Is exercise bad for you?

I would be more concerned with being overweight than any damage long term exercise can do. Why not then walk on the treadmill, its a natural movement just has more impact. I am not a Dr, but discouraging a patient who is trying to do something doesnt make sense.

I think exercise is very good for you. My joints aren't great. You just have to find the right kind. I'm starting with walking and some stairs or hills. I also do plain old exercises like leg lifts, crunches, arms with light weights. Swimming is also great. No stress on joints.

So here's the thing. Are some exercises worse for your joints and cartilage? Yes. We've know that for decades. But there are some huge things to note about that particular way of thinking.

1) When you're talking about low impact stuff (I.E. elliptical and such), you need to spend an awful lot of time doing it before it really becomes a serious problem.

2) Arthritis and joint issues are annoying, painful, and even possibly debilitating. But they are NOT life threatening. Obesity is, so if you were to have to choose between keeping off the weight and stemming joint issues, I'd choose the weight. You can treat arthritis if it's caught relatively early, you can't really treat death.

3) There are plenty of programs and exercise routines out there that mimic natural body movement. Pilates, weight training, jogging, swimming, bicycle riding, aerobics... etc. etc. Worrying about joint issues is not a good reason to limit your exercise, if something hurts, just find a different routine.

I know that even jillian says to at least do 30 minutes a day....i'd say just until you get used to it, do it 30 minutes a day and then increase in 15 minute increments...

My dr as well has stated certain exercises as being bad for me, not for everyone, but for me because its something my body is not accustomed to and I'm a heart patient so cardio is the best....i did elliptical one day and couldnt walk for a week and thats when he told me that I did not need to put my body through any type of exercise that its not used to...

I said, well dr, obviously i'm not used to any exercise seeing i'm now having to lose weight lol, he said, honey you know what I mean lol.....

The elliptical is actually not hard on your knees, ankles, and feet compared to running for example. It is almost the same movement as cycling. Just be sure you are not locking your knees, always keep them soft. As far as how much cycling it would depend on several vaiables. If you take a cycling class (or spinning class) then they work you pretty hard (in a good way) and that should be enough for the day. (for me personally, my cycling class usually ends up doing about 4-5 miles in an hour class) If you are cycling on your own outdoors, start with doing as much as you can do. I wouldn't go too far that you have no energy to return home. Also, are there hills? Flat road? That is something you'll need to consider too.
Being overweight can also cause damage to your joints. Your knees for example are at risk. Losing 10 pounds can reduce the risk of developing knee problems dramatically. (I have seen a huge reduction in pain level and improved functionality in my knees since I've lost 20 pounds.)
In general, start slow and easy, maybe a half hour ride and gradually increase. Just see what works for you. :-)

I really do think its about doing the exercises that work for YOUR body. I have a lot of people tell me I should do elliptical over treadmill due to my bad feet. I have tried the elliptical and my knees kill during and after. Its a very uncomfortable ache and it makes the exercise not enjoyable or sustainable. I dont feel like I get a very good workout when I do one of the sitting bikes. I do however love the workout I get on the treadmill. I started with just walking, and now I am in week 3 of C25k. Its what works for me.

I would say if you are gonna bike, go for 30 mins (even if its just slow pace) to start. You can then work on increasing your speed and the length of time you work out. I would also say go for walks.

Did the doctor mention that being overweight is hard on your bones and joints as well and is why so many obese people end up riding on those scooter-type thing's. You don't need to be extreme with exercising to get great benefits for your heart, mind and body. I am not big into running because I find it hard on my body but I use a stationary bike for 30 minutes and also do spinning classes. I don't find them to be hard on my body yet they still get my heart pumping and I feel great afterwards!

Okay so let's think about this--being overweight to any degree increases your risk of infections, joint issues, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, heart attacks--the list goes on and on... This doctor says that exercise can cause joint issues--okay so don't exercise and risk more things or exercise and take the chance of having joint issues. Just because your exercise doesn't mean that you are going to have those things go wrong... However--being overweight has proven time and time again to lead to the things that I listed above. I know he was just trying to be helpful but you have to weigh out the cost and balances. I applaud that you are still willing to do SOMETHING to get your exercise in...just remember that while Doctors are smart and informative they don't always have the right answers. You have to decide what is right for YOU! (This coming from a Nurse who takes orders from Doctors all day) There comes a point when you have to decide what you will listen to and what you will just take with a grain of salt because you know you are doing the right thing in the long run. Most of us will have joint issues reguardless of exercise or not because it comes as a part of aging--so why not just push forward and make your body healthier now so when those issues come along you are more than ready to take them on!!!

Good luck to you!

and remember...the dr didnt say to not workout, he just said your body may not be able to do certain things which is a true fact....listen to his advice...get a bike....i'd say start with 30 minutes and add 15 minutes on as comfortable...also do some water aerobics and cardio....awesome work outs.

The people on the savannah did a lot of walking and running and so were rarely very big..
For a larger person of this era, minding one's joints is extremely important when beginning exercising. Overstraining a knee isn't a very fruitful way to begin..

Swimming is low impact on the joints and I can really recommend it! So is driving a bike.
Still, I wouldn't forget walking (or any other exercise) just because of the weight. Just don't overdo it and listen to your body!
I find that overdoing it is just too easy.. O_o

So here's the thing. Are some exercises worse for your joints and cartilage? Yes. We've know that for decades. But there are some huge things to note about that particular way of thinking.

1) When you're talking about low impact stuff (I.E. elliptical and such), you need to spend an awful lot of time doing it before it really becomes a serious problem.

2) Arthritis and joint issues are annoying, painful, and even possibly debilitating. But they are NOT life threatening. Obesity is, so if you were to have to choose between keeping off the weight and stemming joint issues, I'd choose the weight. You can treat arthritis if it's caught relatively early, you can't really treat death.

3) There are plenty of programs and exercise routines out there that mimic natural body movement. Pilates, weight training, jogging, swimming, bicycle riding, aerobics... etc. etc. Worrying about joint issues is not a good reason to limit your exercise, if something hurts, just find a different routine.

YES! This!

Not to mention that caring around more weight than your body was designed to carry around all day, every day can also cause you joint pain!

I have a long history of knee problems. When I weighed 160 lbs and my knees would hurt terribly just standing for too long. After losing just 10 lbs I remember thinking about how much better my knees felt. I was also exercising during this time and strengthening the muscles around my knees, so that may have also helped them to feel better. Point being, my knees feel a whole lot better NOW (lighter and more active) than they ever did while I was heavier and mostly sedentary.

I used to think that I couldn't do squats and lunges because I had a bum left knee from years as a ski instructor. Amazingly, after 6 months of exercise and a loss of 30 pounds, my knees didn't hurt anymore. Go figure!

When I first went to my orthopedic surgeon because of my knee pain, I was informed that the tears really weren't bad enough to do surgery and that he wasn't going to limit what activities I wanted to do (like continuing to ski, etc.) because becoming obese and sedentary would be far worse than doing my exercise activities on a bum wheel.

Walking and running is probably the most natural exercise, as our species has relied on it since the dawn of our existance. There were no bicycles on the savannah. Walking and running also don't require any special equiptment, outside of shoes.

I have had some knee and sciatic issues and the eliptical was what was recommended by my orthopedic surgeon, physical therapist, exercise physiologist, and my internist. They said it is the best thing at the gym for a good workout with low impact on the joints.

WOW! I guess they weren't kidding when they said ya better get a second opinion. ha

add chiropractor and podiatrist and you can ditto this for me! I switch up exercise to keep from getting bored and to keep my body guessing.

Which ever exercise you choose do it for at least 30-45 minutes and get your heart rate up to 70-80%!

Your doing a great job keep it up!