Treadmill Issues - Questions for those who were very overweight and sedentary when they started
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Sloth_TurtleGirl
Posts: 79 Member
I started back on a diet and fitness plan a month and a half ago. I joined Planet Fitness (loving it) and am working hard. But, I am having some issues with speed. I was at 2.5 for 15 minutes (18 if you count the cool down) and had a rough time with it. I had been doing 2.5 and 2.7. I am not asking for medical advice. I have a doctor for that.
I am asking where you started on speed? Would 2.0 even be worth using it? As I said, I am sedentary and close to 300 pounds.
I see women who are as heavy (or heavier) than me on the treadmill who appear to be going much faster. So, I'm just curious.
I am asking where you started on speed? Would 2.0 even be worth using it? As I said, I am sedentary and close to 300 pounds.
I see women who are as heavy (or heavier) than me on the treadmill who appear to be going much faster. So, I'm just curious.
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Replies
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2.0 for 15 minutes is more than sitting in a chair doing nothing for 15 minutes. Start slow and gradually increase. Don't compare yourself to others. There will always be somebody in better shape and somebody in worse shape than you. The heavier woman who is going faster likely had to work up to that speed. In a month when you are going 2.5 there will be another newbie thinking the same thing. It's the circle of fitness
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Start slow enough that you don't get discouraged. If it's 2 mph, it's 2mph. Also a short person will get more of a workout at 2mph than a tall person anyway.
Also, you'll burn more calories walking slower but at an incline too, so you could try 2mph with a 2% incline or something.2 -
Well, I am an "undertall" person lol. I'm 5 foot one inches. So, maybe that is part of it. Not sure.
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2.0 is a great place to start
when you can do that consistently, then maybe add a short couple minutes of 2.5 (so do 4min at 2.0 and then 1 min at 2.5) and gradually increase until you can do 2.5 consistently - then use that as your base2 -
avengeflipper wrote: »Well, I am an "undertall" person lol. I'm 5 foot one inches. So, maybe that is part of it. Not sure.
It definitely is. I see some people who walk at 4.5mph, I have to run, lol!0 -
comparison is the thief of joy11
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avengeflipper wrote: »Well, I am an "undertall" person lol. I'm 5 foot one inches. So, maybe that is part of it. Not sure.
It definitely is. I see some people who walk at 4.5mph, I have to run, lol!
I can walk at 4.0 but its an effort and not an easy pace - but since I do run/walk intervals, it trains me well to not slack off during my walk portion 1 -
I started very heavy and very sedentary. My starting speed was pathetic at about 1.5 mph for 5 minutes. Who cares? I can walk at 4 mph now and can run. Where you start is irrelevant. Incremental and gradual improvements is what matters.
I have a question for you: what is having a hard time keeping up? Your legs, your lungs or your stamina? If it's your lungs, slow down to be able to walk longer and make the most out of your stamina. If it's your legs, slow down and increase incline to make most out of your lungs. If it's your stamina, you have no choice but to keep doing what you're doing and your stamina is guaranteed to improve with time.8 -
Amused - Thanks for asking - It's a couple things my breathing is a big one, the bottom of my legs and upper feet, and I use the HR monitor and I checked and it was 146 which as a shocker because I'd done higher speeds the week before and not been as high. After that, I began thinking maybe I need to slow down, so I figured I'd ask other people who were in similar situations where they started out to see if I would be okay and still lose if I started a little slower.
The first couple weeks I was doing 2.5 and 2.7 and then sometimes I'd try 3.0 for a minute or two because my husband is finally working out for me and I was trying to keep up with him. He's six feet tall so I've stopped doing that lol. I was leaving Planet Fitness totally exhausted and barely able to walk.
I started this journey because a few months ago I could barely walk through a grocery store. I was getting winded constantly. I can feel myself improving. I may just have jumped ahead too much. I had all sort of medical tests (heart, breathing, etc. and they decided it was because I'm so sedentary - I work from home at my computer most of the day). My doctor suggested I start eating better and join a gym.4 -
I suggest you don't worry about speed now, and try to make time first. Slow down as much as you feel is appropriate and gradually work up to 30 minutes. If you aren't out of breath you could increase incline a bit to make it easier on your legs until you get used to it. Are you wearing supportive shoes?
As for weight loss, you can lose weight no matter where your fitness level is currently at. All you need to do is follow the calorie recommendations the app gave you and record your food faithfully. Being active is done more for other benefits than for weight loss. It does help you eat more once you're at a fitness level that allows you to burn a good amount, dieting gets much easier at that point.
As you lose weight you will notice you can go faster and longer simply because you aren't carrying as much. Just be patient. You're on the right track.6 -
I think I started at 2.0 and that was hard for me. I wanted it to be challenging, but not so challenging I couldn't do it or I would be extremely tired afterwards.
I was only walking for 15 minutes at first then I would do 15 minutes on a stationary bike or something else.
I can't remember how long it took but my stamina slowly increased as my health became better and I lost weight.1 -
Do what feels comfortable and when that is to easy move it up or walk longer. You can do it!0
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I started off over 300 pounds. When I started on the treadmill, the fastest speed I could maintain for anything over 5 minutes was 2.2 mph. I tried going faster and my feet, legs and knees would hurt for a day or two afterward. Sometimes they would hurt even at that speed but time passed and it got easier.
Also, lifting weights ( as heavy as I could and progressing from there) did wonders for my self esteem. Even when I couldn't walk faster on the treadmill, I would see that what I could lift was increasing and helped keep me motivated and feeling strong. I love lifting now.0 -
avengeflipper wrote: »Amused - Thanks for asking - It's a couple things my breathing is a big one, the bottom of my legs and upper feet, and I use the HR monitor and I checked and it was 146 which as a shocker because I'd done higher speeds the week before and not been as high. After that, I began thinking maybe I need to slow down, so I figured I'd ask other people who were in similar situations where they started out to see if I would be okay and still lose if I started a little slower.
The first couple weeks I was doing 2.5 and 2.7 and then sometimes I'd try 3.0 for a minute or two because my husband is finally working out for me and I was trying to keep up with him. He's six feet tall so I've stopped doing that lol. I was leaving Planet Fitness totally exhausted and barely able to walk.
I started this journey because a few months ago I could barely walk through a grocery store. I was getting winded constantly. I can feel myself improving. I may just have jumped ahead too much. I had all sort of medical tests (heart, breathing, etc. and they decided it was because I'm so sedentary - I work from home at my computer most of the day). My doctor suggested I start eating better and join a gym.
if you work at a computer most of the day - could you get something like a treadmill desk or one of those underdesk cycle things - keeps your legs moving during the day
https://www.amazon.com/DeskCycle-Exercise-Pedal-Exerciser-White/dp/B00B1VDNQA0 -
Yep, the way to go is start as slow as is comfortable for you and slowly work your way up.
Everyone starts at different fitness levels and physiological limitations, so comparison doesn't do anyone any good--but it's natural to compare, anyway. When I'm on the treadmill, I look at people FLYING without a care at 10.0 and feel like a hopeless tortoise lumbering along at my 2.7 walk or my 4.5 run. In truth, I also sometimes see people going more slowly than me and feel good about my progress, because I have come a long way!
Comparing myself to the flying folks discourages me, and comparing myself to people who are where I used to be is perhaps uncharitable to them.
I can also tell you that when I see people working hard at going slower speeds or lighter weights at the gym, I am SO PROUD OF THEM. I would never say anything to them, because I fear it would seem condescending, but I love and admire them because I used to be them and I know how dang hard it was.6 -
I remember watching a Rachel Ray show on TV once (long time ago) where she interviewed a woman who had apparently lost 70 - 80 lbs, merely by walking on the treadmill for 2 - 3 hrs every single day at a slow pace of 2.5 - 2.7.2
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I started at 312lbs and began walking from the train station to my office. I started by walking to the next bus stop each day. After 2 weeks I was walking to work and now doing 40 mins at 4mph on the treadmill. As others have said, do not try and copy others and just do your own thing.2
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I just want to tell you that I admire you for getting out there and taking control of your health!
I've read a lot of stories here over the past ten years of people who started just where you are and have gone on to lose their weight and change their lives. You can too. You really inspired me today.
It is hard for all of us when we first start, I remember thinking, "It shouldn't be this hard to walk up this hill." Now I walk up that hill every other day and sometimes think I'll go again because it didn't feel challenging. It is amazing how quickly the body adapts and improves. I was so grateful to find I hadn't ruined my body with my over-indulgences of the past. I think you'll be amazed. Just go at your own pace.
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avengeflipper wrote: »I started back on a diet and fitness plan a month and a half ago. I joined Planet Fitness (loving it) and am working hard. But, I am having some issues with speed. I was at 2.5 for 15 minutes (18 if you count the cool down) and had a rough time with it. I had been doing 2.5 and 2.7. I am not asking for medical advice. I have a doctor for that.
I am asking where you started on speed? Would 2.0 even be worth using it? As I said, I am sedentary and close to 300 pounds.
I see women who are as heavy (or heavier) than me on the treadmill who appear to be going much faster. So, I'm just curious.
I started at 2.5 mph (with incline of 3%) and after 5 weeks worked my way up to 3.0 mph (with 7% incline). If you need to start at 2.5...do so but just add a slight incline so that you can burn a bit more.
And I started near 300 at 274...so I know first hand how hard it is to do more than 2-2.5mph when starting out at that weight.
Go at your own pace. Don't worry about anyone else. This is your fight and yours alone!0
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