People who were out of shape how did you start?

RieBerg

Hi everyone,
I am pretty out of shape and am trying to start working out. I went to a body sculpting class and an aerobics class. After the body sculpting class, I was in pain for 2 whole weeks! It makes it very difficult to continue going to class regularly when I can barely move. Those who are in shape now, how did you start?

ninerbuff

Baby steps. Trying to take on too much too soon usually leads to pain, injury and disappointment. Gotta learn to walk before you run, so just start off with a basic lifting program on your own (or with a trainer) and 30 minutes or cardio to start.



A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

sjtreely

Embrace what ninerbuff wrote. Go slowly. Rome wasn't built in a day and going from sedentary to running a 5k won't either - or whatever your fitness goals are.

vjrose

Baby steps is right. I don't have the time to spend in transit to a gym so I workout at home, I started with a manual treadmill, lol, I could barely do .25 of a mile. Now I can do a full turbo jam workout whenever I have enough time, do the advanced stuff on the Wii fit, and lots of strength training. In it for the long haul so going slow in increasing the time so I don't get too sore, I'm always a bit sore but not in pain sore. Easy to tolerate and keep going for that next few reps.

gentsevetzak

I started with a slow C25K, worked great.

flausa

I started out walking and doing simple stretches, then moved up to power walking and a bit of resistence training using my own body weight (which was considerably more than it it now). Then I started running and then I joined a gym. But I did what I was able to at the time and slowly and steadily started pushing myself a little bit further. Much to my amazement, my body had more to give than I ever thought imaginable. But I started simply by moving my feet a little bit further every day.

webfootcajun

i started walking my street in the evening, as fast as I could comfortablly walk. I also did crunches, squats and pushups in my house (no weights on the squats) just to get the body used to doing things again. It took a while and I was sore just from the little I was doing>>>at first. but it gets better, then start adding to it once you get everything mobile again.

Good Luck!

MisterDubs303

I started by walking on the treadmill, and increased the incline over time.
I'd say it worked: RHR = 44 bpm and -90 pounds.

mistresseeyore

I started by playing on the Wii Fit Board, and then when I got used to being active, I moved on to other things. It just started progressing from there.

turningstar

I actually started with the 30 day shred. I wanted a jump start, and it has worked great! Not for everyone though. It can be intense.

Katie5961

I also started with couch 2 5k. It's an amazing program! I feel off the wagon though for a really long time and needed to jump start myself. I don't recommend what I did! I jumped right into Beachbody's Insanity program after doing nothing for months. Definitely need some warmup before that one! Go slow, you don't want to risk injury or burnout! Just make sure you pick something that engages you and keeps you wanting to come back for more.

ncsjodi

I started with the 30 day shred as well. From there, I went to C25K and zumba. That was 90 pounds ago.

brandimacleod

I started with walks, that got longer and longer, and then I decided to try jogging a bit in front of the TV, and now I run a slow 2 miles a day, 5 days a week. I started July 6th and have lost 51 lbs with 100 more to go. Truly, baby steps is right. I didnt just get up one day in July and run. It has taken 5 months to get to this point, and I still have a long, long way to go!

courtney_love2001

I started out almost 200 lbs and had never ever been in shape. I was a cheerleader in high school but that doesn't mean I had real endurance. I could cheer for hours straight but I couldn't even run a mile. I began exercise at 23 and I just went out one day and started a walk/jog routine of 2 miles. I walked most of it, but each day I could tell I could jog a little further. When I didn't run or wanted to change it up, I would go to the elliptical for 30 mins at first and working up to 45 min-1 hr. You just have to keep at it.

One thing I also want to point out is that the next day or 2 after exercise you are really sore, but if you exercise it releases your muscles and makes them feel better. Don't overdo yourself, just start small with whatever you can do. It gets easier and easier with time Good luck!

Silverkittycat

Lots of great advice in the posts above. You might also try some yoga, a slower moving, gentle style/class.

janet_pratt

What ninerbuff said. I was 285 and hadn't done anything active in several years. I started out at Curves, then when that was too easy moved to a regular gym. I started riding a bike around my neighborhood. I thought I was really something when I did a 5 mile round trip. My knees were shot and I had all kinds of back problems. Walking to the end of the driveway made me out of breath.

That's where I started. Today I don't take my bike out for less than 20 miles. I do metric century rides (about 62 miles) one Saturday out every month from Spring through fall. I was supposed to do a full 100 mile century last October but was hospitalized for observation (nothing wrong) the day before and they wouldn't clear me for it, so I started running that weekend instead, and competed in my first 5K at the end of the month. I did another one last weekend. I joined a crossfit class in November and the woman I share the weight station with has been there for a year. 2 weeks ago we were doing deadlifts, lifting heavy. 5 sets of varying reps. We were on our heaviest weight doing 5 reps and she put a bunch of weight on the bar and said I would probably want to take a little off on my turn. She could only get out 4 of the 5 reps and barely got the 4th one up. I knocked out 5 without stopping. She looked at me and said, "Good Lord, you're strong!" I take aikido and ballroom dance. I'm training for a triathlon sprint in July and there is a MFP half marathon in March that I'm going to start training for to see if I think I can do it. My knees and back are a lot better. Running can be hard on your knees and if they were still in the same shape, I wouldn't be able to do it. My chiropractor said if I hadn't gotten active when I did, I would probably be in a wheelchair or at the very least using a walker. I turned 50 on November 17th. So believe me, if I can do this, so can you. But it all started at a goofy, girly workout center, just getting things moving.

Vino81

I am just kicking-off with "power walking" at the gym, they work very good for out of shape people (i.e. me!) I do intevalls, sometimes I do light jogging, then up-hill walking, and I switch between many modes on the machine! Good luck!

TheFitHooker

First off there is a saying that I love (first before I tell you this saying, I am still not into shape but I'm on my way and I am in a lot better shape then I was 2 years ago.)

"It hurts to look this good, I'm in pain every day"

It's hard to be fat, it's hard to be out of shape, it's hard to be in shape, it's hard to workout, it's hard to eat right, pick your hard. If you're not sore, you aren't doing it right.

Basically how I started was, with baby steps. I started on my Wii. I started doing the aerobics on there. It got boring, so I stepped up to Just dance 2's just sweat it. It got bored when I started memorizing the dances. Then I went to zumba, I still break a sweat in that, I still break a sweat in Just dance, I quit all that, I started walking. I started walking 2 laps (1 mile). I'm now up to 6laps (3 miles). I'm about to start jogging it. Or trying to. I've been doing the 30 day shred. You just have to build yourself up. I'm sore every day. My legs right now are sore, my shoulder blades are sore, my abs are really sore, but I can see why, my body is changing and I love what I'm seeing . That's a first for me, I've never loved what I've seen on me lol.

RieBerg

I heard about the 30 day shred. Were you able to do it everyday? It sounds like I would be sore for a week after doing that. I know gilina says to do it 6 days a week, but do you think thats reasonable?

RieBerg

I am thinking about going to a Zumba class, but after looking like an idiot in the aerobics class by not being able to keep up, I am worried about dance classes. I am pretty uncoordinated. Do they switch moves really fast in zumba?

taramaureen

Couch to 5k. It brings up your endurance slowly. After I was done with it I added in weights, started another program for running.

TheFitHooker

I heard about the 30 day shred. Were you able to do it everyday? It sounds like I would be sore for a week after doing that. I know gilina says to do it 6 days a week, but do you think thats reasonable?

The first level I did it every day but 2 days, those 2 days were thanksgiving and one other day because my body had to rest. It's not meant to do every day. The 2nd level I've not finished because life has happen, I still work out but I am thinking about just starting all over after Christmas when I can focus on it more. My work outs come in at 1 minute every hour which is working for me right now. The 30 day shred works, you'll lose inches and you'll drop a little weight, but don't expect to drop weight right away because you are working muscles you probably have never really known you had like I did lol, and the pain is there but I was able to move and still take care of my kids just fine. I have a high pain tolerance and actually enjoy the soreness. Some people find they are more sore then others, it also depends on how far you can push yourself. Your muscles gain water weight in them when you start using them, and so don't get discourage if the scale goes up or doesn't move when you start out.

toochiebus

I am a 43 yr old male, and started exercising four weeks ago. This is not a race so the slower you lose it the slower it is to put back on.

I downloaded the app, added in my details and I stick to eating 1350 calories per day. I also run 3-4 times per week on my treadmill for 35 minutes - that's roughly 312 calories per run. This is all I am doing and in four weeks I've lost five pounds.
One of my employees lost 20 pounds over a few months just by using the app and watching his diet.

It's simple. Eat well and exercise.

Good luck.

sc1572

Start off small! I started walking 30 minutes on the treadmill, then gradually made my way to an hour, changing paces and inclines. I also started adding in various things such as cycling and the elliptical. Eventually, I started doing weights, strength, and group classes.

Sometimes, a trainer at the gym can talk to you/help you come up with a good plan, or give you some tips. Good Luck!

P.S. As far as being sore goes...STRETCH!

toochiebus

I agree, baby steps. Then work your way up.

TheFitHooker

I am thinking about going to a Zumba class, but after looking like an idiot in the aerobics class by not being able to keep up, I am worried about dance classes. I am pretty uncoordinated. Do they switch moves really fast in zumba?

I'm uncoordinated like you wouldn't believe lol. I refuse to take a public class for zumba, I do it on the wii and I hate it lol. I do it if I am bored and need to workout, but I usually go for the Just dance I burn more calories in that, then I do Zumba. They do switch pretty quick.

TheFitHooker

Also another tip for soreness and maybe this is why the pain doesn't bother me, because I chug 2 bottles of ice cold water before I work out. Also like someone else said, stretch before you start working out.

MissMisery1313

Baby steps. Trying to take on too much too soon usually leads to pain, injury and disappointment.

Exactly. Don't try to transform from out-of-shape to Ms. Olympia overnight.

Start slowly and work up gradually. For example, the first week do 30 minutes of exercise per session. the next week, 35-40 minutes, and so on.

edryer123

I am thinking about going to a Zumba class, but after looking like an idiot in the aerobics class by not being able to keep up, I am worried about dance classes. I am pretty uncoordinated. Do they switch moves really fast in zumba?

I felt like a crazy person going to the dance class, it was a lot of latin moves that I was not familiar with; however, I LOVED LOVED how FUN it was! Did I get all the right moves? NO. Did I work up a sweat? Heck yeah! It is a great way to make those baby steps everyone is talking about. I'm back on the wagon and I am taking it slow by doing what I can.

LorinaLynn

I started with making an effort to walk the dog a lot more and a lot longer. Then Couch to 5k. Then a few zumba classes. (Keeping UP doesn't matter. As long as you keep moving, it doesn't matter if you get it right! When you're lost, just shake your butt. ) Then EA Sports Active 2 on the playstation. Then switching the resistance bands in the "game" for 5# weights. Then trying a few different workout videos through Netflix streaming. Then training to run 5 miles. Then Warrior Dash. Then lifting. Then training for a 10k. Now continuing lifting and training for speed instead of distance, but still trying to get one long run in a week.

thelovelyLIZ

I've always had terrible endurance, so instead of running, I started on the elliptical first. Eventually I was able to transition to the treadmill and can now actually run with some endurance. I also found starting small on my own helped.