Advice Needed Please

bojamashell
bojamashell Posts: 61 Member
edited December 18 in Fitness and Exercise
Background: Sedentary for most of my life, have 2 bulging discs in lower back, and a heel spur. Dr has not approved me to run yet, although I've been walking quite a bit and just completely my first ever 5K on Sunday.

So there are two things I'd like to hear some thoughts on:

1. How do you know when to push yourself more? I want to always be improving, but I don't want to overdo it and injure myself or get discouraged because I'm not progressing as quickly as I'd like. Right now, walking an average on 3 miles 2-3 times a week, and 1-2 miles 2 days a week.

2. How do you get rid of the flab? I've lost over 30lbs so far. I was complaining about not seeing physical results yet....that was until I wish I had never complained about that because now the results I see are bittersweet. Yes, my abdominal area appears to be smaller than it was, but it's as if everything is just slinking downward. Mainly in my lower stomach and I really notice it in my arms. Where my body used to be plump, now I'm seeing a different kind of flab. I don't like it. How can I safely minimize it (keeping in mind my back and heel)?

Replies

  • MarincicS
    MarincicS Posts: 265 Member
    On the second topic, as i understand it, 4 things will improve that flab and excess skin:
    1. Strength training - add some weight and abdominal training to your plan. From what folks say here, heavy lifting is great. It builds muscle and firms up everything.
    2. Keep losing weight until you get to your goal weight. There's still some fat in that excess skin and losing it is necessary to keep firming up.
    3. Drink lots of water. Possibly moisturizing skin helps as well, but keeping well hydrated adds to the overall elasticity of your skin and allows it to recover from the weight loss better.
    4. Time. From what people say here, for many people your skin will eventually shrink back to fit your body.

    On the first topic, i have no idea. I have a hip injury i'm struggling with right now. I just keep walking and working out because i feel like i need to so i won't lose any ground. But i really don't when enough is too much.
  • mdcjmom
    mdcjmom Posts: 597 Member
    Weight training seems to be the key for me toning everything up!
  • MNA76
    MNA76 Posts: 1,541
    As far as number one goes, you have to listen to your body. Slowly increase what you are doing. If you are walking, try adding a little more distance/time and see how your body feels after. If it seems to be okay, then try a little more. With anything you do with an injury, start off moderately and increase/decrease as your body reacts.
  • bojamashell
    bojamashell Posts: 61 Member
    On the second topic, as i understand it, 4 things will improve that flab and excess skin:
    1. Strength training - add some weight and abdominal training to your plan. From what folks say here, heavy lifting is great. It builds muscle and firms up everything.
    2. Keep losing weight until you get to your goal weight. There's still some fat in that excess skin and losing it is necessary to keep firming up.
    3. Drink lots of water. Possibly moisturizing skin helps as well, but keeping well hydrated adds to the overall elasticity of your skin and allows it to recover from the weight loss better.
    4. Time. From what people say here, for many people your skin will eventually shrink back to fit your body.

    On the first topic, i have no idea. I have a hip injury i'm struggling with right now. I just keep walking and working out because i feel like i need to so i won't lose any ground. But i really don't when enough is too much.

    Wow. Thanks for all the advice on #2. I never thought to use lotion and that staying hydrated helped that (only knew that it's important to stay hydrated. lol). Guess I need to look up some crunches that are going to be safe for my back and find my hand weights and actually stay consistent with it.

    And I hope your hip injury heals soon! Injuries are no fun.
  • bojamashell
    bojamashell Posts: 61 Member
    Weight training seems to be the key for me toning everything up!

    Do you weight train at a gym or at home? I spend too much time away from the house as it is, so I hope this will work with home workouts of some kind.
  • bojamashell
    bojamashell Posts: 61 Member
    As far as number one goes, you have to listen to your body. Slowly increase what you are doing. If you are walking, try adding a little more distance/time and see how your body feels after. If it seems to be okay, then try a little more. With anything you do with an injury, start off moderately and increase/decrease as your body reacts.

    Thanks! Seems to be what I'm starting to do. I've heard many people say that when you feel like you can't go anymore, go a little further because you can. So, I want to push my body and test it to reach my full potential, as I've noticed some pain comes and then goes away if I just keep going and sometimes it helps if I don't "think" about what I'm doing. But I also don't want to push myself too hard and cause delay in further exercise. My walking partner and I have different paces. I try to walk a little slower so that she doesn't feel like she's holding me back. And she tries so hard and hurts herself to walk faster because she doesn't want to hold me back. It's hard to figure out when to increase distance or speed when we walk together.
  • ofthevalley
    ofthevalley Posts: 69
    I agree with the strength training. It really helps to firm things up. You can do body weight exercises like pushups, arm dips, squats, etc. Also a set of hand weights can go a long way! There are tons of at home weight training videos on Youtube and the like.

    I also have a bad back. 2 ruptured disks and a bad knee. My first month of working out (JM 30 Day Shred) was a test of wills and determination. I had both knees wrapped and some nights I could barely walk. By the end of the Shred I felt like I had conquered the world and everything else just fell into place.

    My physical therapist always advised me not to do any exercises with my legs in the air because of my back. I stuck to that until I built some core strength and now I am able to do more varied exercises.

    Good luck and I hope you are feeling better soon!
  • bojamashell
    bojamashell Posts: 61 Member
    I agree with the strength training. It really helps to firm things up. You can do body weight exercises like pushups, arm dips, squats, etc. Also a set of hand weights can go a long way! There are tons of at home weight training videos on Youtube and the like.

    I also have a bad back. 2 ruptured disks and a bad knee. My first month of working out (JM 30 Day Shred) was a test of wills and determination. I had both knees wrapped and some nights I could barely walk. By the end of the Shred I felt like I had conquered the world and everything else just fell into place.

    My physical therapist always advised me not to do any exercises with my legs in the air because of my back. I stuck to that until I built some core strength and now I am able to do more varied exercises.

    Good luck and I hope you are feeling better soon!

    Thank you! My back doesn't bother me as much as it did. This time last year, I was in so much pain that it hurt no matter what I did, whether I was walking, standing, sitting, or laying down. Now it only hurts after I've done a lot of activity and then sit down for a few minutes....when I get up, Ouch!! But I'm hoping that I'm showing my body who the boss is and it will follow suit and I will strengthen my muscles and lose this weight so that I will be able to do the other exercises that are forbidden right now (I've set a goal to run a half marathon).
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