How do I even start exercising?

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Replies

  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Thank you all for your help! I think I'm going to gift myself new shoes when I lose a couple more pounds. Where should I go to buy these shoes and how much should I expect to pay?

    Why not just get a basic, cheap pair to get started walking in now? You want to start exercising so get started. Down the road if you decide to do something more like jogging/running, then "gift" yourself a better pair of shoes as a congratulations to yourself for sticking with it.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Baby steps. I would suggest you invest in a pair of running shoes and start walking . Even if its just 5 minutes a day to start . Do that for a week and then add another minute. Don't give up. I suggest walking becuase it is something everyone needs to do. You can swim and do yoga but everyone walks to get them somewhere and it doesnt take long to notice the difference in your breathing, Be kind to yourself. we all have to start somewhere . The most important thing is to find something you WILL do and start building up to it and stick with it

    This- it's easy to do and you will build up endurance if you do it consistently. Good luck!

    1+ nothing more to add.
  • Cerakoala
    Cerakoala Posts: 2,547 Member
    At my starting weight I could barely even walk so I started small. I started walking 5 minutes a day around my apartment. As that became easier I kept adding a minute each day to my time. Once I was up to an hour of walking I started to try increasing the pace :) Then when I was up to jogging I signed up for a gym and started the elipticals and treadmills. Eventually I got into weight training and now I am doing crossfit. All of this took me about 3 years to progress too. Start small. As long as your heart rate is going up it is helping you. Listen to your body it will tell you if you are pushing yourself to hard or not hard enough :)
  • sympha01
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
    Thank you all for your help! I think I'm going to gift myself new shoes when I lose a couple more pounds. Where should I go to buy these shoes and how much should I expect to pay?

    Why not just get a basic, cheap pair to get started walking in now? You want to start exercising so get started. Down the road if you decide to do something more like jogging/running, then "gift" yourself a better pair of shoes as a congratulations to yourself for sticking with it.

    ^^^THIS. If you're not really sure what kind of exercise you'll be doing anyway, there's no particular point in getting anything fancy or a specialized fitting. There's a big difference in shoes that are optimized for walking, running, dancing, etc. and those stores are going to be best if you already know what you'll be doing and what kind of condition your feet are in (what makes them hurt more, etc.). When I first started I just got a basic pair of cheap but reputable cross trainers (cross-trainers = a little good for everything, not really GREAT for anything) that I ordered off Amazon based on good reviews. Worked out FINE.

    Especially since I think it's unlikely you'll be doing running in the first 6 months -- given both your beginner status and your current size -- nor are you going to be doing any sports competitively, high-end athletic shoes requiring a trip to a fancy specialty store are simply NOT a necessity.
  • kvansanity
    kvansanity Posts: 108 Member
    bike bike bike bike bike bike bike :D

    i got a bike and it changed my life!
  • klfoster88
    klfoster88 Posts: 65 Member
    Walk. It's free, easy, and can be done anywhere. Get a pedometer and set yourself a step goal then just start walking:)
  • unnamed101
    unnamed101 Posts: 14
    Cardio is key.
  • socalkay
    socalkay Posts: 746 Member
    re. Shoes - I bought a pair of Champion cross-trainers at Payless Shoes. They fit well, they are comfortable and they work for what I can do (which isn't a lot).
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
    Well it seems the majority says walking and I agree. We all had to start somewhere. When I first started I would have never expected to be doing the intense exercise that I do now. You are also not the only one and sooooo many people on here started out just like you and are probably at goal weight. Start out slow and build yourself up to more moderate workouts. Start out with walking and then maybe you can do some at home youtube videos. You can find some for dancing, bodyweight workouts, or my favorite the Walk Away the Pounds videos. That one is a great choice for when you cannot get outside to workout from heat or rain.

    Definitely do not wait to gift yourself a pair of sneakers. You waited this long to workout and you said your health is horrible, so why wait? Get up and do it now!! You will love and thank yourself for it in the long run. You can get a pair from Ross, TJ Maxx or Burlington Coat Factory just to begin with. You HAVE to want to do it though. It is all in your head. Don't think about it, just do it.

    Good luck girl!
  • EvelineUK
    EvelineUK Posts: 97
    Go on Youtube and look for Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home. There are several 'distances', start with 1 Mile, which is 15 min. including warm-up and cool-down. I started doing these and worked my way up to longer distances.
    Leslie is quite chatty which some might not enjoy, but it took my mind off just how much I was sweating just by doing these 15 minutes.

    And if you get hooked, she's got tons of DVDs for sale, too, so you can keep on going.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    I'm always amazed that I don't hear biking mentioned more often in this kind of thread. Biking is what I did even at my heaviest, though back then I biked much less back then and took it hella slow because I was getting really short of breath and didn't realize how much of that was from something besides extra weight. So much for outgrowing that problem. It's decent on your knees as long as you remember to shift gears for hills and inclines.

    Edit: there are some online guides that you can look at to figure out what shoes are good based on your shoe wear pattern if a specialty store isn't in the budget. Finish Line and other 'budget' places aren't evil if you already know what you need. I've got an older pair of Sauconys and they were around $45 on sale from one of those places if I remember right.
  • SinCityFit
    SinCityFit Posts: 96
    I started with five minutes in the elliptical and 4 years later it sort of escalated into a Full Ironman (over 100 lbs lost from a beginning 230 lbs at 5'4").
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    Exercise is movement... Just get to moving beyond what you are doing and gradually increase as you are able... One step at a time. Walking is a good place to start. Pick up a few things that are a little heavier than you otherwise would... Gradually increase your strength... Exercise does not have to be something you don't enjoy... Engage in movement and lifting type activities that you enjoy doing... Make a game out of it. You will maintain something you enjoy far longer than the things you don't enjoy.
  • MarissaPalm
    MarissaPalm Posts: 123 Member
    Fitness Blender has a lot of really awesome home beginner workout videos. I first started exercising using their videos and lost 10 lbs within the first month. I like using Fitness Blender because they do not use lame workout music or fake smile the whole damn time haha :) www.fitnessblender.com

    Also, you do not necessarily need sneakers to work out at home. I usually workout barefoot/with socks and it's fine :)

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