Exercises for The Obese (To Start Off With)

LeggyKettleBabe

I did these when I first started off and I have knee and ankle issues

Step side to side as wide as you can and pump your arms out (100 times)
High knee lifts and lift arms above your head this is like climbing a ladder (100 times)
Side jacks single leg and alternating arm (do not start out with jumping jacks, they are very hard on your body, esp if your heavy) 100 times.

That is one rep, drink some water and rest 30-45 seconds and do again

I tried to 5 reps in 30 minutes

dcyr009

I agree. I've been working with Leslie Samsone since the 80s when she was Leslie Tamolio. Her Walk Arobic tapes are the best ever. You can get them at Walmart. She is very positive throughout the entire tape while you are following her and gives good ideas for weight loss. She has people in her tapes of all shapes and sizes. There are also teens to over 70.

Her tapes go from one mile to five. You pick how long you want to go. All the excersize is done while marching, walking, lifting your leggs, and arms in place. No need to leave your house. If you use her tapes you will love them. I lost a lot of weight just using her tapes day after day for months.

Flab2fitfi

i started mfp on 3rd may, weighed in at 252.2 all i done is walk to start 20 minutes 2.5 leisurley pace, and a bit of zumba but found that a bit tough, so i then found Tiffany Rothe on youtube, 10 minute workouts i mix and match those and im down 3lbs

Thanks - just found her on you tube.

donna_glasgow

put on the music and dance while you clean your house ... little burls as you mop the floor ... make everything a dance .... when you walk the stairs, do 3 up 1 down ..... when your sitting with a cuppa tea lift and lower your legs ........ while watching the TV move your hands about ...... just keep moving your body a little more than you would normally ... it will make a difference also plain old walking with work wonders hope this is helpful.

It is very helpful, because I find myself just sitting like a duck on the couch way too long everyday. I will make myself get moving, maybe it would help me not be so groggy all day too!
Once I get past moving more often, I will add more exercises.

this here is exactly how I lost my first weight (I was in the obese bracket) Im now im only over weight yay me!!!! .... strange to feel happy about that haha ...................good luck and well done for getting started xx

PercivalHackworth

Hey,
i invite you to follow a post we made with peeps here that present some startings for different bodies
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/588550-weight-loss-protocols

beggaboo2000

bump for later....I love walking and my favorite when the weather is bad is to pop in Leslie and do 1 mile to 5 miles depending on how much time I have, never felt better mentally:-)

babycook

I bought some jillian michaels dvds but they were too hard. I found a beginners workout she has. I was able to do it easier. Although it involved a tonne of squats and my butt was on fire the next day.
I also enjoy yoga. It's easy to do.
And walking. I walk on the treadmill and increase the incline to ten for a minute, drop it to zero for a min and do that for 20 minutes. Gets me sweating and I can handle that.
I want to be a runner...but my cardio is terrible.

gerard54

Ive been watching The Biggest Loser and they usually always start of with a lot of cardio and compound workouts...

Molly_Pitcher

When I started at 262, I walked and did wii just dance for 30-45 minutes. The cardio helped me get to thelow 200's and the point where I could take up running and yoga :-)

MinnieInMaine

There are a couple of adaptations you can do for plank. 1) support your upper body on your elbows/forearms instead of your hands. 2) support your upper body on your hands and lower your knees to the floor. Either way, the most important thing is to hold that straight line - butts down!

Also, if you've tried doing push-ups but have a hard time holding your weight, you probably know about going to your knees as this is a standard "girl" pushup. Another alternative is to start at an angle so that your upper body is elevated - hands on a counter or when you get better and can go a bit lower, on a step - with that straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.

As far as what you can do for cardio, it doesn't really matter what, as long as you're moving. Start walking and every couple of weeks challenge yourself to go farther and/or faster and eventually you can even try running.

imamess87

Firstly let me say, NO JUMPING JACKS!!! You will destroy your knees! The bike is a great option for cardio. It is low impact and the resistance can be adjusted to increase intensity. I absolutely recommend weight training. More muscle mass will increase your metabolic rate. I recommend starting with machines. Stay away from dumbbells in the beginning. Aim for 3 sets of 15 repetitions. By the time you hit number 15, you should feel like you can't do anymore. If you feel like you can keep going, increase the weight for the next set. I guarantee with 100% certainty that you will see results faster and feel better faster if you incorporate weight training. However, I do recommend staying away from squats until you have lost some weight. The only reason being the stress that squatting will put on your knees. If you do want to squat, I recommend starting with a fitness professional who can assure you are using proper form and give you tips on how you can decrease the stress on you knee (such as turning your feet slightly outward so your tibia aligns with your femur as you come down). Just to validate my knowledge I have my B.S. in Exercise Science and am a certified trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine. I have also worked in different physical therapy facilities so I am familiar with injury prevention and rehabilitation exercises. Good Luck!

tammisr32

bump :-)

What does that mean???:huh:

rmartin72

I did these when I first started off and I have knee and ankle issues

Step side to side as wide as you can and pump your arms out (100 times)
High knee lifts and lift arms above your head this is like climbing a ladder (100 times)
Side jacks single leg and alternating arm (do not start out with jumping jacks, they are very hard on your body, esp if your heavy) 100 times.

That is one rep, drink some water and rest 30-45 seconds and do again

I tried to 5 reps in 30 minutes

I honestly agree with you and really works out the best for most people.

glennstoudt

It is so hard to do some of the exercises out there, I cannot hold my own weight long enough to get into a plank position.
So, I was wondering if any of you had any websites, or basic exercises I should start off with, and when should I change it up?

Walking.
And no offense intended, walking out of the kitchen. 80% of the battle of the bulge is nutritional profile and portion sizing.

And if you like the plank, start with a modified knees on the ground plank. Work up to others.
But losing body fat is job one. Keep moving. Good luck.

lilyvale68

I started with Jilian Michaels Beginner series (Frontside and Backside). I really liked them.

KourtneyP83

I also did the Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds. I did them for so long I knew what she was going to say before she did and now I can't stand to watch them lol. I also like Zumba. To whoever said jumping jacks, I hardly thing having a huge tummy makes a jumping jack comfortable and so I keep them to a minimum!

lesle1

Watch out for that walking. It might lead to running. : )

graelwyn

I echo what many have said and suggest swimming and walking, building up your times and speeds as you go along.
Also, just experiment at home on your own with different movements, and find the ones you can do... get creative, and put together your own routine. You might also find you can deal with a stationary bike, starting off slow, while watching tv or listening to music or somesuch.

As you lose weight, I would suggest cycling as a great form of exercise, and it gets you out and about as well.

saraann4

I started at 260lbs. I started off with walking with my dogs for like 2 weeks when the weather was nice. That was fun. Not so much fun anymore considering it's going to be almost 100 degrees out this weekend. (I practically go into hibernation during the summer or I'm in the pool)

After the first 2 weeks, I bought some DVD's:

Jillian Michaels: 30 day Shred... Yes at 260, I can do the 30 day shred. Some things have to be modified, but you can do it! You have to push yourself. It's your body changing.

Jillian Michaels: Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism..Love this workout. Haven't made it past the 3rd circuit though. The first 2 circuits are really fun though (at least in my opinion)

Jillian Michaels: Kickboxing...haven't tried this one yet...going to try it tomorrow though

The Biggest Loser: At Home Challenge...this one literally killed me... a crap load of squats and lunges. My thighs felt like cement bricks the next 3 days. literally....Other than the squats and lunges, it's OK. I'd rather do Jillian Michaels workouts.

Swimming! I love swimming. So glad that our pool is open. Burns lots of calories plus you don't sweat!!


**EDIT: I thought I should add... when I first purchased the 30DS, I thought I was going WAY over my head and maybe I should start off doing something more low key. The first day was unbearable. I had to take several 5 sec breaks and was sore for the next 5 days. The most important thing is that I got through it. The one thing I'm struggling with currently is pushups. It hurts my knees to do the modified version so I am going to try to do the real version. All in all, if you find your self struggling, just keep your body moving! If I can do it, you can do it!

aftergypsies

I started at 279lbs and for a first week or two I walked for exercise. Then I got the zumba dvds and there is one that teaches you the moves of the rest of them and omg, learning the moves alone was a good work out. It was a lot of fun too!