Looking for advice on exercising.

AislinCade
AislinCade Posts: 4
edited October 4 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone! I'm new to MFP. The site was recommended to me by one of my doctor's residents when I went for my physical today.

I have a variety of setbacks when it comes to exercising, and I was wondering if anyone had dealt with similar issues and found something that fit their lifestyle.

I don't have a lot of money, so I can't afford fancy classes. However, I also need a group setting in order to keep motivated. If I have to rely on myself, it won't get done. I know this about myself, and there's no changing it. You can only smash your head into a brick wall so many times before you start looking for some way around it.

I also have anxiety and a bit of exercise-related paranoia. I'm fine when everyone is exercising together, but if there are other people around who aren't exercising, or who are already fit, I start feeling like they're laughing at me. That feeling can trigger an anxiety attack, which is what inevitably resulted in me quitting my last bootcamp fitness class.

I also need to start small, because I'm very out of shape and very inexperienced. Sometimes at the bootcamp class I was taking, I just felt too fat to exercise... there were certain things I just couldn't do because my muscles weren't strong enough to hold my weight.

If anyone has dealt with any of these issues, I'd love to know what you did to get around them, or if you found any particular resources to deal with them.

Replies

  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
    Do you have a YMCA in your area? I know that you can join the one here, with the payment based on your income. Also, some of them have water aerobics which is a great way to start off, with a high calorie burn. Good luck!
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    if you look under community on the board under motivation there are challenges on here that you can join. Try to find one that you fit in with but also that will challenge you and motivate you. I joined on that is for woman over 40 with at least 50 lbs to lose and it has really helped to keep me accountable and I have made some great friends. Or you can find people on here with similiar interest and do the same exercise dvds and check in with each other daily to make sure you have followed through. i hope this helps. this site has been more help to me in my weight loss journey then anything I have found MFP ROCKS
  • KelleFlr
    KelleFlr Posts: 142
    Welcome... MFP is a great group. I have been so encouraged. I am about 60 lb overweight and 45 yrs young. I have arthritis in my right knee and back issues -- scoliosis in my upper back, so I have to be careful with the low back, it is also slightly curved.
    i had a work comp injury in January so I am on weight restrictions for lifting... oh and I have a shoulder impingement so I can't lift overhead (no triceps)

    I just walk and pump my arms. I walked slow at first for only 15 or 20 min around my block, kicked my butt. A couple weeks later I am up to 50 min, for 2 1/2 miles. I am hoping to do the Leslie Sansone 4 mile walking DVD that is 56 min long.

    Just do something every day... movement is good.
    Kelle
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    Also some of the parks and recs have fitness programs that are very reasonable. check it out.....
  • CharityEaton
    CharityEaton Posts: 499 Member
    Not a lot of cash here either but I just hit a point where I knew the only one that could do this was ME! No more excuses so I started out slow. I got a few dvd's at Wal-Mart for $10 and started out 2 days a week, then 3 and then 4 now its 5-6 days a week. I went for walks with the kids too. If I needed something in the basement I made myself go instead of asking one of the kiddos and I would walk up and down te stairs one extra time.
    The Biggest Loser Last Chance workout dvd's are really good....they progress from a 30min to a 45 to 55 min workout over 6 weeks. you use light weights but soup cans or water bottles will work too.
    Also, anyone can do a few crunches on the floor each night....start with a little routin to get you more ready to join a group setting. Start with 10 reps each of 10 crunches, 10 push-up, 10 jumping jacks...etc Give yourself a challenge to be at say 50 reps each by the end of november or something...who knows maybe that will be the key and you can reward yourself with a group program for Christmas!
    You CAN DO IT!!!!!
    Good Luck!!!
    Get some friends on her too! Everyone is VERY supportive of any milestone you make!!! I'll be your friend :smile:
  • josavage
    josavage Posts: 472 Member
    Maybe Curves would be a good place to start. I don't go there but I know of a lot of people who started there with their fitness routines.

    I also want to say that I belong to a gym and regularly go to classes and no one laughs at the other members. I know it's hard to start off at a new place, but I think you will find that the people at the gym will be friendly and helpful. Make sure you introduce yourself to the instructor and let him/her know you are new. Also, don't be afraid to strike up a conversation with someone before class. I've made a lot of friends at the gym that way.

    Another thing you could do is rent exercise videos at the library or on cable tv so you can exercise at home. There are a lot of good ones out there.
  • mishamae
    mishamae Posts: 307 Member
    I noticed someone else mentioned similar, but I thought I'd mention it too ... aqua-fit classes at your local community center are amazing :D Everyone there are all shapes, ages, sizes and abilities. I've always felt very comfortable attending these classes, people were very welcoming and it was a lot of fun :) As for what they cost drop in fees vary, but they typically have monthly passes which are cheaper in the long run. I've also seen it where community centers have applications for lower income individuals and families in the area where they can apply to get the fees reduced. I applied one year and the fees were 75% cheaper, it helped out so much :)

    If all else fails you could also just go into the community center and ask the receptionist if they know of any free programs/classes happening in your community :)
  • Pocket_Pixi
    Pocket_Pixi Posts: 1,167 Member
    Welcome to MFP!

    I found when I first started that simply walking was the thing for me. I got my best friend (who is also trying to lose weight) and we would go for a walk. May not be a "group" exercise but she holds me accountable and vice versa. I started saving money and have since joined my local civic center and use their gym/pool and go to fitness classes, its roughly 30 bucks which is quite cheap compaired to some of the gyms.

    As someone mentioned before there are challenges on the site that may help you too, and there are also a lot of really good work out DVD's that you can usually find for cheap.

    Start small, and work your way up - you won't be able to do everything all at once but that is OK, you can always modify the movement until you are able to do it.

    Good luck! I am sure you will do just fine once you get settled in to everything.
  • 202685tracy
    202685tracy Posts: 42 Member
    Everyone has to start somewhere. I am sure the other people in the boot camp aren't looking at you and laughing...if anything they recognize that you are trying to do something good for yourself. I am always impressed and encouraged when I see someone heavier than I am at the gym. As the other gal said, she started walking slowly and for short distances and time and built up over time, this is the way to do it. Set small but obtainable goals that will motivate you when you achieve them. Maybe it be walking a mile in a certain amount of time and then in a couple weks try to increase the time that it takes you to walk that mile and then eventually increase the distance etc. Also, I highly reccomend weight training because the more muscle you have the more calories you burn, even if this means using your own body weight to start or starting with 1 pound dumbells, eventually you will get there!! Before I lost 40 pounds, I couldn't even peddle my bike up to the end of the street (which is a mile uphill), but now I am out on 22 mile bikerides. It took me a whole year to build up the endurance, but slowly and surely I did it! Good Luck, I know you can do it!!
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    ive been the fit guy in the gym and the fat guy. i've never seen or heard of anyone laughing at someone who is trying to lose weight.

    older women drenched in obnoxious perfume is about the only thing i can remember being commented on.
  • AislinCade
    AislinCade Posts: 4
    Thanks for the replies everyone. It definitely has given me somewhere to start looking.
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