In Need of Some serious help!!

skylark94

When I started out on the elliptical I thought I was going to drop dead after only 5 minutes. It didn't take long until I was going 30, then 60 minutes at a time.

I sent you a friend request with a message. I too have a CJ degree and would love to chat more.

XXXMinnieXXX

I'm 242lbs I walk gently for 75 mins per day burning 700+ calories. I can burn this in 45 mins doing zumba, but walking is so gentle you can do it every day. Start gentle. I eat 1500 per day and I'm loosing a couple of lbs per week. You can over ride the calorie settings. I also do high protein (150g per day) and lower ccarb 100-150g I feel full and happy. My macros are 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat. Wish someone had told me to do that earlier! Makes this sooooo much easier! Settings, goals, change goals... Think about it! X

lporter229

A good way to build up cardiovascular endurance is interval training. The idea is to get your heart rate up and then bring it back down again, then do this over and over a few times. What you will start to notice first is that it takes less time for your heart rate to come down and then you will notice that you can go longer with an elevated heart rate. Do one minute on your eliptical at a pace that will make you uncomfortable. Then slow it down until you regain your breath. Repeat. You will get stronger. There is no shame in taking those breaks. Even seasoned athletes use interval training as part of their training regime.

annak321

Start by walking. Its easy. Get a pedometer and walk at your own pace for as many steps as you can. Each day increase it by a set amount. Keep an excel spreadsheet and watch your progress. Dont look forward either-it is daunting- just go day by day. Do it for yourself. I am in the same boat you are in weight wise and I started last week walking my daughter to and from school. Each day I increase it a bit and now I am addicted to those step numbers!!! When you exercise those numbers are added to the food you can eat daily. It opens you up to having more food in your life- if the 1300 is not enough for you.

Diamond241

I'm not going to get all technical with stats and what not, as I still find that all confusing, but I agree with what others have said. JUSt start slow and your body will soon adjust. When I had even decided to start running, I could hardly jog for a minute and every other day I worked at it little by little and I built up to running 10K without any problem. It took a few months, but slow and steady wins the race as they say Good luck to you

marycmeadows

it's highly doubtful that the trainer you're using is calculating calories correctly. when you weigh more, you burn more calories. just stick with it. and don't limit your calorie intake too much. starving yourself will get you nowhere.

I started at 303.4 (1/1/11) - couldn't do more than 30 minutes of exercise at a time without feeling like I was about to die. haha. Now, I am a gym rat!! I can work out for a couple hours, no problem. I never thought I'd be able to run, but I now run several times a week! I have lost 111.2lbs. I currently weigh 192.2, and would like to get down to somewhere between 160-170. I am 5'6'', and just turned 30 almost a month ago. My family says I'm like a different person.

Trechechus

Get yourself into it slowly. Your calorie deficit is what is going to make you lose weight in the long run, the exercise helps increase that deficit so you can eat more during the day and helps to promote general health like lung, heart and muscle function. You'll get better at working out over time. Try low-impact things like swimming and walking, and ease yourself into jogging, rowing, eliptical, lifting etc.

Best wishes!!

brewerchick

I agree with everyone else....start walking and find a time to do it CONSISTENTLY. Every am, lunch, after work etc....or if your schedule is wacked make it a point to get in 30 minutes a day. Get some good tunes and don't focus on the number. I work with a girl that is your age and close to your weight. She walks and makes herself do it everyday. In a week you will feel better and want to keep doing it I hope!

jfaure23

If you want to get serious about losing weight, you should consider purchasing a heart rate monitor. For most people, I believe it`s possible to do without, but you are looking to lose 2 lbs a week. You will need lots of focus and dedication. You need to know what your body burns so you can figure out how much you can eat.

I am an advocate for eating above BMR and below TDEE. I currently consume about 1750 calories per day plus my exercise cals and I lose 1 - 2 lbs per week. I am 5`7``and currently weigh 168 with a goal weight of 148. (Just to give you a picture of what works for me). But honestly, without knowing your numbers you would be relying on trial and error, and you may not have time for that. You will need to start by doing what MFP says, and re-evaluate in a few weeks. If it`s working, keep at it. If you stall, make a change.

And best of luck on this journey

montana_girl

Let me just second those that recommend walking as your exercise to start with.

My stats were somewhat similar to yours (252 pounds at 5 ft 2), so I know where you are coming from. I lost 80 pounds by cutting back on what I ate, finding healthier options for my favorites, and with very little exercise. I didn't start a regular exercise routine until I had the eating portion of my weight loss under control, and then it was "just walking" to begin with.

I know you would like to lose 2 pounds a week, but there will be weeks that you will lose less... and yes, there will be weeks when you work the program perfectly and will gain. Just be prepared mentally for those weeks because they can throw you off track, especially if you are an emotional eater.

I always tell people that first 80 to 90 pounds I lost was learning to eat healthy, the other 20 to 30 was learning to deal with all the issues that got me to that weight.

Don't get discouraged... it can be done... just take it slow. Take it one day / hour / meal at a time and you will get there. :flowerforyou:

danag1967

I completely agree with everyone else...start walking. Another thing no one has mentioned is try to find someone to walk with. If you have a friend that will hold you accountable, it is a lot easier to get out there. When I first started exercising on my own, it was hard. I found a group that I run with now and my Saturday runs are some of my favorite time. Start small and increase the distance or time each week. It will absolutely get easier, but it does take getting over the hump of lacing up your shoes and moving. When I don't feel like running, I put on my shoes and exercise clothes and just go. Usually, but not always, I start to feel better after a while and just keep going with my original goal.

What if today, you put on your shoes, go outside, and walk until you get tired. At that point, turn around and go home. Start a journal and record your turn around point and how long it took you. Tomorrow, put your shoes on and try to go 3 steps past today's point, turn around and go home. Record how long it took you and do it again the next day. Measure your progress from today. If you fall off the wagon and have a bad day, its ok. You will need rest days thrown in there sometimes. Its ok. Just keep making progress. People who do too much too fast tend to quit. Little by little and day by day. You can totally do this!!

seamonkey789

I'm not sure if this will help you, but my boyfriend and I are at totally different fitness levels and weights. He also has additional breathing issues due to allergies.

While I go on the elliptical like a little jack rabbit, what he does on both the elliptical and the bike is crank the level way up so he is going at a much slower pace, but still getting a work out and it doesn't effect his bad breathing so much.

Also heart rate monitor! My fitness pal tells me one thing for calories burned, the machine is telling me something way lower, and my heart rate monitor was something right in the middle.

Starting out slow by just walking helps, or you could break up the elliptical into a few short work outs a day till you can build up your time

glennstoudt

My heart doctor told me I needed to do 30 - 45 minutes exercise, 5 days a week. I told him I could only do ten minutes on the treadmill and he told me thats ok, then do 10 minutes 3 times a day. You will get stronger as you continue. Now I can do Zumba and ride my bike for 30 minutes or more. It takes time and commitment. If you can only do 5 minutes, then do it and later do another and another. The machine you have is not taking into account your height and weight...MFP does...use thier calculator. Keep track of your minutes and add it in under the exercise tab and eat back those calories. I have has asthma almost all my life, as a child and back in my early 30's. I was sucking on that inhaler every day all day with any little exertion because of I was so out of shape. I hardly EVER use it any more! I know its hard starting out but trust me it gets a little easier every day and you won't believe how much better you will feel. You are young, get a handle on it now. Good Luck!

Who Dat lost 35 pounds. You dat!