People who were out of shape how did you start?

I am a 43 yr old male, and started exercising four weeks ago. This is not a race so the slower you lose it the slower it is to put back on.

I downloaded the app, added in my details and I stick to eating 1350 calories per day. I also run 3-4 times per week on my treadmill for 35 minutes - that's roughly 312 calories per run. This is all I am doing and in four weeks I've lost five pounds.
One of my employees lost 20 pounds over a few months just by using the app and watching his diet.

It's simple. Eat well and exercise.

Good luck.

I agree, baby steps. Then work your way up.

Also another tip for soreness and maybe this is why the pain doesn't bother me, because I chug 2 bottles of ice cold water before I work out. Also like someone else said, stretch before you start working out.

I am thinking about going to a Zumba class, but after looking like an idiot in the aerobics class by not being able to keep up, I am worried about dance classes. I am pretty uncoordinated. Do they switch moves really fast in zumba?

I felt like a crazy person going to the dance class, it was a lot of latin moves that I was not familiar with; however, I LOVED LOVED how FUN it was! Did I get all the right moves? NO. Did I work up a sweat? Heck yeah! It is a great way to make those baby steps everyone is talking about. I'm back on the wagon and I am taking it slow by doing what I can.

I've always had terrible endurance, so instead of running, I started on the elliptical first. Eventually I was able to transition to the treadmill and can now actually run with some endurance. I also found starting small on my own helped.

I started off with riding my bike a few miles everyday, it's low impact and great cardio.

Hi everyone,
I am pretty out of shape and am trying to start working out. I went to a body sculpting class and an aerobics class. After the body sculpting class, I was in pain for 2 whole weeks! It makes it very difficult to continue going to class regularly when I can barely move. Those who are in shape now, how did you start?

Don't feel bad. When I first started working out, I was sore for the first two months. It's just your body building itself back up. Just take baby steps. Start working out every other day to give your body time to rest and rebuild. And I don't know if this will help or not, but when I first started out and didn't want to go out and do anything because I was so sore, I remembered this quote, "Pain is weakness leaving the body."

I started out walking and working with a trainer 2x weekly. Just do it was what I used to tell myself because if I stopped to think, I had a million excuses why I was too busy, too embarrassed, too tired, too sore to go. Instead I put walking or working out on "auto pilot" putting nothing else into my calendar for 2 or 3 mornings a week. I woke up, washed up and dressed comfortably and went to work out on those days with no other thoughts other than just do it then there's a steam room and sauna waiting for you at the end of the workout. Steam room and sauna were my rewards initially.

After a few months I started to notice that I was walking longer and watching what was happening in the gyms hour long classes. I walked into a class one day and to my surprise I made it through the hour. Could I do everything? No way! Did I do what I could? Yes!

This is about three years later. I workout 5 to 6 days a week. I love to do it. I am open to trying different exercise but for me I love both strength training and aerobics. I do both each day if possible. I miss working out and would do it more if time allowed.

Can tell you this; Advil was not enough because I was taking it often so instead I used Naproxin which is Aleve. I used ice if necessary and like I already said, I used steam, whirlpool and sauna which probably helped muscle soreness too. I ached but felt changes that superseded any discomfort. My family dug up old photos last night and they are freaking out at the changes in my physical appearance. Major changes! I am freeaking out every day at the changes on the inside. Major changes!

Also, the soreness as long as it's not from injury goes away as you begin stretching or your next exercise. Just go slow and just do it, you'll be glad you did!

I don't have areas I can walk, or money for a gym, so I started (in march) with jogging in place. I could do a minute at a time, maybe up to two, and id do it several times a day..was easy cuz u can do this anywhere and not have to change clothes, , so while the microwave was counting down id use the timer, or during tv commercials, heck even in the bathroom at work.. I could only do the 1-2minutes because my calf muscles would start hurting or id be out of breath.

I can now do 45minutes straight, with weights in each hand, without getting out of breath, without my calves hurting..but only to 45minutes cuz my toe area starts to cramp up. I do other excercises, but the jogging in place is what I started with.

I started by playing around to find out what I actually like to do. I really didn't even know. Then I started doing one of those things every day, but rarely the same thing two days in a row. Then I started paying attention to the calories and challenging myself. If you're going to stick with it you have to enjoy it. There were some classes I tried and never went back to, because my self-talk was defeatist the whole time. If I didn't come out feeling great I didn't go back. Walking lasted for about 2 weeks.For me, turns out water running, karate, baseball, an elliptical, outdoor biking (boo winter), the weight room, the wii fit and the 30 day shred are all great options. I get bored fast, I guess!

When I started MFP, I started with a food plan of 1200/day + 300 exercise calories. That made the wii fit obselete, but I still play as long as I add something else in (or carry weights while I do it).

Love what you do! Good luck!