Exercise when your obese?

@kristenmarie1212 , I remember when it was intimidating walking in to a gym. It helped when I went along with my hubby. And when I realized that people in the gym are nearly entirely focused on their own body and form.

I think group classes are the easiest way to ease in to the gym scene. Plus you get to learn how to warm up, stretch, and proper form.

ninerbuff wrote: »

kfebersole wrote: »

Good Lord, where to start? It feels like just a work out to get down on the floor and back up again!

I go for walks but as the weather gets hotter I'd prefer exercise in an air conditioned environment.
What I am looking for is something baby step oriented to do in my own home until I build the confidence to join a gym or fitness program.

Fat girl yoga? I don't know. Thoughts?

How about just walking in a mall? I did that for 3 months till my DD was old enough to go to the gym with me.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

This. I fundraise in malls all across Canada, and every single one of them has walkers (some even have actual mall walking clubs you can sign up for where you compete against each other for laps, etc).

jazmin220 wrote: »

BinkyBonk wrote: »

Swimming? I know you have self confidence issues but seriously, swimming is a wonderful workout. Easy on the joints, burns good calories. Even if you don't swim laps, just get in the pool and move around. And you stay nice and cool

I want to swim at my gym's pool but I am a little nervous about how I look in a bikini and others staring. Also I'd hate for the chlorine to dry out my hair.

OP, start anywhere. As long as you are moving, you are burning calories!! Walking, slow jog, elliptical, biking etc.

Buy a swim cap, keeps your hair dry and chlorine free. And in full honesty, if you're going to go do laps in the pool, feel free to skip the bikini in favour of something where you've got a bit more coverage. I'm not sure if you've ever tried to do laps in a bikini, but there's a whole lot of adjusting involved, constantly to keep the ladies in their holders. haha

Find something you love! I liked gardening so I put my garden in by hand. I love swimming so I walked to the pool, swam and walked home

I know you're concerned about the gym, but I say sign up anyway and start taking spin classes. I am really unhappy with my weight and have trouble even going out in public at all, let alone to the gym in spandex pants, and I still like going to spin classes.

They're awesome because they're usually taught in a darkened room (so you're not staring at yourself in the mirror for 40 minutes), if you sit in the back, no one can really look at you even if they want to, it doesn't put as much stress on your feet/joints as running/jogging, and while it can be a really challenging workout, you can also set your own difficulty by varying your pace and resistance if you need to. Plus the seat is always there if you really need a break! I just tell the instructor ahead of time that I'm recovering from an injury or am just getting started and need to go at my own pace, so I'm sure they won't call me out if they're the particularly zealous type who likes to run around the room and yell at people to go faster.

I'm trying to work out at home too (I'm doing P90, which is the scaled-back version of P90X and it's pretty good), but the energy in a group fitness class can really encourage you to keep going in a way that working out alone can't compete with (imo).

Personally I am more inspired with seeing an obese person at the gym than someone who is fit. There's a prodigal son element to this, but the obese person is changing a bad series of habits - not an easy thing to do and very intimidating.

Honestly I'm where you are and just starting back up. I use my stairs in my house, just walking yup and down while swinging my arms. I also use laundry as an excuse to move more carrying one towel at a time to the linen closet and making that indoor chore last longer while keeping me moving. I'm not burning many calories, but I'm moving continuously.

pinktoesjb wrote: »

try couch to 5k. You can do this outside on your own, you wont stay cool but you will see rapid improvement if you stick with it and that is SO motivating.

I use the C25k podcasts indoors. I march in place during the walks and the jog in place during the run times.

To the OP...

Watch different videos and then modify them to fit your ability. Over time you can add to them.

There are lots of videos on youtube that are geared toward the obese. Also take a look at videos that target the elderly...they are good for getting the joints of a sedentary person moving.

jazmin220 wrote: »

BinkyBonk wrote: »

Swimming? I know you have self confidence issues but seriously, swimming is a wonderful workout. Easy on the joints, burns good calories. Even if you don't swim laps, just get in the pool and move around. And you stay nice and cool

I want to swim at my gym's pool but I am a little nervous about how I look in a bikini and others staring. Also I'd hate for the chlorine to dry out my hair.

OP, start anywhere. As long as you are moving, you are burning calories!! Walking, slow jog, elliptical, biking etc.

Several of the swim instructors at my gym are 300-400 lb women. They have great personalities and are good at teaching the kids. Nobody cares what they look like in a bathing suit.

I started with free yoga and pilates videos in my living room. Early morning/early evening walks outside are generally cooler as well.

Low or no impact. Swimming, stationary bike, dumbbells for upper body. You can add things with impact when you weigh less and won't bang up your joints. Once you don't get out of breath so easily, add walking, either outdoors or on a treadmill, and the elliptical trainer is good too.

I know people rag on Planet Fitness, but if you have one nearby, it's well worth the $10 a month to be able to walk to your heart's content on a treadmill in the air conditioning. It's not the gym for bodybuilders, but it is the gym for people who are just starting out. They usually have Wi-Fi so if you have a phone or table with a screen large enough, you can watch Netflix or something while you're walking.

kfebersole wrote: »

mwyvr wrote: »

kfebersole wrote: »

I go for walks but as the weather gets hotter I'd prefer exercise in an air conditioned environment.
What I am looking for is something baby step oriented to do in my own home until I build the confidence to join a gym or fitness program.

... just that locking your self up in your home out of fear or shame is not a formula for success. By making a decision to change you are already a winner so go out and be proud of that.

I used fear as my excuse. Never again.

Mike

Thanks, Mike. I needed to hear that. I've got tons of excuses for not working out and right at the top of the list is embarrassment. I was fat shamed at a Y once. Some little blond thing in lululemon pants asked me not to break the stationary bike before she had a chance to use it. I handle it with class of course. I told her I'd break the bike over her face if she didn't move along.

I've no repeatable words to use in a public forum for people like that but I like your response. Truly. That's the attitude you need all the time!

But yeah, my pride, vanity, and embarrassment at how fat I've gotten has kept me from going to the gym or trying to jog.

When I started gaining weight I started buying black T shirts instead of dealing with the issue. Eventually the black shirts didn't contain me or hide anything and I kept on gaining. All along the way I felt embarrassed and fearful of even trying. I stopped wanting to do things I used to love, like hiking, going on super long walks and bike rides, because I knew I'd be trailing everyone. I concocted every excuse.

What did those excuses buy me? Nothing but 9 years of less, and then lost, opportunity. 9 years of weight gain. 9 years of less fun.

Your goal is similar to mine when I started last September - I had 100 lbs to lose. Today I'm just over half-way there. The major thing that changed between old me and changing-me? I stopped buying my own BS excuses and made an unbreakable promise with myself on my birthday last September.

Yes it was hard at first. Hard work that is... not the resolve. I wheezed and gasped when trying to run (I wanted to run, again, as I'd been a runner before), which frustrated me to no end but also motivated me to keep at it because I knew that I'd improve if I kept going. You just have to believe that, no matter what the exercise or fitness routine you decide to adopt. You will improve. For sure. No doubt about it.

I couldn't even run 1km or 1 mile without stopping frequently. It didn't matter. Just doing it is what is important. It took weeks before I started breathing easier but eventually I did. It took weeks more before I could run 2 or 3km without stopping. But over those first couple of months I was laying the ground work, developing a great habit and love of exercise again, and I was already losing weight, not because of the exercise alone of course but it was a factor as it helped ensure I had a calorie deficit, as well as provide important health benefits.

Between September and December 2014 I ran (ran/walked) just over 200km and dropped a pant size. By April the belt I used to wear fully let out was on notch five and is still loose. Currently I'm down 26kg / 57lbs, more than halfway to my 100 pounds and ideal body weight (which I'll evaluate more when I get close). Today I can't imagine not being active, it's part of my life now.

I didn't super-optimize what I was doing last fall/winter, I just stopped making excuses and forced myself outside. Yes, I felt a bit self concious at first. For all of two days I think. That feeling passed very, very, quickly.

You don't need to run, but if you do want to there are plenty of good folks here who can help. All you need to do is find activities that you like and keep at it. Importantly you need to keep inching the bar higher, making the walks longer and brisker, workouts more energetic, over time. Continuously challenging yourself is what makes change stick and it becomes fun. You won't want to go back.

I'd love to take a yoga class but is rolling around on the floor, unable to get up, like a bug stuck on its back considered yoga?

Sounds like a great idea!

@RunFarLiveHappy here is Yoga wise - maybe she might have some good advice for yo on how to find just the right sort of yoga practice for you. Reach out!

If going to the gym is your goal, then go. Get a trainer (some gyms will offer a few free sessions with membership), it will help you feel more comfortable. People at the gym are usually focused on themselves. Don't let anything keep you from your goals. The best thing to do is what you enjoy, something that you will stick with. Start slow and build from there. Walking and swimming are definitely the easiest things to start with and go from there.

Hi, OP. I have pretty bad social anxiety so have kept to only doing a bit of youtube videos at home. The one I started with is a 30 minute Zumba (dance with Shelley is the poster). I couldn't do the whole thing but tried, "just one more song" until I can manage the whole thing. I get bored easy so am also looking for some other things to try at home. I am focusing on 5 minutes at a time vs a whole workout.