Exercise, is this enough?

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redhatorade
redhatorade Posts: 41 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My husband and I just upgraded to a NordicTrack E9.0 Elliptical from a chintzy 2-in-one stationary bike and elliptical combined. I started out on the cheap one for 7 minutes, and got my time up to about 35 minutes. We got the new one and it is seriously kicking my butt. My heart rate stays in the 170's (179 was my highest) and I seriously feel like I am going to die after 20 minutes. I am quite obese, I am 5'6" and 254lbs (as of last week). I am trying so hard at this, but my husband makes me feel as if I am not trying hard enough (he is a super fit ex-soldier with no issues maintaining weight). I feel like I cannot go any farther than 20 minutes at this point. Am I doing any good at all with 20 minutes/3x a week or do I really need more time in order to make any type of health improvement?

Replies

  • catb58
    catb58 Posts: 239 Member
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    I'm no expert, but a heart rate that high would scare the ****ens out of me.

    You need to do this at your pace...if you can't do 20 minutes, work up to it and beyond. It's ok to push yourself, but use common sense.
  • redhatorade
    redhatorade Posts: 41 Member
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    That is why I feel comfortable at 20 minutes and want to slowly work my way up, hoping that my heart rate will decrease as I get used to this monster.
  • bronsted93
    bronsted93 Posts: 30 Member
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    I feel your pain. I DO! I hate exercising and it always seems I can never keep up with other people in the cardio part of exercise. Even when I was thinner. I'm 5'8'' and 270 and cardio is definitely not my strong suit, but my gf who is the same weight and 2 inches shorter; she does cardio no prob. It's not FAIR! Maybe I'm more muscle than fat, whatever it is running on the elliptical has never felt like exercise, but TORTURE. But honestly as long as you watch what you eat and I mean WATCH WHAT YOU EAT...like a HAWK, then you should lose weight no problem with the three times weekly cardio. I'm very inconsistent with exercise and have still lost 4 lbs for the 3 weeks I've been at it. Just make sure you're under your calorie limit every day and you should be solid. :smile: GOOD LUCK.
  • redhatorade
    redhatorade Posts: 41 Member
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    Yah, watching what I eat is NOT my strong suit. Then again, exercise isn't either. :(

    Just gotta keep going, I guess.
  • monkeypantz
    monkeypantz Posts: 288 Member
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    When I first got my elliptical I only managed 15 mins, then after 2 weeks I would push to add 5 more minutes - that was 2 years ago. Now I can do 2 hours (though I mostly do one hour, about 3-4 times a week).

    It's all about slowly pushing the time up and gently pushing yourself.

    You can do it :-)
  • newimprovingmrsp
    newimprovingmrsp Posts: 3
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    Can you try doing the elliptical every day? Or doing your 20 minutes twice a day on the three days you do it? Increasing your exercise shouldn't feel like a chore, and the smaller you make the changes, the most likely it'll be that they stick. Your stamina on this new machine might increase with increased use, or it might stay the same. You've got to do what works for YOU. If you're losing weight on your current 20 mins x 3, then stick with that.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    Welcome to the forums. I looked at your last few days of diary. Are they incomplete? Your calorie goal looks appropriate, you should be aiming to reach that every day.

    There are some fantastic threads with great information, but I am on my tablet and I suck at technology. Hopefully, someone will post them for you. There is a search function, if you type in 'sexypants' a great one will come up.

    The exercise is more for fitness rather than weight loss, so focus specifically on your calorie and nutrient intake. Do what you can for workout. It is important for health, but perhaps if you are feeling this bad have a physical with your doctor to make sure you are being safe.

    Best wishes!
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    Have you talked with your doctor about your exercise routine as well as your food selections. At your level of obesity (and anyone should anyway), that seems like an important step to take.
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
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    Dont kill yourself or you wont keep doing it. There is no sense in getting your heart rate that high. Id make your next investment be a heart rate monitor and the courage to tell your husband to shut the hell up if he isn't going to be supportive.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    That's a pretty high heart rate - I wouldn't want it to get any higher than that. When I first started running (I was still slightly obese), 180 was my top HR then I'd slow down and walk.

    Is there a way for you to adjust the resistance on your machine so you can go a bit slower or not push so hard? You could always do a few minutes at a higher intensity then rest for a minute then go back. That's a great way to burn calories/fat as well. Also referred to as HIIT or high intensity interval training.

    20 minutes is fine for a beginner but maybe you could work out more than 3 times per week? While exercise is more for fitness as a PP pointed out, it can also help with your calorie deficit if you're not doing that great in the food department. That's the great thing about how MFP is set up. If you eat a bit too much, you can get a little exercise in to make up the difference.

    I'm sure your husband means well. Explain to him that while he may be able to do a lot, you're just starting out and need to build up your fitness level a bit. Assure him that you're giving it your all and as you continue, you'll go longer and/or at a higher resistance but you need time to build up to that. Maybe suggest a way for him to support you that suits you better?

    Good luck!
  • IGbnat24
    IGbnat24 Posts: 520 Member
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    Have you seen a doctor to get the oh ahead with pushing yourself? I don't find your hr alarming but would def recommend consulting your physician due to your weight and other possible issues.

    Assuming you have been given the go ahead, why not push yourself for 20min then tack on another 10min at a more comfortable pace? Or do 20min in the morning and another20min in the evening. You could also add some body weight exercises to the mix--squats, lunges, step ups, push-ups, planks.

    Finally, you cannot out exercise a bad diet. If you want to see success, that is where your focus needs to be. A 20min workout won't even cancel out a plain bagel.
  • shoeloveramber
    shoeloveramber Posts: 291 Member
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    I would see a doctor and ask what they recommend for you to work into exercise. I know that when I got mine I was told by by the salesperson they recommend newbies to do 5-10 minutes a few times a day to build up stamina for a few weeks and then bump it up by 5 minutes a week until you get to a 20 minute long workout once a day and then build on that 5 minutes per week until you get to where you want to be. After that change the incline and speed that you are doing. If you do too much at once you can injure yourself. Tell your husband this is not the military and you do not want to die of a heart attack trying to act like it it. ;)

    I bet if you start eating cleaner you will see a difference too. I notice when I am eating foods that fuel my body exercise is so much easier than if I am eating things that are not really fuel for my body but are fuel for my sweet tooth.
  • tracydr
    tracydr Posts: 528 Member
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    My husband and I just upgraded to a NordicTrack E9.0 Elliptical from a chintzy 2-in-one stationary bike and elliptical combined. I started out on the cheap one for 7 minutes, and got my time up to about 35 minutes. We got the new one and it is seriously kicking my butt. My heart rate stays in the 170's (179 was my highest) and I seriously feel like I am going to die after 20 minutes. I am quite obese, I am 5'6" and 254lbs (as of last week). I am trying so hard at this, but my husband makes me feel as if I am not trying hard enough (he is a super fit ex-soldier with no issues maintaining weight). I feel like I cannot go any farther than 20 minutes at this point. Am I doing any good at all with 20 minutes/3x a week or do I really need more time in order to make any type of health improvement? At one minute a day it will take 20 days to get up to 20 minutes and from there you can progress faster if you're doing okay.
    Start with one minute and work up. As you build condition you will be able to increase much more quickly. Or, do intervals and wait until heart rate goes to about 100. Stop the interval when heart rate goes above 80% max. You should be able to carry on a conversation. If you're dying you're either going too fast or too long for you. At one minute a day it will take 20 days to get up to 20 minutes and from there you can progress faster if you're doing okay.
    Have you had a checkup with blood work and EKG? It may be a good idea to also have a cardiology workup.
  • caracrawford1
    caracrawford1 Posts: 657 Member
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    My husband and I just upgraded to a NordicTrack E9.0 Elliptical from a chintzy 2-in-one stationary bike and elliptical combined. I started out on the cheap one for 7 minutes, and got my time up to about 35 minutes. We got the new one and it is seriously kicking my butt. My heart rate stays in the 170's (179 was my highest) and I seriously feel like I am going to die after 20 minutes. I am quite obese, I am 5'6" and 254lbs (as of last week). I am trying so hard at this, but my husband makes me feel as if I am not trying hard enough (he is a super fit ex-soldier with no issues maintaining weight). I feel like I cannot go any farther than 20 minutes at this point. Am I doing any good at all with 20 minutes/3x a week or do I really need more time in order to make any type of health improvement?
    Meh, my heart rate stays at 170 for the full hour that I workout 6 times a week. My resting heart rate is 55-60bpm. I sweat bullets and I feel great. BUT I'm 36, and have run 7 marathons so far tho,(I am not a novice) and Im about 90 pounds lighter than you.I think I probably felt like that when I first started working out too. Im training for my eighth and tryibg to get down to my race weight. Since this is new for you, You need to go at your pace, and use the talk test. If you're so out of breath u can't talk, slow it down. You'll get more out of your workout, be able to go for longer periods of time, and really enjoy your workout which will give you motivation to do it again. If it feels this bad, why would you want to do it? Slow it down and as you get more fit, you'll be able to go faster and harder.

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