Exercise ideas for a heavy woman

beckaanne52

I just started weight loss journey at 236lbs. I was excited to see that just going up and down my stairs in my house for three minutes burned 80 calories! Walking pushing my child in her stroller for half and hour this morning burned 133 calories. I am also just finding little ways to DO more... like lifting my baby up over my head while siting in my chair. I am not setting huge exercise goals because in the past I have been defeated. I just am trying to do a little more each day then I did before.

TheRealParisLove

Swimming! When I read the title I also thought about cycling as a great option for large people, as it is also a no-impact exercise. How are your feet? Can you manage using an elliptical trainer? This is also a no-impact exercise, but if you have foot problems, it may not be very comfortable.

You may also try working in some circuit training. It is a good introduction to strength training and is an excellent full body workout. Once you feel stronger and more fit, you'll want to switch to more challenging forms of resistant training, but for now circuit training should be just the kind of workout you can see some fast progress with.

eric_sg61

Take a hike...preferably 2-6 miles at a time

Melissa22G

Start simple.

Swimming is an excellent choice. You can join a YMCA where there are water aerobics classes held. Aqua Zumba is incredibly fun!

Walking.is another good one. Add small distance every day- (from mail box to mail box)

Weights- small hand weights while in a seated position.

Personal training at home- have someone come to the conforts of your home with a back ground in working with people in the same situation

Chair exercieses - There's lots on youtube to find.

But first and foremost- see your Dr. before starting any new exercise regimen. Get a physical, see what your body can handle. You may be more or less able than you have in mind.

Good luck to you OP!

JNoble64

I cannot afford the gym either and started walking.

Just do a short walk to begin with and build as you feel stronger. You can also add weights while you pedal. I found a station on the tv in the early am that has arm exercises and it brings my cardio up as I pedal. Just don't stop.

Good Luck and Keep On Moving!

YoBecca

In addition to everybody else's recommendations - I know they seem terribly cheesy, but classic Jane Fonda or Richard Simmons workout videos are fun and effective. You can do them in a small space, inside in A/C, they *always* offer low-impact or low-mobility options, and they get you moving. When I first started working out after my first pregnancy (carrying more weight than I had before, with balance and mobility issues), I dug out an old Jane Fonda video of my mom's and made great progress.

jadethief

I love Leslie Sansone's videos! And you don't need a lot of room to do them. Don't be discouraged if you can't keep up with her at first. Just keep moving. You'll find that your endurance will increase pretty quickly.

chantels1

Anything that gets you moving!!! Walking in the early morning is great, the videos suggested are great. If you don't want to walk that early, try a mall. Lots of malls have walking clubs that utilize the a/c as well as the roof in the winter!!

As for being dizzy, keep hydrated!!! You must drink 8+ glasses of water a day. More if you are sweating alot! Don't starve yourself either. You will get dizzy that way too.

Good luck and happy losing!

littlelaura

Leslie Sansone as others have said, she is just wonderful, you can do the dvds in the privacy of your own home.

garber6th

I started off at about the same weight and I started off with walking. The only problem I had was that because of my weight, my feet would HURT after a while. I had a step, the kind they use in step aerobics, and I would just step up and down while I was watching TV or sometimes just when I saw it there, I would step on for a few minutes. I added some 3 pound weights too and I would do arm exercises at the same time. It was a great start for me and my feet weren't screaming from it.

LassoOfTruth

I started at 325, and lost the first 30ish pounds just walking.

AliceA2013

Get some medical advice about exercise and high blood pressure first even though exercise forms part of the lifestyle management of non-severe hypertension. You need specific medical advice about you.

I would say they will probably advice you to exercise at the lower intensity range so that your blood pressure doesn't increase much during exercise.

Read up about exercise from quality sources. Any well-rounded exercise regime should include cardiovascular work (I prefer little and often), progressive resistance training (gradually increasing weights), endurance training (longer walks) and flexibility / balance (Yoga or Tai Chi). Start at a level you know you can sustain and increase by 10% per week. Increasing faster is for young athletic types and not for older or for very overweight people. Your joints and ligaments need to get accustomed gradually to exercise and it is best if you go slow but sure.

curly1986

I'm another lesley sansone fan here. I'm 270 pounds and I just feel too big and cumbersome ( and jiggly!! lol) to do all those fast paced workouts, and if a workout involves lots of getting on the floor and up again I also rule it out as after a while it kills my knees. Yoga or pilates is also a good option as the beginner stuff is quite nicely paced and it will help improve flexability.

namluv

I have to say ditto to the walking suggestion - I was able to lose 20 lb before resetting my ticker and most was just walking, with a little bit of dancing around my house and elliptical for variety. If waking does that for me (without being over 200 to start with - no offense intended to all those who start out larger) I am sure it will do fantastic things for you!

mssierra2u

If you have access to a pool, you can try walking in the pool. It's easier on your ankles and knees, if they bother you. It's wonderful that you have started the journey. :drinker:

LizaDK914

I agree with the pool option, if you have access to one. If not, be careful when walking. It's pretty high impact for us bigger girls.

If you haven't yet, you should look into incorporating some strength training as muscle burns more than fat. Don't overdo it, because then you'll have big muscles under fat - but definitely incorporate some!

vw95

If you have access to a computer You Tube has Leslie Sanson's Walk Away the Pounds videos for free. I started there at 260.8. Just stick with it...you'll get there!

vw95

I too am a big girl, and have loved the Leslie Sanson's Walk away the pounds videos. I found a DVD copy yesterday at Cost co (Canada) for 7.99. It has a different routine for 5 days.

Mamato3cubs

I know that you said you can't afford a gym membership, but if you have a YMCA around they offer scholarships. Good luck

SmallMimi

Walking, if the heat bothers you, set your alarm and get up early before it gets too hot.

rotnkat

You can walk in place for about 5 - 10 minutes then sit down in a chair and take a beach ball (basketball size) and place between your knee and squeeze your knees together 10 - 12 times. Repeat for as long as you can.

Take a few cans of food and place them in a cloth grocery bag and do bicep curls and/or lift your arms above your head.

I did this until I felt comfortable enough to go buy a set of hand weights and then I bought my pilates power gym machine.

Good for you for at least starting as many people don't!!!

trackme

Lots of great ideas here. Water exercise, swimming is the coolest way to go. Don't forget you can use a portable fan to cool you off during exercise.

TeaBea

"Walk at Home" .... by Leslie Sansone. I realize that several posters have said this already. But here's why it's for very beginners (thru intermediate). You can do these at your own pace...... make the moves slower, faster, smaller or bigger .... it's up to you.

I really like the DVDs because they are chaptered (I can skip around to "miles" I like) .... but here's a youtube sample:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjduJjO1pLg&feature=related OR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cE1jxDS3HY

Seated exercise: a whole bunch of videos at collagevide.com (they show video clips): http://www.collagevideo.com/exercise-videos/seated-exercise-exercise-videos-47

Here's a youtube workout: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xC9khisFPA

EAPTX

I started at 270 and all I could manage at first was walking. I made sure I had really comfortable, cushy shoes because it was such a strain on my feet to go a few miles. The key is consistency. I started off walking every other day, then got to the point where I allow myself one day off per week. Just as an aside, I hiked 9 miles on vacation one day last week - in the mountains!

I also live in a very hot climate and have to walk early in the morning around dawn. I found that I got my best results when I put a book on my mp3 player. I wanted to keep walking just to hear what happened next.

The thing with walking as opposed to stationary cycling is that you have to move YOU. All 300+ pounds. So you get a better burn.

The other thing that was a godsend for me was the wii Fit, as someone else mentioned. I know it is not a hard-core workout for most people, but for a really heavy person it was a good, consistent workout that has lots of goals and is much fun, and can be done inside in the controlled climate. I still do that on days when I can't get outside, because it chides you if you don't log in!

kdaughertyfp

Bike is great, but maybe you increased to quickly. For inexpensive ways to do more, when you empty plastic type bottle, maybe milk jugs or to start out with smaller bottles you can grasp with your hands. Fill them with water for weights. Holding the bottles, and arms at your sides,rise your arms to shoulder height (keeping your arms straight), do 10 - 15 how many ever you can do and work up to 15. then do bicep curls, then lift them above your head. If you do these things do each one 10 - 15 times, then do the next one. you can repeat up to 3 times. Then when you build up your strength and stamina you can find a large bottle. Don't start out too heavy. make sure your bottle does not weigh more than 2 - 5 lbs. With the side raise, you may find you cant do more than 5 lbs, it is just that mussel. The other exercises you maybe able to increase your weight more quickly.

I started out over 380lbs and currently am at 333lbs. I do these same type of exercises, and use a recumbent type stepper. I am not able to do the walking like others suggest because of my bad knees. I hope this helps, if you would like to friend me I would be happy to have you as a MFP friend. I am kdaughertyfp. Good luck on your weight loss!

KelleyGirl74

Also, some gyms are only $10/month and don't require a contract. Planet Fitness is one of those but there is a start-up fee. Maybe that's something you would want to save for??

There is a 29.00 start up fee for the 10/month and for no start up fee it's 19.99/month. But they something about and annual membership fee. I'll do more research and find out what all this is. I'm a little confused. It sounds like you pay them on the 29.99 startup... You pay 10/month PLUS 29.99 once a year. But I'm not sure. So again, gonna do some research and find this out.

But like everyone, walking and water walking. Major help on the knees.

thrld

If you have access to a computer You Tube has Leslie Sanson's Walk Away the Pounds videos for free. I started there at 260.8. Just stick with it...you'll get there!

this!