Newbie looking for extreme beginner exercise tips

myndikins

Hi everyone! I just joined mfp and I lurked around this group a little bit before deciding to join. You all seem pretty awesome so far! I do have a question though and I'm hoping someone here can help.

I'm really a beginner on the whole exercising thing and I can't afford a gym membership at the moment. I'm looking for a program I can youtube or buy on DVD that targets a lot of basic flexibility, maybe yoga or something. In 2011, I was hospitalized for a while and had to learn to walk, use my hands, everything from zero. Since then, I've had a lot of issues with flexibility and basic things that never bothered me before. Physical therapy was pretty much a joke and didn't address that at all. Does anyone know of anything that might be a good solution? Maybe like "Yoga for people with the flexibility of a steel pole" or something like that. Bonus points if its something free or really cheap!

m23prime

First off... HI! Welcome.

Second--I know absolutely nothing except this one thing:

Before you start ANY exercise program, talk to your doctor. Seriously.

Then once you are cleared...go for a walk. A stroll. A perambulation. That's all.

A journey of a hundred plus pounds begins with a single step. (quickly followed by a few more)

The next phase is a pedometer/ step counter. I swear by mine. Easy stages--build up to 10k steps a day. Then, rather than piling on steps, work on taking more of your 10k in a row--then work on taking your steps faster.

Don't make it complicated.

Don't make it hard.

Find the fun.

If you beat yourself up on the first day you won't come back.

Listen to your body.

Make exercise a habit rather than a chore.

Now I will let the smart people chime in with some actual HELPFUL advice...

and feel free to friend me!

m(ark)23

dward59

Well, Mark has done a bang up job for walking which is generally the best thing for all of us to start with. My wife and I spent some money on membership to the local Botanic and Zoological gardens and we walk there often, but you don't have to do that. You can walk anywhere. Many malls open early to let the walkers in out of the weather.

Now specifically to your question. When I was more than 100lbs heavier than I am now, I started on this journey barely able to move, or breathe. I started with very short walks outside the house. When the weather got bad, my wife picked up an inexpensive DVD, Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds, Miracle Mile, and I slowly worked my way up to that. Then I added some more of her workouts, one that added weight work. You don't have to have hand weights to start, you can use a couple of cans from your pantry, or save some half gallon milk cartons and put water in them to increase weight.

My wife and daughter bought a Yoga DVD, but I don't think they liked it. They used it only once. I did check YouTube and they have loads of flexibility videos. It may well be worth your while looking through the flexibility for beginners offerings.

I suggest looking at a local thrift store for inexpensive workout DVD's. That seems to be something that gets recycled on a regular basis in the US anyway.

I hope that gives you some ideas.

Follow the sage advice above. Do see your doctor before you start anything serious in the way of exercise. (I don't think it would hurt to enhance your walking by doing simple things like parking farther away from stores when you go shopping, but before you start to seriously walk or anything else, get that checkup.)

hollyla9905

Welcome! And I think my advice mimics those of others! Start with your doctor to make sure your on the right path! If your doctor is like mine then you might not listen but start there anyway! And then start with getting moving! Unlike the stuff you see
On tv your not likely to run a mile your first day! I walk and do light weights I started
With two cans of diet coke I moved with them then I drank them! Building muscle is important!

And pain is not the answer if you hurt yourself it could really send you backwards!

Best wishes on your journey!

mdgivens

Hi! I'm going to echo the other sentiments here: doctor consult, then start walking. With regard to the walking, one thing that has worked well for me and others that I know is fasted walking, 30-45 minutes, first thing in the morning. Basically, get up, brush your teeth, throw on some clothes, drink a glass of water, and go.

Costs nothing, and better than coffee for waking you up.

cc11395

All advice has been awesome! For flexibility, consider doing some floor work. It's so great when you feel like you can finally stretch. Just sit on the floor, legs spread as wide ad you can, then take your opposite hand and lean forward as close to your toes as possible, repeat other side, then both hands straight forward. Just as far as you can, then see if you can readjust and push yourself to go an inch further.

If you can't get down on the floor yet, you can do this exercise from a chair too!

For arm movement, can a couple cans of veggies that fit comfortably in your hands. Put your arms straight in the air and then bend arms back at the elbow. Then relax and let the weight of the cans pull your arms further down your back.

Don't get discouraged if you can't go very far at first, but you will see improvement if you do this everyday, twice a day. And if you are like me, this can produce a pretty good sweat too!

In general, this is considered "non-strenuous" so a doctor would approve (depending on what your hospitalization was for). My sister had the same sort of symptoms from hospitalization and these sorts of exercises were recommended to her.

Hope this helps!!

CC

BoricuaMami5785

I agree with everyone here... Doctor and walks. Here's some exercises that I found that are easy to start off on and geared toward a group like ours (which is trying to lose weight in the triple digits): http://exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/obese_exercise_2.htm . I hope this helps.

myndikins

Thanks everybody! I've already been to the doctor and been checked out and all (I spend an ungodly amount of time with doctors, I swear). Of course, the doctors told me that it was great I was wanting to lose weight, but didn't have any good advice on how exactly to go about it.

I have been walking a lot more, but I'm still wanting something to limber me up a bit. I might just try randomly doing stretches, like CC said. I really want to look into getting a recumbent bike of some sort, but I'll have to watch Craigslist for a bit for that.

Thanks so much guys! You're all so motivating =]

Gnawcraft

Mmm yes keep an eye out for that bike! It's my favourite exercise so far ^_^

Carysta

I have been starting walking really slowly too. I have been doing some swimming this summer which I love because I get a better range of motion when buoyed up by the water. My knees hurt less now than they did but walking still is difficult for me for long periods. I do sometimes go walk at the mall because I can hold onto a shopping cart as I go, which I find helps and means I can go a little further and a little faster each time.

if you like to swim, check your local pool to see if they have passes. Our local pools have 5 and 10 visit punch cards that you can use for either regular swim or an aquacise class, and they are not very expensive. The nice thing with the multi-use pass is it doesn't tie you down to one specific time like a swim class does. Not sure if you like to swim, but something to look into

I have some beginner yoga videos that I keep swearing I'll use but... right now they, and my yoga mat are pretty dusty. When I do use them regularly I find I am more limber, so I think your post is motivating me to do that. The company Gaiam puts out some nice ones. I also have a 'bicycle' - it's two pedals with a thing to adjust the tension on it, that I can use from any chair. It was about $50 new from Sears, but there may be some used online too, and it's handy because you can still be seated somewhere comfy and exercising at the same time.