Hi Stormy. I started at over 400lbs. I didn't have any spinal injuries, but I could only stand for a few minutes or walk a short distance before my back ached. Sitting was painful, even lying down was uncomfortable. I was in pain and tired all the time. I was gasping for breath just doing any basic activity. I started just walking for five minutes every second day. It was really hard, but at the end of my first month (October) I was able to walk for ten minutes.

I've lost 75lbs so far. I am able to walk for an hour, I can do exercise videos like the biggest loser and the 30 day shred (with modified movements) and I am not in constant pain all the time. Every month means I can do a little bit more, work a little bit harder and keeping going for a bit longer.

I know it is hard. I am lucky not to have any physical injuries, but I am clinically depressed and have BED. I understand that these conditions add extra obstacles to our path, but we can still lose weight and get fit! I prelog my food for the week, and I find this the best thing to help me lose weight. I try to do some activity every day but I don't stress if I have to have rest days, because they are important too.

The way I see it, the days pass anyway. I can choose to work towards my goal or away from it. It doesn't have to be hard. If I eat a little less and move a little more every day, I will lose weight. Before I know it, all those little things have added up to big changes.

I hope you join the April challenge because you can set your own challenge and it is a really supportive group.

Hey love,

I started at 370 about 12 weeks ago and have lost 26 pounds.

I have Fibromylagia and Vertigo 24/7 which I have had for 3 years.

I am struggling in the same way, pushed myself to the point of destruction trying to do all the able bodied people can do and came a crashing down.

Feel free to ad me if you want to

Good luck, you can do it xxx

Hello... I started at 387 lbs. I do not have spinal injury's but do have bad knees which limited me on what I could and can do. First start slow... very slow. In the beginning I dreaded even walking from the house to the car, and got to the point I was not even grocery shopping because I hurt so bad. I am now at 253 lbs and moving much better.

If you can only lift your arms for 5 seconds do that. Tomorrow try and do 6 seconds. Do what you can, but each day or each week try just to do just one more. Eventually you will be doing more. Its not about what everyone else is doing it is about what you can do.

Get up a can or bottle of something and do a bicep curl. Just one if that is all you can do. Then tomorrow maybe it will be two. Focus on doing what you can do and then increasing a little at a time. Even if you are confined to a chair or what ever your limitation is there is almost always something you can do to get a little exercise or movement.

I started very slow and am now able to do much more now. I see some of the challenges and wish I could do them but still cant. This month I started my own personal challenge and challenging my self to do one minute more each day on my recumbent cross trainer, 14 days into my challenge so far so good.

I don't know if this helps but I hope so...

It's a good question/request.

I'm 47, 5'7" and when I started out I was 370. When I first started walking for exercise I thought it would be easy because I walked to the subway everyday. But 10 minutes into it and I was winded and needed to stop. I was so out of shape that anything other than a leisurely pace exhausted me.

I rode my bike, but also needed a leisurely pace. But doing that more and more each day, because it was easier, got me to the point of realizing that I'm really heavy, and out of shape, and it's okay if I can only go 10 minutes before I need to rest. Because a couple weeks from now I could go 15 minutes before I need to rest.

I was afraid to walk because I have MS, and although I have mild symptoms, I trip all the time, and falling down as a 370lbd adult usually results in stars, and getting up off the ground requires a sense of humor I do not possess. I think Melissa McCarthy must be crying on the inside with her physical humor. . . seriously.

I think you should start as slow as you need to knowing that the only way to get better is to keep at it. In my 20's, I ran 5 miles a day, so naturally this 10 minute walk seemed like a cruel joke life was putting on me, but the reality is, that's what being out of shape looks like.

After 2 years, I'm at 312lbs (I've gained a bit back) and I walk about 3 miles 4-5 times a week, at a 3mph pace. The walking has also increased my agility and I haven't fallen down from walking in more than a year.

Start as slow as you need to, it does get better!

Hi ... I'm Ann and this post seems so right up my line it's making me emotional. My high was 331 and starting again this week we crossed from 303.something to 295.4 this morning. I feel I still belong to this group especially with the thoughts of losing 160 pounds in my future. I know it will take a couple of years plus, but I am soooo enthused to see the numbers of many here who have been working so much longer. It's supportive just to see you. I also have problems with mobility. Due to significant back problems and weight, I can only walk/stand for 5-6 minutes at a time. I'm pretty speedy within those minutes, but by the time the pain starts again after 5-6 minutes we're exhausted and grabbing for the chair. To do a thorough cleaning of our house it takes about two days and a LOT of effort to keep going. We're up and then have to sit 15-20 minutes to relieve the back pain and being out of breath. Usually I write while I'm doing it (blog) so there is some self-support going on. I also use a bariatric walker if I have to go more than 5 minutes, but usually avoid things that take longer than 5 minutes. I'm inside the house a lot and have a hard time leaving it other than doctor appointments. I do like to ride in the car with my significant other, Rich. I get a lot of psychiatric support too because I/we have Dissociative Identity Disorder, PTSD, and Severe Depression. We've been working the last 3 months toward getting a service dog for psychiatric/mobility disability. We should get "Dakota" in September. That was the start of things. We were told right away that he's going to need a lot of walking, so we'll be getting a scooter in a few weeks for that, but as well we are getting a treadmill and recumbent bike so we can be moving inside to work on improving those number of minutes standing. I feel overwhelmed to go outside with my walker - make it 2 1/2 minutes and half to come back. Dakota is being trained to walk with the scooter, and on the treadmill for days the weather is bad and we can't get out. I know that WE need the exercise as much if not more than the dog, but being able to do things with him feels like a LOT of encouragement and something that feels really real. It's happening. I will be 55 this week and like you don't want to be in this weight condition. I'm hoping to get to know some of you and find some really good co-support. I read your stories and feel already at home.

Our best,
Ann

Just do what you can and what must be done, every day, every meal. Persevere: one step at a time, one step after the other. If it hurts, stop at once and do something different or try again later. Make it pleasurable, whether by trying different low calorie recipes or a new kind of exercise.
I started at 330 pounds 2 years ago and now I am at maintenance at 135 pounds. If I could do it, you can too. Remember the 2 Ps: Pleasure and Perseverance.