Exercise ideas for a heavy woman

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!