Exercise to lose weight???

agoessli

Hello,

I know that cardio is the best way to burn calories and lose weight....I am doing REALLY well watching my calories but because of my knee....I can't do any treadmill, elliptical or even bike. I just ordered a couple of yoga and pilates videos...will either of these help me to lost weight?!?! Please let me know! I would do workouts in the water if I could but, it's just not an option for me right now.

Thank you in advance for your help/advice!

ajbeans

What's up with your knee? Could you brace it and perhaps do lighter exercises? Have you talked to your doctor about this? Depending on what the problem is with your knee, yoga and pilates might put strain on it as well. They're both good for weight loss, but I wouldn't start anything without talking to your doctor about your knee first.

stormieweather

90% of weight loss has to do with the kitchen. If your diet is under control, you'll lose, regardless of what your exercise regimen looks like. That said, pilates and yoga are good for your body and do raise your heart rate (albeit not nearly as much as an elliptical). So I would go for it and keep those muscles limber :flowerforyou:

Squinkie

Walking is a great way to burn calories without injuring yourself. I have knee issues as well and walking usually doesn't anger my knee as long as I don't do too much too fast. Any activity you do burns calories, whether it is cardio or strength. Doing housecleaning burns calories...try not to focus on what you can't do, but find any activity that you can do and embrace it. Just keep moving!

agoessli

tendinitis....but it's reoccurring...Everytime I get it I rest it for several weeks and Ice and elevate...and it keeps coming back after I have been back about a week or so.

Fieldsy

What about weight training?

thehobbyist

I know that cardio is the best way to burn calories and lose weight...

I don't actually agree with this. My heart rate goes up as quickly when I do weight-lifting as when I do cardio, but where cardio's calorie-burning effects last a short time (one's heart rate goes back to normal shortly after the workout ends), weight-training builds muscle, which burns even more calories in the long run. Massive football players and other athletes generally don't burn enough calories just by running around to be able to eat the piles of food they take in, it's their muscles that burn off the majority of the cheeseburgers and pizzas.

I agree with others that diet is a big part of losing weight, and when I wasn't watching my intake, I could always find a way to offset my success working out with terrible food, but weight training is so helpful when it comes to looking better, being more capable, and torching calories without having to spend two hours on an elliptical.

Anyone nervous about but interested in weight training would do well to check out stumptuous.com. It's the best for clearing up myths and avoiding all the technical terms that other weight-lifting sites tend to throw around.

theTupper

I have torn cartilage in my knee and used that as an excuse not to exercise for a long time, too. I finally coughed up some cash for a medical grade knee brace designed for activity (not the CVS or Wal-mart braces). Best money I've ever spent. I'm riding (weather permitting) 7 - 12 miles a day now. For you real bikers out there, that's not impressive, but for someone who just started a week ago, I'll take it. :-P

J