Fitness Options

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sheepingly
sheepingly Posts: 237 Member
edited July 2017 in Fitness and Exercise
So I'm in a dilemma. I've gained 60-80lbs over the past few years by over eating and volume eating and I have a desk job, and then 2 hours commute total every day.

Anyway, I'd like to get back into working out but I have limited options right now in terms of fitness. I can't get a gym membership just yet and when i do I don't really have someone to go with (everyone i know is lazy or not the gym kind of people) so I'm not sure what I can do in terms of working out.

I can't do DVD's for home workouts because neighbors will complain about the noise.

I can go for a walk outside but i can only do that on weekends so what can i do to get my fitness on during the week. it would have to be something i can do on a week night before or after dinnertime.

Any ideas of what i can do until i can attend an actual gym?
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Replies

  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    Why can you only walk on weekends? That is typically an anytime anyplace kind of activity. You can't walk on your lunch break or before or after work?

    Can you wear wireless headphones and do a DVD or is it the stomping about that upsets your neighbors?

    Many parks where I live have fitness courses where you can walk or run and do various body weight exercises at each station.

    You don't need someone to go to the gym with you. I've found it more of a time waster than a motivator.
  • Okiludy
    Okiludy Posts: 558 Member
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    jennybearlv wrote: »
    Why can you only walk on weekends? That is typically an anytime anyplace kind of activity. You can't walk on your lunch break or before or after work?

    Can you wear wireless headphones and do a DVD or is it the stomping about that upsets your neighbors?

    Many parks where I live have fitness courses where you can walk or run and do various body weight exercises at each station.

    You don't need someone to go to the gym with you. I've found it more of a time waster than a motivator.

    Agree that you don't need someone to go with you. It's nice to have a spotter at times but it can be more trouble than it's worth.

    There are some good bodyweight programs you can do with minimum space. Some would annoy people downstairs. An app I tried that was pretty good was Sworkit but there are a ton of options besides this. Going to a gym is nice but not needed.

    Oh and if your goal is to lose weight your diet has much more of an impact. If it's to get fit, than yes exercise is needed.
  • sheepingly
    sheepingly Posts: 237 Member
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    jennybearlv wrote: »
    Why can you only walk on weekends? That is typically an anytime anyplace kind of activity. You can't walk on your lunch break or before or after work?

    Can you wear wireless headphones and do a DVD or is it the stomping about that upsets your neighbors?

    Many parks where I live have fitness courses where you can walk or run and do various body weight exercises at each station.

    You don't need someone to go to the gym with you. I've found it more of a time waster than a motivator.

    I don't want to walk at week nights because it's scary at night and i'm female LOL, I could go early in the morning before work but it'll still be dark out.

    Re: working out at home, i'm on the 2nd floor and the walls/floors are thin so they hear everything. Landlord is strict with these kinds of complaints.

    I can walk before work or during lunch but I live in Cali and it's hot even at 7am and even if it wasn't I'd sweat and that's kinda gross. I'd still feel gross even after cleaning up.

    Sounds like excuses I know and I'd do it if absolutely necessary but I'm hoping there's something besides using dumbells/kettle bells at home that will help with weightloss that doesn't require me stomping around.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    If you can walk 3-5 days per week, that would be a fantastic start. Walk whenever you can on the weekends, then maybe a combination of before work or right after you get home (I live in CA too, and it's light outside between like 6am and 8:30 pm right now; surely there's 30 minutes of daylight you can use?). You could walk one day on your lunch break, or you could mall-walk. Think creatively; I'm sure you can find a way around your restrictions.
  • Okiludy
    Okiludy Posts: 558 Member
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    AliceDark wrote: »
    If you can walk 3-5 days per week, that would be a fantastic start. Walk whenever you can on the weekends, then maybe a combination of before work or right after you get home (I live in CA too, and it's light outside between like 6am and 8:30 pm right now; surely there's 30 minutes of daylight you can use?). You could walk one day on your lunch break, or you could mall-walk. Think creatively; I'm sure you can find a way around your restrictions.

    Great idea on mall walks! Safer than outside and environmental controls.
  • JoeCWV
    JoeCWV Posts: 213 Member
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    Where do you work? In an office? Do they have stairs where you work? You can walk some stairs in the air conditioning on your breaks. Bottom line if you want to get moving more you will find a way.
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,334 Member
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    I found some exercises that you do sitting in a chair. How about yoga?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,961 Member
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    You can lose weight without exercise.

    How about steps in your building? I live in a condo complex with 45 units. We have 8 stairwells with 23 steps in each stairwell. I have many times walked up and down all of them. I start at one end and work through all of them and then back to the beginning. Nothing like 400 steps and some walking in between to get the heart moving. Alternately, are there steps where you work, or in any building near your work? No reason you can't walk up and down them a bunch of times.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    You dont need a buddy to go to the gym with.

    If you want to exercise then do it...
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    Resistance tubes and bands are an inexpensive way to get into strength training. I started with those.
  • sheepingly
    sheepingly Posts: 237 Member
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    JoeCWV wrote: »
    Where do you work? In an office? Do they have stairs where you work? You can walk some stairs in the air conditioning on your breaks. Bottom line if you want to get moving more you will find a way.

    Yes I work in an office and the a/c is on all the time. It's just 2 levels and stairs only. No elevator and even though I have a desk job and its sitting 90% of the time sometimes I have to go up and down the stairs which either because I'm not used to moving around a lot or this overweightness or both...just going up 1 1/2 flight of stairs i'm prespiring, out of breath and hot (Despite a/c).

    Sure I move about 5K steps worth while at work between 8-5pm, i don't know if i'd consider that really "moving around".
  • sheepingly
    sheepingly Posts: 237 Member
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    Evamutt wrote: »
    I found some exercises that you do sitting in a chair. How about yoga?

    I can do yoga the only problem with that is some positions hurt my wrists, i'm not sure if its a yoga mat issue? How do you avoid that?
  • sheepingly
    sheepingly Posts: 237 Member
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    cmriverside wrote: »
    You can lose weight without exercise.

    How about steps in your building? I live in a condo complex with 45 units. We have 8 stairwells with 23 steps in each stairwell. I have many times walked up and down all of them. I start at one end and work through all of them and then back to the beginning. Nothing like 400 steps and some walking in between to get the heart moving. Alternately, are there steps where you work, or in any building near your work? No reason you can't walk up and down them a bunch of times.

    I live in a 200 unit complex with individual stairs (1 flight) for every 4 units. There is no "walk way" or "cat walk" for them though. Going up the stairs though because of the thin walls vibrates all 4 units and you hear everything even when one of your 3 neighbors open/closes their doors.

    The one bright side about the complex is that the mailbox and big garbage bins are at least 200+ feet away including the carport. So I try to use that to get my steps in daily besides the walking around at work (that's usually around 5K steps).
  • sheepingly
    sheepingly Posts: 237 Member
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    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    Resistance tubes and bands are an inexpensive way to get into strength training. I started with those.

    At home all i have is a set of 10lb dumbells and that's about it.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,961 Member
    edited July 2017
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    sheepingly wrote: »
    cmriverside wrote: »
    You can lose weight without exercise.

    How about steps in your building? I live in a condo complex with 45 units. We have 8 stairwells with 23 steps in each stairwell. I have many times walked up and down all of them. I start at one end and work through all of them and then back to the beginning. Nothing like 400 steps and some walking in between to get the heart moving. Alternately, are there steps where you work, or in any building near your work? No reason you can't walk up and down them a bunch of times.

    I live in a 200 unit complex with individual stairs (1 flight) for every 4 units. There is no "walk way" or "cat walk" for them though. Going up the stairs though because of the thin walls vibrates all 4 units and you hear everything even when one of your 3 neighbors open/closes their doors.

    The one bright side about the complex is that the mailbox and big garbage bins are at least 200+ feet away including the carport. So I try to use that to get my steps in daily besides the walking around at work (that's usually around 5K steps).

    Who cares if it vibrates the units? That's one of the things you deal with when living in communal housing. I also hear people on steps and opening and closing doors. That's no reason not to find ways to exercise. Find a way. Walk back and forth to the mailbox 20 times. Tomorrow do it 21.

    Why can't you join a gym? Many cities have senior centers with cheap treadmills/elipticals/light weights in their centers. Anyone can join and you don't have to be old. Planet Fitness has extremely inexpensive memberships. You can't continue to poo poo every suggestion. If you have a car, park further away. If you take a bus, get off a couple stops early. Be creative. Every little bit helps.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    So, here's an alternate idea: don't worry about exercising right now. You can lose weight purely through your caloric intake. I know you said in your post that you want to exercise, but it seems like that's not really the case, because you have a lot of reasons why nearly every suggestion won't work. While some are probably completely valid, I'm not sure there's absolutely no way you can walk for 15 minutes without it being a huge hassle.

    If you take exercise off the table for yourself right now, how does that feel emotionally? Does it make you REALLY want to exercise, or does it seem like kind of a relief?
  • mindywilsford
    mindywilsford Posts: 6 Member
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    I love doing Darebee.com workouts. Most are bodyweight only, and while some require jumping many do not. If you look at the individual workouts, you can filter for "Strength / Tone" and "no equipment", etc. Quite a few of the Strength / Toning Workouts should be ok without disturbing the neighbors.
  • joseccastaneda
    joseccastaneda Posts: 267 Member
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    I like doing yoga when i can. YOu might also want to check out Convict Conditioning.
  • HonestOmnivore
    HonestOmnivore Posts: 1,356 Member
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    My PCP worked with me when I was in a similar spot. She explained the the sweat from going up and down stairs at work was A. not any more noticable than my weight, and B. something that would improve /reduce over time. When I explained that my knees hurt from walking/taking the stairs she told me to invest in four freezable gel packs and to ice my knees after exercise, that the damage I was doing to my knees was less than the damage to my heart. When I told her Yoga hurt, same thing, use ice packs afterwards, learn to tolerate the pain it will help you grow emotionally.

    I'd start with the steps at work, walk down then back up two "extra" times a day for a week, then three extra then four... At your apt I'd do the same thing, walk the steps but here you can let yourself get a little more sweaty so do an extra flight each time. walk the halway or around your building. It stays light late now, so adding steps from the train or bus stop, or if you drive to work walking around your parking garage or lot three times before and after work...

    YOU CAN DO THIS!
  • remath
    remath Posts: 4 Member
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    Jillian Michaels 30 day shred doesn't have a lot of jumping, and you can modify with different movements. If you're working out during waking hours, maybe just put a note on your neighbours door saying "hey! I'm working out! The noise won't be forever, if I'm bothering you, please let me know. Ps: I'm looking for a walking buddy if you're up for it!" You might need some like minded people who cheer you on and who want to join you!

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