Treadmill Issues - Questions for those who were very overweight and sedentary when they started

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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.
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Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    edited July 2017
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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.
  • Sloth_TurtleGirl
    Sloth_TurtleGirl Posts: 79 Member
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    Well, I am an "undertall" person lol. I'm 5 foot one inches. So, maybe that is part of it. Not sure.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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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 base
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    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!
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    Francl27 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 :)
  • Sloth_TurtleGirl
    Sloth_TurtleGirl Posts: 79 Member
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    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.
  • everher
    everher Posts: 909 Member
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    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.
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
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    Do what feels comfortable and when that is to easy move it up or walk longer. You can do it!
  • RunningGoal
    RunningGoal Posts: 7 Member
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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.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    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/B00B1VDNQA
  • jayashreeravi1
    jayashreeravi1 Posts: 21 Member
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    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.
  • Richardcag
    Richardcag Posts: 18 Member
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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.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,080 Member
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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.

  • okohjacinda
    okohjacinda Posts: 329 Member
    edited July 2017
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    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!