I am starting to get depressed. Is this site supposed to ma

Why not just do walking till you get the weight down to a manageable level? You should be able to do that even if it is slow, with asthma. I understand the frustration, as I have leukemia and there are some days I can't do what I'd like running-wise, but you can't give up. Exercise is not only for weight loss, it also has numerous health and mental benefits.

I've had chronic asthma since I was two. There have been times in my life when I've spent weeks in hospital and times when I've been totally symptom free. The best advice my Doctor ever gave me was to stay active. Being active, irrespective of the intensity will help your lungs strengthen and prevent asthma. I too have gone from being a state level basketballer to being overweight and unfit. For awhile I was feeling really awful and I struggled to keep up in a lot of aspects BUT changing my attitude was the key. Start small. A slow walk, although seemingly insignificant is a good way to begin to get your fitness back. Swimming is phenomenal. The breathing patterns when you swim help to strengthen your lungs and it's low impact. Look up the Buteyko method of breathing. I took this course and it changed my life. I went from taking 6 medications a day and being reliant on steriods to being virtually free from most symptoms. You obviously suffered an infection which weakened your lungs but regardless of whether you've had asthma all your life or you've only just started suffering symptoms, getting on top of it is possible with determination and looking in the right direction. Don't give up... Start small and work your way up to fitness classes. Don't expect results straight away, it can take a few weeks before you really notice changes. Good luck!!!

I was diagnosed with asthma several years ago. It was due to acid reflux. The acid reflux was due to my weight. Then the doctor told me that losing weight would get me off the reflux medication and off of the inhalers. It's taken me 16 years (and breast cancer) to finally listen to his advice. I'm down to a daily reflux pill (I used to take it twice a day), and I have no more inhalers. Only a dozen pounds has helped both a lot. I"m looking forward to the day I no longer need that daily pill. When I couldn't breathe I just walked and did some strength training. As it got easier to move I added cardio and increased the weights. I'm just about ready to increase both again. You, too, can get through this. Just keep moving!

Hi - I do not have asthma but I do have a knee which is problematic after two operations 20 years ago. Prety much the only exercise I do right now is walking - as I get lighter (quite a bit) then I will up the intensity slowly. Without the walking, I would not have made progress. It is important to try to do some exercise.

I have asthma. The more you work out, the easier it is to control. I suggest walking, biking. ELLIPTICAL, swimming, etc. Running is very, very hard for me, and one day i want to run. Can't let the asthma win

IMO: I disagree 100%. Exercise. It helps. Start slow, do what feels comfortable, and then push it a bit. Keep pushing. it will take a while bit it will get better.

In terms of gym classes, don't other trying to keep up, just do what feels sane. Within a month you will have doubled what you can keep up with.

I began my weight loss journey in January for the first month i just ate the 1,200 cals a day. i couldnt move much because i had an accident and i couldnt really walk much without my foot bleeding and running was out of the question. so i went the first month just doing 1,200 a day. In feb i was fed up, my weight losses stopped being so big, and i hit a plateau so i decided its time to get moving, so i bought a bigger sized shoe and wrapped my foot in bandages and went to the gym. it was so agonizing but i knew that its for the best. i kept doing that for a month (and went through a lot of blood soaked bandages lol) and then the hospital finally did my operation. I was told to not exercise until no more blood came out, but being me i didnt listen and i wrapped my foot up in bandages and got back to the gym a week after my op. my foot slowly healed and i could take off the bandages and i could put on my normal sized trainers and throw out the bigger size. i didnt want to make excuses for myself to not workout. i wanted to change my life for the better and no stupid foot was going to stop me, now when i have a migraine or i feel sick i still go to the gym, i think that it depends on you. how much do you want to be fit and healthy? are you determined enough to run with blood pouring out your foot? or do you want your health problems or illnesses own you? my best friend had asthma (probably spelt that wrong) and she is working her butt off with me in the gym 5 days a week and she doesnt get problems with that anymore. she can run along side me with no problems. she didnt let any illness or health problem become her. she works hard and she is reaping the benefits.

I have always been asthmatic (I've also always been a heavy soda drinker, full calorie up until the age of 23 and then diet from then on.) It was severe in elementary school, it lightened up in high school (when I was highly active in sports and did alot of walking around with my friends,) and in college it flared up again. A couple years later it was at it's worst.

I cut out sodas completely (including diet) and noticed an immediate difference in how often I needed to use the inhaler. I added daily walking to that and now I only need my rescue inhaler when I have a seasonal allergy flare up and it causes my lungs to inflame.



Sorry for rambling on but exercise has definitely made an impact in my asthma, and it was just walking around my neighborhood a couple laps a night. I don't know if you drink diet soda but I found it was a trigger for my asthma and I would have never guessed that so who knows, maybe try weeding out any food/beverage triggers of your asthma?

Good luck!

I started this 2 weeks ago, and I haven't done any exercise at all .. I have lost 14 lbs, and I am slowly becoming more energetic and physical. Last Sunday I was acting like a asthmatic when I walked 10 minutes to my mother in law's house .. I was ready to die. I am 385 lbs ..so it's really hard to carry that around. I planned to do this ..and I made myself do the walk a mile at home today, and you know it was hard .. but I did it!! I didn't know that about the mile ..that it burns the same calories as running it. That's pretty cool!

I understand about asthma because I have had asthma since I was three years old. Since gaining all this weight I have had a lot more issues with my asthma so I do believe that gaining weight does not help it. On the advice of my doctor and nutritionist I have been incorporating little things to exercise and it has helped tremendously.

I agree that it is harder to move when you have a lot to lose. Right now I weight in at 351 lbs. and I have a very hard time with any kind of vigorous exercise but that is to be expected at my weight and also because I have been so inactive for so many years. It will be hard at first but within time you will be able to move easier the more yo do it I don't completely agree with not exercising until you lose X amount of weight.

For me I believe that moving is important no matter what you do. Even if you only walk around the block at least your moving. I am thinking about investing in a Wii because I hear that is great exercise and I feel at my weight I would be able to do it ....and even if it's hard at first I can always go my own pace and within time I will get better and better. Now I don't think that I could do any vigorous and hard work outs ...not yet but eventually!!

You have to do with what is going to make you feel comfortable but the important thing is to move every single day no matter what!! Good luck on your journey .

Do what you can today, and you'll be able to do more tomorrow. Some people begin at 70% fitness and in 6 months they're at 90% fitness - and others might begin at 20% fitness and in 6 months they're at 50%,,, and that's ok too. It's all progress, all improvement. As long as you don't quit you don't lose. So don't quit.

You see...with so many positive comments and ideas you shouldn't be depressed anymore as you already have a lot of online friends behind you. Go for it! :flowerforyou:

I feel what you are saying. It's kind of like saying well I can't be beautiful until I'm a size 2. Does that sound ridiculous to you? :flowerforyou: To me, it does. I think it's important to take it slow. It's taken me at least half a year to get my whole eating habits changed and it's improving everyday. I would say just go for a walk. It's probably the easiest thing you can do and you can go as slow as you want for how long you want. Swimming is also good and easy. My advice is don't put yourself on a limit and restrict life until you reach a certain point. :flowerforyou: This community here helps me everyday especially on the days when I feel like doing nothing, I come here! We'll be behind you for sure and I hope you do everything you can possibly do to achieve your goals.

I have exercise induced asthma. Now that I am on the right combination of meds for me I can do everything again but swim in chlorinated water, which is what caused my asthma. Riding my bike, walking, I don't know about aerobics. Stop if your getting out of breath, make sure you take your meds correctly, start slow and keep it up. It is definitely possible and really good for you.

I also developed asthma late in life. As I lost weight the asthma actually got better. I don't have to use inhalers anymore but at times when doing a real hard workout I do sometimes get breathless. Just remember slow and steady wins the race. No one got fat overnight and no one gets skinny overnight.