Very Obese--Looking for Obese workouts

There are ab crunch machines that make you bend down (while sitting) instead of sitting up. That may be a good choice for you. However, it's possible that a very large belly may prevent you from doing crunches at all... like how when I was 20lbs heavier, bending forward to clip my toenails wasn't easy.

Swimming and jogging in water sound like great exercises. If I had a pool of my own, I'd do it every day!

Walking is GREAT exercise, it's low impact and you can go at your own pace. It's ALL I did when I first started here and the pounds just melted off each week. I read an article the other day about a woman who was 500 pounds and she has lost 300, she said to start she got in the pool and just walked around for about an hour. That's awesome that you have a pool (I wish I had one, minus the maintenance) so in addition to swimming I think walking in the water would be good since it adds resistance. What I like to do in a small pool is walk/doggy paddle in the same direction to get a current going, and then try walking/doggy paddling against the current. Good luck!

There are ab crunch machines that make you bend down (while sitting) instead of sitting up. That may be a good choice for you. However, it's possible that a very large belly may prevent you from doing crunches at all... like how when I was 20lbs heavier, bending forward to clip my toenails wasn't easy.

Swimming and jogging in water sound like great exercises. If I had a pool of my own, I'd do it every day!

Yeah I would hold off in the crunches for a while. Crunches do almost nothing to burn belly fat, it just strengthens the muscles under the fat. Of course that is not a bad thing at all, but I would focus on cardio to get some weight off first so that you would be more comfortable in order to do crunches.

Hi!!! Welcome to MFP! Water aerobics are great, low impact workout! You can also start by walking daily to get your heart rate up. Also, you can do DVD's at home, like Leslie Sansone "Walk Off the Weight Program." If you like bike riding, to start off, you can get a stationary bike, and start doing the spinning DVDs. And if you like to dance, Zumba is also really good, and low impact and burns tons of calories. You can buy the Zumba DVD from Zumba.com. Or you can even invest in a Wii Fit. I hope this is helpful information for you. Again, Welcome!!

I am a very obese man (over 400 lbs, I think...I will know for sure Tuesday or Wednesday, but I put myself as 465 here) that is looking for workouts I can do.

Are crunches out of the question? I know full on sit ups aren't happening, same with push-ups and lunges.

I do have a backyard in ground pool, which I have been swimming in a lot lately (since about 5 days ago). Any water aerobics excersizes would be appreciated as well.

Also, are there bikes made that can hold a very large person without the tires going flat? I would love to have a bike again, minus the humiliation.

I don't know if there are any water aerobics tapes out there but water aerobics is my primary source of exercise. In the class we use those water noodles and also water weights. the noodles can be bought at the dollars stores this time a year. Buy at least 2. water weights I've seen sold at speedo.com and maybe Amazon. They are like hand weights but designed for the water. The key is to keep them under the surface of the water as you workout so you get resistance. One thing I notice we do in class is run laps while doing arm curls and then switch and run the opposite direction. You get more resistance because the waves are all going in the direction you previously ran and now you have to fight against them to go the other way.

For plus size bikes and other exercise equipment try LivingXL.com

ETA: Just checked. Here's a bike for up to $500lbs, kinda pricey, but your health is worth it.

http://www.livingxl.com/store/en_US/catalog/browse_sku.jsp?clear=true&catID=cat40218&prodId=X1940&id=cat40218

Ooh a pool! So jealous!

I haven't read it personally but I know one of my two water aerobics instructors recommends a book called Fantastic Water Workouts by MaryBeth Pappas Baun.

I've never tried youtube but there are so many helpful videos on there, you might want to give that a search.

Just a couple of exercises offhand that are hopefully easy enough to articulate well. Sorry if I wasn't able to explain well though.
There are movements that are probably familiar that show up in water aerobics classes, like jumping jacks (but instead of arms over head, they move from your sides to the surface of the water), or cross country skiing - one leg out in front, one back, arms do the same but opposite - left leg forward right arm forward, etc. Then just keep switching (tucking your knees in between makes it more challenging). Jogging in place. Sometimes a class will have everyone just jog as much as they are able for 30 seconds, arms usually just moving through the water. You could do a breast stroke type of move with your arms.

There's usually always some "suspension" too - keeping your feet off the floor of the pool while you use your arms to keep you going. You could try moving both legs out in front of you, feet flexed, then move your arms to keep you afloat. Try to keep your legs up - think about seeing your toes poke through the surface of the water. You can also do the exercises like jumping jacks or cross country suspended, move your legs and arms through the water but don't let them touch the bottom of the pool. (People generally find suspending more challenging at first but if you have been swimming you may not.)

With the side of the pool you can try putting one foot against the wall as high as you are able to go, then the other other foot, and keep switching back and forth as quickly as you are able to for 30 seconds or so. Then, making sure you are a comfortable distance from the wall, try to keep your legs together and put both feet on the wall at the same time as high are you are able to do it, as quickly as you are able to go. Push your arms out in front of you when your feet are on the floor of the pool, use them to push back towards your sides when you lift your feet up to the wall. Rinse and repeat, again for 30 seconds or whatever you want.

I teach water aerobics now but it also played a big part in helping me lose weight. I watched a lot of YouTube videos to start (I have a few DVDs now too)....basically any exercise others can do on land, you can do in the water. As for crunches, you can grab a regular big ball from a store & use it for standing crunches in the pool

Swimming is a FANTASTIC start! or even just wading in the water from one end to the other...I LOVE to swim! I dont know how athletically inclined you are..but when I started out (at 342lbs)...all I could do was WALK...I started with 1/2 a mile..and worked my way up from there! I would suggest the Walk At Home program with Leslie Sansone! I literally lost the first 70 lbs using her videos alone (along with eating better of course)...

Also, please view this woman's story..she's lost quite a bit of weight and well....you can see it for yourself how she did it!

http://news.yahoo.com/video/health-15749655/woman-loses-300-pounds-the-old-fashioned-way-25535671

Good Luck, and feel free to friend me!

When I first started out Leslie sansone walking away the pounds videos were my only workout. If you can't get in the pool one day you could do those. They start out with 1 mile and go up from there. I recomend them to everyone I know just starting their fitness journey.

Whether crunches are possible or not depends on where you carry your weight and your flexibility. My husband, who is a good 100 lbs lighter than me can't do them, but I can, admittedly not many, but my form is great or so says a PT.

I can also do lunges at the weight I am now, though my balance sucks badly. (I learned that I have pretty strong legs from carrying this weight around so long.)

If you're interested in doing push ups at all, you can always try wall push ups.

((Of course now that I'm reminding myself of these things I'm wondering why the heck I haven't been doing them myself. Ish.))

Ohhh to have access to a pool! My low back, hips and knees love the water. Every time we visit my guys parents they have to drag me out of theirs! Every time I visit I can drop 10 pounds easy just from being in the pool so much. At home I walk around the parking lot (2-3 times) at the store before I go in and shop or do the LS walking with weights video in my living room. Once I lost enough to be sure I wouldn't break the thing, I bought a Wii. Both of us have fun with that.

Swimming is great. Biking, even a stationary bike, will help strengthen the muscles surrounding your knees, which will help with any impact exercises you do. Elliptical machines are great for those of us that are obese, they are a nice sweaty workout but without the impact on your joints that jogging would have.