Tips for an obese person?

hazzaram
hazzaram Posts: 77 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone. I'm restarting on my journey here. Trying to, at least. I'm not really sure how to go about this and could use some tips. I know diet is the biggest part and it's a work in progress. I've just been diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and I'm trying to cope with that with the help of a therapist.

Some info about me... I'm a female, 5'3" and 255 pounds. I have chronic tendinitis in my ankle that I'm trying not to aggravate. I don't have great stamina; I get winded doing the simplest of things, like walking.

So far all I've been doing IS walking. I've been taking my dog for a twenty minute walk a day and I feel pretty comfortable with that now. I'm just not sure where to go from here.

I'd love to swim but that's not an option. There's one gym in my town with a pool and I can't afford a membership. Even if I could, I'd be much too embarrassed and self-conscious to use it around other people. Yoga isn't going to work for me, either, since I'm not flexible and I have zero sense of balance. I feel like I'll hurt myself doing it.

Anyone else been in a position like this? How did you do it?

Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    edited April 2016
    1. Walk more. That's what I did. Even after I advanced to more strenuous exercise, I still enjoy my long walks.
    2. You don't do yoga because you're flexible with great balance. You do yoga to gain flexibility and balance. In the same manner that you exercise because you wish to improve fitness, not because you're already fit.
  • rosey35
    rosey35 Posts: 150 Member
    Lesle samone has walk away the pounds on YouTube great for those just starting out.
  • TinyTexn59
    TinyTexn59 Posts: 96 Member
    You don't state your age but if you are older you can get reduced gym memberships using silver sneakers. Just google it. Also, some insurance will help cover memberships if you are obese and it is a health problem so check that (especially if you have a fsa account). As far as walking, keep doing it and increase slowly. Yoga isn't hard, there are many poses which can all be modified to work for those not able. One year ago I was unable to walk without a cane, and could not take stairs. Today, after one year of gradual increases, I am weight lifting, walking and very fit. I bench 125, leg press 300, and military lift 85 pounds with ease. Just make gradual increases. Have a can do attitude, instead of excuses. Replace your can't's with cans!
  • Sinistrous
    Sinistrous Posts: 5,589 Member
    Add me if you'd like :)
    Been there.
  • hazzaram
    hazzaram Posts: 77 Member
    TinyTexn59 wrote: »
    You don't state your age but if you are older you can get reduced gym memberships using silver sneakers. Just google it. Also, some insurance will help cover memberships if you are obese and it is a health problem so check that (especially if you have a fsa account). As far as walking, keep doing it and increase slowly. Yoga isn't hard, there are many poses which can all be modified to work for those not able. One year ago I was unable to walk without a cane, and could not take stairs. Today, after one year of gradual increases, I am weight lifting, walking and very fit. I bench 125, leg press 300, and military lift 85 pounds with ease. Just make gradual increases. Have a can do attitude, instead of excuses. Replace your can't's with cans!

    You're right, I didn't. I'm 27 and live in Ontario, Canada. I don't have insurance unfortunately.

    I should maybe add that I'm suffering from anxiety and depression. Having a positive attitude isn't always easy but I try. I'm going to be seeing an eating disorder specialist and continue with therapy so here's hoping it works :)
  • saramickeydee
    saramickeydee Posts: 115 Member
    edited April 2016
    There are a lot of us depressed anxious people on here.

    ETA. Don't know where the rest of my comment went. But. Exercise helps a lot of us if we can only get started.
  • holly_roman
    holly_roman Posts: 116 Member
    wow you and I are about the same. I am 27 5'2 and somewhere between 230-240 (I am not checking for a couple of weeks). I have zero balance after my kid so I will not even attempt yoga, I will definitely hurt myself. I mostly have been walking, I walk in the morning then to work and after work. I never thought I would say this but I am now walking 10 k steps a day. I got a scale to weigh my food and a walking wrist pedometer($25). even though I am not seeing huge weight loss I feel less winded when I walk and go up stairs. I feel stronger. I would suggest the same to you. Good Luck on your journey! I wish you the best.
  • 2011rocket3touring
    2011rocket3touring Posts: 1,346 Member
    First of all much love to you.
    You started out right by walking, good for you and your pup.
    Log your food. I've been struggling to start dropping lbs for 3 months and this past week I decided to start logging food (something I've been REALLY reluctant to do) and now I've lost weight a bit over 5lbs and that act of logging food has made me REALLY (repeating myself ;) reluctant to eat out.
    I would go as far as not making any changes to your diet until you have a clear idea of what your eating.
    Best of luck!
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    hazzaram wrote: »
    I'd love to swim but that's not an option. There's one gym in my town with a pool and I can't afford a membership. Even if I could, I'd be much too embarrassed and self-conscious to use it around other people. Yoga isn't going to work for me, either, since I'm not flexible and I have zero sense of balance. I feel like I'll hurt myself doing it.

    Anyone else been in a position like this? How did you do it?

    Some hotels with pools also have memberships for use of the pool. I know our Days Inn does this (in Nova Scotia) and they are typically a lot cheaper than a gym membership. As well, they are usually not very busy during weekdays.
  • Kiyoku
    Kiyoku Posts: 4 Member
    Hi! Just wanted to let you know that you're definitely not alone. I have some physical limitations due to frequent swelling in my knees, but so far I've been able to walk and use a stationary bike without much of an issue. If there is a day where you feel as if you can't walk as much as you have been you can also look into some resistance bands, dumbbells, etc. There are a lot of options out there and all you have to do is seek them out. I even found some exercises that I can do as a starter to working up to squats since I can't do those very well yet. If you might be interested, please feel free to message me. I can try to be a bit of support in the anxiety/depression area if you are willing to be mine too? I struggle with it as well. If you don't that's alright too. :) I hope that you stick with it and don't give up on yourself. I know it's hard not to sometimes, but keep in mind your end goal and know that it's worth it to push. But also... it's okay to rest a day. Just be careful about your diet too like you said. It's usually those off days where we take time to rest and recover where we accidentally consume too much. Whether that's from boredom, depression, or habit due to watching tv or playing a video game. Everyone has their own moments. So watch for patterns and try to address that. If you break that kind of habit then that's a game changer in and of itself.

    PS sorry for the long reply. I just wanted to make sure you feel supported and like people will give you the time of day. <3
  • TXCruiseGal
    TXCruiseGal Posts: 33 Member
    Hi Hazzaram and Holly... I am much older than you, but pretty much in the same situation. I was diagnosed with RA AND Lupus about 5 years ago. I went into a depression spiral and put on about 40 pounds that I had worked very hard to get off. Even then, I was still overweight at 215 pounds. Now I am back up to 245.
    I started off with yoga. Yes - there can be balance challenges, but it not all about standing on one foot with the other one up in the air. There is a lot of yoga, particularly hatha yoga that is done with both feet firmly on the ground. You focus on your breathing and the stretching. Every yoga pose can be modified to work for every body. After doing yoga for a while, I added in walking. I too started out just walking my dog. This week I added going to the gym and getting on a rowing machine. Take small steps. You will get there!
  • Ultima_Morpha
    Ultima_Morpha Posts: 892 Member
    I am 5'4", 40 years old, and started at 285 pounds a little more than a year ago; I am now approaching 150. I've dealt with chronic pain for 20 years due to lupus and a repeatedly broken ankle.

    I walked and biked a lot in the first months; alternating between improving speed and distance. I also had access to a pool in the summer and an elliptical. Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred is cheap, effective, and has plenty of modifications for beginner level.

    It took me almost 4 months to lose 30 pounds and then I had gastric bypass surgery. Since then I have added kettle bells, power yoga, and running; I just completed my first 10k last weekend and placed 3rd in my age division!

    Even if you're "just" walking, get good shoes! Don't aggravate your preexisting condition.
  • ubermofish
    ubermofish Posts: 102 Member
    edited April 2016
    hazzaram wrote: »
    I'd love to swim but that's not an option. There's one gym in my town with a pool and I can't afford a membership. Even if I could, I'd be much too embarrassed and self-conscious to use it around other people. Yoga isn't going to work for me, either, since I'm not flexible and I have zero sense of balance. I feel like I'll hurt myself doing it.

    I have a friend who's a yoga instructor, she said that people are always worried about being uncoordinated and unbalanced when they start, but the point of yoga is to gain that. Nobody starts off weight lifting as an aesthetic, pumped, ultimate man monster, think of yoga the same way.

    Also as far as your ankle goes, try the elliptical. It is low impact and is great for cardio. Do what others are saying as well, walk more. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park in the back of the parking lot and walk up. Drink more water.

  • hazzaram
    hazzaram Posts: 77 Member
    holly_roman wrote: »
    wow you and I are about the same. I am 27 5'2 and somewhere between 230-240 (I am not checking for a couple of weeks). I have zero balance after my kid so I will not even attempt yoga, I will definitely hurt myself. I mostly have been walking, I walk in the morning then to work and after work. I never thought I would say this but I am now walking 10 k steps a day. I got a scale to weigh my food and a walking wrist pedometer($25). even though I am not seeing huge weight loss I feel less winded when I walk and go up stairs. I feel stronger. I would suggest the same to you. Good Luck on your journey! I wish you the best.

    Walking 10k steps is huge! That's great :) I've just started to weigh my food and I'm trying to be more conscious of what I eat. On good days I'm alright. It's the binge days that set me back, and they set me back quite a bit. For example, yesterday was a bad binge day and I ate almost 5k calories in fast food and candy. Sigh.

    Thank you very much for the kind words. I wish you luck, too!
    2011rocket3touring wrote: »
    First of all much love to you.
    You started out right by walking, good for you and your pup.
    Log your food. I've been struggling to start dropping lbs for 3 months and this past week I decided to start logging food (something I've been REALLY reluctant to do) and now I've lost weight a bit over 5lbs and that act of logging food has made me REALLY (repeating myself ;) reluctant to eat out.
    I would go as far as not making any changes to your diet until you have a clear idea of what your eating.
    Best of luck!

    I try my best to log all of my food. It has helped me a little. I'm planning on seeing a dietitian in addition to the therapist I am currently seeing. I'm hoping she can help me out.
    Kiyoku wrote: »
    Hi! Just wanted to let you know that you're definitely not alone. I have some physical limitations due to frequent swelling in my knees, but so far I've been able to walk and use a stationary bike without much of an issue. If there is a day where you feel as if you can't walk as much as you have been you can also look into some resistance bands, dumbbells, etc. There are a lot of options out there and all you have to do is seek them out. I even found some exercises that I can do as a starter to working up to squats since I can't do those very well yet. If you might be interested, please feel free to message me. I can try to be a bit of support in the anxiety/depression area if you are willing to be mine too? I struggle with it as well. If you don't that's alright too. :) I hope that you stick with it and don't give up on yourself. I know it's hard not to sometimes, but keep in mind your end goal and know that it's worth it to push. But also... it's okay to rest a day. Just be careful about your diet too like you said. It's usually those off days where we take time to rest and recover where we accidentally consume too much. Whether that's from boredom, depression, or habit due to watching tv or playing a video game. Everyone has their own moments. So watch for patterns and try to address that. If you break that kind of habit then that's a game changer in and of itself.

    PS sorry for the long reply. I just wanted to make sure you feel supported and like people will give you the time of day. <3

    Thanks very much for the kind words. I didn't have a very good day today. I was put down about my eating disorder and told it's all in my head and I'm making it up. I really needed some nice words and I appreciate it :)
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    walking is the best - it burns calories, strengthens various body parts and gets you moving. if your ankle troubles you, you can get a compression brace - i get mine from amazon, and they're not expensive.

    i eat 6 small meals per day, sometimes 7, so it's like i'm always snacking. i stopped having trigger foods in the house, weigh and log everything, and sometimes eat a lot of shaved ice when i get food cravings - i like it and it has no calories at all.
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,159 Member
    I'm 5'2" and started this at 248 lbs. I mostly walked. I started out going around a nearby lake that's about a 1.4 mile trek. Now my usual, when there are no time constraints is 4-6 miles. I find walking is not only good physically, but mentally as well. When I'm unable to get out there (when I work 2-3 twelve hour shifts, back to back) I can notice a difference in how I feel. I've advanced to other exercises/classes but walking is still part of it and always will be. I say work on longer or more frequent walks and even speed when you can. I now average 4 mph and was probably under 3 when I started.

    Someone mentioned Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, I did that in the beginning too. Last time I did it, all three levels were on YouTube, so you don't have to even buy them. There's a great site called Fitness Blender with hundreds of free videos of all types, cardio, strength etc, many of which don't require equipment.

    Don't give up on yoga, I have done it on and off for years, you gain the flexibility as you go. For a while it bothered me that my belly fat would get in the way, but I still did it. Now, 111 lbs later, I can touch my toes again.

    I say just make small additions as far as time or speed and see what else is out there that you can do, and more importantly, like, to do. I was a total sloth and now I find I enjoy the activities. And it pays off :smiley:
  • sheilafnnegan
    sheilafnnegan Posts: 6 Member
    Hi my name is Sheila. I am 52 with a leg swollen and 90% mobility. I am5'6 269lbs. I have been doing zumba in a chair and it works..it's called zumba in a chair with zoe Caldwell . You can find it in you tube
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    "I get winded doing the simplest of things, like walking.

    So far all I've been doing IS walking. I've been taking my dog for a twenty minute walk a day and I feel pretty comfortable with that now. I'm just not sure where to go from here." Well, keep doing that.

    You also mention that you try to log the stuff you binge on. I, too, have experienced out-of-control binge days on this journey, about once each month. I have found it to be valuable that I both log everything I eat, even on the binge days, and then review that day and that food to see if I can deduce a cause of the binge. I have developed an hypothesis that my binge days are triggered by an inadequate breakfast. As a response to that, I have decided to certainly have a good breakfast every day, even on weekends. I can still keep my calories and sodium low if I spend much of the day satiated even in my house surrounded with all the snacks and junk that my family of mostly slim women prefer.

    You're dog wouldn't mind an extra 20 minutes of walking, either. See if you can get up to that.
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,281 Member
    Walking is great! Keep adding time. Maybe find something positive/enjoyable/funny to listen to (podcasts are great) or some music you like. You'll be out there longer and longer. It sounds like you have a good approach to taking care of yourself. Keep seeing someone for the binging and depression, and know that you are not alone, and that every day that you take care of yourself will get you one more day of healthy. Allow for slip ups and make a plan for what to do when they happen. We all slip up. The ones who succeed know it, plan for it, and get back at it anyway. :heart:
  • bkinsey1979
    bkinsey1979 Posts: 10 Member
    Hi there! I'm a MFP newbie but not a diet newbie - like you I'm 5'5, 256 lbs (but 6 months ago I was 293 lbs so there's hope!).

    You've gotten a lot of good suggestions but I wanted to speak up about the yoga issue.

    Megan Garcia (I believe, I could be wrong on last name) wrote a book and created a DVD specifically addressing issues plus size women face when it comes to yoga postures. Book and DVD are both called MegaYoga. You might find them useful.

    Good luck!
  • mmteixeira
    mmteixeira Posts: 118 Member
    In June 2015, I weighed 315 pounds - I started using MyFitnessPal to track my food and changed the way I eat to just "clean foods" (no processed sugar, white flour, etc) - sticking to 1850 calories of fruits, vegetables and proteins - in the first three months just changing my diet and walking I lost 30 lbs. After the first 30-40 went I added in more exercise. In January I started running. As of today I have lost 101 pounds (down to 212). It is definitely doable - I would focus on counting your calories and walking - you can make serious progress that way... good luck ....

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