How do I start exercising when I have never exercised?

L0vAnj
L0vAnj Posts: 45 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, I tried doing 30 squats and a few air kicks to see how my body would maintain. Regret it very much, I couldn't walk for 2 days. I am 24, 5'1 222lbs 5 months PP with Hashimotos Disease not sure if my disease contributed to the leg pain. I was wondering what can I do to start slowly into workouts without extremely straining my body. (How many, how long)

Replies

  • Slimpossible007
    Slimpossible007 Posts: 16,393 Member
    edited June 2017
    ^^^^ that .. just walk, slowly to begin with, you will see a difference in your stamina within days ... time your walk and map your distance .. that way you will visually see the differences in your speed and stamina

    I use this to map my walks https://gb.mapometer.com/

    1 month ago I done a walk for 30 mins .. I was in pain all over
    yesterday I done the same walk it took 24 mins and I felt great

    it was only 1.27 miles
  • slimmons_1
    slimmons_1 Posts: 16 Member
    As Rjan91 says and just work up to it if you have an iPhone it will track your steps during the day just take it at your pace and don't over do it to start.
  • mom2kateRH
    mom2kateRH Posts: 178 Member
    Agree with above. Walk, walk, walk. Daily burn is an online program that has an exercise program for beginners. Check out fitness blender.com as well. I think they have beginner videos too.

    But start with walking
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,126 Member
    Agree walking is great for burning calories and building up your stamina, perhaps also try a short low impact beginners youtube workout or beginners strength training. I started with these two:

    https://youtu.be/PYtcl2PbMyI
    https://youtu.be/WIHy-ZnSndA

  • CMNVA
    CMNVA Posts: 733 Member
    Yeah, 30 squats is a LOT for someone who has never done anything.

    As others have said, go out for a walk and go a little farther each day. If you want to start with some strength training, seriously, do 5 squats. Do 5 push ups. And stop.

    If you don't want to exercise outdoors for whatever reasons (heat, cold, safety), I highly recommend for beginners the Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds DVDs. Get a 1 mile one. Also, depending on what type of cable service you have, several of her programs are available in you On Demand area of cable. They are really so good for beginners.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    Agree with everyone above talking about walking.

    It doesn't "feel" like you're exercising in the same way as other cardio, but the benefits are certainly there. I wasn't convinced until I started to do it just to get the steps in. Your cardiovascular system will noticeably improve more quickly than you might expect.

    Just do that for a couple of weeks and then ease into other things...and if you're watching an exercise video, modify the moves if you have to. (This is one of several areas that Beachbody has it right).
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    I seriously doubt you've *never* exercised.

    There are some exceptions, but children exercise without being given a program...they jump rope, go swimming, play running games (like tag), play kickball or soccer, go explore the woods and so on.

    So when you were a kid, what did you play? What did you do at recess? Very often this is a clue to something you would like as an adult.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Walking is a good start, but considering your health issues I would suggest talking to your doctor about it...
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,244 Member
    I was seriously deconditioned due to health issues plus laziness. Last February (2016) I was able to walk only for 30min. Mind you I was only barely overweight. Since then I have persivered and gradually increased my walking. Nowadays I walk for several hours everyday making an average of 4miles per day fast pace. Also I'm not overweight anymore.

    It is a different story with the strength department. I still get very unwell (nauseous and light headed) after even very leisurely strength training so I'm taking it pretty grandma-type slowly (I'm 36). I hope that with determination I'll be able to tell a happy story a year from now about strength training too.

    Good luck.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    Nothing wrong with the squats, just do 10 next time once the soreness is gone. Walking is also a good start. Once you've done that for a couple of weeks add something else, just don't go overboard all at once. If you end up sore, and you will, stop for a couple of days until the soreness lessens then start again.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    I started with walking. It's such an overlooked, excellent way to create a deficit.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    edited June 2017
    mitch16 wrote: »
    Walking is a good start, but considering your health issues I would suggest talking to your doctor about it...

    I seriously doubt any doctor would have a problem with their patient wanting to walk for 30 minutes at a time. She has hashimotos she didnt' have abdominal surgery (and even then tbh lol)
  • juliet3455
    juliet3455 Posts: 3,015 Member
    @L0vAnj I agree with all the encouraging comments above.
    Start with short simple walks - slowly adding a little more distance each week. Use simple local landmarks as guides to your accomplishments, light standard, park bench etc.
    30 squats was definitely to much, maybe 5 and then slowly build up from there.

    A common concept for people just getting back into activities is to slowly increase your activity by 10% per training cycle. The idea is that it increases the load by enough to slowly increase the effort without discouraging or hurting you.

    A training cycle is hard to define, for some it is distance walked, run, swim etc. For others its increasing the weights they are lifting or the amount of time they are doing a Zumba routine etc.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    Walking. Just take a walk. Walk.
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    After you've been walking a while, consider taking a beginner's yoga class. It's low impact. There's a nice warm up and cool down. It's good for stretching, balance, strength and stamina. You'll feel your muscles the next day, for sure, but you won't be unable to function! And it's perfectly acceptable during class to rest whenever you feel you need to.
  • einalem504
    einalem504 Posts: 4 Member
    Wanted to add that swimming may also be a good option if you're hurting! Lower impact on your joints, and you can even just walk from one end of the pool to the other if you're struggling with actual swim strokes. Good luck!
  • Sara2652
    Sara2652 Posts: 158 Member
    Do you know how to swim and/or have accesses to a pool? If you do swimming or even moving around in the pool can help and just feels good too.
  • Numericmama373
    Numericmama373 Posts: 125 Member
    Make sure that you are using the right form. Your knees need to stay even with your toe box. Same with lunges. I can't stress how important form is.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    Numericmama373 wrote: »
    Make sure that you are using the right form. Your knees need to stay even with your toe box. Same with lunges. I can't stress how important form is.

    The way my PT put it was to imagine that there are railroad tracks on your 2d and pinkie toes... keep your knee on the tracks.

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