Too fat to exercise?

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24

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  • cbeutler
    cbeutler Posts: 667 Member
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    When I started exercising I was close to 400 lbs. So there is no way you are too fat. That said I was feeling really spry last summer and started doing exercises well over my ability level. What I managed to do was strain my shoulder. I have been rehabbing my shoulder since then and am just getting back to the level I was at last summer. I still have some pain until I get warmed up.

    My advice is to keep looking for a trainer, specifically one who has experience working with someone your size and experience level. they will push you and work around your aches and pains.

    Don't let the trainer at the gym put you off, there are lots of good trainers out there.

    You can develop strength and power.
  • tgzerozone
    tgzerozone Posts: 160
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    Get a bodybuilder as a fitness coach. Problem solved.
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
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    Ive been weight lifting now for 5 months and I have just now done a "normal" pushup this week!

    Damn. Srsly? You too? I've been feeling like such a dork because I can't do pushups! :laugh:
  • PineappleMartini
    PineappleMartini Posts: 54 Member
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    Wow. If you're not under contract I'd head out of there. I happen to go to church with a woman who is a personal trainer and she didn't use my fat as an excuse nor would she allow me to do the same. I did things, insanely crazy things, that I've been telling myself for years that I'm too fat to do. She even had me doing leg lifts while hanging in this loops around my arms. She is the one who got me able to do "real" push ups, she made me run, up a hill (barefoot and in the snow). There is nothing you can't do! I'd kick that trainer lady in the uterus for her ignorance.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
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    planet fitness is the worst gym i've ever been to. for a gym that is supposed to be lunk free, there were a surprising amount of lunks there. tons of cardio machines, and the weights were abysmal. not even a real bench for chest presses any where, and nothing but smith machines as far as the eye could see. i laughed when they asked me if i was interested in joining.
  • ambutler0905
    ambutler0905 Posts: 31
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    Find a new trainer. I'm 20lbs heavier than you and have been working with a trainer for over a year.

    I admit that sometimes we have to modify the exercises because of some limitations. But she always makes the workouts to fit my level and by the end of our session i have a feeling of accomplishment. Honestly my first reaction to new exercises or heavier weights is "are you crazy" I can't do that.

    Today I was doing 100lb squats on the Smith Machine, 45lb parallel squats, 40lb chest press and 30lb tricep extensions.

    You can do the exercises and in good form, if you can find someone who is knowledgeable on how to adapt the exercises to fit you ability.

    Don't give up on exercise. I may only be down 40lbs in a year, but the increase in my physical abilities is incredible. My issue is not exercise, it the inability to not put the correct nutrients in my body.
  • theartichoke
    theartichoke Posts: 816 Member
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    Go to this website:

    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/

    There are wonderful videos that show you exactly how moves like squats should be done. Click around on everything then click it again. I've learned more from 2 nights of cruising this sight than I have from a month of reading "what to do" on MFP. Best of all they teach you how to start small and work your way up bit by bit. NO gym needed at all. Best of luck to you...you CAN do this and so can I!
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
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    Sounds like your trainer needs to learn some manners!

    I have run and done weights @ over 250lbs, My pt started me on 5 mins each on the treadmill, bike and cross trainer and the weight machines, I soon thought screw that and got myself up to running 40 mins, she now knows that I'm not your typical 'fat girl' and I can do proper exercises like everyone else and we now do boxing and kettlebells :-)

    It may be that she is trying to ensure you dont injure yourself so is giving you 'beginner' exercises, but if you are shown the correct form for the free weight exercises I don't see that you are too fat to do them.
  • Sp1nGoddess
    Sp1nGoddess Posts: 1,138 Member
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    No trainer should make you feel that way. You are the customer! If you can do squats with a ball on the wall there is no reason why you can't do a traditional squat. I see so many trainers at my gym having people do what I consider goofy exercises. It's best to start with good basic exercises. I'm 45 and lift amongst the guys every week! Don't let age, weight or a bad experience stop you! There are lot's of great trainers out there that would love a new client - even if it's for one build a workout type session.

    I second Nerd Fitness! Great site!
  • butterflync105
    butterflync105 Posts: 29 Member
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    Success is always the best revenge. Do NOT get discouraged! I know you want to build muscle, which is a good thing, but it is just as important to do cardio at this stage of the game. I know, because I am right there with you. I use hand weights at home, but am mostly concentrating on cardio and calorie counting for now. Once I lose more weight I will concentrate more on weights for toning and strength building. Don't let this lack of tact dampen your spirit! One day you will be able to walk into that same gym and probably show HER a thing or to! Stay strong!
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    I hope you reported this to her boss. I'm dead serious. No trainer should do that to you and make you feel that bad, free session or not.

    I'm so sorry you experienced this. I had something similar happen to me about two months ago, and it really shook me up.

    Just keep working hard on your goals, whatever they may be, and kudos for being brave and getting into the freeweights!
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    Your mistake was going to Planet Fitness. They're a joke when it comes to weight training, honestly. They marketed their whole company off of picking on bodybuilders and power lifters. It may be worth trying a different gym. If not, hit up www.bodybuilding.com, navigate to Super Site then Exercises and feast your eyes on a glorious array of video demonstrations. When you get back to the gym, practice your Squats, Deadlifts and Bench Presses with an unloaded bar until you're comfortable with the movement and add weight sensibly.
  • _SusieQ_
    _SusieQ_ Posts: 2,964 Member
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    Screw that. I weigh more than you. I do kickboxing, cardio dance, weights at the gym. And I even did Warrior Dash last year. Do NOT let one person have that affect on you. I had more than one instructor give me that pity crap so I just found another class I felt more comfortable in.

    Maybe she was trying to help by showing you how you could modify things, but she also should have shown you what you asked for.

    Don't give up!
  • vwbear
    vwbear Posts: 87 Member
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    I can understand where you are coming from. I started out at the gym a year ago, and I srted out slowly. I've never been physically active, and I have back/neck issues, so I let the trainer start me off with a modified program. It seemed like I wasn't doing much to start with, but as I kept it up, I was able to slowly add more repetitions, increase the weights, and add new exercises. I also got 'brave' enough to start giing to a live Zumba class, and although I can't go as often as I'd like, I love it. Little by little I've been able to kick my program up a notch, and I am able to do so much more now than I could when I began! One of the trainers at the gym started talking to me last fall about a couch to 5K type program he and another trainer were starting in January, and he thought it would be a good program for me, so....I signed up to do it, and will be running (intervals) in my first 5k next weekend. (I'm definitely the turtle in the race, but I'm doing it!) But I digress. I'm just tryiing to say that there's nothing at all wrong about building up slowly-you're less likely to get hurt, and the feeling that you're making progress is empowering. I wish you the best of luck! :drinker:
  • LovelyLibra79
    LovelyLibra79 Posts: 569 Member
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    Nancy..where is Planet Fitness? never heard of them

    Look at it this way....Contestants on the BIGGEST LOSER were over 400 lbs and doing all sort of exercises...that lady is lazy and retarded. Find you a better gym and trainer!
  • maricash
    maricash Posts: 280 Member
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    This trainer sounds like she is definitely not the right one for you. Keep looking and I'm sure you'll find someone who's a lot more encouraging and with whom you can work well.

    That said, there is nothing wrong with doing modified versions of exercises. Like with any kind of exercise, you want to start out at a level that is challenging to you personally, while not being so advanced that you get discouraged and give up. It's better to do a modified version than to injure yourself doing a full version, or wear yourself out to the point that you don't want to do the work out again. Think of the beginning exercises as being like the first weeks of something like the Couch to 5k program, you start off small so that you can do the harder things later.

    Finally, please don't ever think you're "too fat to exercise." I have let myself fall into that at times and all that's happened is that I've felt depressed, gained even more weight, and then had an even harder time exercising the next time out.

    Good luck and I hope you find a trainer who will treat you with the respect that you deserve.
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,806 Member
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    You need a new gym.
    You need a new gym.
    You need a new gym.
    You need a new gym.
    You need a new gym.

    I'm sorry, but it's the truth. If you need legitimate personal training where they give you training that's in line with your goals, you won't get it at Planet Fitness.
  • LizKurz
    LizKurz Posts: 340 Member
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    Thanks!

    Yes, I know I can lose weight without exercising. That's why I wonder if I shouldn't just give up on the whole exercise thing until I lose some more weight. I'm 267 now (sw 288). I just wonder if there is a point when you get too fat for exercising and should I just focus on losing weight until I can exercise without special modifications. But exercising is more fun than munching on a celery stick. I also swim 3x a week now that the weather is nicer.

    I was just so excited and motivated and now I just want to cry! I thought I was doing so good and now I feel like a big fat hog!

    I would just go back and do what I was doing before (circuit weights) because it was working I think, but that seems silly now that I read about what a waste of time those machines are.


    I really hope you don't give up on exercise, there are so many other benefits, like mood stability, cardio and respiratory fitness, not to mention faster weight loss, and keeping muscle while you do it.

    Please, please don't quit.

    As for the trainer I will say as somene who used to weigh 252, the weight exercises are much harder and injuring yourself is easier when your heavier. With that said, the trainer totally effed up and should have never told you that you were too fat to do them. I think though, that you have a great routine, and a lot of what you mentioned, I still do, 6 years later. I think that if it's challenging to you, keep at it!
  • Evelyn_Gorfram
    Evelyn_Gorfram Posts: 706 Member
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    It sound like the PT may not have known how to teach an overweight person how to lift. (Maybe kind of like when hairdressers have never dealt much with long, thick hair like mine; and so they cut it much shorter than I asked, thin it out like crazy, and then put it into their favortite style formuch shorter, thinner hair.) If she doesn't know what extras pitfall or added risks a lift might have for someone who is overweight, then she might have felt she couldn't resposibly teach you those lifts.

    I second the suggestion that you go to her boss, or someone in the gym's mangerial staff. Explain that you were denied the type of personal training that you requested and are due by the terms of your contract; and that the PT was tactless and rude. I predict that either:

    1) You will get a someone to explain to you exactly how to do the lifts you asked about, possibly with cautions that doing certain moves with your extra bodyweight in place might be risky in ways X, Y or Z; or

    2) Whoever you speaking to will just repeat what the PT said, possibly in a tone in keeping with the gym's apparent "tactless and rude" policy. If so, demand to be let out of your contract, with an appropriately pro-rated refund. (If they refuse, I suggest that you repeat this demend in a raised voice. If they still refuse, repeat it louder and, if possible, in a well-populated public area of the gym. If you find youself shouting, swearing, or crying, that's fine as long as you are still speaking clearly enough that everyone in earshot knows why you are so unhappy with the gym's policies. I've never had to do something like that at Planet Fitness, but I can tell you from personal experience that most mangerial staff will do just about *anything* to get a loudly unhappy customer to stop being so loud and unhappy in front of all their other, not-yet-unhappy customers.)

    Then go shop for a gym and/or a PT who will help you learn to lift properly and will treat you with respect.
  • onmywaytoskinny155
    onmywaytoskinny155 Posts: 228 Member
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    Thanks!

    Yes, I know I can lose weight without exercising. That's why I wonder if I shouldn't just give up on the whole exercise thing until I lose some more weight. I'm 267 now (sw 288). I just wonder if there is a point when you get too fat for exercising and should I just focus on losing weight until I can exercise without special modifications. But exercising is more fun than munching on a celery stick. I also swim 3x a week now that the weather is nicer.

    I was just so excited and motivated and now I just want to cry! I thought I was doing so good and now I feel like a big fat hog!

    I would just go back and do what I was doing before (circuit weights) because it was working I think, but that seems silly now that I read about what a waste of time those machines are.

    At 302 pounds I took my big fat butt to the gym and walked on the treadmill you don't need a trainer to make you feel bad right now. Keep going to the gym and exercise on your own!

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