Any Starting Exercise Recommendations for 300lb User?

Okay, so I'm not 300lb, but I'm knockin' at the door. I have pretty bad knees and ankles, but doesn't mean I can't walk.. just I wouldn't get into jogging or running. It's been mentioned for me to start walking, and that's fine and dandy, I do it, but I'm wondering if there aren't any easy exercises I can do in the home to start getting me more limber and gives me something to do when I just don't feel like dragging myself out in the bad weather to walk? These could be something to get me started and lead me into more complex exercises later on.
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Replies

  • BossReyes
    BossReyes Posts: 117 Member
    start walking, do something

    You build into running. Walk 1/4 mile for a week, 1/2 mile for a week, 1 mile. Build progress.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    get out in the cold. Drag yourself if you have to.

    couch 2 5k. I mean if your really having issues with running just walk and get a DVD thing you can do in your house.
  • Play some music and dance. It's worked for some people.
  • anifani4
    anifani4 Posts: 457 Member
    Walking is fantastic exercise. If the weather is poor, walk inside. If you can get to a pool, swimming or water aerobics are both good, easy on the joints, exercises. Stationary bike. You could explore exercise DVDs that are low impact. Put on some upbeat music and dance.
  • ladywendolyn
    ladywendolyn Posts: 45 Member
    I was a weight watchers leader for years and worked with lots of clients who were 300+ pounds. If you can afford it, an exercise. type heart rate monitor can be a really good aid in terms of exercise. Then you can tell if you are working at the right level without straining yourself. Some of my clients started just by keeping soup cans by the tv and lifting them during commercials. Anything that gets you moving more ( even standing) can help, you can also buy a set of bike pedals that you work with your hands as you sit in a chair...
  • sstacy15
    sstacy15 Posts: 1 Member
    I don't know if you have a Wii or Wii fit but, I would go through and play all the games on the Wii fit plus (I think it would take me about an hour). They aren't super hard, they are fun to do and you still feel like your doing something!
  • Sh3aj21
    Sh3aj21 Posts: 6 Member
    To be str8 up! Leslie Sansone "Walk Away the Pounds," would be a great start for you because I'm doing it myself. Right now, I'm walking to " Walk Away the Pounds for Abs," believe me! It really works if you dedicate yourself with your whole heart and your body will reap the benefits if you just believe in yourself....Leslie Sansone is my blessing and I'm going to continue using her workouts....
  • gvheintz
    gvheintz Posts: 138 Member
    I would also encourage some resistance training. It doesn't count easily like cardio does, but it is beneficial to help maintain muscle mass which helps burn calories.
  • sjc0183
    sjc0183 Posts: 4 Member
    Dancing and walking are my go to's. I also play a lot of wii workout games, you having fun and not even realize you are working out.
  • NeewMee
    NeewMee Posts: 26 Member
    I started out over 300 lbs and am just barely under now. I walk every day, twice a day while watching netflix or listening to a workout playlist of some upbeat songs. I also do some very basic stretch yoga. I have some medical issues that cause me great pain but I am able to do much more walking and weight lifting after I stretch out for a bit. I do it two times a day too. I accept that I wont be able to do as much as others. I am happy in the knowledge that whatever I do is better than nothing. So far it is paying off. Good luck to you. :)
  • Controversial
    Controversial Posts: 157 Member
    I was pretty close too, and started off with Wii Fit Plus. Then walking and hiking, step aerobics, The Firm, etc.
  • JaceyMarieS
    JaceyMarieS Posts: 692 Member
    When I started, I had knocked on 300's door, walked in and had shut the door behind me. I had 2 herniated discs and Uncle Arthur Itis has set up camp in my ankles. I walked ( or more honestly, hobbled) as much as I could. I bought an elliptical machine (Sole e35, which was one of the few home machines i found rated above 250 lbs) and did 2 minutes per day ... and thought I would die. I bought some resistance bands (very cheap!) and marched in front of the TV during commercials. As soon as it was warm enough, I started walking and then jogging in the pool.

    Have a game system? Dance games like Just Dance are fun and get you moving. Zumba games are great.

    Have a DVD player? Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds get you walking without the weather factor. And call me cheesy, but i still like Richard Simmons and his Sweatin' stuff.
  • I'm 6'5" and I was just over 350 before thanksgiving, I've got a gym membership and I use the stationary bike. I broke my knee years ago and have minor trouble from time to time because of my weight. I felt self conscious about it, I didn't want the "workout people" to see this fat guy doing low intensity on the bike. So I joined a small 24 hour gym and would go late night, around 3 am. I started with a half hour. I went every day. And started at a level 6 out of 12 on the bike I use. After a week I started adding 5 minutes to the program, every 2 to 3 days. The bike adds a warm up and cool down time in the total time you set at the beginning. Then after I got to 45 minutes I would bump up the resistance (the bike allows you to do this mid program) with 10 minutes left, then the next day I'd bump it up to 7 with 15 minutes left. Then after about a week of that I just started on the harder level (7) and did that until the full 45 minutes seemed "easy" then bump it up again. Now I'm up to level 9, getting ready to go up to 10, and I've added quite a bit of weight training as well. I do the bike 5-6 days a week and lift 3 days a week. On my lifting days I knock the bikes resistance down a level or two depending on how my heart rate is after lifting. I've noticed that it tends to be a bit higher after I lift then use the bike compared to when I just ride the bike.

    After the holiday season I'm still under 350 so I'm pretty happy with that, I just joined this site a few days ago and plan to be between 280 and 300 by my birthday in June
  • Shinwasha
    Shinwasha Posts: 32 Member
    Even through it doesn't really do much to knock calories off stretch. You said to limber up, the more often you stretch the more limber you will get. Find stretches you feel comfortable with and start with those.
  • Lift_This_
    Lift_This_ Posts: 2,756 Member
    i started walking either outside or on rainy/snowy days i did a leslie sandsone 4-5 mile dvd...its takes baby steps, so start slow and work your way up.
  • JennyLisT
    JennyLisT Posts: 402 Member
    I started out at 360, and I'm currently at 314. I mostly walk, but the weather here is atrocious some days (cold, pouring rain kinda weather). On those days I either use my Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds DVD or jump on the Wii Fit. Anything to keep moving!
  • SheriBethB
    SheriBethB Posts: 159 Member
    Walk, have dance parties, yoga, zumba, Leslie Sansone's Walk away the lbs vid is great.
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    Walking is definitely a great place to start. You might also try work out videos like 30 Day Shred. I didn't do level 1 on the 30DS until after my first half marathon, so it was too easy for me, but it struck me as a great beginner's workout, even with modified exercises.

    I also recommend yoga. Yoga at any size is excellent for you health.
  • 2essie
    2essie Posts: 2,847 Member
    Youtube do lots of free exercises. I also do the Leslie Sansone walk at home video. You can do as much or as little as you like. There are lots of other free videos from Zumba, walking and aerobics, plenty of these for beginners and all free. Just do a search.
  • SheriBethB
    SheriBethB Posts: 159 Member
    I agree with the above poster. I did 30 day shred for the first time at around 300lbs. It was hard, and in the beginning I had to modify some of the jumping moves (Jumping jacks, jump rope), but quickly gained strength and by the end of the first 10 days/level 1 (I did them consecutively with 1 rest day a week) was able to finish a circuit with no breaks.
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,733 Member
    i do a 6-mile walk as many days a week as time and weather permit. it makes a difference. because of your weight at over 300 lbs, you can burn a decent amount of calories if you can go out for long walks like that.

    http://walking.about.com/library/cal/uccalc1.htm
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    C25K

    You can start out with walking and build up gradually. Congratulations on your progress so far!

    It is never to early to start with weight lifting either. Even if it is only body weight exercises in the beginning that is okay. The more strength exercises you do, the more muscle you will help preserve as you lose weight.
  • svelt123
    svelt123 Posts: 173 Member
    Hi, I have bad knees and feet. I started with a stationary bike. My workouts began to get easier and before I knew it I was able to start walking longer distances without too much pain. When the pounds begin to come off you will notice that your joints are not as painful or the pain may just disappear!

    Welcome and good luck.
  • When i started the whole dieting thing,the first cardio exercise i did was walking! You know 30 minutes a day,you choose the pace.
    I was almost 250 lbs and i thought i had bad knees. The fact is,the more lbs you lose the more freedom you're gonna feel!

    Trust me,weight holds us back! So,push hard and then harder and we're gonna break the chains:D
    And as @2essie mentioned,try Leslie Sansone's program "walk the pounds away" when you don;t feel like going out to workout or when the weather is bad.

    And i started going to the gym! I use the machines and i lift weights. I started with 1 kilo weights (2.2 lbs) and now I lift 3kg (6.6 lbs) :)
  • squirrelythegreat
    squirrelythegreat Posts: 158 Member
    Like they say, start small. Go for a walk. Park further away from the doors at stores. Stairs instead of escalators / elevators. Once walking a mile or so is comfortable walk faster. Then walk farther. Ease into jogging intervals. But most of all losing weight will alleviate those knee and ankle problems. I thought I had 'bad knees' at 300 lbs. Now I can run 10 miles. Just remember to take it slow. Baby steps.

    (going uphills is lower impact on your knees also)
  • upgetupgetup
    upgetupgetup Posts: 749 Member
    To be str8 up! Leslie Sansone "Walk Away the Pounds," would be a great start for you because I'm doing it myself. Right now, I'm walking to " Walk Away the Pounds for Abs," believe me! It really works if you dedicate yourself with your whole heart and your body will reap the benefits if you just believe in yourself....Leslie Sansone is my blessing and I'm going to continue using her workouts....

    I previewed this for my mom, to see if she'd get bored. It looks like a great program. Patterns change every few bars - there's some marching, side to side, front/back movements, kicks. If you're currently sedentary it should totally get your heart rate up, and help establish better coordination, in case that's a problem now. There are 20, 30 and 40 minute workouts available on Youtube (don't know how legal they are, but they're there). Also, I thought the instructor presented well, offered encouraging (vs patronizing) patter and used good cues. AND, indoors!
  • I say do yoga. It has worked for me and my mother. She is almost 300 lbs and she loves to do yoga. It relaxes you; you build strength; it tones muscles; and you do lose weight. I know this because I have only done yoga as an exercise and have already lost three pounds. I just started doing it but trust me it works!!
  • hjy319
    hjy319 Posts: 269 Member
    Walking, swimming, the elliptical is great, and my favorite :noway: the evil stairs.
  • Hollthulhu
    Hollthulhu Posts: 19 Member
    Wow! All these helpful comments. Thank you EVERYONE! This makes me really happy I joined this community, as everyone seems so helpful.

    Reading over the comments, there's so much support and recommendations. I keep noticing the Leslie Sansone and C25K be mentioned, so I am definitely looking into them.

    Some have asked if I have a game console, and I do in-fact have a Wii. I will look into finding a used Wii-Fit, it wouldn't hurt to add it to my game collection.

    It's also nice to see people relate to my troubles and give encouragement. I worry the most about my right knee, as it goes out on me sometimes or just gets in horrid pain. I noticed on C25K's site about strength training for your knee muscles, so I am going to look into this also.

    Thanks again all, and I'll keep checking back for any more tips and encouragement! Going to try using my profile to post little updates to keep me motivated! :)
  • I started at 602lb in 2010 and I started by walking. I walked and yes, at first it sucked, it felt like I was dying, and I hated it, but I made myself do it every day. I eventually got a gym membership and started doing treadmill work daily. It gets easier. Just have to make it a habit and keep pushing yourself. I've still got about 210lbs to go to get to my goal but slow and steady keeps it off :)