HELP - Having a really hard time with exercising (can't hold my own weight).
Rannoch3908
Posts: 177 Member
So I walk or ride a stationary bike three times a week for 15 minutes.
The other three days a week I try to follow a 15-20 minute workout video on my phone.
But I am running into three issues.
-- There is a lot of getting up and down off the ground which is really hard for me.
-- There is a lot of jumping and squatting - my knees & feet can't handle it - end up with stress fractures afterwards.
-- There is a lot of stuff involving bodyweight - I can't hold myself up to even do knee pushups or planks.
It is discouraging - I am 300lbs which makes a lot of these hard - a 10 minute stretching routine got me winded and tired.
Not sure what to do. I want to get stronger so this isn't an issue one day.
Anyone else run into the same issue.
The other three days a week I try to follow a 15-20 minute workout video on my phone.
But I am running into three issues.
-- There is a lot of getting up and down off the ground which is really hard for me.
-- There is a lot of jumping and squatting - my knees & feet can't handle it - end up with stress fractures afterwards.
-- There is a lot of stuff involving bodyweight - I can't hold myself up to even do knee pushups or planks.
It is discouraging - I am 300lbs which makes a lot of these hard - a 10 minute stretching routine got me winded and tired.
Not sure what to do. I want to get stronger so this isn't an issue one day.
Anyone else run into the same issue.
9
Replies
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Have you tried beginner yoga? Or machines for strength training? It sounds like the videos might be some sort of HIIT training which is inappropriate for your fitness level at this time.8
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Maybe try something like this:
https://youtu.be/gIdAPUA3GY4 3 -
A lot of so-called beginner programs actually are not suitable for beginners.
Do look for a true beginner program. If they have reviews, read the most negative reviews and look for key things like "knee pain."6 -
If doing 10 minutes of stretching gets you winded....do that. Do it until you're not winded and can add in more stretches or some additional body weight exercises.
I'd also strongly suggest adding in walking daily. Some of this stuff will get easier the more weight you lose and walking/just being active can help.
You don't need to go fast...just be consistent. If all you can do is walk around the block today, then do that. It's more than most people do if they're just sitting on their couch.23 -
300 pounds? Yeah, jumping and squatting may not be right for you. - Yet.
There is no shame in starting with things you can do and slowly working yourself to other things. Or in having realistic expectations to what your body can handle at any step of your weight loss journey.
Have you tried looking into "low impact exercises" for your workout videos?
For strength training, maybe start small with small weights and/or machines instead of with body weight exercises.
You don't need to do things your body is not ready for yet to become fitter and healthier. You want to push yourself a bit, to the point you feel accomplished, not push yourself over a cliff and end up battered, bruised, and thoroughly demotivated.
12 -
Look for workouts that day low impact, and use substitutions for things you can’t do. Step instead of jump, for example. One of my favorite things about the Fitness Marshall workouts is that he has a very heavy lady who often joins them and does modifications.
For pushups and planks try wall pushups first, then countertop pushups. When I first started wall pushups were hard! As for squatting, a good way to get into it is to practice over a chair or sofa so your form stays good and you can safely fall backwards if you get tired. If you can only do a few before you start feeling it, that’s fine, do a few, or a couple, or one. You will be stronger tomorrow.
As you get lighter you will gradually be able to do more. Hang in there!12 -
When I was obese I bought a set of resistance bands and I still really like using them. They come in sets with varying rubber-tension for a full body workout at whatever level you want.
There are handles for them, no hardware necessary and mine came with a workout CD, but you can find all kinds of exercises for resistance bands online or at your library.
I think I paid $30 for four bands, two hand handles that switch to different bands and a leg/ankle strap for leg/door-frame resistance exercises.7 -
DancingMoosie wrote: »Maybe try something like this:https://youtu.be/gIdAPUA3GY4
I LOVE this guy's voice! I'm currently debilitated and can't wait to try it in a day or two.
My impression from just watching is that @ 75% would indeed be good for beginners but that Pike, Plank, and some of getting up and down variations might be too challenging initially.
Wall push ups might be a better place to start than plank (but I've never tried Josh's down-only variation)
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/wall-pushups1 -
I like that video too!
I started in 2019 at 320+ pounds, I know where you're coming from OP. My exercise at first consisted of walking once around my cul-de-sac (1/6 of a mile, about 5 minutes at first) or 5-10 minutes on a bike. Ya gotta start somewhere.
My main piece of advice is, go easy on yourself. Yes, it is extremely hard to do a lot of different kinds of exercise at that weight, and yes, it's easy to hurt yourself. And there's no reason to. For now stick to things you find comfortable and doable, and work your way up gradually. You don't need to struggle up from the floor if you're not ready for it.
I was at about 265-270 pounds when I started to feel like I was ready to branch out from stationary bike and walking. There's just a certain amount of girth that had to melt off me before I was agile enough for other things. Once I hit that weight level, I was able to, and did, try out many different things.
One thing you may want to check out at this stage is DDP Yoga. It was really helpful for both me and my wife, for both strength/agility AND weight loss, when we were both very obese.
btw 90 pounds later, I'm back to stationary bike and walking, except with the addition of dumbbells. The time periods of my workouts have gone way waaaaay up to well over an hour 7 days per week, and so has the resistance level (bike) or speed (walking) but the workouts are basically the same as when I started. You don't have to branch out too far if you aren't comfortable with it, any exercise is good exercise. For now, at #300 just moving and losing weight is a big success and will prod you in the right direction. You'll know when you're ready for more.20 -
Lets time travel here and Youtube Richard Simmon's Sweatin to the Oldies! Great music, lots of fun, designed for all sizes so its very low impact, and gets you moving and doing some easy cardio.
Just concentrate on losing the weight for now. Once you drop about 50 pounds, the higher impact exercises will become much easier.15 -
Lets time travel here and Youtube Richard Simmon's Sweatin to the Oldies! Great music, lots of fun, designed for all sizes so its very low impact, and gets you moving and doing some easy cardio.
Just concentrate on losing the weight for now. Once you drop about 50 pounds, the higher impact exercises will become much easier.
I love this! I'm gonna rediscover Richard Simmons! I'm into gardening. I have a whole hillside of weeds. It's heavy going and so rewarding to see it change. Pulling up ivy from the roots, jasmine, pulling out new weed saplings. I come inside exhausted!8 -
Don’t have great advice to give but just want to say great job at trying your best! I know it can be frustrating to get easily winded and tired but guess what, you’re trying to get healthier so it can only get better 😊 Hope you find something that works out for your desired goals.5
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Try this get back up exercise. If you need to brace on a sturdy chair, bench or low table. Being able to get up off the floor can literally be life saving. Best of luck.
https://youtu.be/o0_DoicHg2E 7 -
Crawling is also an excellent full body low impact exercise that can be modified based on ability
https://www.health.com/fitness/crawling-core-exercise5 -
I'd try something that's low impact if you're having issues with your joints, maybe low impact standing cardio? low impact isn't necassarily "easy" or low intensity, you'd still be getting a good workout3
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I like that video too!
I started in 2019 at 320+ pounds, I know where you're coming from OP. My exercise at first consisted of walking once around my cul-de-sac (1/6 of a mile, about 5 minutes at first) or 5-10 minutes on a bike. Ya gotta start somewhere.
My main piece of advice is, go easy on yourself. Yes, it is extremely hard to do a lot of different kinds of exercise at that weight, and yes, it's easy to hurt yourself. And there's no reason to. For now stick to things you find comfortable and doable, and work your way up gradually. You don't need to struggle up from the floor if you're not ready for it.
I was at about 265-270 pounds when I started to feel like I was ready to branch out from stationary bike and walking. There's just a certain amount of girth that had to melt off me before I was agile enough for other things. Once I hit that weight level, I was able to, and did, try out many different things.
One thing you may want to check out at this stage is DDP Yoga. It was really helpful for both me and my wife, for both strength/agility AND weight loss, when we were both very obese.
btw 90 pounds later, I'm back to stationary bike and walking, except with the addition of dumbbells. The time periods of my workouts have gone way waaaaay up to well over an hour 7 days per week, and so has the resistance level (bike) or speed (walking) but the workouts are basically the same as when I started. You don't have to branch out too far if you aren't comfortable with it, any exercise is good exercise. For now, at #300 just moving and losing weight is a big success and will prod you in the right direction. You'll know when you're ready for more.
Speaking of DPP yoga, that's what helped this disabled former paratrooper, who was told he would never walk unassisted again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIXOo8D9Qsc 8 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »Crawling is also an excellent full body low impact exercise that can be modified based on ability
https://www.health.com/fitness/crawling-core-exercise
I would think this would be hard on your knees, unless maybe if you wear pads.
And I clicked the link to be sure they meant on hands and knees, aka creeping.1 -
When I was at one of my highest weights and was recovering from a back and hip injury, I looked up some Seniors Low Impact videos, I felt a little embarrassed given the fact I was in mid-30s but we have to start where we can.
I did a 10 min Low Impact cardio, a 15 minute static stretch video (HASFIT was the Youtube channel I stumbled upon) and some walking for a few weeks In conjunction with my 1lb per week weight loss and adding some supportive insoles to my shoes (also throwing away every pair of ballet pump type shoes I own), I started to feel less out of breath as I went along and by the 4th or 5th week also started doing a 17 minute beginners strength training bodyweight/dumbbell routine (it has adjusted moves if you are really new to weights too) a couple of times per week too within about 2-3 months my back pain was significantly diminished and I started to be able to hike and do more intense cardio exercises.
This is the first video I started with:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYtcl2PbMyI&lc=UggTOtv5EfzBjngCoAEC
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I hate sounding like a broken record here on MFP- but consider getting a rebounder. Nothing is gentler on your joints and it is a real fat melter. Just because it's a mini-trampoline doesn't mean you have to jump on it. I have had double joint replacements and have never once jumped on mine.
Last time this year, my weight was at an all time high and I would become winded just climbing a single flight of stairs. In May 2020, I started watching my calories and dusted off my rebounder. At first, it was all I could do to keep up a low jog-in-place for 5 minutes a day. My legs tired quickly and my back ached after doing 5 minutes. But I kept at it every day and after a month was soon able to easily jog in place for 15 minutes. The aches and muscle fatigue completely faded after the first month.
70 lbs later, I rebound every day - still not jumping - but alternating a high jog-in-place with several more challenging moves. My thighs and saddlebags melted away. My balance improved. I now no longer have to rest for five minutes after taking a load of laundry upstairs! Best of all, my body never felt over-stressed. It's hard to believe that something that feels so darned effortless yields such HUGE results.
So I would recommend you get a rebounder sufficient for your current weight, put of some upbeat music and get some exercise that is actually fun!7 -
bold_rabbit wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »Crawling is also an excellent full body low impact exercise that can be modified based on ability
https://www.health.com/fitness/crawling-core-exercise
I would think this would be hard on your knees, unless maybe if you wear pads.
And I clicked the link to be sure they meant on hands and knees, aka creeping.
I have seen recommendations to use knee pads.
I think might be talking local definitions. I've seen using hands and knees and with the knees up and hands and feet making contact referred to as crawling.
Whatever you want to call it, great functional exercise.0 -
Congratulations- you’ve started and that’s the hardest part!! The next hardest part is having patience with the process and not trying to rush things. It will come!!
I started from a very bad spot being 57 years old and over 300 lbs. I was pretty sedentary and had limited ranges of motion for almost everything. My wife and I used to joke that we were “working our way up to beginner level” (and my first weight goal was to be “overweight “) but there was a lot of truth in that too.
I was lucky to find a gym with coaches who taught me how to scale everything to suit my ability. But you can learn to scale almost everything on your own.
Google “progressions” or “easy ______modifications” for each exercise in the program. There is almost always an easier version.
Some examples already above with wall planks and push-ups etc. For squats- try squatting to a wooden or hard chair better than a soft one (actually easier to get up from a hard surface). Put books on it to make it higher if you need to. Don’t jump more than a couple of inches high until you are very comfortable with stepping up to something. Where the workout calls for jumping do stepping. Could be one or two stairs, a low wooden box, a milk crate etc.- remember to alternate feet.
Keep on doing it!! You will be amazed how fast things come. If you have any specific “scaling down” questions just ask- if I can’t help there are a lot of folks here who can.6 -
when i first started working out and losing weight. I was a bit over 300 pounds. 10 minutes was the MOST I could do on an elliptical. and that was HARD! Even a 20 minute walk left me winded.
It didn't take long to build up endurance.
Keep at it!8 -
HASFIT has workouts for seniors, people with mobility issues, and obese people. I do a chair workout almost every day. They’re on YouTube . I highly recommend that you try one. I started with a 20 minute one and have moved to a 30 minute routine.3
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I hate sounding like a broken record here on MFP- but consider getting a rebounder. Nothing is gentler on your joints and it is a real fat melter. Just because it's a mini-trampoline doesn't mean you have to jump on it. I have had double joint replacements and have never once jumped on mine.
Last time this year, my weight was at an all time high and I would become winded just climbing a single flight of stairs. In May 2020, I started watching my calories and dusted off my rebounder. At first, it was all I could do to keep up a low jog-in-place for 5 minutes a day. My legs tired quickly and my back ached after doing 5 minutes. But I kept at it every day and after a month was soon able to easily jog in place for 15 minutes. The aches and muscle fatigue completely faded after the first month.
70 lbs later, I rebound every day - still not jumping - but alternating a high jog-in-place with several more challenging moves. My thighs and saddlebags melted away. My balance improved. I now no longer have to rest for five minutes after taking a load of laundry upstairs! Best of all, my body never felt over-stressed. It's hard to believe that something that feels so darned effortless yields such HUGE results.
So I would recommend you get a rebounder sufficient for your current weight, put of some upbeat music and get some exercise that is actually fun!
I 2nd the rebounder. We got one 3 weeks ago. I forgot to mention it in my earlier post, but it's really worked its way into our regimen here. It's very easy, no stress on the joints, kinda fun, you can put it right in front of a TV and just bounce the night away, and you can make it whatever you want it to be, from a gentle barely-working out thing to a shirt drenched in sweat thing, and any level in between. There are tons of videos out there showing different moves and workouts, but even if you ignore all of them and just bounce around for 15 minutes, you're getting a workout.
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I would like to buy rebounder but not sure which I should get. Any opinions?0
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DancingMoosie wrote: »Maybe try something like this:https://youtu.be/gIdAPUA3GY4
Ok, I tried this just now and it was nicely challenging. I did modify quite a bit - for the first exercise I think I was holding closer to 4 seconds than 10 seconds. For the last I just did the easy variation and stopped. I def did the plank lowering on my knees, and it was more like a belly flop than a controlled lower, lol.
I plan to do this regularly as it will be a nice indicator of progress.
@Rannoch3908 - I see in your other thread you are interested in DDP yoga and suggest you do this video regularly as it will help you with more advanced yoga moves.1 -
I have a heavy-duty solid steel frame spring rebounder with a 44"/112cm canvas. I also have a smaller standard one (36"/92cm canvas) that will disassemble and store flat. Both were thrift store finds. Naturally, I prefer the beefier one. I wouldn't buy one with a balance bar unless you have stability issues since it might negatively effect your body alignment and actually impede improving your balance.
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A rebounder sounds like a lot of fun but so far I haven't tried one as I'm afraid my downstairs neighbour would be able to hear me through the ceiling!1
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Redordeadhead wrote: »A rebounder sounds like a lot of fun but so far I haven't tried one as I'm afraid my downstairs neighbour would be able to hear me through the ceiling!
They are actually pretty quiet because the springs/bungees absorb all the energy.1 -
Rannoch3908 wrote: »So I walk or ride a stationary bike three times a week for 15 minutes.
The other three days a week I try to follow a 15-20 minute workout video on my phone.
But I am running into three issues.
-- There is a lot of getting up and down off the ground which is really hard for me.
-- There is a lot of jumping and squatting - my knees & feet can't handle it - end up with stress fractures afterwards.
-- There is a lot of stuff involving bodyweight - I can't hold myself up to even do knee pushups or planks.
It is discouraging - I am 300lbs which makes a lot of these hard - a 10 minute stretching routine got me winded and tired.
Not sure what to do. I want to get stronger so this isn't an issue one day.
Anyone else run into the same issue.
You didn't mention your height and age, I'm sorry to say but just try to weight loss some pounds for you to able to work those workouts you wanted. Have a kitchen discipline. good luck man!
0
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