Fat, Flabby, and New!
I don't have access to a gym, and I work nightshifts (7pm-7am) anywhere from 3-5 times a week. What are some good exercises to get started with so I don't accidentally hurt myself, and is there any favorite online resources you use?
Thank you!
Replies
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In my opinion nothing safer than walking. If you don't have a gym membership and weather is not an issue then you can probably go to a local park or trail to do a short walk. Maybe you can progress to slow running. Good luck...12
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I agree with walking to start because it's low cost and flexible. You can adjust the speed and distance to your needs. There's a program called "Couch to 5k" I think, around that could help you. Just make sure you start small and ramp up gradually, so you avoid injuries. Each week you can do a little more.
I do "power-walking" 3 times a week. It's alternating 3 speeds for whatever you can do, example: 2 min slow loose walk, 2 min stretched out medium (for you) speed, and then 2 min walk as fast as you can. Repeat--repeat---repeat...... I do 40 min, but to start, you can do 15 or 20 min and just do the 2 lowest speeds. Adjust as you go along and find a nice park or place to walk in. Get the right gear and you can go in any weather. Find a friend to go with and it can be fun. Exercise should be fun and adapted to you.
However, your food intake will make the most difference. Get your daily calorie goal from MFP and buy a digital food scale. Start weighing and measuring everything you eat and drink. Stay within that goal everyday. Give it a month and see how it goes. If you need to, you can change things up. Good luck!6 -
Walking is great for you physically and mentally and if you can’t get outside, try some of the walking videos that are on YouTube. Good luck!3
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Definitely walking
I started at 232 as well and found everything difficult.
I built up my steps gradually but kept it consistent doing it 5/6 days a week.
It works and is low impact.
I can now do 20,000 + steps and feel great afterwards.3 -
Welcome!!!
Congratulations for taking your first steps toward a healthier you. You’ve found a great app and community to improve or maintain your health and fitness. Whatever you’re goals are, there is a place for you here. You are in the right place. Remember this is not a program or a diet, it is a lifestyle to a healthier you.
Personally, I believe it is better to start with diet before going too hard with exercise. I suggest starting with:
- make a small sustainable change eg., if you like to drink pop, then switch that out for water or sparkling water with lemon or lime in it.
- Once you’ve adjusted to that change then make another small sustainable change eg., if you like to eat rice, switch that out for brown rice
- Track what you eat
- Monitor your macros
- Monitor your metrics (weight and measurements)
- Then adjust as needed
- As you lose weight, your body is going to change, not only in appearance, but also in how it reacts to different foods.
In terms of exercise, I’d start with walking, stairs. Once you are ready, I’d add some stationary resistance exercises like deadlifts. Then, once you’ve lost some weight start adding more movement exercises like aerobics.
You’ve made a fantastic first step by logging into MFP.
We are all here to support each other.2 -
Thank you everyone!l, I really appreciate it! I'm going to be working hard to track calories and focus on diet first and foremost, and start walking for more movement in my everyday life!2
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I'd try walking workouts on YouTube! Steps to the rhythm is great, look for a beginner one. You can do it inside & don't need anything besides a tiny bit of space & a screen with internet. Go from there!2
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Another vote for walking!
I'm near Boston and we are heading in to winter, but I really look forward to walking this time of year and throughout the winter. I just put on more layers and use increasingly warmer boots.
I have less issues with Seasonal Affective Disorder when I spend a good amount of time outdoors late fall - early spring.4 -
Leslie Sansone walking videos on YouTube, there are other walking videos also and other beginner exercises videos you can do indoors as the weather changes and for convenience of your schedule.
Welcome and good for starting a healthy journey for your life, you can do this just keep pushing forward and take things 1 day at a time.
Best of care 🤗🙂👍1 -
when i first started working out, i didnt even consider it that. i just wanted to try and be a bit healthier. losing weight wasn't even my goal. I mean, i needed to, and knew i needed to, but i just wanted to try and be healthier. I started by just going on a walk 2-3 times a week. and.... it wasn't much of a walk. at almost 400 pounds i could not go very far at all. 10 minutes was about all i had in me. but i kept doing it. and it didnt take long, really, before i could go a little bit longer. and then, i started to go more often. always when it was dark, i didnt want people to SEE me - but id go after dark, or early in the morning. often, both. more days added. my neighbor was a member at planet fitness and asked me if i wanted to go with her (she only went occasionally). I said sure. So I'd go with her. i thought i was going to die on the elliptical. lasted about 7 minutes. But kept going. maybe once a week with her? not very often. kept walking. By that point had started watching what I was eating (i think). Then i wanted to go to the gym more than she did, so got my own membership. That was back in 2014. as of nov 1, I have lost 230 pounds. ( for 2 years I was in maintenance, working on losing the last 30 or so now). So... all of it was a process. a long one. But I didnt give up. You dont have to work out to lose weight. As I said, that happens in the kitchen. But it does have many other benefits that your body does need. Find something you enjoy. Most Y's are affordable and have a wide variety of classes for all fitness levels. Make small changes. dont try to change everything overnight. little changes can lead to giant ones, if you give it enough time.
Now... I'm a member at 2 gyms. Have a personal trainer. Lift weights. Cardio. Do some turtle sludging through a swamp version of running. And... am in training for my first Spartan race. April 9 2022.
But in 2014? 7 minutes on an elliptical was going to kill me.
As I said... small changes can lead to giant ones, if you give it time, and stick with them ;)
You've got this. How do I know? Because TRULY... if I can do this? Anyone can.
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It just absolutely kills me when people post, and then vanish. OP hasn’t checked in since 10-30.
I want to sweep these users up in a giant hug, and tell them “Stick with it for a few weeks, honey. Give yourself a chance! Don’t quit. Life is so much better on the other side. You CAN do this!”
….but they disappear and leave me sad for them.
😢
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Me too! 😥
1 -
springlering62 wrote: »It just absolutely kills me when people post, and then vanish. OP hasn’t checked in since 10-30.
I want to sweep these users up in a giant hug, and tell them “Stick with it for a few weeks, honey. Give yourself a chance! Don’t quit. Life is so much better on the other side. You CAN do this!”
….but they disappear and leave me sad for them.
😢
Yes--but we have to realize that sometimes they're just not ready. Many will come back when they are and will reach their goals. Life happens and it can be overwhelming to learn to log food and plan meals that fit into your day. Sometimes I think people think it's going to be so easy and quick. When they find out it'll take commitment they back off. I always hope these posters will one day be in a better place and will post again. Perhaps our OP will return soon.2 -
snowflake954 wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »It just absolutely kills me when people post, and then vanish. OP hasn’t checked in since 10-30.
I want to sweep these users up in a giant hug, and tell them “Stick with it for a few weeks, honey. Give yourself a chance! Don’t quit. Life is so much better on the other side. You CAN do this!”
….but they disappear and leave me sad for them.
😢
Yes--but we have to realize that sometimes they're just not ready. Many will come back when they are and will reach their goals. Life happens and it can be overwhelming to learn to log food and plan meals that fit into your day. Sometimes I think people think it's going to be so easy and quick. When they find out it'll take commitment they back off. I always hope these posters will one day be in a better place and will post again. Perhaps our OP will return soon.
thats how i look at it. or perhaps someone else with a similar thought will stumble across it, and it will help THEM...1
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