Too big to exercise?

crazybookworm

Speaking from experience: Everything is going to hurt you at first! Your body is not used to exercise, so while it's adjusting, your body will hurt after workouts. If your experiencing pain in knees or back, then back off a little. I was 252 lbs and 23 years old when I finally wanted to make the change. I joined the gym, and I just started by walking on the treadmill, doing the elliptical and circuit training. Just build your body up to it! It will eventually adjust to the new you. You are 30 lbs less than I was when I started and I did it. You can definitely do this!!

Go get it!

shrinkingbrian

I started at over 400 pounds. At first, I used just walking. Walking and swimming are both low impact exercises. Some people also like water aerobics. You can lose weight just walking. It's a great exercise. Walking is great because you can do it anywhere and it's free. I also think walking is great time just to reflect and ponder. Find some nice walking paths near your house. Consider adding some music or audio books to your mp3 player. I added strength training too. You can start with lower weight and do about 10-15 reps per set. I also use compression shorts to prevent chaffing.

DocGilbs

I'm in a similar situation. At 5.5 and 220 lbs, working out can be difficult if not almost impossible. Honestly I'm just focused on my diet to start out with. Getting healthy is 80% diet and 20% exercise, so start small. I've kicked my addiction to pop/soda and fast food. I'm trying a clean/raw diet mostly with protein shakes and homemade soups. Once you start detoxing your body of preservatives and processed foods, you will immediately have more energy and drop weight like crazy. Once you have more energy and stamina, then maybe branch out into serious exercise. Being overweight, it is hard to find the right exercise routine to get into. I would suggest trying lots of different work outs. Create a cardio circuit with jumping jacks, squats, lunges, planks, etc. Kickboxing and Zumba are great too because it's about the movement, not necessarily the form.

Qui74

I am in serious health trouble. I need to lose 80 lbs. But the knees ain't having it. I have severe pain in my knees I go to therapy for. This is the major issue with my exercise. I just got a treadmill. Maybe I can start in house walking. And go from there. Where can I get a weightloss tracker.

cubsgirlinny

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TeresaWash

I weighed 432 pounds when I started exercising. I walked and did the elliptical and while it might not have been pretty... I didn't care. Elliptical was easy on my joints... worked my way up to 45 minutes in no time. Now I weigh 270. My exercise of choice is Zumba but I also do body pump and the elliptical, swim, walk. What ever strikes me at the moment. Just move... you will losen up. Although I will admit I have not tried the yoga class yet but I really want to!

Good Luck!

bmstee03

Um...I weigh more than you now and I alternate lifting heavy and running 5 days a week. Your body is capable of more than you give it credit for.

I started working out a year ago at almost 300 pounds and I did Zumba, rode an exercise bike, and started the Couch to 5K program. Unless you have some kind of medical condition you should get up and move. It won't kill you.

Michelle7897

Where do I start? I literally -can't- do a lot of these muscle-toning activities. Is walking/jogging/cycling really my only option for now?

For some of you "bigger" folk, or some of you that started "bigger", what did you do to shave off your initial inches?

I have Fibromyalgia and that makes exercise difficult and very painful. I started by walking in place slowly, then jogging in place when I could. This is the only exercise I have found that I can do every day and still be able to get out of bed the next day.

I use my Fitbit every day and I just got the InMotion Compact Elliptical from QVC for $99.96. It is supposed to be very gentle and can be used standing or you can use it sitting on the couch kind of like an exercise bike. I am hoping it will work well for me and help ease some of the stress on my joints.

You can do this, just take it slowly. Add me if you would like. Good luck!

dbrightwell1270

I haven't read all the things in here. I have read a few that say I was heavier and I ran or I went gung-ho and you get used to it. Exercise is exercise is exercise. The best exercise is the one you are comfortbale doing and will consistently do. I started at about 465 pounds. My exercise consisted of walking to/from work Monday through Friday. (That's about .6 miles each way). After a few months, I added a 15 minute walk on my lunch breaks and would walk about 2 miles on Saturday mornings. A few months later, I was walking to/from work, on my lunch breaks and was in the local park walking another 2 miles every night. Before long, that 2 miles was 4 miles and then sometimes 6 miles. A lot of times, I was still wearing business casual attire (with proper shoes for walking.) You don't have to be all ging-ho. You don't even have to do things that require workout clothing. You just need to get and keep moving.

What you eat is going to be 80+% of your weight loss anyway.

radiantsunshine40

CONGRATULATONS ON WANTING TO GET MOOOOOVING!! ((HANDCLAPPING))

IF you haven't started any EXCERCISE........Do this up to 3 times a day...........WALK and slow walk for about 10 minutes at a time. Gradually increase this maybe every other day by 5 minutes.

When you can do a FULL 30 minutes of walking with a 5 minute warm in the beginning and a 5 minute cool down in the end for about a good month.....then maybe try to walk briskly for a time period (your judgment BECAUSE YOU & ONLY KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO!)

I really like the Leslie Sansone---Total Body Slimming DVD! It has the option for a 15, 30 or 45 minute workout! She starts out slow and ENCOURAGES YOU TO WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE! You can use hand weights....thus building muscle and working the upper body!

If you can AFFORD a GYM MEMEBERSHIP w/ a PERSONAL TRAINIER than I would suggest you do this from the start at least for a month or two

---

that way you have a guide to PROPERLY INSTRUCT you.......BECAUSE the HUMAN NATURE is PRONE to OVERDO...and that REALLY HURT US IN THE LONG RUN!

I WISH YOU MUCH SUCCESS!! Please, stay focus and I hope your FAMILY will ENCOURAGE you and not DISCOURAGE you in your EFFORTS AND GOALS----YOU ARE CERTAINLY MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION! :flowerforyou:

12ouncemouse

Your never to big to exercise. Any little movement we do burns calories. You just have to start slow. Walking is a good way to start. Just remember, Rome wasn't built in a day=]

dacadoo

Put those sneaks on and go for a walk. Even if it just to the end of the driveway its still moving and you will build from there. I totally get you at my biggest and I am 5'9" I was over 400. I am 100lbs lighter and still not tiny by any means but I try to do something at least every other day.

You go girl!!! as my daughter would say "I refuse to sink"

Hugs,
Ann

Lupercalia

I started with just walking for about three weeks or so. Then I decided I really wanted to train with kettlebells, so I got one of those and worked with it (in addition to the walking). After about three months of all that stuff, I'd dropped around 35 lbs and was interested in lifting again, so I joined the gym. I'm still keeping up all three of those activities, and doing great.

radiantsunshine40

[GREAT RESPONSE & ENCOURAGING!! ((HANDCLAPPING FOR YOU SIR!]
I haven't read all the things in here. I have read a few that say I was heavier and I ran or I went gung-ho and you get used to it. Exercise is exercise is exercise. The best exercise is the one you are comfortbale doing and will consistently do. I started at about 465 pounds. My exercise consisted of walking to/from work Monday through Friday. (That's about .6 miles each way). After a few months, I added a 15 minute walk on my lunch breaks and would walk about 2 miles on Saturday mornings. A few months later, I was walking to/from work, on my lunch breaks and was in the local park walking another 2 miles every night. Before long, that 2 miles was 4 miles and then sometimes 6 miles. A lot of times, I was still wearing business casual attire (with proper shoes for walking.) You don't have to be all ging-ho. You don't even have to do things that require workout clothing. You just need to get and keep moving.

What you eat is going to be 80+% of your weight loss anyway.
[/quote]

jennfranklin

Hi.. I am 5'1" and started out at 228 pounds so I know where you are coming from. I started my journey with walking or getting on the elliptical machine. And sometimes swimming if you have that option. Leslie Sansone has a great dvd called walk away the pounds. You can do it at your own pace, and don't beat yourself up if you cannot complete it. It will take time, but before you know it you will build your endurance. I am up to five or six days a week, intense cardio, workout classes, interval training, and three strength training sessions a week. You can do it, stay focused and you will get there. You can add me for support!

alishacupcake

Up until now I've been raised and lived in a lifestyle where sedentary was encouraged and almost praised. Now I'm at the very unhealthy weight of 220lbs at 5'2 and only 23 years old.

I want to be healthy for a number of reasons; I like to be active and involved with out door activities, I want to have energy to keep up with my daily life, and above all I want to feel great about myself.

But I've tried looking up all kinds of exercises and routines, cardio and strength, but with the amount of body fat I have lots of poses and such almost hurt to do because of the contortions the stretches require to effect my muscle. As embarrassing as it is to say; the fat is in the way of doing a complete crunch or knee-high, or even push-ups.

Where do I start? I literally -can't- do a lot of these muscle-toning activities. Is walking/jogging/cycling really my only option for now?

For some of you "bigger" folk, or some of you that started "bigger", what did you do to shave off your initial inches?

some " toning" exercises you can start now.

squats, bench press, rows, dead lifts, over head press, pull ups ( assisted), dips ( assisted)

I second this. I also do wall push ups (you can youtube it). I would start with walking as well as body weight exercises. Body weight exercises are awesome when you are just getting started. You don't need any equipment, you can do them at home and they don't require alot of time.

I actually weigh more than you right now but I am a little taller. I started slowly with walking and still do walking but I also lift 3 days a week doing Stronglifts.

Em2je05

WALK! 7 months ago I was 5'6 and almost 300 pounds. I started walking almost every day at the park after work. Meeting up with friends or having a support system that asks you daily "Did you walk today?" really helped me. When I lost all the weight I was going through a hard breakup and the walking helped me relieve stress and for once not think about my ex and what he was up to. Now that I've lost almost 50 pounds (25 lost before I joined MFP) I started logging my steps with my bodymedia (a pedometer would work too). Get a pedometer and start logging your steps and have a goal to reach everyday. My goal is to have at least 5,000 steps done before I leave work at 4:00.

All the best to you and feel free to add me!

Emily

HypersonicFitNess

I would say start with walking and you can even do interval walking....

say warm up 5 minutes at a slower pace
30 seconds a faster pace (you should be breathing hard)
2 minutes nice steady even pace (should be easier to breath)
repeat 30 second/2 minute cycle for up to 20 minutes
5 minute cool down at a slower pace

Build up to longer fast paced intervals
Build up to longer total time

Only change one factor per week. You should do you current cycle for at least 3 weeks before trying to switch it up.

trijoe

Last year I did my first 5k at 380lbs
I did my first 10k at 350lbs
I did my first triathlon at 340lbs

You're not too big at all..Just get out there and do it...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this answer!!!

Look, you're at 4 pages now of people echoing the same sentiment: You're never too big to exercise. You just gotta want it.

I started at 250 pounds. Treadmill walking. First slowly, then I sped up the machine as I became more comfortable. Then I got some small handweights and started adding that in. Then I got an exercise bike and added that in. The treadmill kept speeding up and the next thing I knew I was jogging. Before too long I was doing 5K's.

Eventually I was doing long road races and triathlon. This took about a year to reach. It's definitely a slow process. I caught the triathlon bug and was hooked after my first one. Since then I've raced numerous Half Ironmans and and 1 Ironman, though I'm training to add my 2nd this autumn. I'm not fast - not even close. I always finish toward the bottom. But I don't care. It's still more fun than sitting on the couch.

I'm still big. I struggle to eat properly. I probably always will. But I still try. In the meantime I refuse to let being big stand in the way of fun. I have a motto: "If it's not fun, I'm not doing it." I think this is why many people fail. They may internalize this motto without realizing it, then try to do things they just don't enjoy. It's a recipe for disaster. You MUST find what's fun for you. Then start yourself out slowly. Build up to greater and greater levels of competence. Then, before you know it, you'll be doing things that today you'd never think you could do. Like riding 100 miles (at one time!!!) or dead lifting a gazillion pounds or running a marathon or backpacking to the summit of your favorite mountain. The possibilities are endless.

But you won't figure any of them out until you figure out what makes you go, "WOW!, that was fun."

Good luck! Have fun!
TriJoe.

lizziebeth1028

Up until now I've been raised and lived in a lifestyle where sedentary was encouraged and almost praised. Now I'm at the very unhealthy weight of 220lbs at 5'2 and only 23 years old.

I want to be healthy for a number of reasons; I like to be active and involved with out door activities, I want to have energy to keep up with my daily life, and above all I want to feel great about myself.

But I've tried looking up all kinds of exercises and routines, cardio and strength, but with the amount of body fat I have lots of poses and such almost hurt to do because of the contortions the stretches require to effect my muscle. As embarrassing as it is to say; the fat is in the way of doing a complete crunch or knee-high, or even push-ups.

Where do I start? I literally -can't- do a lot of these muscle-toning activities. Is walking/jogging/cycling really my only option for now?

For some of you "bigger" folk, or some of you that started "bigger", what did you do to shave off your initial inches?

Like others have said - WALKING!!! Walking outside, walking on a treadmill, walking DVD's (I highly recommend Leslie Sansone's walk at home DVD's). Also don't be afraid to try other types of workouts......that's what the modifications are for, keep it low impact until you build up your fitness level.