ys have pools and swim/water exercise classes. I started out morbidly obese as well and my PT started me with light weights. Everything hurt at first and there were days I hated going to the gym and it was a huge struggle just to get myself there. I am so happy that I kept with it because 6 months later, yes I am still obese but I am down 45 lbs. and I am moving and the exercises don't hurt as much. Also, my PT has really helped me with my food and I am eating healthy now and the weight is beginning to come off faster because I can move more and I eat clean. Good luck and stick with it.

lorrpb

I'm from the West Sound, so I understand the weather. Swim, a home elliptical, and Leslie Sansone Walk at Home Videos are great. For walking outside, invest in a wide brimmed rain hat, jacket, pants, and shoes other than gym shoes than can take the puddles. Use an umbrella if you like, I don't. Most of our rain is so light you can go outside and take short walks and barely notice the rain. I say short only because you say you can't take long walks right now, which I understand. I cannot survive the winter without my raingear. It doesn't have to be expensive. Check out Goodwill. You might need to go back a few times or check multiple stores to find things, but I've had awesome luck at Goodwill and yours are probably better than ours.

I understand that you are very limited right now in what you can do and how long. Some of the workout videos will be too much for you at first. Do what you can right now. The limitations likely will improve as you lose weight and gain fitness, although I'm not an expert on how your medical conditions will impact this. 2 years ago I couldn't walk more than 1/4 mile without a rest & severe pain. I gradually worked my way up and now I can walk unlimited distances and run a couple of miles with no pain at all. 144 pounds lost, 7 to goal.

PS-"Morbidly obese" is a clinical classification (not a judgemental label) based on BMI. It's disgusting, I know, I used to be there. After 2 years, I've finally squeaked into the "normal weight" category.

xvolution

I know the feeling. I used to have a BMI of 49.5 myself, but started getting serious after an extended stay in the hospital. Now my BMI is 40.3 [just need to lose 4 more pounds to get out of the morbidly obese range]. Always start with what you can do, little by little each day. Remember that rest is important as well. It gives time for your body to grow and repair muscle.

mkakids

Try some body weight exercises at home....wall push ups, side bends, leg lifts, etc..

Good luck and great job!

mazarasltm

As medical professional, I can tell you dont get hung up on "labels". Medicine is not politically correct, people will die. If you cant rely on your Doctor to tell you the truth thats malpractice. I was morbidly obese.. so what. I hit 275 (43 bmi) and couldnt breath well. I have other co-morbidities... hypertension, pre-diabetic, asthma etc. Its just medical terminology. You can easily find physicians who will tell you what you want to hear. Micheal Jackson and Joan Rivers did. I dont know your doctor and maybe they are a judgemental prick or maybe just trying to motivate you. Dont know.
Dont rush your progress and hurt yourself. Go slow and steady. If lapband or sleeve is your best option go for it. My best friend went through the sleeve. No walk in the park. Her weightloss is more than twice as fast as mine. But again not a cake walk and lot of dedication (oodles of exercise, forced bariatric diet) and Pain. I have family and patients that had the band and sleeve who have gained it all back. Even if you go natural and slow (like me) the fat cells only shrink, they dont go away. Im a slimmer person carrying big empty 60 lb backpack of fat cells waiting to be filled again if I falter (which I do often).
I hope this helps. I'll look into the exercise question and get back to you. A specialized personal trainer suggested by a Baritric doctor ought to be a good starting point. Even today my friend & I struggle to maintain (her) and to lose (me). BTW swimming is supposed to be great in terms of muscle group use and impact (vs running which impacts feet, knees and hips). Thanks to my treadmill/ stair routine my right knee is swollen and Im forced to take it easy for a while. I cant swim.

Amazon_Who

Water aerobics, water walking, and/or water zumba. Water walking can be done anytime you can reserve a lane.

laceyn18

Lots of good suggestions here. You might try to get an activity tracker (Fitbit, Garman, jawbone etc...) and focus on increasing your daily step average. It's a good way to make sure you are increasing your overall activity level. Small changes like parking a little farther away or going for a short walk after dinner can start you down the path of becoming more active. Using a fitness tracker to see how these small things are increasing your average is a great way to motivate you to do just a little more.

Trish1c

Look into yoga you can do sitting in a chair or lying down. It's about breathing.

When my elderly mother was recovering from surgery we marched in her wheelchair. Just moving her legs & lifting them from the knee plus raising her arms overhead or doing arm circles kept her circulation going.

Find a YMCA near you & sign up for their water based classes. Even if you just use their therapy pool & "walk" under water you give your joints a break but get resistance.

Also ask Dr. Awesome for a referral. Although it's a mean spirited label, the term morbid obesity has some medical ramifications, meaning with that diagnosis you might be able to get your health insurance company to chip in for some specialized sessions with a trainer. Look into it.

BiggDaddy58

Just get active..do something...anything..walking..stationary bike..simple home exercises..like raising yourself up on your toes 20 times...

Whatever you can do.. "Morbidly Obese" is different for people. I was in that category as well..not long ago.

I am 57 and 5' 10 1/2" and weighed 308#. I started with a stationary bike..5 minutes..7 minutes..whatever I could do a.m. and p.m.

That was on March 1st. I now can do 90+ minutes a day..I also do light weights and am adding walking 2-3 miles a day, very briskly.

On July 18th..I weighed in at 243.6 pounds. You have to have the willpower and make up your mind.

Cut calories and get active. My Dr. said "put on your shoes" and that is what he meant..just get active..

Find something..that works for you..anything at all..to get you moving..trust me..it will get easier..

meshashesha2012

I'm currently on the edge of morbidly obese for my frame and i definitely understand that things i used to be able to do a few years ago when i was just regular obese are so much harder now.

Anything you can do will help. Just for now work on doing something consistently for 15-30 minutes a day. If you have access to a pool this can be a really good way to exercise and keep your joints and tendons happy.

Good luck!