No stamina

smelch1990
smelch1990 Posts: 6
in Fitness and Exercise
I am 22 and I have never had a big problem with my weight until after my second son was born. I haven't been able to lose the last 10-20 lbs I want to lose to get back to my pre baby weight. Before I had kids I was not really the exercise type. I went to clubs but otherwise I didn't work out. There were a couple of summers when I ran on treadmills to become stronger and more athletic, but nothing major. Now, I live in the country off a road that has cars that fly around the curves (so unsafe for running) and no indoor equipment for exercising. I tried to do jumping jacks for ten minutes and only lasted 3 before I fell to the floor in excruciating pain from cramps in my side. I can only do sit-ups for about two minutes before I can no longer lift my own weight and I can only do about 7 push-ups before my arms give out. I tried jumping rope but my rope kept getting caught on my ankles and I would have to start over. Any advice??? Please help!!!

Replies

  • pholbert
    pholbert Posts: 575 Member
    Keep trying. You will build up to more. Jog while watching something on tv. The tv keeps your mind on something else and makes the time go faster. Maybe try some dvd workouts.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    This is the kind of thing that gets better with practice. You will get more stamina the more you do these things. Being able to do 7 push-ups when you're totally out of condition is actually really good.

    If you live in the country, are there no smaller roads or footpaths that you could run, or even walk, along?

    If you're going to workout in the home, then perhaps look at free videos online (off the top of my head, youtube and bodyrock.tv are good sources - there are others) or look on nerdfitness.com for bodyweight routines. If you're willing to pay, there are lots of good exercise dvds available. You could invest in some dumbbells, or resistance bands, or just use your bodyweight. From the way you're describing it, it sounds like you're just trying kind of random exercises, and then getting discouraged. If you had a set routine to follow, it might help.
  • nguk123
    nguk123 Posts: 223
    >>Now, I live in the country off a road that has cars that fly around the curves (so unsafe for running)

    Is there a park you can take a bus to and run laps on that ?

    >>I can only do about 7 push-ups before my arms give out.

    For stuff like this , if you know you fail out at 7. Do 4. Then take a rest for 90seconds to two minutes. and do it again.
    and repeat. You can spread out this sort of exercise over your day. wakeup, do a few, midday do a few, evening do a few.

    Then after a week or two, test yourself see if you can do 8 or 9. If you can then make your routine to do 5 instead of 4.

    Your muscular endurance will improve, and you wont kill yourself in the process.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    I don't understand what the problem is here. You don't start out with stamina if you haven't been working out. Building up stamina is the reason people work out. Keep working out and you'll build up the stamina you are currently lacking
  • jimmie65
    jimmie65 Posts: 655 Member
    Keep at it. Lots of people have started off at zero push-ups.

    EDIT - Also, forget sit-ups. They're inefficient. Try planks instead.
  • leilaphoenix
    leilaphoenix Posts: 839 Member
    Go walking. Walk everywhere.
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    I like the wii fit and on line barre , yoga or pilates. I do all my workouts at home . Also, get a pedometer or fitbit or nike fuel band... I add as many walks , stairs as i can during the day... I am the queen of ten minute walk breaks...and. You tube is full of 10 minute yoga pilates and barre routines. Keep at it and you will find what works for you.
  • Amazon_Who
    Amazon_Who Posts: 1,092 Member
    How far to your mailbox? Walk back and forth adding "laps as you get stronger".
  • xTenaciousJx
    xTenaciousJx Posts: 555
    the more you do it the more it builds up. try walking...i live in the country on a gravel road and I run...just have to run on the side of the road.

    I do all my workouts at home...lots of DVD's I love Jillian Michael's....she has you work out hard and as you do it more and more it gets easier.

    keep at it, it will be so worth it all.
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    Like everyone says it takes time. I am finding that I am definately getting stronger each day. Still got a long way to go though. I was horrified when i encountered my first plank. I still find them hard, but am much better than day one. Keep at it.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I'm more than twice your age, when I arrived here I was 20 pounds overweight and hardly ever exercised and wasn't interested in joining a gym. I started with Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. The first day and the second day, I seriously thought I would die. I could do a couple of pushups. By the end of the first week I could do 15 pushups. After that I tried some other videos, I needed to follow something I couldn't just do pushups and jumping jacks on my own, I'd quit after a minute if I didn't have someone to follow. Now I have bought some weights and I'm doing a heavy weight lifting program at home.

    There are tons of different things you could do, you just gotta find the one that you will do. Once you start, you will build stamina, I promise. You will be amazed at how quickly you get stronger.
  • smelch1990
    smelch1990 Posts: 6
    I live directly on the curvy road and it is really dangerous with big 16-wheelers flying down it and everything.

    I have no clue what a "plank" is.

    I normally take a half hour every day and put my baby (8m) in my harness and walk the circle between my house and my husbands grandmother's house next door. I would love to run, but I can't go without my boys unfortunately so I can only walk at best.

    I tried to convince my husband and mother-in-law to get the wii fit, but no luck so far! My mom had the wii fit and I loved the hula hoop game!
  • smelch1990
    smelch1990 Posts: 6
    >>Now, I live in the country off a road that has cars that fly around the curves (so unsafe for running)

    Is there a park you can take a bus to and run laps on that ?

    >>I can only do about 7 push-ups before my arms give out.

    For stuff like this , if you know you fail out at 7. Do 4. Then take a rest for 90seconds to two minutes. and do it again.
    and repeat. You can spread out this sort of exercise over your day. wakeup, do a few, midday do a few, evening do a few.

    Then after a week or two, test yourself see if you can do 8 or 9. If you can then make your routine to do 5 instead of 4.

    Your muscular endurance will improve, and you wont kill yourself in the process.

    No park. I asked my mother-in-law about the possibility of going to the high school after hours, but she wasn't sure if that was allowed.

    Thanks for the idea! :)
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Stamina is another word for endurance and it's something you build. There are literally millions of workout DVD's you can get to do at home (Jillian Michaels has a lot on her own) so you could get one (30 day shred is popular) and get started. Stop with the defeatist attitude of saying you only did 7 or your rope got tangled. If you can only do 7 today, do 7 then try for 8 tomorrow. If the rope gets tangled, untangle it and go again. Every body starts somewhere on the road to fitness.
  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
    When I started, I literally could not do a single push up. I agree with the person who said you work out to build stamina. You already have a great starting point. Now exercise to build it. You don't become super athlete overnight.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Go on youtube and look up exercise videos or dance videos.

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