Cardio for Beginners?

TheVoiceOfGodlove
TheVoiceOfGodlove Posts: 11 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
...And when I say "beginners", I really mean it! I've been watching my calories since before 2012 ended, so I am slowly getting comfortable with that. But I've never been an active person. Part of that came from being a very sickly child (I had severe allergies, asthma, and other respiratory problems that kept me in the hospital a lot). Now that I'm older, of course, it's hard to develop healthy habits. But I need help: I still have asthma, and after just ONE MINUTE of jumping jacks yesterday, I could hardly breathe. That's really embarrassing to admit, but, then, we're here to get help, right?

Was anyone in my position? What did you do? A note: a gym membership is not an option right now as I lost my job in October and we cannot afford that.

Thank you for your help!

Replies

  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
    1 minute of jumping jacks isn't that easy :happy: What about just starting out with walking? I know a lot of people are very successful with walking.
  • EmPower27
    EmPower27 Posts: 4 Member
    I HIGHLY recommnend Leslie Sansone's 1 mile walk video. It's what I started with last year because of my bad joints. It helped build me up to more intense activities. The 1 mile walk is a 15 minute video, she does marching in place at various paces, plus several other moves that she incorporates into it. Seriously, look into it. Especially if it's hard to get outside or to a gym. You just do it in your living room.
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
    Lol. I am fairly fit and doing jumping jacks for 1 full minutes is hard!! Walking wouldnbe a good start.
  • caroleannlight
    caroleannlight Posts: 173 Member
    Another vote for walking! I started with that prior to joining a gym and it works. Walking workouts like the dvds mentioned can be found on youtube for free or cheap on Amazon. Swimming is also really good if you can get to a pool. I have been going to the gym for 3 months now and a month of walking prior to that but would not even attempt Jumping jacks so don't be too hard on yourself although you do need to push yourself somewhat to increase your level. Use your inhaler before starting the workout. GOOD LUCK if I can do this anyone can!
  • weird_me2
    weird_me2 Posts: 716 Member
    I vote for walking, too! Every time you work out, aim to challenge yourself just a little more. If you go at a certain speed one day, try to go .1 mph faster the next day or raise the incline a bit. As you get fitter and challenge yourself more, you can really see improvements in your endurance and fitness levels. I started out walking last February and did a lot of walking outdoors with big hills and it's really helped me in other areas. Just today I was able to jog/run a mile with no real conditioning because I've been challenging myself with the walking speeds and inclines.
  • TheVoiceOfGodlove
    TheVoiceOfGodlove Posts: 11 Member
    Thank you, everyone! I kind of had a feeling that walking was probably going to be my best bet, but I still wanted to hear from others who had been there. In fact, my hubby sent me on an errand to the post office today. Instead of driving, I think I'm going to bundle up, grab my inhaler, and walk there! Hey, it's a start! :-)
  • caroleannlight
    caroleannlight Posts: 173 Member
    Good for you let us know how you get on! Building more activity into daily life is a really good starter.
  • tracym22
    tracym22 Posts: 107 Member
    Thank you Carolann for the youtube tip. Leslie Sansone 1, 2, 3 mile walks are on there for free! :flowerforyou:
  • StrongAndHealthyMommy
    StrongAndHealthyMommy Posts: 1,255 Member
    hip hop abs is really good for begginers
  • bdamaster60
    bdamaster60 Posts: 595 Member
    Walk up a hill, and come back down.
  • cjsacto
    cjsacto Posts: 1,421 Member
    Here's a non-commercial video I found on YouTube that I like. It's low impact but not necessarily super easy. However, every move is explained and shown very clearly. It's a good starting video and if you can't do it all at first, take breaks. It's 30 minutes, no worries about injuring knees/joints.

    No annoying music or a famous person haranguing you.

    Low Impact Cardio and Fitness Toning for Beginners: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSZj19AUU5I

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