Exercise at home for beginners with 100lbs to lose?

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  • AndreaStockdale
    AndreaStockdale Posts: 1 Member
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    I felt the same way when I decided I needed to lose weight. What I did was a half hour walk in the mornings, then throughout the day I did 10 stair runs (depending on house layout, I have a landing so I ran up to the landing and down and counted that as 1 ... Also didnt really "run" when I first started, lol), 10 leg lifts on each leg (I lied on my back, lift one leg just off the floor, raised the other as high as I could, lowered, repeat), 10 crunches, and 10 push ups ... I think that's all that I started with. Also, cut back my portions when eating and cut out sugar (including juice ... I stopped drinking juice unless I was taking medication). Every week or 2 (cant remember which) I increased the reps by 5. oh, and I did that 5 days a week. Not sure how great of a workout it actually is but it helped me lose almost half the weight I needed.
  • lscrivy
    lscrivy Posts: 7
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    Just walking around the block (or wherever, the location isn't important) is a good place to start. If you are able, walk vigorously. You can slowly add hand and ankle weights too.

    I understand that you may also want to add other exercises to tone particular body areas, but if you can't do anything else, just walk whenever and wherever you can. Every little bit of exercise adds up.
  • WindyJenny
    WindyJenny Posts: 69 Member
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    I'd recommend Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds

    YES! Leslie Sansone has many videos available on YouTube that you can do in the privacy of your own home, and put as much or as little effort into it as you are able. I really recommend her workouts!
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
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    I'd recommend Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds


    ^this!!!
  • karenmetfan
    karenmetfan Posts: 62 Member
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    I have about 30 or so to go for my final goal weight. I started with this DVD--1 mile is only 15 minutes. I'm now using another of her DVDs and going 4-5 miles, plus doing abs, arms, chest/back, legs. If I don't her DVDs, I use my treadmill or walk outside. The important thing is to find something you like, that you can do, that you will stick with. For me, that was walking. I hope you find one you like! GOOD LUCK!
  • icetopaz
    icetopaz Posts: 28 Member
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    Thanks so much for all your replies. Its nearly one am here so I'm going to get to bed and review the different exercise sites again tomorrow. I really appreciate your posts - its saved me a lot of time trying to muddle through on my own.
  • Jenna70
    Jenna70 Posts: 130 Member
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    Go to YouTube.com and type "exercise for beginners" in the search box. There are so many videos to choose from and they are free! If you find a specific type of routine you like (such as TaeBo or Zumba) type that in the search box along with the word beginner and see what options come up. Good luck to you. Whatever you choose to do, keep on doing it every day, even if it's only for 10 or 15 minutes and make it a habit. Combine that with healthy eating and before you know it you will see and feel the results of your efforts! :)
  • cschiff
    cschiff Posts: 209 Member
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    Jillian Michaels DVDs are great (like 30 day shred and ripped in 30). you can buy them for under $10 each or i think youtube might have some copies up! i love jillian, but i know some people dont hah!

    good luck and stay strong, you can do this!
  • shaydon80
    shaydon80 Posts: 138 Member
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    Check out Ellen Barrett. She has some great videos and Jessica Smith has a "walk" series on YouTube that sounds lame but is actually really fun.
    I lost 80lbs with Ellen Barrett's DVDs (and another tracking website). You can find them on YouTube and at www.ellenbarrett.com. It's all very low impact and you feel invigorated rather than exhausted when you're finished.
    Good luck :)
  • jwalworth
    jwalworth Posts: 32 Member
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    Best thing you can do is walk/run. I started last August with over 100 to lose. In eight months without any special exercises, I've lost a lot and my fitness level is way up. I started with walking. Moved to running (ran two 5ks last year). Now I'm doing running and biking -- I have my first du this weekend (5k run / 20 mile bike / 5k run). I hate running, but really its one of the best things (assuming you have no joint structurally problems). Work your way up to it and you will see the pounds go down and your fitness level improve drastically.

    Last thing -- no such thing as toning. You can spot build muscle groups, but you can't spot reduce fat -- your body gets to choose.
  • suitestorm1
    suitestorm1 Posts: 5 Member
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    i started using the Wii Fit Plus... love it. and even though the balance board has a 300lb limit, there is a workound where it can still be used on youtube...
  • JakiDee
    JakiDee Posts: 43 Member
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    I appreciate that you're trying to encourage me, but I guess I'm just not ready for it at the moment. Perhaps in the future I might go, but right now I just want to make friends with my body in my own time. I just don't feel that keen on doing it, but I am motivated to work out at home.
    [/quote]

    I totally feel where you are coming from. It just isn't for you right now. I started out doing 15 mins on the stationary bike then added 5 mins per week. I like the turbo jam dvds.
  • quiltlovinlisa
    quiltlovinlisa Posts: 1,710 Member
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    I'd recommend Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds

    YES! I'm almost at a hundred to lose and I use this!!
  • Jeffdawn64
    Jeffdawn64 Posts: 8 Member
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    Any type of movement is a start. Walk in your house, march in place. Build up from there. I was 150#'s past my ideal weight 1 year ago. I started with a 5 minute walk and added 1 minuted each day. I then added Zumba after dropping the 1st 40#'s and now jog, walk at a 4 mile hour, still Zumba, added kickboxing and boot camp exercises. I also liked "The Biggest Looser" work out DVD. You will find most people do not care that you walked by or are even next to them. Love yourself for who you are :)
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    I used this workout to lose 40lbs of bodyfat in 3mos. I was well into the obese range when I started.
    This is your basic 5 x 5 template. (To clarify, 5x5 is 5 reps x 5 sets. The idea is to work at a difficulty level where you could only do maybe 7-8 reps on the first set, and are struggling to finish 5 reps on the last set). You would do strength training 3 times a week, say Monday-Wednesday-Friday with the weekends off. These are done "lazy circuits" style, with about 1 minute rest between each set. The explanations of the exercises you'll use for each group are farther below.

    Workout A
    1A. Knee dominant - 5 x 5
    1B. Horizontal push - 5 x 5
    1C. Horizontal pull - 5 x 5
    2A. Ab - flexion - 3 x 5
    2B. Ab - static 3 x 30 seconds

    Workout B
    1A. Knee dominant - 5 x 5
    1B. Vertical push - 5 x 5
    1C. Hip dominant - 5 x 5
    1D. Vertical pull - 5 x 5
    2A. Ab - rotation - 3 x 5
    2B. Grip and neck training - 3 x varies

    Exercise Progressions - with regular weight training you can just add weight to the bar. With bodyweight progression is mostly about changing your leverage. These are just a few examples, I could come up with dozens more if needed. Google is your friend if you are unsure what an exercise is or how to perform it properly. Youtube is usually a good resource. Remember also, you can always add resistance in the form of a weighted vest, backpack, or resistance bands if necessary.

    Explanations of exercise in order of difficulty (easy-hard)
    1. Knee Dominant -- squats, lunges, step-ups, bulgarian split squats, unilateral bent leg deadlift, partial one leg squat, one leg squat, box or stair pistols, full pistols.
    2. Horizontal Push -- pushups, decline pushups, resistance pushups, side to side pushups, stair one arm pushups, negative one arm pushups, full one arm pushups.
    3. Horizontal Pull -- body row, resistance body row, negative one hand row, incline one hand row, full one hand row.
    4. Ab - flexion -- crunches, situps, resistance or incline situps, reverse situp, resistance or incline reverse situps, hanging knee or leg raise, hanging pikes, rollout from knees, rollout from feet, dragon flag. Also included are oblique moves like side lying crunches with or without resistance and side lying two leg raise.
    5. Abs- static -- 4 point prone bridge, 3 point prone bridge, 2 point prone bridge, 4 point supine bridge, 3 point supine bridge.
    6. Vertical Push -- pike pushup, hindu pushup, divebomber pushup, decline pike pushup, decline hindu pushup, decline divebomber pushup, one arm pike pushup, negative handstand pushup, handstand pushup with head touching floor, full handstand pushup.
    7. Hip Dominant -- supine hip extension, good morning, one leg stiff leg deadlift, split one leg good morning, one leg supine hip extension, hyperextension, one leg hyperextension, natural glute-ham raise.
    8. Vertical Pull -- jumping or assisted pullups, pullups, resistance pullups, side to side pullups, negative one hand pullups, one hand pullups. All these can refer to chinups or neutral grip pullups as well.
    9. Ab - rotation -- twist crunches or situps, resistance or incline twist crunches or situps, russian twists, lying windshield wipers, standing rope rotations, hanging windshield wipers.
    10. Grip and Neck Training -- for grip you can use handgrippers, deadhangs from a pullup bar (especially a fatbar or gripping a towel). For neck nothing beats wrestlers bridges. If you are involved in a striking martial art or sport, finger and fist pushups are very important also.

    None of these lists have to end here. If you get strong enough you can always add resistance to your full range of motion one limb exercise. Or if you can do more than 5 one hand pushups do decline one hand pushups, or start working on one hand hindu and then eventually one hand dive bombers, and so on.

    The nice thing about this routine is it scales dramatically depending on your fitness level. If you can't do even ONE regular pull up, you can scale it down and do assisted pull ups (legs on a chair), or ballistic pullups (where you jump to provide the initial momentum). It's actually easier to do properly when you're very unfit...because once you're healthy and strong...you're going to be searching for challenging enough exercises to only allow you 5 reps max by the finish of the 5 sets.

    If you need any help with choosing exercises, or anything else, let me know!

    Keep your diet sensible (500-700cal deficit would be good), eat lots of protein, and the differences will be apparent very quickly!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    ^^^^^Cris just gave you everything you need right there. That was solid
  • alsoagood1
    alsoagood1 Posts: 79 Member
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    A couple people have already said YouTube -- there are plenty of exercises for every fitness level. Also to start you can use a couple of cans of soup or veggies or full soda or water bottles to use to begin strength training. You can stand against your counter in the kitchen and do leg lifts and/or squats. Just walking around inside or outside of your home will get you started. Once you start add a few minutes more each week. Good luck - I hope you do well!!
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
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    I had the same mentality going in. I have over 100 lbs as well. The thing is, I went to the YMCA last week, and nervous as hell, but the fear was in myself and it was totally not worth the stress. Nobody stared at me. Nobody was whispering or laughing. Some said hello, and some didn't seem to realize I was in the same room, but you know what? I spent 2 1/2 hours there and I felt like a million bucks when I got home. (And I spent a good part of it in a swim suit, so no, I wasn't walking/working out in baggy clothes, I was totally exposed).


    Give yourself and everyone else a chance. It's not as horrible as your mind makes it. <3

    Excellent post! :flowerforyou:

    Marching in place in your living room for as long as you can is a good way to begin. That's pretty much how I started back into exercising when I was over 200 pounds. Just try to increase your time every week. Also, there are many other good suggestions here. Best of luck!
  • izzyl09
    izzyl09 Posts: 9 Member
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    Its so hard getting started but the high after exercising is amazing, you really will feel like a million dollars!! :)

    I was heavier before I joined the website (started at 232lbs and now 211) but I started out choosing a tv show at night (something about 30-40mins) and I would walk on the spot during the show then on the ad break I would do some jumping jacks, lunges etc....whatever you feel comfortable with. The time FLEW in because during the walk I was concentrating on the tv!

    I recently started running now that I have got some confidence to go outside and have met lots of really nice and encouraging people....everyone likes a newbie because they remember how it was for them starting out!!

    Good Luck!!!
  • wifealiciousness
    wifealiciousness Posts: 179 Member
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    Also, if no-one has suggested it- can you swap any driving journeys for walking? It's great cardio!