Being too unfit to do any form of excercise ?

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  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
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    Since everyone gave great tips on walking and getting there... I will hit a different point (but really the same message)

    Did you like Zumba? The biggest point of Zumba is just to move... you don't have to do all the steps exactly or even at the same impact as everyone else... Just move... get those arms up in the air, your booty shakin', and your feet movin'.... like everyone else said you will get there. :D

    btw: my av is me and my Zumba instructor.
  • azwen
    azwen Posts: 237 Member
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    A Leslie Sansone video might be perfect for you! Check her out on YouTube. Try a one mile walk. She's very encouraging.
  • froggysgirl
    froggysgirl Posts: 6 Member
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    Don't try to jump in head first...start out small. Start out walking and increasing your time each day. Then try to tackle the C25K. I can just about guarantee it will be much easier if you are already used to walking for 20-30 minutes. I am starting it on Wednesday, and I have been trying to condition myself by walking faster & faster each day on my breaks at work. The first day of walking I thought I was gonna pass out because I could hardly breathe, but I noticed each day got easier. And I also broke it up....20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon. As long as you don't give up and keep pushing yourself a little more each day, I'm sure you will do great!!!
  • tequila09
    tequila09 Posts: 764 Member
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    if working out was easy they wouldn't call it work! it should be challenging because you're body isn't use to it.. if it was easy it wouldn't really be effective. i would suggest start walking or swimming and go from there.
  • Just_Ceci
    Just_Ceci Posts: 5,926 Member
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    When I first started riding my bicycle again last summer, I could barely make 1 mile. Now my average ride is closer to 10 miles. In July, I could barely walk around the block. Yesterday, I ran with my dog about half way around.

    Baby steps!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Worry about what you CAN DO, before you worry about what you can't do.

    You can probably jog at a slow pace for some distance, start there.
    Within 2 weeks you will feel very different and go from there.

    Good Luck.

    This is good advice. Too many people try to go from 0 exercise to balls to the wall over night. You do that, and for one, you're not likely to stick with it...secondly, you're likely to hurt yourself. Gaining or re-gaining your fitness takes time...it doesn't happen overnight.

    I started reacquainting myself with fitness and exercise a few months ago. I'm still not in great shape, but I'm well on my way. When I started back in November, basically all I could handle was going for a 30-45 minute walk at a semi respectable clip. Just doing that would get my heart rate up to around 130 - 135...that's how un-fit I was. I started out doing 3x weekly...once it became too easy I upped intensity by trying to run a bit...then I started throwing in HIIT sessions and upping to 5x weekly. Now I do some form of cardio 5-6 times weekly pretty religiously with 3 high intensity days and 2-3 lower intensity days with my HR just in the fat burn/heart health zone and I lift 3x weekly.

    I can no longer just walk and get my HR up to anything that remotely matters...I can't get it up over 120 when I'm just walking, even if I'm going at a pretty good clip...it's all about progression and pushing yourself a bit beyond your comfort zone without actually hurting yourself. It doesn't have to be balls to the wall insanity hours on end. I do my stuff in 30 minutes...no more, no less.
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
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    Also try doing things like parking farther away from the door. Take stairs instead of elevator/escalator. Do anything that will force you to move more.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    yes, everyone finds it hard when they start out.

    Set small targets, if you can only do 10 mins of an exercise video, then just do the first 10 mins each day. try to make it to 11 mins, then 12 mins etc, until you can do the whole thing. then build up by trying to do the whole thing at a higher intensity, then work your way up to a more difficult video.

    I second the advice about walking, and activity in general, e.g. taking the stairs instead of the lift, etc. This helps get your basic level of fitness up as well, that plus increasing how much you can do of the videos etc will help too. And your body will adapt to it, your muscles, heart and lungs will get stronger, and you'll get fitter and fitter

    you can do it :smile:
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
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    If you can walk you are not unfit to do any form of excercise. It will be hard you may even want to quit at times (I love to run and in the middle of my run I still think what the hell am I doing). But you need to push yourself just move be active if walking around the block is all you can do then do it, then when that becomes easier walk two blocks. Take the stairs instead of the elevator if all you can do is one flight then do it. Im sorry sounds too much like I was. You just have to move your body. As you move more and more you will want to do it more and more, everyone started somewhere. Get some dumbells and use them while your watching tv, sit on the floor and do leg lifts while your watching tv, or hold your arms out see how long you can do it. There is always something you can do. No excuses. Myself I started out on eliptical then moved to treadmill i could barely run 2 miles at a about a 14 minute mile. Now I love to run outside run 3-5 times a week 8 miles a time unless its fricking freezing cold and snowing like it is now even on those days I go out of my way to walk more and take stairs more. I am fortunate I work maintaince at a large facility so I can walk alot and up and down stairs.
  • Lisafrazier71
    Lisafrazier71 Posts: 59 Member
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    The first time I tried to work out I thought I was going to DIE!!! I got all out of breath and sweaty and my head was pounding and it was just awful. All I could think of was... My GOD, if there is a zombie apocolypse I am SCREWED!!! hahaha... I had to try a bunch of different things before I found something I could actually do without killing myself and settled on a work-out DVD called Hip Hop Abs. I couldn't do the whole thing, when I got too winded I would stop and just keep walking in place, but eventually got so I could do the whole thing (it took weeks, then months to move up to the more intense version). It's all dancing! Very fun & the guy is gorgeous :) You might try it, or maybe a video game that has dancing if you have a Wii or X-box or Playstation. We have Just Dance, 1-3 and it's REALLY fun, doesn't even feel like you are working out. Now I go to the gym and can do weights and cardio and all that good stuff, still get all out of breath and sweaty but I don't feel like a complete idiot doing it any more. Good luck!!! You can do it! Don't give up.
  • thrld
    thrld Posts: 610 Member
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    I started exercising by doing the 30DS tape. At level one, following the 'modified' beginners, I still had trouble - and for some moves I had to put down the handweights (which were the lightest ones to begin with). And I was covered in sweat. The tape suggests you spend 10 days at level 1. I spent 19. And it took me 51 days to finish the 30 day program.

    Don't give up. Because one thing is true: failure only happens when you give up.

    You are trying to make a big change, but you seem to be putting the pressure on your performance on day 1. Don't. Instead focus on honoring your commitment. That means you keep going. If you had a friend who wanted to make the very same changes you do, you would never tell her "Wow, sounds like you are having trouble. You should just quit, yeah just give up." -- So give yourself the encouragement you need, be your own best friend. And remember it's a journey, and every step, no matter how small, will get you closer.
  • Laxmom1418
    Laxmom1418 Posts: 7
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    NEVER too unfit!! There are so many ways to exercise. First things first....do not think of it as excersise!! Think of it as moving. And there are soooo many ways to add the extra "moves" to your day. Simple things....
    Start small....park as far away from the door as possible. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Make small goals for yourself and work your way up.
    But pleeeeeease!! Do not give up on yourself!! You can do it. Don't expect to run a marathon tomorrow....
  • Katy_G2013
    Katy_G2013 Posts: 70 Member
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    Start slow! It is good to sweat, need water, be short of breath, etc. You should be working your body in a way that you are challenging your fitness and strength. Keep adding a minute or even 30 seconds a day. Don't let your weight define you and your capabilities. The only way to make changes is to keep changing yourself, change your mentality, change your life and mold it the way you want to live it. You can do this. Keep pushing forward.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Just start by walking and slowly increase your time and intensity. Then add some body weight exercises. You can find tons of information on the internet. nerdfitness.com beginner workout is a good place to start. You need not be athletic to exercise. If you have power 90 just restart it and do what you can do.
  • momswanson
    momswanson Posts: 76 Member
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    Honestly, you can do this. When my work out partner (who is amazing!) and I started, we were out of shape and overweight. We started by doing 20 minutes on the elliptical three days a week. We gradually progressed and started trying new classes to mix things up. The first time we went to a Group Strength Training class we were dying just trying to keep up at the beginning of the class, then the instructor said, "O.K., thats the warm up!" We thought we were going to die. We never left a class, we did what we could and now we work out 10 - 12 hours a week! It is possible! :laugh:
  • Abi_bug04
    Abi_bug04 Posts: 220
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    You can definitely do this!!

    Like many people on here have already said, the first time you try anything, it will be very hard, but I promise you that it gets easier (and you get better and better at doing it!)

    I am currently 96 kgs (211 lbs) and today, I ran my first ever mile without any breaks (5 months after having my ACL completely reconstructed). It was hard, but once I got over the initial mindset that I could not do it, the thought of actually accomplishing this was such a great motivator (and a huge boost in my self esteem once I did). Long story short, at the age of 23, being 60 lbs overweight, this was possible, but did take a lot of effort of working hard, getting stronger and trying to push myself a little bit more each day. You can definitely do this! The first run that I had after my surgery...I ran about 1 minute, walked the next and did that for about 15 minutes and I was ready to give up. The next day I felt so sore and tired, that I did not run for another 2 weeks and then slowly ran once a week and then eventually twice a week!

    You can do this too! Definitely start with a lower form of training. Perhaps try going to the gym for 20 minutes and working on something easier or lower impact rather than trying to jump into a fairly intensive exercise program! Doing a little bit each week will definitely make you better and better, and you will be able to do more and more!

    You can do this, don't give up! :)
  • Jenibynes
    Jenibynes Posts: 13 Member
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    Hello! I just wanted to say that ANY movement is positive movement. If it means walking down your driveway 2 times, that's 2 times more than yesterday, right? Don't feel like you have to conquer this alone and don't feel like there is anyone else's "score" you have to live up to. Instead of saying to yourself, "This was hard", start saying to yourself, "This wasn't easy". I know that sounds silly, but the more POSITIVE words your mind hears, the more you are reinforcing the activity! Crazy the way our brains work, right? LOL

    Next, do you have some sort of supplemental shake, nutrition pack or protein drink you're using? Making sure you're on the right path to nutrition and wellness is really important. Don't just diet. Make your eating COUNT. Remember that you reflect on the outside whatever you put on the inside. So, not only are potato chips bad because they're empty calories, but iceberg lettuce is bad because you're literally getting NOTHING from it.

    I'm using beachbody's program right now and I am drinking their protein shake (shakeology). They have a weight loss "guide" called Michi's Ladder (google it!) where they separate foods into 5 tiers. If you eat mostly from tiers 1 and 2, you're pretty much guaranteed to lose weight. When you drop to tiers 3 and 4 you start getting into trouble. Tier 5 is just plain unhealthy! :)

    Let me know how you're doing (like my page on FB and we can message - facebook.com/jeni4health) or message me on here! I'll help cheer you on! :) Good luck in whatever you do!
    Jeni
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    Go for a walk. Don't worry if you're going slow or cant go far...just do it. And tomorrow...do it again. Keep doing it. And it wont be long before you're walking faster and longer and enjoying it more....and ready to add something else! Everyone starts somewhere, a year ago there was no way I could have done the workout I did this morning. You start where you are and build from there. Don't lose heart just because you're not an elite athlete right off the bat....no one is! You CAN do this!
  • jenns1964
    jenns1964 Posts: 384 Member
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    I know what your feeling. Before I came to MFP I tried 30 day shred. I made it 8 minutes. I have exercise induced asthma so I struggle with huffing & puffing through my exercise. I decided I could walk indoors to Walk Away the pounds.I burn quite a few calories per my HRM. I now have started strength training and some of my other more challenging DVDs. It is a process to lose weight. Just keep on keepin on...you'll get there.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    Start off small and grow like an exercise acorn.</cheesey>

    Even if you walk just 20 minutes a day, soon you'll be able to stroll, then jog, then run. Or for cardio at home, well, I'm sure you could dance to your favourite tunes? Then do that for a while, then do it a bit longer or speed up and start jogging on the spot...

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