Rough and depressing start...

@laurenebargar Please be careful with starting running. Don't go from walking to running without a plan of sorts. Running is much harder on your joints than walking. You need to get good shoes before you start running. From a good running store that watches how you walk or run and can make recommendations on what kind of support you need. Once you have good shoes, find a C25K app (I used the Zenn labs one) that has you walking and running on a schedule. It will help.

To the OP, as others have said, if you are 200 cal over, you are still under maintenance and will still lose weight long term. But I would start with walking. Sit ups and crunches will do little for weight loss. Read through some of the stickies here to understand what the numbers mean and how to put a weight loss plan together. Be prepared to NOT plan to lose 2 lbs per week if it is not doable. 1 lb a week is good weight loss and may be a better target. But you will figure that out as you go along.

Lots of people have lost weight without exercise, but you should find the exercise you enjoy (or hate the least) and make sure you have fun doing it.

For apps, I'm on Android but the C25K is quite popular on MFP and is on both phone platforms. Another that has some fun built in to it is Zombie Run (did not use it). They have you alternating walking and running to build up to 30 minutes running. Search on the Fitness forum and lots of threads on them there.

I just finished a Pilates workout that I tried a month ago and could not handle.
As long as you keep moving everyday whether you walk, bike, swim or other you will make progress.

Use pleasant music to help you feel better. But, that said, crying is okay. You may need to purge out those feelings. If doing planks is an option I find them less painful than situps/crunches especially because the tummy can get in the way with situps. If yr arms aren't quite long enough, purchase foam yoga blocks. My husband weighs 300 and he finds that planks are much more effective and not pain inducing. Takes less time as well. Walk before running so you don't beat your ankles and knees to paste. Speed up to running when safe for u.

Auburnini wrote: »

I started crying about 20 minutes into my work out but kept going until 45 mins was up. Any advise on staying positive when its really hard to do exersize?

"Don't cry to quit. You are already hurt. You are already in pain. Get a reward from it!"

Keep going - we are with you. You got this!

Auburnini wrote: »

I went over my goal by about 200 calories and was very upset. When I tried to exersize I couldn't do sit ups or crunches correctly. I'm 5 ft and 228 pounds which my doc says is obese. I think it'll get easier after a few weeks but its still almost depressing. I started crying about 20 minutes into my work out but kept going until 45 mins was up. Any advise on staying positive when its really hard to do exersize?

200 over your goal...you're still in a deficit...I'm assuming you picked 2 Lbs per week...so instead of a 1000 calorie deficit, you have an 800 calorie deficit...pretty much meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Also, to expect perfection is a recipe for disaster...it's a completely unrealistic expectation, particularly when you consider the time this all takes.

Sit-ups in particular are really not a good exercise...crunches aren't much better.

When I started out exercise wise, I just focused on moving more....mostly walking. Then a C25K program a couple of months later along with some resistance training (which I recommend)...

Auburnini wrote: »

I went over my goal by about 200 calories and was very upset. When I tried to exersize I couldn't do sit ups or crunches correctly. I'm 5 ft and 228 pounds which my doc says is obese. I think it'll get easier after a few weeks but its still almost depressing. I started crying about 20 minutes into my work out but kept going until 45 mins was up. Any advise on staying positive when its really hard to do exersize?

Don't worry too much about the sit-ups/crunches...you can increase core strength quite a bit by just doing stuff that requires balance - dancing/yoga/cycling/lifting(non-sitting position)/... most of mine came from dancing. I only ever do sit-ups to waste time between lifting sets (alternating with planks).

Cardio- start out with walking if you don't regularly walk now. and/or cycling.

A year ago I couldn't do a single full sit-up,not one push up, 20 squats nearly killed me. But I really stuck with it. I got a trainer to help with form. I can now do over 60situps in a workout. I can do push-ups (on my toes!), And I can probably do 100squats easy. Keep up the hard work. Push through it. And use the emotions motivation. It was really hard to look at myself but I've come a long way.

Others have already explained, 200 calories over is nothing you should worry about. You learn from it and observe trends to see what causes you to go over, which would help you stay within calories more often than not. Even if you have days where you go over way more than 200 calories, all it takes to lose weight is being in a deficit more often than not. You may also want to consider picking a more lenient rate of loss (1-1.5 pounds instead of 2). If you're cutting too much and feeling deprived you are less likely to continue.

For exercise, all it takes to improve is doing it consistently and progressively. I started barely able to walk for 5 full minutes, so that's what I did, I walked for 5 minutes. I kept walking and increasing my time and speed gradually. Fast forward to today, and I can run continuously for over an hour. My running speed is laughable, but so what? This time next year I will be running at a better speed. Forget expectations and just work with what you currently have, trying to progressively improve. If you're crying during your workout you may be doing too much too soon. If working out makes you distressed you are less likely to keep it up. Swallow your ego and cut back to a level that feels pleasantly challenging, not distressing.

Bottom line: stop putting yourself through the wringer and find a level of eating and exercising that you can do consistently more often than not, and if you have a bad day get over it, you're not being "bad", you're being human. A bad day will not affect your weight loss effort significantly unless you let it by getting discouraged and quitting.

Definitely start with any movement that is comfortable, walking is a great workout, and all you need to do is try improve the distance and time taken each time you do it. The fact that you tried even after emotion has taken ahold of you actually shows strength.

Also get an app on ya phone that tracks and automatically updates ya distance and calories burned, you will be surprised what ya actually burning by walking (even more surprising is calories burned doing yard work, dishes, cleaning etc). I use MapMyWalk as it automatically updates MyFitnessPal. All the Best and you got all the support you need right here.

Look - change is hard. Tomorrow is another day. You are never going to be perfect. Also don't start with something that is too hard. Start with where you are. You will get there. If you start with things that are too hard right now, you will quit and go back to life as it was.