Too big to exercise?

specialkyc

I have to agree with everyone else. First, consult your physician but walking is always a good place to start. Take a short leisurely walk to start then work your way up in the length and speed of your walks.

You can do this...we can do this. Add me if you'd like.

AdAstra47

You don't have to kill yourself. Just walk 10 minutes a day. Start small. And don't let anyone tell you that it doesn't pay off: check out this video, it cites scientific facts about the benefits of even a small amount of exercise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo

Good luck!

cressievargo

Thanks for all the responses! I'll definitely see a doctor soon to see what I should be doing. I've tried a variety of things, never lasting more than a day or two on each: 30 day shred, couch to 5k plan, various workout videos. I think I'm trying to do too much too fast because I never exercised AT ALL. I'm going to start just walking and building up my endurance for other things.

30DS and C25K are probably not the best places to start - pretty intense. Walking is a great place to start - or maybe water aerobics or walking in a pool? The water helps support you (which really helps if you have joint issues) and also provides resistance (bonus!).

ETA - When you start to feel comfortable with walking, you can also add in little "mini-challenges" for yourself. Like - walk as quickly as you can for 30 seconds. Then a few minutes later, do it for a minute....basically modify the C25k for walking. Or pick a distance and keep adding to it a little at a time. If you can't walk outside, the Leslie Sansone Walk at Home DVDs are very good, too!

Camsmom2010

I love my Leslie Samsone Walking DVDs! Easy movements, and she breaks down into mile increments! I do these when I can't get outside. Yesterday I popped the DVD in and was able to complete 1 miles in 15 minutes! It's also great because I have a 2 year old son who needs attention but for 15 minutes he does the movements with me and we both have fun!

hollyk57

I agree with those that advised seeing a Dr. first - always a good plan. I can tell you some from my own experience... I was 306 at my highest and found that walking and being a bit more mindful of what I ate was the key. I walked, starting out slow, then increasing my pace and length of time. It worked miracles for me. I know what you mean about feeling like you're dying after two minutes - 30 day shred did that to me. DVDs have never worked for me. I don't stick to them - they bore me - and I find that I have to leave my house in order to exercise or it's too easy to just give up and sit on the couch. Joining a gym is awesome if it's in your budget. 24-hr fitness actually has some pretty good deals. The key is starting slow, ramping up, finding something you enjoy (so it doesn't feel like a hassle) and sticking to it while still switching things up. Swimming is also awesome. I've always loved swimming but was too embarassed to go to the pool at the gym. I finally just said the heck with it, stop whining and go! And I did.. and I LOVE it and it burns a ton of calories. Good luck to you!

kimdarren

Don't go straight into hard cardio excercises. Your joints won't be able to handle the stress. Start off with soft/no impact excercises and gradually move up as you become more confident and loose weight. You'll do yourself more harm than good by doing too much too fast when your body isn't used to it. x

ElizabethObviously

Yeah it sounds like you are trying to do too much straight out of the gate. You have to crawl before you run! But being too big to exercise? NEVER....I have over 300 to lose and I do Turbo Jams (kick boxing), Dance Central, strength training, Leslie Sansone. If this girl can do 5 songs in a row, anyone can do at least 1 song. You just have to know your limits.

Try something easy and work up to Jillian Michaels. You will do fine though. The fact you are not afraid to try new things is awesome!

And please remember, you dont HAVE to do the entire workout DVD. Just try for some of it. Try for 2 or 3 minutes for a few days until that starts to feel easy then up it by another minute or 2. Before you know it, you will be doing an entire DVD easy!

NiSan12

Walking IS the most natural way to lose weight, if you can't start outside, then pick up a Walking DVD to start off. That way you can start and stop when you get ready.

NiSan12

I have her DVD's as well. Good tapes!

NiSan12

I love my Leslie Samsone Walking DVDs! Easy movements, and she breaks down into mile increments! I do these when I can't get outside. Yesterday I popped the DVD in and was able to complete 1 miles in 15 minutes! It's also great because I have a 2 year old son who needs attention but for 15 minutes he does the movements with me and we both have fun!

I have her DVD's as well. Good tapes.

shannashannabobana

I'm going to start just walking and building up my endurance for other things.

I think that's a great idea. I like biking as well. Maybe mix it up. You can also do weights a bit.

If you feel like you're dying, you might want to check your heartrate. You may be trying too much too soon.

HauteP1nk

First I would suggest you speak with your doctor. Second, I would definitely start walking.

Slow and steady wins the race right?

Plus, Abs are made in the kitchen. Focus on your eating and you WILL get where you want to be!

SorchaRavenlock

I started off with Leslie Sansome. I've got dodgy joints and wanted something low impact. Her videos are basically just variations of marching on the spot, but I think they're brilliant for beginners, especially if you're larger.

I agree with the others about seeing your doctor.

I second this. See your doctor first, then start by alternating walking and Leslie Sansone. This will build up both your endurance and your self-confidence, since you'll be able to do it!
I started with walking 20 minutes, and could only do Leslie's videos for about 20 minutes(staying low impact) per session eight weeks ago. Nowadays I can walk at a brisk pace, and finish the whole 45-50 minutes my videos take
Leslie's videos are great, she's such a sweetie and doing them makes me feel good about myself. I actually look forward to doing them, which I never thought I'd say about exercise

leave the harder stuff like the 30 Day Shred until later, when you've gained fitness and endurance and have lost some weight. They'll be easier then.

Elizabeth_C34

I started at 218, and I can tell you that even at that weight, I struggled with exercise. I was out of breath after a minute or two, felt like my body was just going to collapse, etc. Everything was so difficult, so I can imagine how difficult it is for someone with a lot more to lose than I had.

I just pushed through it. I started with walking and water workouts. Graduated to light jogging and weightlifting.

Just be patient and ease yourself into it. Try pool workouts at first (water aerobics, swimming, etc.) and walking. You will be amazing how much your endurance improves in just a few weeks of dedicated exercise.

dusty_712001

Thanks for all the responses! I'll definitely see a doctor soon to see what I should be doing. I've tried a variety of things, never lasting more than a day or two on each: 30 day shred, couch to 5k plan, various workout videos. I think I'm trying to do too much too fast because I never exercised AT ALL. I'm going to start just walking and building up my endurance for other things.

I can relate. I started out at over 460lbs. Any activity over a couple minutes in duration caused me significant back pain. I started walking, When I started, I honestly had to begin with walking around my trailer a couple times. I added more laps as I built my endurance and eventually started walking around the block and down by the lake. I can now walk for about an hour at a time (with very short stops to rest and stretch my back).

I still deal with back pain. I expect that will be an issue until I lose quite a bit more. Being able to be active without pain is a goal that keeps me working at it.

BruteSquad

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CHECK WITH A DOCTOR BEFORE YOU START AN EXERCISE PROGRAM.

That said. I started exercising at 425 lbs. I felt like I was dying because I was 425 lbs. Now I had checked with my doctor before starting. The reason a 425lb man doesn't want to exercise is because it sucks. At that weight I was fat, slow, with no endurance, and it seemed like I might explode at any moment. So I would take a SHORT break when I hit a wall and then start again. But I was doing calisthenics and walking.
Now, at 358 lbs I am training like a mad man. High Intensity Interval Training is what is working for me.

But I will say this, if you are at max density, your expectations have to be right. You are not going to walk outside and be able to do a Parkour run two weeks into it. It is a long slow process. If you are working out hard, it will feel like your body hates you, at least at first. This is why so many people quit.

DON'T QUIT. Keep working and pushing and working and pushing. You are worth all the hard work. And it is called hard work because...........IT IS HARD.

mightyminerva

Never too big to swim. I had a 100+ to lose. I have always been a swimmer but there are ladies in the water exercise group much larger than I am. Many just walk laps in the pool. I could also walk just not far. Swimming is not only easy on the joints it does provide resistance so it isn't just straight walking.

I agree! Swimming is the easiest on the joints, and you could do either a stroke (freestyle, backstroke, etc.), water walking, or water aerobics. Check with your doctor to make sure, but I would think this would basically void the "too big" concern. Water will hold your weight. Good luck.

MonicaT1972

I have a problem where 30seconds - 2 minutes into a workout I feel like I am DYING. I've heard several theories: I'm not breathing right, I just have to get my endurance up, and then that I'm physically too large right now to do heavy cardio. Is there any truth to this? I've seen several bloggers who were trying to lose 100+ lbs that didn't start an exercise regimen until they'd lost about half of that so I was wondering if it's true. I certainly don't want to use that as a cop-out, but I also don't want to endanger myself exercising in a way that isn't good for me. Any thoughts? Or should I speak with a doctor about it?

I was 240 lbs when I started in January. I started with walking. I walked at a pace I was comfortable with for 20 minutes every day. Gradually I worked up the walking duration as I felt stronger, I also branched out into different cardio machines. Within a month I was up to an hour twice a day with no issues at all.

When I started all the senior citizens would pass me numerous times on the track....I was so embarrassed but determined that at my age I had no excuse for 90yr old running circles around me.

I suggest starting with walking at a pace you can maintain then pushing yourself to up your goals as you feel stronger. You didn't get out of shape and overweight overnight and you wont get back into shape and lose it overnight eigher.

Keep at it!

CyberEd312

I started at 560 lbs. and unable to support my own weight... My doctor wrote me a script for Water therapy (water displacement allowed me to stand in the water) and I started walking from one side of the therapy pool to the other.. The very first time I could barely do 10 minutes and was completely exhausted but every time I went back I added a couple more walking laps and I continued to build up my endurance and dropped weight.. I lost my first 170 lbs. all in the pool walking (using ankle weights as I got better) and water aerobics... and then the rest (to date) splitting time between Pool and Gym now.... Your never to big to exercise or to far gone for that matter... Best of Luck.....

kellibenage

Please see a doctor!

With that said, I remember when I first started working out, I couldn't do more than 3 minutes on the elliptical without feeling like I was going to faint. I have since, little by little built up my endurance and can now do 35 minutes and probably more if I tried.

However, my father just recently found out that he had some partially blocked arteries that were causing him to get tired really easily when he did even light exercise. Everyone in our family kept encouraging him just to "work through it" because he needed to "build endurance". Truth is, for him, that was not a great idea. Since then he has had 2 stents placed in his heart and NOW he is ready for some moderate exercise.

Tell a doctor your concern and ask them to help you rule out bigger problems before you do too much!