Very Obese--Looking for Obese workouts

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jimjam3782
jimjam3782 Posts: 13 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am a very obese man (over 400 lbs, I think...I will know for sure Tuesday or Wednesday, but I put myself as 465 here) that is looking for workouts I can do.

Are crunches out of the question? I know full on sit ups aren't happening, same with push-ups and lunges.

I do have a backyard in ground pool, which I have been swimming in a lot lately (since about 5 days ago). Any water aerobics excersizes would be appreciated as well.

Also, are there bikes made that can hold a very large person without the tires going flat? I would love to have a bike again, minus the humiliation.
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  • withchaco
    withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
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    There are ab crunch machines that make you bend down (while sitting) instead of sitting up. That may be a good choice for you. However, it's possible that a very large belly may prevent you from doing crunches at all... like how when I was 20lbs heavier, bending forward to clip my toenails wasn't easy.

    Swimming and jogging in water sound like great exercises. If I had a pool of my own, I'd do it every day!
  • Dreamerlove
    Dreamerlove Posts: 441 Member
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    You can do it!!!! I think swimming is a great idea!
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    Walking is GREAT exercise, it's low impact and you can go at your own pace. It's ALL I did when I first started here and the pounds just melted off each week. I read an article the other day about a woman who was 500 pounds and she has lost 300, she said to start she got in the pool and just walked around for about an hour. That's awesome that you have a pool (I wish I had one, minus the maintenance) so in addition to swimming I think walking in the water would be good since it adds resistance. What I like to do in a small pool is walk/doggy paddle in the same direction to get a current going, and then try walking/doggy paddling against the current. Good luck!
  • silhouettes
    silhouettes Posts: 517 Member
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    Just starting out small helps, I started out on a treadmill for a few minutes and I've worked myself up to walking fast outside for an hour a day... I still have problems jogging.. I will be watching this thread for suggestions to.

    But remember, every little bit helps.. as you start to loose weight, you'll gradually be able to do more.. I can actually do a pushup now.. that's amazing! :)
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    There are ab crunch machines that make you bend down (while sitting) instead of sitting up. That may be a good choice for you. However, it's possible that a very large belly may prevent you from doing crunches at all... like how when I was 20lbs heavier, bending forward to clip my toenails wasn't easy.

    Swimming and jogging in water sound like great exercises. If I had a pool of my own, I'd do it every day!

    Yeah I would hold off in the crunches for a while. Crunches do almost nothing to burn belly fat, it just strengthens the muscles under the fat. Of course that is not a bad thing at all, but I would focus on cardio to get some weight off first so that you would be more comfortable in order to do crunches.
  • heatherleigh12
    heatherleigh12 Posts: 26
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    if u have a diving board go under it and with one hand on each side pull your knees up it is a great ab work out!!!! keep up the great wrk
  • gmkimby
    gmkimby Posts: 58 Member
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    Hi!!! Welcome to MFP! Water aerobics are great, low impact workout! You can also start by walking daily to get your heart rate up. Also, you can do DVD's at home, like Leslie Sansone "Walk Off the Weight Program." If you like bike riding, to start off, you can get a stationary bike, and start doing the spinning DVDs. And if you like to dance, Zumba is also really good, and low impact and burns tons of calories. You can buy the Zumba DVD from Zumba.com. Or you can even invest in a Wii Fit. I hope this is helpful information for you. Again, Welcome!!
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
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    dupe
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
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    I am a very obese man (over 400 lbs, I think...I will know for sure Tuesday or Wednesday, but I put myself as 465 here) that is looking for workouts I can do.

    Are crunches out of the question? I know full on sit ups aren't happening, same with push-ups and lunges.

    I do have a backyard in ground pool, which I have been swimming in a lot lately (since about 5 days ago). Any water aerobics excersizes would be appreciated as well.

    Also, are there bikes made that can hold a very large person without the tires going flat? I would love to have a bike again, minus the humiliation.

    I don't know if there are any water aerobics tapes out there but water aerobics is my primary source of exercise. In the class we use those water noodles and also water weights. the noodles can be bought at the dollars stores this time a year. Buy at least 2. water weights I've seen sold at speedo.com and maybe Amazon. They are like hand weights but designed for the water. The key is to keep them under the surface of the water as you workout so you get resistance. One thing I notice we do in class is run laps while doing arm curls and then switch and run the opposite direction. You get more resistance because the waves are all going in the direction you previously ran and now you have to fight against them to go the other way.

    For plus size bikes and other exercise equipment try LivingXL.com

    ETA: Just checked. Here's a bike for up to $500lbs, kinda pricey, but your health is worth it.

    http://www.livingxl.com/store/en_US/catalog/browse_sku.jsp?clear=true&catID=cat40218&prodId=X1940&id=cat40218
  • jwaitman
    jwaitman Posts: 367 Member
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    Start simple. Walking is always a great way to fit in some exercise and water aerobics is a great idea. I have never done them so unfortunately I can't be of any help there, but maybe while on a break at work or even before or after you could fit in a 10-15 minute walk a couple times a day. Anything to get moving outside of your normal routine. Every little bit adds up.
  • fauxliage
    fauxliage Posts: 9
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    Ooh a pool! So jealous!

    I haven't read it personally but I know one of my two water aerobics instructors recommends a book called Fantastic Water Workouts by MaryBeth Pappas Baun.

    I've never tried youtube but there are so many helpful videos on there, you might want to give that a search.

    Just a couple of exercises offhand that are hopefully easy enough to articulate well. Sorry if I wasn't able to explain well though. :)
    There are movements that are probably familiar that show up in water aerobics classes, like jumping jacks (but instead of arms over head, they move from your sides to the surface of the water), or cross country skiing - one leg out in front, one back, arms do the same but opposite - left leg forward right arm forward, etc. Then just keep switching (tucking your knees in between makes it more challenging). Jogging in place. Sometimes a class will have everyone just jog as much as they are able for 30 seconds, arms usually just moving through the water. You could do a breast stroke type of move with your arms.

    There's usually always some "suspension" too - keeping your feet off the floor of the pool while you use your arms to keep you going. You could try moving both legs out in front of you, feet flexed, then move your arms to keep you afloat. Try to keep your legs up - think about seeing your toes poke through the surface of the water. You can also do the exercises like jumping jacks or cross country suspended, move your legs and arms through the water but don't let them touch the bottom of the pool. (People generally find suspending more challenging at first but if you have been swimming you may not.)

    With the side of the pool you can try putting one foot against the wall as high as you are able to go, then the other other foot, and keep switching back and forth as quickly as you are able to for 30 seconds or so. Then, making sure you are a comfortable distance from the wall, try to keep your legs together and put both feet on the wall at the same time as high are you are able to do it, as quickly as you are able to go. Push your arms out in front of you when your feet are on the floor of the pool, use them to push back towards your sides when you lift your feet up to the wall. Rinse and repeat, again for 30 seconds or whatever you want.
  • yanicka
    yanicka Posts: 1,004 Member
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    Can't add anything more but good luck!!!
  • TaneeisFitforLife
    TaneeisFitforLife Posts: 433
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    I teach water aerobics now but it also played a big part in helping me lose weight. I watched a lot of YouTube videos to start (I have a few DVDs now too)....basically any exercise others can do on land, you can do in the water. As for crunches, you can grab a regular big ball from a store & use it for standing crunches in the pool ;)
  • defygravity531
    defygravity531 Posts: 289 Member
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    Walking helped me a lot. And this is silly, but.... dancing. I'm not even talking *real* dancing here. No steps, no technique, and *definitely* no one watching, lol. I just put on music I liked (or like old-time-y doo-wop, etc) and just plain boogie. Just move, do whatever you can. If you can move your feet, do it. Just make small steps back and forth to the beat. Look ridiculous, be silly, just move. :) I'm small enough now to do higher-impact exercises, but I still come back to my silly dancing pretty often.
  • healthyjen342
    healthyjen342 Posts: 1,435 Member
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    Swimming is a FANTASTIC start! or even just wading in the water from one end to the other...I LOVE to swim! I dont know how athletically inclined you are..but when I started out (at 342lbs)...all I could do was WALK...I started with 1/2 a mile..and worked my way up from there! I would suggest the Walk At Home program with Leslie Sansone! I literally lost the first 70 lbs using her videos alone (along with eating better of course)...

    Also, please view this woman's story..she's lost quite a bit of weight and well....you can see it for yourself how she did it!

    http://news.yahoo.com/video/health-15749655/woman-loses-300-pounds-the-old-fashioned-way-25535671

    Good Luck, and feel free to friend me!
  • bloodbank
    bloodbank Posts: 468 Member
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    Keep swimming! Doing laps is an excellent full-body workout, regardless of how quickly you're able to move in the water. Jogging in place in shallow water adds great resistance & is easy on the joints, too.
  • angp7711
    angp7711 Posts: 324 Member
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    When I first started out Leslie sansone walking away the pounds videos were my only workout. If you can't get in the pool one day you could do those. They start out with 1 mile and go up from there. I recomend them to everyone I know just starting their fitness journey.
  • steffilily
    steffilily Posts: 149
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    I've tried different exercises and noticed the one that I could do better at considering my size are the Leslie Sansone "Walk at home" DVD's, and water aerobics. I just started doing water aerobics last week and am loving it! I know that youtube will show some exercises you can do in the water. The exercises works a lot of muscles in your body expecially in the abs. Exercises in water also burns ALOT of calories.
  • RhonndaJ
    RhonndaJ Posts: 1,615 Member
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    Whether crunches are possible or not depends on where you carry your weight and your flexibility. My husband, who is a good 100 lbs lighter than me can't do them, but I can, admittedly not many, but my form is great or so says a PT.

    I can also do lunges at the weight I am now, though my balance sucks badly. (I learned that I have pretty strong legs from carrying this weight around so long.)

    If you're interested in doing push ups at all, you can always try wall push ups.

    ((Of course now that I'm reminding myself of these things I'm wondering why the heck I haven't been doing them myself. Ish.))
  • YellowStrawberry
    YellowStrawberry Posts: 89 Member
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    Since you have a pool, I would be living in that pool till I could do more on land more easy. Walking DVDs are great, I love Leslie Sansone and a little ground movement would be great. Once you start dropping weight and movement is better, then I would start adding other things. You can look for recumbent bikes, but those that hold higher weight usually cost more. Could be an incentive to drop xxx many pounds and then get one! :)

    As for the pool, we bought a small 15 ft x 4 ft round, just so that I can bounce around and tread water! :) As long as we are moving, right?

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