Obese and new to exercise.....Ideas please

I agree, walking is fab - just whatever you could manage would be fab. You will probably find that as the weight starts to come off things will get quite a bit easier quite soon so just change it up when you can. Doing some weights even if they are reasonably light weights - just what you can manage to start building up your muscle strength and preserve your muscle tissue would help too.

the first steps are the hardest, but the only way to start is to do just that - start. Try setting small goals like walking to the end of the road, then the next day walk further. Or climb those dreaded stairs and add a few more each time.

Swimming is another option, like walking it's a great workout and you can slowly build up intensity.

Agree with everyone on walking.

walking

i wish you luck on your weight loss journey :flowerforyou:

Walking, but if you are heavy like me, please, please investigate whether you need arch supports first. It will save you a lot of pain. Also good, sweat-absorbing (or is it preventing) socks. Lots of water. Good luck.

Hi

I'm in agreement with walking being the best start...if you have a smart phone get the app called Endomondo. This will log how far you walk and how fast as will as your average speed and calories burned so you can see your improvements - it synchronises with their website and it's a really good tool.

Hope this helps. I'll send a friend request too.

Bev x

I started with walking, when I was 11 stone overweight. It's absolutely the best way to go. Set yourself reasonable goals and work to increase your mileage a little each week, and up your speed a little each week. When you're feeling good about that, you can start to introduce other exercise.

Swimming is also good, if you have the confidence to get in a costume and get in the pool. I was really anxious about this, but was reassured when I got there and realised there are lots of people just as big as me swimming. You could also look into aquaaerobics.

As a word of encouragement - I still walk most days. I also can run 4 miles, and am aiming to do a 6 mile run in a few weeks. I weight train. I swim. I use the crosstrainer and can go for 60 minutes on it now. Starting off with a walk is the first step towards better fitness. Good luck!

Do you live near a pool? If so, I highly recommend water jogging or water aerobics. You get a great workout and it doesn't damage your joints. I am obese have lost 51 pounds doing water exercise. When I first started back in October I was trying to walk but with both of my knees giving me problems I was in tears during and after my walk - a friend told me about water aerobics. I love it! Now I do water aerobics twice a day and I am able to walk with out pain for an hour.

Depending on your fitness level you could possibly consult with your doctor first just to be safe.

Walking is great to start with but you must look after your knees and ankles. You'll want them to be in great shape WHEN you reach your goal. Also by being careful of your joints will prevent injuries that could stop you exercising for weeks. Treadmills are good if you have one as the impact on joints is lower.

How often you exercise is up to you. Three to four times per week if the intensity is fairly high. If low intensity everyday is the best idea. Remember when starting out "exercise" could include walking to the store to buy things and then walking home (if not too far). Or if you have to drive there parking as far from the door as you can, do your shopping and walking back to your car - every bit will help.

Above all this - sticking to your myfitnesspal eating plan. This site makes it exceptionally easy to count calories and it does not even feel like you are counting calories. If one day you go a little bit over (it does/will happen) not to stress about it - Everyday is a new one. If you go over one day it is a good idea to own it. Look at what took you over. Maybe next time reduce the amount of the thing that took you over or even exclude it for while. Mine is red wine - what goes with red wine? Cheese. I haven't excluded it from my diet but now I know it is one of my big issues. I only have it sometimes and I try to keep away from the cheese completely.

My point is. Even without exercise or when you start out with lower intensity exercise you will still loose weight if you stick to your goal calorie intake - it just takes longer. In my case when my timetable does not allow for exercise I still loose a little bit of weight. I think this is a fantastic morale builder and helps me stick with the food diary - I now feel in control.

I hope this helps and I wish you all the very best.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

You sound in the same state as me. I need to lose the equivalent of a whole person! Non-weight bearing exercise is also good - I have some a pedal exerciser - I can sit in a chair in front of the television and and exercise. It helps my knees which have been bad and my leg muscles.

Yep! Definitely walking! Try and do more each time - another minute, 5 minutes, another mile. Before you know it, you'll be running a 5K!

Good luck :flowerforyou:

Walking and swimming, I was 460 when I started but swimming is soft on joints and body

Sounding like an echo but I cannot recommend swimming and walking enough... both low impact.

Swimming is great because the water supports you so less strain on joints and if you can I'd recommend joining a gym with a pool as they are more private and the pools are usually 18m rather than 25m in municipal pools (and quite often the gym deal is just as economical as the council charges)

I was also sent a link to the following Pay-It-Forward clip (unfortunately I can't find the original link I was sent but I found this via Google.) When I first joined MFP I was a hefty 113.8kg (17st 12½lbs) and was looking for exercise vids showing fat people working out (as all the commercial one seem to only want to show gorgeous fit & toned people doing exercise and personally, I find that off-putting as I know if I looked buff & toned I'd find it easy to work out, but when you're fat and feel ungainly then it seems like an insurmountable challenge.)

The following shows a 400lb bloke doing a workout with P90X-guru Tony Horton and what I like about it (better than all those Biggest Loser vids) is that Tony comes at it with a great attitude of "you can do it, just take it gently!" rather than the "no pain, no gain - what do you mean you're not having a heart attack, you aren't pushing yourself enough!"-ethos. I sometimes do this workout when I'm away from home and haven't got the change to get out for a nice long walk or go for a swim.

http://jencrichardson.blogspot.com/2011/01/pay-it-forward-with-tony-horton.html

I think it's great that you've found MFP and I hope we can all support you in achieving your goals. The good thing about MFP is that we've all been in the same situation, you'll meet kindred spirits and nobody judges you.

You can do it!!! :flowerforyou:

I'd chat with your doctor about ideas and personally think walking is a great starting point