290 lbs What do I do?

kekagel

I'm at my all time high weight. I'm tired of it. I know in the past I set a million goals for myself and stick with them for a short while. Then, I quit them all.

I'm starting with one or two goals and that's it. My goals this week are to log everything I consume and design and begin an exercise program suitable to myself.

Should I focus on cardio or strength training or both at almost 290 lbs? I don't have access to a gym. I do have some workout dvds as well as a kettlebell.

I want to start off slow, but not so slow that I don't feel like I'm pushing myself. I also don't want to start off with so much that I overwhelm myself and quit.

I welcome all tips and advice. Thank you.

TavistockToad

Walk walk and walk some more!

tbblake

At 330 I started with step aerobics, and the lightest workout I could find. Whenever it became "easy" I'd crank it up some. At the time I used a wii fit, but a stopwatch or a stopwatch app from a website and a metronome app would do the trick. The only hard part about it was not being bored, so I watched TV while I did it.

froeschli

Walk walk and walk some more!

^that's a good one, a friend gave me a pedometer and it was quite inspiring :happy:
other than that, maybe cycling or swimming?
as for strength, i can recommend you a bunch of things, but nothing i stuck to for more than 2 months :blushing: thing is, you've got to find what works for you...

Mr_Knight

I would start simple - log everything you eat (*everything!*) and go for a 40 minute walk every day. I wouldn't even worry too much about eating less until the habit of logging everything (*everything!*) was firmly established.

Figure out where you are before worrying about where to go next.

froeschli

I would start simple - log everything you eat (*everything!*) and go for a 40 minute walk every day. I wouldn't even worry too much about eating less until the habit of logging everything (*everything!*) was firmly established.

Figure out where you are before worrying about where to go next.

logging everything in itself will make you think twice about eating something and as you get more experienced, you start looking at stuff, wondering if one tbsp of it is really worth running an extra 10 minutes...

thesupremeforce

Sort out what you're eating first, and log everything. Walking is a good idea. I've done a good amount of it. The most important aspect of exercise is choosing something you enjoy enough to continue doing it. The odds of sticking with something that you hate aren't good. That being said, SOME sort of resistance/strength training is an excellent idea.

potluck965

I personally feel that accurate food logging is the single most important thing to do. If you don't know what you are taking in, you don't know anything, so to speak.

As for the workout, do what feels right. If you are happy and satisfied then that is the right thing to do. Some of us are limited by age and ailments, but have managed to incorporate just enough walking, etc., to raise our fitness levels and (especially in my case) give us more calories to consume in the course of a day.

Leebett

I'm down from 323 to right around where you are at. I have been working on this for almost 3 months now, and am pleased with my progress this far. My first step was to log everything and you have already committed to that. Then start to figure out how what your calorie goal is and how you are going to achieve that. After you feel comfortable with the food thing (I waited almost 2 weeks) Then start incorporating movement. Walking, cardio dvds, wii fit anything to get your body moving. Get used to this 3-4 times a week and then add strength training (again I waited another 2 weeks). I wanted the changes to be gradual so that I could avoid injury, shocking my body and incorporate it all into my long-term lifestyle plan. When things start to feel too easy or I get bored I switch it up immediately. I also started a c25k program, because that is goal I have always had. Not everyone recommends running at this weight, but I'm taking it slow (5k in 55minutes) and I enjoy the numbers game and seeing my improvement in a very tangible way.

Good luck on your journey. Hope this helps. Feel free to add me as a friend if you would like some additional support.

chani8

'Get ups' and 'pick ups' is how I started getting in shape.

"Get ups" is simply getting up and down out of your firm chair as many times as you can, in one minute. Then rest for a minute. Then do it again. Start with one set, work up to 3. As you get stronger, you can hold your kettle ball in your arms to do this.

"Pick ups" is a standing exercise. Put a full bottle of water in front of you, bend down and pick it up, up to your chin. Put it down, pick it up again. Do this for one mintute. Rest for a minute. Do it again, up to 3 sets. Eventually you'll be able to use your kettle ball for this.

Maybe start by doing just 20 for a day or two, to make sure you can handle it and don't get dizzy, etc.

After a week of those, you should then check out HASfit.com for great beginner workouts!

Mr_Knight

logging everything in itself will make you think twice about eating something and as you get more experienced, you start looking at stuff, wondering if one tbsp of it is really worth running an extra 10 minutes...

Without a doubt. Abso-friggin-lutely!

AynzL

Congrats on starting your journey! Not sure what type of workouts you'd be interested in but my sister does water aerobics. Lots of walking. I have a 2 year old so we go for a lot of walks. Jillian Michaels has a beginner workout dvd. Youtube also has TONS of videos from 10 minutes to 60+ minutes. Fitness Blender has some GREAT workouts on there!! They also have some low impact cardio workouts to start with. I did them after I had my son to get back into it. Good luck!!

BigGuy47

I'm starting with one or two goals and that's it. My goals this week are to log everything I consume and design and begin an exercise program suitable to myself.

This is a good plan, getting away from setting too many goals at once. Of these two goals controlling your diet is by far the most important with regards to losing weight.

For exercise I would start slowly and stick with it. You can adapt and add to your routine once you've formed a regular habit of exercising. Many people (myself included) make the mistake of trying to do too much too soon, failure happens and then they quit trying altogether.

MrsFowler1069

Sort out what you're eating first, and log everything. Walking is a good idea. I've done a good amount of it. The most important aspect of exercise is choosing something you enjoy enough to continue doing it. The odds of sticking with something that you hate aren't good. That being said, SOME sort of resistance/strength training is an excellent idea.

This is exactly what I was about to say. Move more - something measurable and not too difficult to start with (like walking) is a good start. I am just now beginning some strength training today, using mainly milk jugs and cinder blocks. I have no money. lol But I have appreciated what I've learned from other members who have benefited from it so much in terms of body recomposition, "toning," helping with loose skin. I don't what to miss out on those aspects of my long-term goals and feel like now that I've got the food a little more figured out, I'm ready.

Birder150

'Get ups' and 'pick ups' is how I started getting in shape.

"Get ups" is simply getting up and down out of your firm chair as many times as you can, in one minute. Then rest for a minute. Then do it again. Start with one set, work up to 3. As you get stronger, you can hold your kettle ball in your arms to do this.

"Pick ups" is a standing exercise. Put a full bottle of water in front of you, bend down and pick it up, up to your chin. Put it down, pick it up again. Do this for one mintute. Rest for a minute. Do it again, up to 3 sets. Eventually you'll be able to use your kettle ball for this.

Maybe start by doing just 20 for a day or two, to make sure you can handle it and don't get dizzy, etc.

After a week of those, you should then check out HASfit.com for great beginner workouts!

I love this idea myself. Did your kettle bell come with a workout dvd? If not, there are youtube videos for instruction.
Kettle bells give you a bit of both ... cardio and resistance. I think they're a great place to start.
Walking & cycling are easy on the body.
Do you have a bike?

kristi1392

hi there!
i've been there and kinda sorta still am!
BUT this is what you can do!

start out slow (i know it sucks ),
i find that chewing GUM helps curve the craving feeling and u can even get fruity kinds to make it more like a snack!
also i noticed you said fitness dvd! in my experiance usually they are to fast for me at the beginning so i found these free full length videos on youtube called fitness blender and it has a ton of beginner work outs (ergo low impact cardio, bootcamps) u know the usual.

im 230lb (post baby) and when i did the fitness blender for a 30 min video i could only do 11-15min of it.
so each day i try it and its getting easier! i'm no expert but i lost 10lbs so far! and obviously drink water!

hope this helps!

Cannon_G

I would suggest the Galloway Easy 5k app. It's a run-walk-run program that is designed to get you to finish a 5k in 8 weeks. You run for a short interval :30 and then you walk for a short interval :45 and then repeat this process for the duration of the period. After you finish the 5k move to his 10k app, after that move onto the half marathon app. The program from 5k to half consists of three runs a week. On your off days ride a stationary bike for 45-60 minutes. I started it at 306lbs and in 7 months I lost 115 pounds. The Galloway plan will keep you injury free and will slowly build your cardio endurance.

weightedfootsteps

I was 359 lbs. at the beginning of this year! I am currently at 285 lbs. mostly I have done a LOT of walking...but my fave cardio burn is
dancing! I have xbox with kinect and a dance game i use. it has a workout mode where you put in your weight and it will tell you how many
cals you have burned after each song. I love that thing! I have dance offs with my kids and my nephews...we also use a wii with a
dance game as well. that one is fun but doesnt have the workout mode...so i log into mfp how long i have danced. that is where a stopwatch
comes in handy...lol. About four months ago I joined a gym I go for some cardio but mainly for mucle building and i also box with my trainer its so much fun!!! Definitely find something you like and stick to it, but also switch it up. your body gets used to the same thing. and it
doesnt get the burn it needs.

SairahRose

So much luck on your journey! I started where you are..and honestly, the first step really is logging. Its boring sometimes, but soon it becomes second nature.
And move as much as you feel comfortable doing, don't push yourself too hard. Find something you enjoy and try to do more of that.
Find some good friends/family who support you through it.

Don't feel discouraged if you don't move enough, or you eat too much. Just shrug it off and get back to it the next day.
You're using this now, and it's the start of a new journey (ignore the ones before, just use them as reference) - you got this!

*hugs* Good luck!

three40one

Hey
I too began my weight lost at over 300 (341 lbs was my highest weight/ 325 lbs when I began MFP) so I know where you are coming from.
For myself I accepted that I had lived with some bad albeit fun habits for a long time, but I wanted to ride roller coasters again.
I know that sounds like a weird thing to say but it hit me one day that my weight limited me and my choices in life, so my ultimate goal is to ride a roller coaster again, and then one day do a cartwheel and if I can really follow through I'd like to run an 8 minute mile.

Counting calories- was crucial for me. I can not emphasize enough how the MFP app helped me in becoming more conscious about my calories and what it was i was thoughtlessly eating.

Replacing- Fattening stuff like whole milk for fat free milk and trading Cokes for flavored carbonated water.

Moving- find the exercise you like. For some people like me the gym is perfect, for others walking outdoors (not for me I hate it). I also do some small body weight exercises too like planking, push ups, and wall squats/sumo squats just to gauge where I am.

Take your measurements-- much more rewarding than the scale and buy some goal clothes. When I lost 60lbs I really didn't feel it but I "saw" it in my measurements (5 inches+) and it was a total NSV (non-scale victory) to wear clothes I couldn't button on or zip up before.

Good luck.

agsodar

I weighed the exact same weight as you do one year and 8 months ago.I didn't even start exercising until I go to 250lbs.just stick with the program here and you'll be fine.I am down to 190 lbs.I only exercise once a week,if that. Just don't cheat.you can do it,it justtakes a lot of willpower.I always save 300 calories for my nightly snacks.Hope iI helped you a little.Tony S.