Encouragement for the totally out of shape beginners!

LittleSister

Hi all! This is my first post in the Fitness & Exercise section! You'll probably laugh me right out of this section, but oh well!

I can't believe how out of shape I'd become. Well, I've never been actually in shape - I've always drifted somewhere between lethargic and inert. And it became worse when I gradually began to lose the use of my feet. I realized how much a cane would help, but swore I would never give in to that. But I did - and it helped. I realized how much better it was to use the cane. So I wasn't taking walks - if I needed to go from Point A to Point B, I just hobbled.

So of course I gained more weight. I couldn't figure it out - I wasn't eating that much, really.

I saw a really obese woman in Walmart, riding around in a motorized cart. The thought hit me of how much easier it would be to shop if I used one of those carts too. Then I caught myself! Really??? Was I really going to let myself get to that point? It's one thing to use aids like motorized carts and canes if you need to. But I could make the choice to turn things around.

Anyway, I guess this post is for anyone who is so far out of shape that it seems hopeless - maybe you can't walk, maybe you're already eating at the lowest point acceptable to you, maybe you're starting to resign yourself to your situation.

I started with just stretching - that was my only commitment. No matter what, every morning, I did about 10 minutes of stretching. (I bought a book on stretching so I could pick the ones best for me and to ensure I was doing the stretches properly.) After a few days of this, I began to feel better.

Then I got fitted with customized orthotics. It took a couple months for me to get used to them. But I worked at it.

Then I began talking walks. Most of you in here wouldn't call what I did "walking." Basically, I went around the block once, and it left me feeling sore, whipped, and defeated. I was probably out of the house a total of 7 minutes. But I began doing it every day.

I'd been at this for a week when I found this site. I began to log my food and was horrified at the quantities I'd been eating. I nearly cried. I was already eating way less than I wanted to, and now my daily calorie alotment seemed to be no more than a single snack.

But now I'm starting to get used to it.

This morning, I took my walk, and I realized that I'm walking faster than I was when I started, AND I was out of the house for 25 minutes. I'm in a hilly area, so in order to take a walk, I have to go up hill for at least some of the walk. When I first started, I could only go up one block of the uphill, and then I had to stop and pant and catch my breath before I turned the corner, walked to the other corner, went down hill, and back home. This morning I walked 4 blocks of straight up hill! I didn't have to stop to catch my breath - I was winded, but I was able to keep going.

Anyway, nobody needs to give me any fitness advice about working anaerobically or anything like that - I'm not interested at this point. All I'm interested in is walking a little further each day.

Oh - and I haven't used the cane in weeks.

I haven't lost much weight yet, but who cares - if I continue on this track, I just have to believe my body is going to give in and dump some of the weight.

So if you're an absolute, absolute, totally out-of-shape beginner like I am, it's not hopeless! You just have to start ridiculously slow, do whatever you can, and keep doing it!

Pollart77

Wow great post! Keep going and everyday will keep getting easier!

arewethereyet

Give YOU advice?:huh: No way! You just made me cry. Your words touched my heart because this is where I began. I am now 36 pounds lighter.........which is wonderful........BUT the best thing is I can do whatever I want. Nothing holds me back!

I started out walking to the corner and afraid of lifting 2 pound weights. I feel fit and happy now and you put into words how I felt when I began.

Keep up the good work!! I still cannot think of 60 minutes of cardio, but I always promise I will do 10 minutes a day. It usually turns into more, but sometimes just 10 minutes is what I need!

Thank you for posting this and opening your heart to other beginners. You have no idea what you pass along!!

God Bless you and have a happy Thanksgiving!!

Wecandothis

I salute you! This is a beautiful post! I am grateful that you had the love and concern for others to post this, something every one of us needs to hear.

You are well on your way, and the honesty and courage with which you are dealing with your situation gives me great assurance that you are going to make it!!! You're not going to give up! You've come to the realization that every single step you make in the right direction takes you closer to your goal. We don't have to make great leaps, we get to our destination one step at a time.

God bless you, and thank you for making that post.

swtally80

You are amazing! Keep on keepin on! You will eventually lose the weight but more importantly you ARE getting healthy! Your body will forever thank you for turning away from the electric cart!

jennai

And BTW, I love your quote. I may even borrow it!

LittleSister

Pollart, Wecandothis, swtally, thank you for the encouragement!!!!

AreWeThereYet, you sound a lot like me! Thank you for your response! You are drop-dead gorgeous, by the way. You certainly prove the point that slow and steady wins the race!

zeusmom, you are totally welcome to use the quote!!

MercuryBlue

What a great post!

I don't know if I am what you would call 'totally' out of shape. But I feel that way. I can't exercise for too long without having an asthma attack. I feel sluggish and gross and unmotivated to exercise.

Your post has reminded me how important it is to do SOMETHING. To start SOMEWHERE. Just to take that first step. And it WILL get easier from there.

arewethereyet

:flowerforyou: bumping for the morning crowd. Too good to be missed.

Hannah_Banana

I've always drifted somewhere between lethargic and inert.

I'm not sure if you meant that to be humorous, but it made me actually chuckle out loud. It reminded me of Erma Bombek (whom I adore).

I'm very inspired by your strength of spirit and outlook on life and health - and a little put to shame because I'm young & in perfect health and sometimes don't exercise because 'I don't want to'. Not because its physically uncomfortable or completely exhausting - I just don't 'feel' like it. So next time I'm debating whether or not to hop on my dance pad, I will think of you and others like you that possess that true fighting spirit. :flowerforyou:

cmriverside

"Move and your heart will follow"


My just followed yours. You are an inspiration to ALL of us who make excuses, and those of us who think we "can't"

Thank you.

arewethereyet

"Move and your heart will follow"


My just followed yours. You are an inspiration to ALL of us who make excuses, and those of us who think we "can't"

Thank you.

Cheryl, wasn't this so moving and inspirational? I decided yesterday to get back on the schtick and log religously again because my exercise has been reduced lately.

:flowerforyou:

LittleSister

I've always drifted somewhere between lethargic and inert.

I'm not sure if you meant that to be humorous, but it made me actually chuckle out loud. It reminded me of Erma Bombek (whom I adore).

I'm a big Erma Bombeck fan too! She really had a way of teaching us to laugh at ourselves. Funny thing is, I loved her when I was really young and had no kids and was thin. I loved how she would say "one of these days I'm going to put my body back together" and how she'd say she'd suck her tummy in, but nothing moved!

Yeah, I was trying to be funny! Thanks for laughing!

I'm very inspired by your strength of spirit and outlook on life and health - and a little put to shame because I'm young & in perfect health and sometimes don't exercise because 'I don't want to'. Not because its physically uncomfortable or completely exhausting - I just don't 'feel' like it. So next time I'm debating whether or not to hop on my dance pad, I will think of you and others like you that possess that true fighting spirit. :flowerforyou:

Thank you! I know how you feel though. I was actually thin and pretty hot-lookin' in my teens & 20's. Okay, I was hot-lookin' in my 30's too, but I was one of those plump hot ladies. :laugh: I knew I should exercise, but like you, I just didn't feel like it. There were more fun things to do. Or I was tired. Or busy. Or it was raining. Or too hot. Or I just showered and didn't want to sweat. Blah blah blah . . .

So here I am in my 40's, and although my husband tells me I'm hot-lookin' (heh heh), I'm not seeing it. And of course, I'm not doing this to be a sex-mama, although if it's a side effect, I'll take it!

Anyway, kudos for you for working on establishing healthy habits now, while you're still young, instead of frittering away your health over the next few decades.

Let's both plan on running marathons when we're 60!!!

LittleSister

"Move and your heart will follow"


My just followed yours. You are an inspiration to ALL of us who make excuses, and those of us who think we "can't"

Thank you.

Wow, thank you! What a wonderful quote!

And let's just get one thing straight - you just might have to motivate me when I'm making excuses and when I think I can't do it - we'll just bookmark this so that when I come in whining about something, you can be the first in line to shake some sense into me! :laugh:

donna56

I don't know what to say except what a great post and what a total inspiration you are to someone like me who is out of shape because of years and years of smoking and just down right being lazy about excercise. You are a very beautiful person to get on here and say the things that you have. You will lose weight and you have inspired my greatly. Thank You

snowflakes

LittleSister: Your message was so beautifully written. Good job on taking a step towards a healthier life, we will keep encouraging each other.:flowerforyou:

bluenote

LittleSister, I am you a week ago. Thank you for showing me what next week will be like! When I started on here I couldn't walk for five minutes. But my new friends on the 200+ thread told me to keep on going, that it WILL pay off. Now I walk in ten minute intervals and have begun trying to ride a stationary bike each day, if even for a few minutes. I feel so much better in only these few short weeks. I am inspired by your story - thanks for sharing!

snowflakes

Bump to the top for others to be inspired.

arewethereyet

bump

arewethereyet

I bumped this for 2 reasons. One, this lady can write!! I laughed, I cried......I wanted more!

And also because I see she is back and working a program. We live, we learn...........we hopefully move on and get back into healthy eating.

Lil Sister........you are an inspiration to me.

imagymrat

That was beautiful, can I have your permission to print it off and post it on our boards in the gym, we deal with a lot of people who fall into the seriously obese category, 300+lbs, and this is inspiring! I find that people that aren't on my fitness level don't "get" me, and honestly sometimes I don't "get" them, you just opened my eyes!