For those who need to lose more than 100 pounds

ilovelucy711

What kind of exercises/work outs are you doing? I know being 100 pounds overweight it can be really tought. So I wwant to start something that is "easy" but work out harder when times goes on.

DanielleMN

I like biking, swimming and walking.

Teysa

I use a stationary bike (I don't know how to ride a "real" one) as you can watch tv while exercising. You can always take a walk, or do some yoga, it makes you sweat a lot, helps with flexibility *wink wink* and even if it's hard and everything hurts at the beginning you'll notice that while you are doing it you are not really thinking about your everyday problems, just about how much it hurts or how hard it is to achieve a pose (or if you are doing it with others you might be cursing those who seem to be naturals for yoga)

SpankyTaz

Speaking as someone who has over 200 lbs to lose, I'd say doing *ANYTHING* will help you. The type of activity/exercise you will benefit from will be based around what your current activity level is and what you can actually do without causing any physical harm to yourself.

I was almost completely immobile due to back injuries and 24/7 pain. I started out by just trying to do little things - like getting up and moving to the TV ad music (which is good because apparently I have no sense of rhythm anymore and I live alone so nobody other than me gets to laugh!) and doing simple, short side-steps instead of standing still when I was doing the washing up, etc. From there I moved on to short walks and then got myself an aerobic step to use in the house whenever I was mobile enough to use it. The back pain had been causing me to be active/inactive at all hours of the day and night and so being able to have an exercise I could do (no matter what time of day/night) at my own pace has made a difference to me.

Whatever you do manage to come up with, I wish you good luck with it and just hang on in there. It's a long haul with no quick fixes that is well worth the effort.

TallGlassOfQuirky

I don't have 100 pounds to lose, since I already lost it, but I thought you might like some feedback from someone who has been in your shoes.

When I started, I was so heavy and so out of shape that all I could manage was a walk around the neighborhood. I gradually could go further and faster.

Once I had the habit of exercising down, I started adding new things. Over time, I was doing a large variety of exercises - walking, swimming, Zumba, yoga, and strength training (along with other random stuff). And yes, for the record, I did do Zumba when I was over 250 pounds - just do the best you can at the most challenging - but still safe - pace you can manage.

Probably the single best piece of advice I can give you is to find something you actually enjoy doing and stick with that while you build the habit of being active (you're less likely to make excuses not to exercise if it is something you actually enjoy). Once you've got the habit down, start incorporating new things - you might be surprised by what you like!

Also, strength training is just as important as cardio - no, you won't get huge calorie burns, but it is so good for you!

Good luck!

erinxo13

I just started walking - short walks (15 mins) and made them longer (60+ mins) . I also play just dance 3 on my wii - started slowly and now i can do a lot more. I also use the stationary bike and elliptical - everything I've had to start slowly and you build your strength up.

Celeigh12

I walked, starting with 15 minutes, then 30, and eventually I could walk for 3-4 miles. My dogs love it! Once I felt like my body could handle something more strenuous, I added Jillian Michaels Body Revolution to my walks. But that was only like a month ago. I think had I started too soon, not only could I have hurt myself, I would have been frustrated by my inability to do it well.

So start walking. It's great exercise and it's free!

JaceyMarieS

When I started, I couldn't walk. I have 2 herniated discs and was afraid I wouldn't make it back.

I had an elliptical that I bought several years before that was being used as a very expensive piece of sculpture. However, it didn't hurt my back and I didn't have to worry about making it back home, so that where I started. 2 minutes once a day until I no longer feel like a heart attack was eminent. Then 2 minutes twice a day. And on until I was at 30 minutes. As soon as it was warm enough, I also walked around and around and around our pool...I was so sad to see summer come to an end!

I agree with just do ANYTHING. It doesn't matter how long you do it - just that you do it consistently. You'll be surprised at how quickly you make progress and how much better you feel. I still use the elliptical, but now i can walk the dog 4 miles and back, take Zumba twice a week and a water aerobics class. I highly recommend any type of water exercise - nothing gets sore and it relieves some of the pressure on your back, knees and ankles (plus it's fun!)

Good luck!

dakotababy

Leslie Sansone.
- At home
- Simple, yet effective
- Challenging
- Good for being heavier.

Best dvd's ever!!

I also found her dvd's good for beginners - When i first started, I just did 1 mile. Now i do 3 miles and add the "Stretchy" in whenever I can. Her dvds are very cheap as well! I borrowed some from my mother, but I heard they are at Walmart for like 10 bucks a dvd. Im sure you could Youtube a few too see what they are like.

chigau_me

when at home i do 30 day shred and 6 weeks 6 pack by Jilllian Michaels. and i go to the fitness centre for zumba, salsacise and other dance based classes, toning (abs and legs - really hard one), swimming and aqua-aerobics (those are awesome for people with big weight to start with!)

lucylousmummy

i've lost 90lbs and the only exercise i do consistently is walking, i started off slow and short distances 5 times a week, then as time progressed i got faster. i bought myself an mp3 player so i don't get bored and try to step in time to the beat if its an up tempo song, i also got a free app for my phone called endomondo, and started tracking how many miles i cover in a month, its surprising how fast they clock up, i now join monthly challenges to walk 100 miles on endomondos main online site and unless one of my kids becomes ill i manage it
i have lovely toned legs that i don't mind showing off now and believe me i have hated my legs since i was a pre teen
i would recommend walking to anybody

LauraDotts

I walk, outside and on the treadmill. I also do strength/weight training. Keep to low-impact aerobics until you've lost a significant amount of weight. You don't want to damage your knees in the process. Strength training is important to keep the muscle the excess weight has already given you. As you lose weight your body starts to eliminate what it now thinks is unnecessary muscle. You have to lift to keep it. It's much easier to keep muscle than to get it back.

caitlyn30

I go out walking.

deb3129

I don't have 100 pounds to lose anymore, but when I started I had WAY over 100 to lose. I started out walking, and could barely make a mile at first. I still walk, and now sometimes take 7 or 8 mile hikes. That is very time consuming though, and I cannot always find the time to spend that much time exercising, so I have also started riding a stationary recumbent bike. I tried to do couch 2 5k recently, but I HATE running. I wanted to make myself into a runner, but that is SO not me! Walking is still my very favorite thing to do though. We live in an area surrounded by national forest, so I am lucky to have some beautiful hiking trails!

pglaf

I also lost over 100 lbs. and used to have a really hard time doing any exercise at all.
Now I do Aerobic and Step Classes as well as strength training classes. I never would have dreamt I would be doing that.

I just started out with walking. Just stayed consistent with going for short walks every night after dinner. Then I gradually started adding more and my knees started feeling better and I could do more.

I added water aerobics and absolutely loved that and its so kind to your body. I really recommend it.

I have a large collection of workout DVD's that I've used over and over again to workout at home.
They helped me lose a large amount of weight.
Leslie Sansone is a great starter one. Any of hers are great.

Good luck to you.
I say anything you can do to get moving will help you. Don't think that you have to do large amounts of anything.
Small steps is all you need to start with.
If you stick with it you should see changes in a short time.

Walking is one of the best forms of exercise - and IT'S FREE!!!

almostmrsfox

I started fairly light and easy for the beginning. I went from 283ish (my highest *recorded* weight) to about 248 on walking and hiking alone or with my dog and doing an easy workout DVD now and then. Once I got down to a weight where my feet didn't hurt at the end of the day I joined a gym. I'm down 12 lbs from there and have another 60-70 to go and I currently do M/W/F 15-20 minute elliptical warm up and 30-45 minutes of various lifting/resistance training.

puddy29

I know how you feel i have that much to lose as well I use Leslie Sansom. I have the five mile walk but I generally do just three miles. I also do the eliptical machine every day for 30 minutes. When I first used this machine I literally could not be on more than one minute before I thought I would have a heart attack. I am now up to 30 minutes and feel great doing it. Just start slow and build your way up but I would say start out just walking and you will get a great workout.

iwatts3519

I joined a spinning class. You can set your own resistance and pace - it burns calories like nothing. Plenty of strength exercises, as muscle burns calories.

I then started running - using a programme for my phone. It started at 1 min run 2 min walk intervals, and every week the running increases slightly. I was nearly 300 pounds when this started, and I could hardly manage it. It is surprising how quickly you build up. First time I couldn't even run for a minute, but I kept it up - yesterday I ran for 30 mins.

Then look at your diet - small changes. Potatoes and sweet potatoes for carbs rather than pasta, and brown rice is good too. Tomato based sauces cooked fresh are very low in calories. By oil as a spray - you use far less. If you like snacking, rice cakes and salsa is very low calories.

If you aren't good at knowing calories then weigh your food and get a good book. You will soon learn to know what calories are in a certain portion. Obviously get into the habit of updating MFP every day. It really does help.

I've gone from 135 KG to 121 KG - still got a long way to go, but I know I can do it.

smileitmakespeoplewonder

When I started I had more than 200 lbs to lose. I'm down 91 lbs as of today, but I started out with swimming and walking. It's too cold now to swim, but I still walk 5 miles a day and go to the gym and do elliptical and stationary bike.

PrinnyBomb

I started at 328 lbs. I walked and played Dance Central. Then I jogged for a bit. Now I'm at the gym at least three times a week for about an hour doing various cardio and strength. As everyone else has said, start small and pick things you enjoy :-)

best of luck!

CarolinaMoon76

I have 100lbs to lose - and I would say its taken 3 months to build up my exercise regime - I started with a trainer doing two 40 min classes of different aerobic exercises, boxing etc and walking twice a week - now I do two one hour sessions with the trainer and its a lot more intense, I am doing C25K three times a week alone and hill walking or swimming once a week. I take one day off. Its taken time to get this together.

TLEIGH33777

I started with about 100 to lose, I have 45 to go to my goal. I started by walking, slow and slowly started using a gym membership I paid for every month and did not use. Now I try to go 3-4 times a week. I started watching my carbs, instead of so much sugar in my coffee every morning I could chew it, I changed to sweet and low. I gave up pasta, chinese food and Burger King ( which is so close to my job I was there almost everyday for lunch).

amoslionhorse

i have over 200 lbs to lose in total. I've lost 50 lbs so far.

When i started, I tried walking my 1 mile block, but it hurt.. alot. So then, i cut it shorter, and went slower.

Now I can do 5KM (I do that once a week.

I also go to a 1 hour intense Aquafit class 3x a week, and walk my one mile block on alternating days.

on bad weather days, or when i don't have a lot of time, I'm now able again to do the Walk Away the Pounds 1 mile. (20 minutes)

ladioffaith

I had more than 200 pounds to lose when I started. I have lost 20 so far.

I walk at least 3 times a week and do the treadmill and various strength training exercises. My biggest challenge is walking too fast!

vypeters

Start with walking. Do a walk that challenges you a little in distance or in terrain. Once you can do that, walk farther or pick more difficult terrain. I went from walking a few level blocks at 319 lbs to hiking 7-10 miles in the mountains but I did it a little at a time.

Swimming and biking are also good, but approach them the same way. Push yourself, but don't set yourself impossible challenges - try to do a little more each day or week.

thisiknow0unknown

i have 145 lbs to lose and i usually work out 3x a week and eat as clean as i can while im starting out. the total gym works well and lots of water. taking the stairs as well will be slow but sure progress! good luck to you all
feel free to add me!
peace ~~~~

MadDogManor

Leslie Sansone Walk Away The Pounds is what I'm doing now

It's in the privacy of my own home, and I walk a mile in 20 min (the beginner mile). I do it because I know I have to.

To be honest, I really haven't found an exercise I like yet - over the years I've done Jane Fonda videos, US Navy boot camp, Gilad dvd's, walking, swimming, biking, hiking etc, etc, etc.

Good luck!