Beginners Work Out Routine
siimplysmiile
Posts: 8
Hi everyone,
I’m new to posting here, but have been reading the boards for a while. I’m looking for an exercise routine that is realistic, and will help me lose weight. I’m much better at the eating healthy part than the activity factor – but I realize I need to be doing both.
So for some background: I’m 25 years old, female, and am fluctuating around 300 lbs. My body as a whole is a “problem area” – but I seem to hold weight most in my tummy and upper arms. I’d like something that works my whole body, but would like some extra work for these localized areas. I don’t have access to a gym membership at this point, and own no equipment at home. I have been walking between 2 to 3 miles a day (trying to make this a routine anyways!) – but I would like to find a routine I can do at home for the days that I’m unable to walk or ideally, to try and incorporate both.
I am willing to purchase a DVD and some small equipment, I just need some guidance as to what has worked for others or sounds appropriate for my circumstance. My concern is that so many workout routines are designed for “already in shape” people, whereas I’m obviously a beginner and need something a little easier and can work my way up.
ALSO – wondering if there’s any smaller communities (forums, groups) out there for weight loss that I can join as a way to stay motivated, seek help, and share tips, goals, and achievements.
Thanks for your help!
I’m new to posting here, but have been reading the boards for a while. I’m looking for an exercise routine that is realistic, and will help me lose weight. I’m much better at the eating healthy part than the activity factor – but I realize I need to be doing both.
So for some background: I’m 25 years old, female, and am fluctuating around 300 lbs. My body as a whole is a “problem area” – but I seem to hold weight most in my tummy and upper arms. I’d like something that works my whole body, but would like some extra work for these localized areas. I don’t have access to a gym membership at this point, and own no equipment at home. I have been walking between 2 to 3 miles a day (trying to make this a routine anyways!) – but I would like to find a routine I can do at home for the days that I’m unable to walk or ideally, to try and incorporate both.
I am willing to purchase a DVD and some small equipment, I just need some guidance as to what has worked for others or sounds appropriate for my circumstance. My concern is that so many workout routines are designed for “already in shape” people, whereas I’m obviously a beginner and need something a little easier and can work my way up.
ALSO – wondering if there’s any smaller communities (forums, groups) out there for weight loss that I can join as a way to stay motivated, seek help, and share tips, goals, and achievements.
Thanks for your help!
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Replies
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Check out this website
Www.walkathome.com
I found it the other day. She shows you how to walk in your living room for exercise. I think I am going to love it.
Cindy0 -
A gym membership so you can do a resistance training routine like Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5 is going to be the best thing for you. Please continue to look for ways to get into a gym.
In the meantime, a lot of people have success with DVD programs like P90X, Insanity, etc. Most of them require minimal equipment. You can also check out resources such as "You Are Your Own Gym" and "Convict Conditioning".0 -
Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred is a great place to start. It's what I started out on, and I was way out of shape. It kicked my butt hard in the beginning!0
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Walk away the miles with Leslie Sansone is great for all levels aof fitness!!! SHe is all over youtube. You DO NOT have to have a gym membership to get healthy!0
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I usually workout at home. I do things like squats, lunges. push up (on the knees is fine), wall push up, jumping jacks, burpees, wall sits, jump rope 30 seconds. 10 sets of them and repeat it 2 or 3 times.0
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Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred is a great place to start. It's what I started out on, and I was way out of shape. It kicked my butt hard in the beginning!
I was going to suggest the 30DS as well. You can find it for free on youtube. Combine that with the walking you are already doing and that would be a great start! Good luck! You can do it!0 -
A gym membership so you can do a resistance training routine like Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5 is going to be the best thing for you. Please continue to look for ways to get into a gym.
In the meantime, a lot of people have success with DVD programs like P90X, Insanity, etc. Most of them require minimal equipment. You can also check out resources such as "You Are Your Own Gym" and "Convict Conditioning".
+1 for You Are Your Own Gym and Convict Conditioning, or just look up bodyweight exercises on youtube. There are ways to make the moves more difficult as they become easier. BeFit and Fitness Blender are really good programs on youtube, too. Don't look at exercise as a way to lose weight, though. You should be focusing on your diet for that, with consistent logging and weighing your food. Make sure to take at least one rest day every week. This is a good resource. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants and make sure to read http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/925464-fitting-it-in-giggity. It's linked in the sexypants thread, too.0 -
I second the recommendation to try Leslie Sansone Walk at Home videos. You can view some of her workouts for free on Youtube to see if you like them. I started with her 'beginner walks' at first and found it to be a challenge at 242 pounds, but it is all low impact for the most part and she encourages you to do what you can. I still use her DVD's five to six times a week.
Debra Mazda used to weigh over 300 pounds and has a 'Shapely Girl' series of walking, step and weight workout DVD's that are also very good.
Jessica Smith has her own YouTube channel and has a vast array of workouts for free, too.
I guess the bottom line is finding a workout you enjoy and look forward to as consistency is key. Good luck!0 -
Fitness Blender on Youtube- I bought a kettle bell at Marshall's; it made for a nice change.0
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I highly recommend FitnessBlender. You can find just about anything there, and Daniel and Kelly do it right - no gimmicks, no magic pills, nothing. You don't even need equipment - they will tell you to use what you have. Oh, and did I mention it is all FREE? Love them!0
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As others have indicated... walking is a super place to begin. I prefer to do this outside, weather permitting, as I feel the exposure to nature and fresh air, can improve your mental and emotional well being. During the winter, I do spend a good bit of time on the tread mill however. There are other great starters, including yoga, isometrics( investigate DDP Yoga), etc. that anyone in almost any shape can do. Many people (including myself) swear by things like boxing or kickboxing on a heavy bag or shadowboxing. This is something you can do as slow or as fast as your body condition allows, and it can *always* be ramped up to even professional levels. Kettlebells also are great, because the equipment is minimal (1 or 2 kettlebells from Walmart, Dick's, etc.), and you can start light and move up in weight to greatly intensify the workout.
I am a firm believer in bodyweight strength conditioning. HOWEVER... it can be difficult for beginners because you have the double whammy of having too much weight to lift and not enough strength to do it. But there are ways to leverage angles and gravity to make the exercises easier (push ups on the stairs, etc.) until you both lose weight and gain strength. Once you have made some gains in both of these areas, body weight strength training is great. As you can do it anywhere, anytime, with no equipment needed, and get both a strength workout and caloric burn.
For specific workouts... I would just spend a little time on Youtube, looking for boxing or kettlebell routines for beginners. I have a friend that has lost over 100lbs using DDP Yoga, so he swears by that. He started in pretty bad shape and just looks great now. An entirely different person. And WALK as much as you have time for, every day.
(Edit: I've found some great workouts and boxing fitness from Nate Bower. Look on Youtube, and his website.)0 -
flowrgal23 wrote: »Jessica Smith has her own YouTube channel and has a vast array of workouts for free, too.
I just looked at her personal website; she has a ton of video! Love the mommy n me one
Thanks for sharing!0 -
siimplysmiile wrote: »Hi everyone,
I’m new to posting here, but have been reading the boards for a while. I’m looking for an exercise routine that is realistic, and will help me lose weight. I’m much better at the eating healthy part than the activity factor – but I realize I need to be doing both.
So for some background: I’m 25 years old, female, and am fluctuating around 300 lbs. My body as a whole is a “problem area” – but I seem to hold weight most in my tummy and upper arms. I’d like something that works my whole body, but would like some extra work for these localized areas. I don’t have access to a gym membership at this point, and own no equipment at home. I have been walking between 2 to 3 miles a day (trying to make this a routine anyways!) – but I would like to find a routine I can do at home for the days that I’m unable to walk or ideally, to try and incorporate both.
I am willing to purchase a DVD and some small equipment, I just need some guidance as to what has worked for others or sounds appropriate for my circumstance. My concern is that so many workout routines are designed for “already in shape” people, whereas I’m obviously a beginner and need something a little easier and can work my way up.
ALSO – wondering if there’s any smaller communities (forums, groups) out there for weight loss that I can join as a way to stay motivated, seek help, and share tips, goals, and achievements.
Thanks for your help!
I dont know if your on facebook (even though it seems as though the entire planet is) But there is a group called Down with Dani March Challenge. Join it, if Danyeil asks who referred you please tell her Jennifer Fowler. Its a closed private group and there is soooo much encouragement and help and motivation and support there. Unlike MFP where there seem to be a lot of meanies who think they are all experts at what YOU should be doing. Also feel free to add me. I too am 329 pounds and have been walking 2-3 miles a day for a while and doing portion control and meal prepping, lower carbs and higher protien (although I havent managed to get it 100%) ANyhoo, good luck to you!!!! You can totally do this. I started at 412 about 7 months ago...
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Free equipmentless workouts -- neilarey.com
Free workout videos -- www.fitnessblender.com
Workout apps -- Sworkit,
Nike+ Training Club,
Zombies, Run! (You are Runner 5 [you can do it walking] in an ongoing story in a world with zombies -- To avoid zombies you have to increase your speed by 20% for 1 minute...so if you are walking at 2.0mph you have to get up to 2.4mph, 2.5mph to 3.0, 5mph to 6, etc.)
Fitocracy (Which is like MyFitnessPal for working out),
and Ingress [It is a game that has you walking all over to basically do advanced capture the flag...the important part is it gives you a motivation to walk around]0 -
Anything that gets you moving will work. Whatever you will do, whatever you find fun. Maybe that is walking. Leslie Sansone is great. Do you like to dance? Zumba or other dance workout. Do you like calisthenics, like jumping jacks, pushups, situps? Do Jillian. Check out Youtube and Fitnessblender online and see what you like to do best.0
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And it seems MFP has some ideas as well: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/12/bang-for-your-buck-how-to-work-out-more-and-spend-less/0
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The Daily Burn- $9.99 a month and there's a 30 day free trial! They have lots to choose from yoga, dance, weightlifting, high intensity, but the best to start with is True Beginner. It's a series of video work outs for, well, the true beginner lol! They are around 30 minutes long. I just started a week ago and my favorite video of the true beginner series so far are the stability and mobility videos. It's a full body workout that pushes you just enough to get your blood pumping and your sweat going. You won't hurt or wake up sore the next day and feel as though you've been run over by a truck. They have tons of other videos too! You can use it on your phone, computer, tablet, Roku, Amazon Firestick etc. It's much better than any DVD I've ever seen. The instructors are really good. They give lots of tips and lots of modifications you can do if you're not physically ready. The videos progress smoothly so you don't feel like you're trying to scramble to keep up. They don't just assume you already know how to do it. They also give you about 30 seconds to break for water and to catch your breath. I really like it so far.0
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Walking is a great place to begin, as is FitnessBlender. FWIW, I started from sedentary at over 300 lbs too, and FitnessBlender was great, especially in the beginning. I still use them several times a week, and I've lost >150 lbs so far.
You can search their website to filter by difficulty level (and equipment, including PLENTY of "no equipment" options) which is fantastic for a beginner.
ETA: In terms of trying to decide what to do from what probably seems like a dizzying array of options when you're a beginner and don't know much, I'd advise two things.
First, in the beginning really the most important thing for you is to establish a habit you'll stick with. It almost doesn't matter what you do, just make a commitment to yourself to move every day. Start at 10 minutes if that's all you can do, and gradually increase that as you build a base. It'll probably take several months for you to really establish exercise as a habit, but man it's worth it.
Second, just try new things! Don't be embarrassed about being clumsy and uncoordinated or not strong or having a smaller range of motion. Everyone starts somewhere. Things get better, and you'll notice. And by trying new things you'll keep it fresh, keep yourself interested, and not for nothing you'll learn over time what you like to do.0 -
And it seems MFP has some ideas as well: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/12/bang-for-your-buck-how-to-work-out-more-and-spend-less/
Take what the MFP "Hello Healthy" blog says with a grain of salt.
Two weeks ago they posted a dangerous post about 7 ways to use a treadmill that's not walking/running. And have routinely posted pseudo-science and cleanses. They're reposting crap that is from Self.
Nerdfitness has some great beginner bodyweight routines on their site - nerdfitness.com0 -
How tall are you? I ask because you and I may have similar body types and goals. Feel free to add me. I had success before with C25k. I wasn't the strictest follower, but I was able to run a 5k in a decent time. I did classes at the gym that incorporated not just cardio but resistance training or high intensity. Now that classes are kind of a bust around the holidays, I've done my homework and I'm doing Strong Lifts. Since starting back on classes, strong lifts, working on my eating and stress--I've had some decent losses. There's all kinds of apps that have workouts that they show you how to do and time you--like Skimble.0
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Walking is a great place to begin, as is FitnessBlender. FWIW, I started from sedentary at over 300 lbs too, and FitnessBlender was great, especially in the beginning. I still use them several times a week, and I've lost >150 lbs so far.
You can search their website to filter by difficulty level (and equipment, including PLENTY of "no equipment" options) which is fantastic for a beginner.
ETA: In terms of trying to decide what to do from what probably seems like a dizzying array of options when you're a beginner and don't know much, I'd advise two things.
First, in the beginning really the most important thing for you is to establish a habit you'll stick with. It almost doesn't matter what you do, just make a commitment to yourself to move every day. Start at 10 minutes if that's all you can do, and gradually increase that as you build a base. It'll probably take several months for you to really establish exercise as a habit, but man it's worth it.
Second, just try new things! Don't be embarrassed about being clumsy and uncoordinated or not strong or having a smaller range of motion. Everyone starts somewhere. Things get better, and you'll notice. And by trying new things you'll keep it fresh, keep yourself interested, and not for nothing you'll learn over time what you like to do.
^THIS! Walking is wonderful for you and gets you out into the sunshine. The combination makes you feel better. Second, find something you enjoy. If you don't enjoy it, then it won't last. Try new things and see what works for you. If you like lifting weights, lift away! If you like walking, make it even more fun. Audio books, bringing family or pets along, etc. If you love music, try dancing. The Wii Just Dance games are pretty fun and it's a hell of a workout. Yoga can be wonderful for people who are severely overweight as it will strengthen you without the extra stresses on your joints. Cycling has worked out beautifully for me, as it is very forgiving to the knees and feet. Before long, as the pounds shed, you won't have to work so hard to find things you enjoy and it'll come easier to you. In the meantime, try some new things out and see what you like.0
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