Best exercises for a heavy girl?

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alexitez
alexitez Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey, I am new to Myfitnesspal, and pretty much new to actually having a more organized and recorded healthy diet journal. I am really enjoying it, but I am not sure about what exercises I should be going. I am looking to lose weight, and I feel confident with my eating but just not sure if my exercise routine is right for me. Can anybody give me advise?

I am 21 years old
height is 5'5
weight is 280
female

I am currently doing cardio by dancing with the just dance for wii game which is so much fun! I dance for about 45 minutes to an hour and burn about 600 - 700 calories. I really give it my all and work up a crazy sweat. should I be doing this every day or should I switch it up with strength training a couple of days? If so what strength training exercises?
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Replies

  • HIITMe
    HIITMe Posts: 921 Member
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    save your knnes and start with low impact exercises.... aqua aerobics would be ideal... start with 10 lb hand weights ( or walking with slightly less, maybe 8 lbs) and try a recumbant bike...
  • wlkumpf
    wlkumpf Posts: 241 Member
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    30 day shred by Jillian Michaels is my fave. I loaned it out and have used her butt and thigh one.
    I plan to do p90x but it is kinda a scheduled confusing thing and a bit longer than 1/2 hour like Jillian Michaels.
    I have insanity too, but that is a long term goal.

    Fo Sure I would do Jillian Michaels first.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Dancing is an awesome workout. If you're enjoying it, keep doing it. There isn't any one exercise that works for everyone (based on what individuals enjoy, not results).

    And maybe try incorporating some weight training, as well.
  • phillipspage
    phillipspage Posts: 25 Member
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    I try to mix it up by doing strength training a few times per week and cardio most days. I do Leslie Sansone DVDs for now--I have a really bad knee, so low-impact aerobics are my friend! She basically takes simple walking movements and turns them into a workout. It's great for beginners and those who need low-impact exercises. I think there are even a few of her workouts on YouTube! And you don't really need any weights if you don't want to use them!

    Feel free to friend me if you want some support :)

    eta: If you want to incorporate strength training (which I would totally suggest) you may want to get into a routine of working your upper body one day and lower the next time you workout. You can google things like "beginner's upper body workout" to find some good, simple exercises to get your started. If not, peruse the exercise forums here for ideas.
  • Weighinginwithmy02
    Weighinginwithmy02 Posts: 369 Member
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    if you start having joint issues from impact, try adding in swimming and biking. And yes, start strength training now.
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
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    For now, the best thing is doing anything. Do exercise that you enjoy....you'll be more likely to stick with it. And, early on, that's the most important thing. Once you get rolling for a month or two or even three, you can look into adding resistance training and/or increase the intensity of your cardio workouts....but, for now, you're enjoying Just Dance and burning a solid amount of calories doing it, so I would stick with that. Sure, adding resistance training at some point will be useful....but for now, I recommend just doing what you're doing and having fun with.

    Besides, the most important thing about fat loss is what you eat. 90% of your success will be determined by what you eat/drink. Exercise adds other benefits and helps with fat loss (for one thing, you can eat more if you're exercising), but making healthy choices and eating at a deficit are the most important things for your journey.
  • Ladyslippers
    Ladyslippers Posts: 186 Member
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    I'm no expert but based on what I've read from others who have demonstrated results on here, and based on what I've found to be true for myself, it's best to mix up the cardio with some weight work. Using weights builds lean muscle, which increases your metabolism, which then helps burn the fat more efficiently.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,529 Member
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    30 day shred by Jillian Michaels is my fave. I loaned it out and have used her butt and thigh one.
    I plan to do p90x but it is kinda a scheduled confusing thing and a bit longer than 1/2 hour like Jillian Michaels.
    I have insanity too, but that is a long term goal.

    Fo Sure I would do Jillian Michaels first.
    For a total beginner who is very overweight, this isn't advisable. She has NO IDEA on what good form is and doing plyometrics and squats with bad form will lead to knee, ankle and joint issues. It's one thing to watch a video, another to actually perform them correctly.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    I'm doing strength training 3 days a week and cardio (including martial arts) on the other days. Especially good starting things are yoga, swimming, water aerobics, and walking, but anything that you are enjoying that gets you moving is great!
  • BarbellBlondieRuns
    BarbellBlondieRuns Posts: 511 Member
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    When I started, I just went for a 30 min walk each day. Mostly outdoors but I walked the halls after hours at a local middle schol when the weather was really bad (I live in Michigan). I kept upping my walking time till I found myself walking about 1.5 hours/day. Then I added in 'couch to 5k'. Now I mostly just run about 3 miles/4 days per week... with some variation. The important thing is to do what you can and do it consistently. Make small tweeks to keep challenging yourself (adding time/difficulty). Consistency in your exercise & calorie counting is the key. :)
  • MaryPhilomena
    MaryPhilomena Posts: 31 Member
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    I started with aqua aerobics 2-4 times a week, it does give a low impact but an effective exercise programme for all the body, I am sure this is why I do not have loose skin but a toned body (not bad for a 60 year old lol) - also lots of brisk walking wherever and whenever you can fit it in. Keep on dancing and choose what you enjoy
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,529 Member
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    Keep up the dancing. Then learn one strength exercise correctly and get good at it. As you get better add on another. I emphasize that you learn the correct form and nail it down. If possible get someone with a least good knowledge of exercise to watch you perform an exercise to see if your form is right.
    If it were me, I'd start you on squats with just bodyweight.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • wlkumpf
    wlkumpf Posts: 241 Member
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    On the beginner Jillian Michaels she shows proper form, what not to do and modified moves in case you aren't capable of the full move or are a beginner. She also says you can start with no weights or build up to make the workout harder.

    So, Jillian Michaels really is a great beginner video since she is VEry Very thorough and safe :) In fact, after watching a few times I wish she seperated out the training from step 1 since I have caught on.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    For the most part, the method is far less important than the effort. I'd rather see you put more effort into something you enjoy than less effort into something that might only be modestly more effective.

    I do think a mix of heavy lifting and cardio is best, but what cardio you do and how you lift is pretty much up to you.

    Eat better, get more exercise, put in the time and do the work... that's where you start.
  • ModoVincere
    ModoVincere Posts: 530 Member
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    The best exercise is one you enjoy and will stick with.
    dancing? If you enjoy it, by all means keep at it....do be careful about high impact on the knees, but its a great cardio exercise.
    Walking is another great exercise....what matters is that you get up and move....and keep moving. After you've developed a bit of cardio base you can expand what your doing into other things....maybe even strength training.
  • havingitall
    havingitall Posts: 3,728 Member
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    I started at 340 lbs... I use the elliptical, the exercise bike, lift weights and do yoga. I love boxing ( real boxing...not box-fit and not kick boxing) I do exercise classes and I go for walks. The only thing I don't do is run because it kills my knees.


    All exercise is fair game. Take care that you aren't hurting yourself but get moving
  • cozystyle
    cozystyle Posts: 39 Member
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    I agree with a few of the others, if dancing is wat you like and it's getting ur heart rate up, then that's great...plus you are enjoying the workout and that's important...I am a big girl and I do the Leslie Sansone walk away the pounds dvd...I love it bc it's low impact and it allows you to work your way up to the number of miles u want to walk....so if u like u can switch up so that you want get bored...i acutally lost 10lbs in a month doing Leslie Sansone...IT WORKS...GOOD LUCK!!!
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
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    Following up on what I said earlier, I did NO exercise for the first nearly 3 months of my journey. I focused on what I was eating and lost 20+ pounds during this time. I started feeling better and added some cardio exercise at that point. I went another 2ish months eating right and doing cardio, lost more weight....and then I added resistance training and high intensity interval training, but of which I increased the intensity over time.

    For you, kudos for jumping in and doing some exercise now. During this early part of your journey, don't make it too complicated. Stick with what you enjoy. As a few folks have suggested, adding resistance training at this point may lead to injury and setbacks...and that's not going to help.

    Know that this is a journey...a lifetime journey...and that it will take time to achieve your goals. One day at a time is how you get there. Doing too much will not help you achieve your goals because there is no shortcut.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    On the beginner Jillian Michaels she shows proper form, what not to do and modified moves in case you aren't capable of the full move or are a beginner.
    It's nearly impossible to tell if you're in proper form without someone physically guiding you, especially if you've never done it before.
  • Jory2pointOh
    Jory2pointOh Posts: 38
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    I love Just Dance and I'm a tad bit heavier than you. I think the point is to keep moving. Plus it's easier to do at home than trying to find a swimming pool or going to a YMCA to get a swimming pool but only to have to wait for their classes. With dancing, you don't have to wait.

    I tried doing the strength training at a gym I was a member of and the first day I injured my arm badly. I decided to wait until I was a little healthier to get started on that. Dancing is just fun and the music is awesome.

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