Exercise

samandlucysmum

Hi, can you tell me what exercise you do.
I am 338 lb, and I do mainly walking, the school run. I have a cross trainer, but after 1 min, my legs burn and my heart feels like it is gonna blow outta my chest!! When I was 240 lb, 5 yrs ago, I could do 20 mins on it, no problems. Anyone else have this problem or is it just me? I have a family of 6 kids (2 pre-schoolers), 2 dogs, 2 cats, and a husband, so I am run off my feet chasing after them, but I feel like I should be doing more, I think I watch too many of these weight loss programs where they do hours of exercise a day.

What do you do?

tracencolor

I don't currently exercise but I'm joining a gym and plan on starting this week. Previously when I went to a gym, I'd do a stationary bike because it was the only thing I felt like wasn't going to kill me. I started in 15 min increments and every couple days I'd add another 5 mins until I was riding for at least 30-45 mins. But I'd also do strengthening/weight exercises like arm curls, leg curls. My husband is a big fan of the elliptical machines as he was told they were less stressful on knees than treadmills. The first time I tried one I could barely do 5 mins. But that's how I started, 5 mins for 2 days. The next day I'd add another 2 minutes. Admittedly I only got up to 15 mins/session, 2 sessions per trip to the gym before I quit going.

But that's my general plan when I go back, start slow and push myself to do a little more each way. Even a little bit is better than nothing. And the same with any of the weight stuff I did, I'd start at low weights and gradually add a little more every few days.

Italian_Buju

I love the crosstrainer also, but at 370lbs, I can only handle 5 mins at a time. But, I do feel it gives me the best burn, so I do 5 mins, then do a weight machine, then do another 5, and then another weight machine, and so on and so forth.

If you find that too hard, an easier, yet effective exercise is aquafit. Like water areobics. It is easy on the legs and joints, yet you move a lot and your heart rate will go up. Plus you are in a group of people with an instructor. They have it here at my local YMCA, and its get for beginnners.


Personally, I love yoga as well. I know a lot of people our size do not care for it, but I find it a great workout, and then very relaxing near the end.

Hope this helps.....

sharae216

When I started at 306, I was doing the treadmill walking 2.6-3.0 speed for like 30 mins about 3 days a week. after about a month I moved up to working out and hour 5 days week either on the eliptical or on the treadmill or splitting it between the two. I personally enjoy like the eliptical but my knees don't always allow for it, so I use the eliptical, treadmill or bike depending how I feel. Everyone is different so you have to just pace yourself and work at a pace that is comfortable. If you can only handle 5 mins at a time right now, do your 5 mins and after a week or two add mins to it. There's this new machine at my gym that I tried in January and was unable to make it move, I tried it again about two weeks ago and did 2.5 mins, then the next week tried 5 mins, yest I tried and did 8 mins. Over time you will get to what's comfortable.

ttaylor68913

When I started 51 days ago I was 376 lbs in about 30 or so days I had lost 12 lbs.. went on vactation and am now struggling to get going again. but I am heading the right direction
I walk (3-5 hrs a week). attempt zumba (I say attempt because more often than not i end up looking like a frog in the blinder haha a sweaty frog but none the less a frog ), stationary bike, run stairs when i get the chance. my Hips dont function properly so the cross trainers/ elliptical KILL ME. and i loath the dreadmill (I fell off my mom's)

yustick

I weigh 328 and find formal exercise hard too. I use a BodyBugg and Fitbit to measure my calorie burn and I work to increase my daily burn however I want. My highest calorie burn day involved no formal exercise at all. We just have to move more. The Fitbit is cheaper, but measures calorie burn by movement only where the BodyBugg recognizes my level of exertion too.


To increase my calorie burn, I like to either play (tennis, Kinect, Wii, bike ride) or do something productive (clean, garden, home improvements, shopping), but I will get on the treadmill when it's easier.

Although neither device can be used in the water, swimming or water aerobics are good options for people at our weight, since the water reduces the impact of your

If you want to exercise, you could just try to push through a bit. It's not supposed to be easy and I've talked to a lot of smaller people who experience pain and weak legs after 1 or 2 minutes on an elliptical in the beginning. You can do 1 minute every day this week and 2 minutes every day next week, keep increasing it slowly and before you know it, you will be able to do 20 minutes.

cbeutler

I strength train 3 days a week and walk 5-6. I plan on adding yoga and some core work on my non strength training days.

My advice start slow and work into it.

RilantheFirebug

I really, really can't recommend the Couch to 5K program enough. I'm entering the last week (its 9 weeks) and I'm totally blown away by my progress. It is a program that starts you with very small goals. Week 1 is something like 30 seconds running, 60/90 seconds walking and you do intervals for half an hour. By week 9 you are jogging continuously for 30 minutes. Yes, it is possible....I ran for 28 nonstop today. It is supposed to be a 9 week program but mine has been more like a 18 week program as I generally repeated each week once. FYI, your feet and knees will hate you for a few weeks but once you get over the hump you will feel amazing. Find it here - www.coolrunning.com

Philokiller

I started the couch to 5k today and it was HARD!! I loved it though because even though i couldn't run for the full time i still felt an incredible burn. I know i'm going to have to repeat weeks but getting it done and being able to do more then i honestly thought i could do felt great. I was also soo nervous about what people would think when I was running by but after a while i got in my zone and didn't care.

violet456

My exercise is usually cleaning, light gardening, or shopping for "non-exercise activities" items. For times when I am going for exercising, I step on the treadmill or Wii Fit. We recently also got the Fitbit and it is a fun item that helps balance your caloires. The fitbit works well the MFP for logging food and exercise.

Italian_Buju

My exercise is usually cleaning, light gardening, or shopping for "non-exercise activities" items. For times when I am going for exercising, I step on the treadmill or Wii Fit. We recently also got the Fitbit and it is a fun item that helps balance your caloires. The fitbit works well the MFP for logging food and exercise.

What is a Fitbit, how does it work? I looked at the webpage, but I still did not TOTALLY understand it....what does it do for you?

RilantheFirebug

I started the couch to 5k today and it was HARD!! I loved it though because even though i couldn't run for the full time i still felt an incredible burn. I know i'm going to have to repeat weeks but getting it done and being able to do more then i honestly thought i could do felt great. I was also soo nervous about what people would think when I was running by but after a while i got in my zone and didn't care.

WTG!!! Its ok, my first week I was like 'WTF I'M DYING' lol. Your body will adjust. The hardest part for me getting started was adjusting to a high impact exercise. My knees hurt for a good while but they don't anymore. Repeating each week at least once will be good for you as it ramps up come week 5.

Philokiller

I started the couch to 5k today and it was HARD!! I loved it though because even though i couldn't run for the full time i still felt an incredible burn. I know i'm going to have to repeat weeks but getting it done and being able to do more then i honestly thought i could do felt great. I was also soo nervous about what people would think when I was running by but after a while i got in my zone and didn't care.

WTG!!! Its ok, my first week I was like 'WTF I'M DYING' lol. Your body will adjust. The hardest part for me getting started was adjusting to a high impact exercise. My knees hurt for a good while but they don't anymore. Repeating each week at least once will be good for you as it ramps up come week 5.

When you were doing C25K did you do exercises in between the running days? I like C25K but after I'm done and i regain my energy i feel like i haven't exercised enough. I'm also considering doing the 30DS with Jillian Michaels on the days between the runs.

violet456

My exercise is usually cleaning, light gardening, or shopping for "non-exercise activities" items. For times when I am going for exercising, I step on the treadmill or Wii Fit. We recently also got the Fitbit and it is a fun item that helps balance your caloires. The fitbit works well the MFP for logging food and exercise.

What is a Fitbit, how does it work? I looked at the webpage, but I still did not TOTALLY understand it....what does it do for you?

The Fitbit is an interesting tool. You wear it all day, it is small and discrete so you don't notice it. It counts the steps you take in a day and adds that movement to your BMR calories to calculate how much you should be eating in a day. It also tracks the flights of stairs you take to increase the calorie burn for those steps. It then calculates how many total calories you burn in a day, less the recommended deficite to lose 1-2 pounds per week to calculate how many calories you should eat in a day. On the Fit Bit itself shows flight of stairs, calories burned, steps taken, time and activity level. So you can gauge through the day how much you should be eating. The website has more information with it once the fitbit is synced with it's base.

I find it good to track if you are eating enough calories for your activity level in general. MFP does an average calorie requirement based on your lifestyle, but the fitbit takes it further and includes your activity.

For logging food and additional exercise you only need to do it once on MFP and it syncs with Fitbit website to help get the full picture of your calorie intake and burn.

powellfam2006

Zumba and Zumba Toning.... I can burn between 600-1000 Cal for an hour!! Love it!

AquaFitQueen

I've been a member of a local gym since Jan, but just started going this week!!! (better late than never!!!) :laugh:

I spend 15 min warm up on the recumbent bike, then work all the weight stations in the gym doing 3 reps of 15 on everything but the leg press (I have really really bad and painful hips) I do that for 45 minutes and then I go back on the bike for 10 minutes to cool down. Then I go downstairs and get in the pool for 90 minutes and do a hella hard work out of power water walking and water aerobic type things. I find walking very difficult because of my hip and knee arthritis but I am trying to walk every day....deliberately....for at least 10 minutes. It kills me and it hurts but I just keep thinking what it will be like a few weeks from now when 10 minutes feels like a breeze

Also, when the mood strikes...which I admit it hasn't done lately....is I like to do stretches and crunches on my balance ball (mine goes up to 550lbs)

My workouts are going well. Im burning 2067 cals a day and am sleeping like a baby!!!

RilantheFirebug

I started the couch to 5k today and it was HARD!! I loved it though because even though i couldn't run for the full time i still felt an incredible burn. I know i'm going to have to repeat weeks but getting it done and being able to do more then i honestly thought i could do felt great. I was also soo nervous about what people would think when I was running by but after a while i got in my zone and didn't care.

WTG!!! Its ok, my first week I was like 'WTF I'M DYING' lol. Your body will adjust. The hardest part for me getting started was adjusting to a high impact exercise. My knees hurt for a good while but they don't anymore. Repeating each week at least once will be good for you as it ramps up come week 5.

When you were doing C25K did you do exercises in between the running days? I like C25K but after I'm done and i regain my energy i feel like i haven't exercised enough. I'm also considering doing the 30DS with Jillian Michaels on the days between the runs.

When I first started I was only doing the C25K the required three times a week (generally Mon, Wed, Fri) and nothing inbetween up until about week 4 when my knees finally stopped bothering me. Now I do some walking on my inbetween days and I'm looking into something to add to my off days. I've heard amazing things about 30DS, so I'd say go for it but don't over do it.