How do you excersize when you are so overweight??

ladybugg35

Hi everyone....I am looking for any suggestions or tips. I walk every night at a fairly good pace and enjoy it but have the urge to run...unfortunatley I am probably 70lbs overweight and I dont think I can run...Im afraid I may break an ankle or something. Anyone out there been through this?? I really would like to be able to run or jog at some point but dont know where to begin?

ValHallaGirl

I would love to run too.. but i am waiting until i am less floppy and jiggly.I dream of the day when i can just run and not be bouncing all over.

cooter2533

If using a treadmill put it on an incline so you can still walk at a slower pace but the intensity is higher, If using a bike or an elliptical than turn the resistance up so it is harder to peddle. Hope this helps

BlueObsidian

Start by walking, cycling, or using an elliptical trainer if you have access to one. Then add some strength training. I'm 110 pounds overweight and perfectly capable of exercise. While one of my long-term goals is running a 5K, running is not the only type of exercise. Anything that gets you moving is going to be helpful towards your weight loss goal.

If you're looking for a program to help you begin to run, you may want to check out Couch to 5K.

Narisong

We got an Xbox and do Zumba and Dancing :-) I can't always keep up, but it's a great calorie burner and would get you on the way to more loss and ultimately running.

StrongGwen

Walking is probably best for now but isn't it exciting to feel like you want to run! Walk hills & stairs & bleachers if available. Carry hand weights or pick up rocks and lift them in different ways while you walk. Google Race Walking to see how fast a person can go just walking. Swimming and water-aerobics are low impact too. How about dancing to your favorite tunes?

sweet110

Hmmm...well, to some extent, it depends a lot on your body. Plenty of people 70+ pounds overweight run. Me personally? When I had that much to lose and starting running--outside, on concrete--I messed up my knees. For months, all I could do is the rowing machine and really regretted just jumping into it like that. But I am 4'11". Me carrying around 70+ extra pounds isn't really the same as someone 5'8" carrying 70+ pounds. And how much your knees can handle is partly a matter of genetics as well as differences in running technique. And...you need to build up muscles and tendons/ligaments to run...not just cardio ability.

BOTTOM LINE: All things being equal, simply being overweight shouldn't keep you from doing more vigorous activity. (Look at the amateurs in running-races...some of those folks are 45-50 lbs overweight. Being large doesn't mean you can't push yourself.)

BUT, you should ease yourself into it. If you feel like you want to try running a bit, you could try it...a little 30 second interval at a time...and see how your body responds to it.

OR, you can try something more vigorous that is lower impact than running. A group exercise class or DVD.

Good luck!

Lisa__Michelle

Start SLOW and a small distance. You don't want to pull something. TRUST ME! I did that! I thought I could run a mile the first night and sprained my knee (I wasn't able to exercise for 3 weeks!!!). Start small and slowly increase distance. Check out Couch 2 5k!

browniesx2

for the first month all i did was the elliptical. start out slow and it is very easy on joints and such. i started at 20 minutes and now i can easily do forty minutes at higher levels of resistance. plus strength training is also a great way to exercise without the feeling of cardio overload. i waited after a month or so of elliptical training before adding that in.

jamielise2

Just do a little at a time. I actually started with a Body Pump class, and seriously don't know how I managed to do it 50 lbs ago. If you need to, do every other rep, but just DO something. The pool is also a great way to start...just walk back and forth if you can't handle swimming yet.

Cassi1990

Im over 100# over weight and I can run! you just have to build up to it. walk for X minutes. then run for X minutes. then walk. then run and work your way up to running longer.

If it really is that hard, try speed walking for a while. then jogging. then running.

you gotta work your way up sometimes! (:

MochaMixAZ

Hi everyone....I am looking for any suggestions or tips. I walk every night at a fairly good pace and enjoy it but have the urge to run...unfortunatley I am probably 70lbs overweight and I dont think I can run...Im afraid I may break an ankle or something. Anyone out there been through this?? I really would like to be able to run or jog at some point but dont know where to begin?

You might be shocked what you can accomplish, 70 pounds over or not. :-)

I think it's wise to protect yourself - so a supportive exercise bra, wrapping your ankles, supporting your knee... whatever that means for you. And then to practice your stance to reduce impact. When I run, I really more glide... almost slide my feet and keep my knees soft. About 120 pounds ago, I had a dream to run a half marathon. Unheard of and unbelievable, I thought at that weight. But I did it, and didn't break a thing!

bijoux2711

Just make sure you do it at your pace and invest in some good shoes. I started running at 300lbs. When I say running it was more of a shuffle whilst I slowly built my strength and confidence. C25K was a great starting point for me.

brandimacleod

I run a couple miles a day and I have lots of more weight on me than you do. If you think you can, you can!

teenytinylove

biking really helps. you burn a ton of calories and still get your workout.

BenjaminMckee123

If using a treadmill put it on an incline so you can still walk at a slower pace but the intensity is higher, If using a bike or an elliptical than turn the resistance up so it is harder to peddle. Hope this helps

I totally agree with this. i did this when i was about a total of 90 pounds overweight. it really helped me to start. than i started jogging on a 4.0-4.6 speed. eventually it gets easier and is so much fun!

AZKristi

I burn mega calories in spin class and I was more than 100 lbs overweight when I started. First time is the hardest!

dr4m4qu33n

I have a mini trampoline, I got it at Walmart I think, for like 20-25? I can't remember how much it was exactly. I use to to jog, its much easier than running on hard sidewalk/road. I've had heel issues in the past and the trampoline allowed me to still jog w/out so much pain. It's great! You can really work up a sweat and run in place. Also, if you are worried about your ankles you should wrap them up before hand, with ace bandages, or the thinner medical ones. My husband use to always wrap his ankles when he played Gaelic football, when he didn't he'd always roll or twist an ankle. I highly recommend a mini trampoline tho, you can do a lot with them!

amy32lynn

just start walking 5 min then run for 1or 2 minutes ....then repeat ...start slow and work your way up to running longer.... thats what i did and i can run now for 22min and i still need to lose 55 pounds

lysistrataNix

I weigh 197 and have 77lbs to lose and I run at 5.0-5.2mph. I can now run a mile without stopping, but I didn't start like that. The first 15min of my workout are my hardest and when I started running I did 8min off and on of running. Running was at 5.0 mph and walking was at 2.6mph.

Every week I added a minute of running and did one less minute of walking. I now walk at 3.7mph for 3 min and run at 5.2mph for 12min. It wasn't easy and I had to ease myself into doing, but it does feel great to be able to run a mile. I've never been able to do that before.

My next goal is to run a 10 min mile (6.0mph) I'm not sure how long it will take me to work into it, but it'll happen.

AuntieLisa4

Hi i use biggest loser dvds. they are easy to understand but you will sweat to death! lol but thats what we want.

becoming_a_new_me

I started at 450# and could barely walk 10 steps without getting winded. I even used the little mobile thingy at the store because it would hurt so bad to walk (osteoarthritis, degenerative disk disease, and fibromyalgia). It wasn't easy, but I started a little bit at a time walking. I have kept at it, and still walk all the time, but have added dancing, yoga, etc. I don't run, don't know that I ever will, but walking offers great workouts.

Betsybeee

My advice would be to go slow and to use a variety of exercises to help you get more fit. I overdid my exercise program a year ago and got a stress fracture in my knee. The stress fracture really hindered my progress.

rayleansout

Just do it - for real, do whatever you can do No fear, Hell with fear! You dont have to go out and run a marathon Start with this - jog 30 seconds, walk 3 minutes, run 30 seconds and keep repeating for a 40 minute time period 3 times a week each week increasing your run and jog times and decreasing your walk times.

KareninCanada

FWIW.... a friend and I were both at the gym on treadmills. We're the same height and similar size. I walked for 30 minuted at speeds between 3.0-3.5 mph, and she alternated between walking and running. At the end of 30 minutes, the calorie burn on my machine read higher than hers. Clearly, running for 30 minutes would burn more than walking for 30 minutes... the point was just, don't underestimate the value of what you're doing right now and how it's impacting your progress.

mea9

Nordic walking. You burn 30% more calories and add upper body work by adding poles (sort of like cross country ski poles) to your regular walk. Google it. It works.

lisapr123

Try couck to 5k for sure. I used the app "Get Running" on my ipod since it allows the user to have their own music going in the background. You start out running for as little as a minute or 45 seconds at a time (I can't remember exactly, but it's probably attainable regardless of weight). And if you can't "run" then "jog" or "move faster". It'll get easier as you go, I promise!

30yearssincebikini

Umm... did that say 250 pounds lost, or am I seeing things? (hits side of head and goes crosseyed)

CoderGal

I was talking to an overweight friend of mine and they had a good point, the weight is impacting your joints. I suggest doing some kind of diet first and when you start bottoming out start exercising harder. Remember to do stretches. I have arthritis but find elliptical helpful. I ended up getting a abb circle as it wasn't hard on my knees...but to tell you the truth it kills my knees (bruises them). If you feel you cannot run short bursts of energy is a good way to build up endurance.

DenverKos

I echo the others - cycling is a great way to burn a lot of calories and it's non-weight bearing so you won't hurt your knees or ankles if that's an issue with your body type. If you're not comfortable on a bike, start with indoor cycling and ride a stationary bike. If you're outdoors, a more upright position may be more comfortable if you have a lot of weight around the abdomen, so try a comfort bike or hybrid (road biking is usually too aggressive for those with a lot of stomach fat as it gets in the way with the more aggressive position).
Swimming is also a good total body burn that is safe for joints.

MochaMixAZ

Umm... did that say 250 pounds lost, or am I seeing things? (hits side of head and goes crosseyed)

It did, it really did.