Too "heavy" to work out... Any tips??

Every forest fire starts from a spark... just do what you can. Log everything you can including all the stuff you do generally. (I'll get some abuse about that I'm sure but before anyone kicks off at me, go and do a days housework carrying a 100lbs and then tell me that's not a work out!).
The more you lose, the more you will be able to do exercise wise.

I would highly suggest Leslie Sansone at home dvds. They are very good for beginners, you still get your heart rate right up there and it is all in the comfort of your own home. I add dumbbells to the workouts, after I lost significant amounts of weight.

It is easy on the joins, enjoyable and effective. You need to start slow, work off some of the weight first. More importantly - find an exercise that you LOVE.

Like the others have stated, start slow. The elliptical is awesome. I also have an old knee injury and the elliptical is my best friend. Also, make sure you are eating healthy as well. While working out is a great way to create a deficit and lose weight, eating healthy will do that as well and you can actually lose quite a bit of weight up front just by eating properly. Once some of the weight comes off, you'll be able to be more active. You can do it!

You are where I started . . . July 2012, 5'2" and 244.4 lbs, 44 years old. I initially joined the gym before working on my diet and I went and did 15 minutes on the Stationary Bike and 15 minutes on the Ellipitical - remember Rome wasn't built in one day!


You can do this, take your time, ignore all others around you and just remember this is all about you and your health

I started in a similar position--5'3, 220, and recovering from a foot injury. If you have access to a pool, that's a great way to start, but what I mostly did was just decide I was going to walk as much as possible in my daily life. I switched up my commute from the bus right outside my place to the el that required a half mile walk, started walking to the store and for other daily errands, planned some longer errand-based walks on the weekend (I was not able to complete all of these in the beginning and had to hop on the bus when my foot started bothering me). At first I was frustrated and shocked by how out of shape I'd gotten (before I was so sedentary I walked everywhere), but my stamina improved very quickly. The only other thing I did at first was ride the stationary bike, starting on the lowest setting and moving it up as I could. The point was not to focus on workouts that would discourage me, but just starting where I was and working on it. The most important thing is just get started!

I'm 42, 5'7 and started at 265lbs, I found a nice casual walk got me started, maybe like 2km then 3/4/5. Now I'm running 5km daily and at 179lbs. Main thing listen to your body, stop when things get to be too much. A treadmill is great if you are self conscious as I was when I started. Good Luck 8)

If you can't walk, look up "Sit and be Fit".

Also, see a Physical Therapist about the knee.

When I started trying to lose weight after I had my daughter I weighed 260 am I am 5'7''. I bought a workout DVD and it was way too hard for me. I had to just walk for a long time because I did not have a lot of mobility because of my size. I think swimming would also be good because you feel lighter and it is still a very good workout. There are also chair exercises that can be done with resistance bands and small weights. Another option would be to do exercises 10-15 minutes at a time until they become much easier, or even less if you have to. Persistence is difficult especially when you feel like falling over but it gets better eventually.

When I started my gym membership I was 304 lbs. I started with the treadmill...no slope...at a speed that was comfortable for me. In 6 minutes I was huffing and puffing and I thought I would die! The next day I did 7 minutes. The next day I was aiming for 8 minutes and I did 10! I also tried the bicycle, the same way. And I found a swim aerobics class meant for senior citizens, and I did as much as I could. In time, I was sweating along with everyone and didn't feel so different.

The point is you are doing something, which is more than you did before! You will gain muscle and become more fit. You may not be doing as much as the skinny little thing next to you, but you are doing what you can do, and you will do more when you can. Good luck! :happy:

When I started out at 285 lbs I had to do a lot of modified exercises.

Start with stretching. Sit down with your legs out to both sides in a V shape. Reach for one knee/foot at a time and then reach out in the center in front of you. Go until you feel it starting to pull and then hold it for about 10 seconds before releasing. Sitting with your legs apart leaves room for your tummy where having you legs together your tummy might get in the way before you got a good stretch.

Do "super cheater push-ups" I still can't do real push-ups or girly push-ups. Stand in front of a wall and put your hands on the wall shoulder width apart. Lean into the wall until the tip of your nose touches. Push yourself away from the wall with your arms and then slowly lean yourself back towards the wall.

In place of doing sit-ups sit on the edge of the bed, and slowly lean back into what would be a laying down position. When you get to the point where you start "shaking" and have to clench your tummy to stay up hold it for 10 seconds before laying down. It works the same muscles but is easier for people who have a hard time laying down on the floor or have too much tummy for a traditional sit-up.

Stand behind a couch or in front of your kitchen counter and hold on to it for balance. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with your feet pointed outwards. This position is also Ballet 2nd position if you need to look up a picture. Bend your knees, slowly lowering until you feel the stretch in your legs, or your heels are trying to come off the floor, then slowly come back up.

These helped me a lot and I still do them a few times a month. Best of all they cost nothing to do. I hope this works for you and anyone else who needs them.

You can do it :-) In January I was 390lb and 5'5 so really heavy. I was really really unfit, and also had limited mobility in day to day life - If I needed to walk more than a few metres, or stand for more than a few minutes I'd get searing back pain and my feet and legs would ache like hell.

As part of my new healthy start I began going to the gym a couple of times a week and not beating myself up for what I did or didnt do when I got there - I just had to go. I tried loads of different types of exercise to find out what I liked the best. I found out that I (and my knees) definately do not like running or jumping, or stepping. But that I'm pretty strong when it comes to lifting weights. After all I have been hauling around an extra 200lb for the last however many years.

So during this year I just kept going, trying new things, being consistent. Over time, I gradually felt a change. To start with, I'd get on the cardio equipment, my heart rate would go up, I'd feel like I couldn't breathe, everything would hurt, and it would be game over. Then I started to notice my that when I pushed myself I would feel my body respond to handle the pressure rather than threaten to keel over - and I liked it. That gave me the encouragement to keep going and taking small steps, trying new things.

I still have a long way to go but 7 months on I am now going to the gym 5 times a week doing a combination of cardio, classes including circuits, body pump and spin. I also lift weights and am super proud of my 250lb squat! I am also 65lb lighter and went on holiday last week and walked at least 5 miles each day without thinking about it.

I'm not trying to say 'oh look at me I'm so great' but the message is that if I can do it ANYONE can. You just need to keep going. As long as you do some form of exercise a couple of times a week you'll be making progress. Don't worry about how much you do - I used to beat myself up at not working hard enough, or doing enough, but you know what, we all do the best we can at the time.

You got this :-)

I have read so much advice about using the pool, water aerobics at the Y, etc. I have to wonder if anyone else had the problems I did with that. Last winter I was going to the Y for water aerobics. I would have loved it except the water temperature felt cold to me and caused both my knees to stiffen up and lock. By the end of an hour session, I could barely hobble out to the car. For the rest of the day, my knees hurt and it was difficult to get up out of a chair. This was in what they called the "warm" pool. No one else complained about it feeling cold. I finally had to stop going so I would be able to walk.

I went to physical therapy for my knees and the stretching exercises my therapist had me doing seemed to give me a kick start towards moving again. I use a sit down elliptical and now I am back to walking. I try to walk an hour a day.

I have arthritis in both knees and both hips, spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease. I am 65 yrs old.

If you can go to a pool that's shallow enough to wade through- "walk" through the water back and forth. Feels fantastic! I also had a knee injury. For awhile I couldn't even do long distance walking. (I could still do my day-to-day activities.) Once you feel like you're ready try going for walks. If the knee pain gets in the way then stick with the pool for awhile. Good luck. Feel free to add me!

I started at 311 and the first thing I did was an aquafit class in the pool. Minimal joint pain, the water buoyed up my big body, and I could work at my own intensity level.