Too big to exercise?

I started off at 247lbs. So felt I was too big at the beginning to exercise. I started with a short walk daily - walked the children to school and then walked the long way home ( 3/4 mile in total) it didn't take long, or interfere with my day. Once I felt a bit better I increased the distance, so used to walk a bit a circuit, about 1.5 miles. This helped to get me moving without too much pain. Once I started losing I then started using some exercise DVD's at home (cheating on some of the exercises I couldn't do) but at least I was moving. Now 69lbs down, and 5 dress sizes smaller, I still use the DVDs, but I also go to the gym and swimming pool. My work pattern is different so I don't do the walking so much now, but have increased my exercise from nothing to about 4 hours per week
My advice for what it is worth, start slowly and build up, find something you enjoy doing or isn't a chore. Make it work around your lifestyle, as you have to keep it up, so doing 10hours a day, such as Biggest Loser, is not going to work in the long term, as we all have a life too!

All the best, I hope you find something you are able and enjoy doing.

Thanks for all the responses! I'll definitely see a doctor soon to see what I should be doing. I've tried a variety of things, never lasting more than a day or two on each: 30 day shred, couch to 5k plan, various workout videos. I think I'm trying to do too much too fast because I never exercised AT ALL. I'm going to start just walking and building up my endurance for other things.

This is probably a good plan. See a doctor to see if you CAN push yourself to your maximum (your doc will probably do some bloodwork and possibly an EKG to make sure the ol' ticker can handle it(). Exercise to a level where you are comfortable and you push yourself just a teensy bit each day, trying to make each day be just a teeny bit better than the day before.

When I started out, I mapped a 3-mile route and walked it at lunch. When I started, at 280 pounds, it would take me an hour and I'd be really sore. I walked it to the best of my ability, and after just a few weeks I was finding I was less sore, and completing it in about 55 minutes. So I added a couple of tenths to the route, and kept at it. It took time, but I was soon doing 4 miles in an hour (a decent brisk walking pace) and not feeling sore at the end.

It was no C25K or 30-day shred, but it was what I was comfortable starting with. I've had several friends jump in all gung-ho and they tended to give up quickly or injure themselves. Most of them are still the same weight they were, convinced that they could never work out.

I helped one friend who started at 330 pounds by just walking with him daily on a gentle walk, and giving him feedback on his progress. It took a few months for him to get to a point where he felt strong enough to walk the whole 4 miles briskly. He used his fitness and newfound confidence to burn calories for fun, joined Weight Watchers, made the cover of WW magazine for losing over 150 pounds, and now runs 10K races and is contemplating a half-marathon. He also weighs considerably less than I do now, but I had some significant stalls along the way. He stuck to it better than I did.

Start any way you think you can sustain it, at a level you can sustain. Just make sure you are pushing yourself a teeny bit every single day.

Get in a pool! I started with swimming and aqua group fitness class. It relieves the weight on your joints, and lets you have a good workout.
Good luck!!!!

I would recommend starting on things that are more your speed.. and working your way up. YOu aren't too big to excercise.. but you might be too big to do what someone else does... you could walk in place.. You could do light cardio in the form of a dance routine.. theres a great girl on youtube called amber blanch who does fun zumba videos that are a better speed for beginners.. thats what I do. You are so busy having fun you dont notice your heart rate is going up. But if you are trying something that is way too advanced for you.. you are setting yourself up for failure.
Hope this was helpful! best of luck to you!!

I don't think that you are too big to exercise- make baby steps, start by walking, add in elliptical, then keep pushing yourself. That is what I did. I started at 332 lbs!!! Now I run, bike, walk, lift weights, anything that gets me moving! Talk to your dr. if you are concerned. I know that my body is thanking me for exercise throughout my weight loss. Yes, I have loose skin, but think of how much worse it would look if I just tried losing weight with caloric deficit and no exercise.

Don't go right into heavy exercise. I was 270...gained the weight pretty quickly. Used to be a runner before that. So i went right into running. Its been 5 months and im still having problems with my achille's tendons. I had to revert to just walking. I would start slow and really focus on eating right. I have been losing at the same rate as when I was running by just making good choices with food and going on walks. Give it some time to build up a good foundation.

Thanks for all the responses! I'll definitely see a doctor soon to see what I should be doing. I've tried a variety of things, never lasting more than a day or two on each: 30 day shred, couch to 5k plan, various workout videos. I think I'm trying to do too much too fast because I never exercised AT ALL. I'm going to start just walking and building up my endurance for other things.

I had ankle problems and it would hurt when I walked but by doing 10 minutes at a time for a week or so, then the muscles were strong enough that I then started walking 30 minutes and lately walking almost an hour. Build yourself up to exercise. The slow always wins the race.

Please see a doctor!

With that said, I remember when I first started working out, I couldn't do more than 3 minutes on the elliptical without feeling like I was going to faint. I have since, little by little built up my endurance and can now do 35 minutes and probably more if I tried.

However, my father just recently found out that he had some partially blocked arteries that were causing him to get tired really easily when he did even light exercise. Everyone in our family kept encouraging him just to "work through it" because he needed to "build endurance". Truth is, for him, that was not a great idea. Since then he has had 2 stents placed in his heart and NOW he is ready for some moderate exercise.

Tell a doctor your concern and ask them to help you rule out bigger problems before you do too much!

I had a long time of feeling tired when I exercised and getting chest pain if I tried to push it. It turned out I had heart problems too. Yes, struggling with exercise can be a sign that something is wrong.

If you think you should talk to a Dr you should. Cardio was a lot harder for me to get started with. I did 10 mins here or there at the gym but never consistently. But in March I started to walk just a little further each day. Then I bought a FitBit and tried to increase my steps to 10,000 a day. When I started I was at about 2,000. For the last eight weeks I have been using a Heart Rate Monitor and turning my walks into walk/jogs.

I just dropped under 300 lbs for the first time today.

Good luck.

Thanks for all the responses! I'll definitely see a doctor soon to see what I should be doing. I've tried a variety of things, never lasting more than a day or two on each: 30 day shred, couch to 5k plan, various workout videos. I think I'm trying to do too much too fast because I never exercised AT ALL. I'm going to start just walking and building up my endurance for other things.

I think you nailed it here. See the dr, make sure you are cleared but then start slow. If you have not been exercising walking is a darn good stepping stone to the road to fitness. Good luck on your journey.

Yep, you did nail it. The first time I did 30 Day Shred I thought I was going to throw up....and I'm 115 lbs, in "ok" shape, and just wanting to tone up. Take it easy at first...walking sounds like a great start.

My thoughts exactly. I was around 290 the first time I did 30 D shred and I got through most of it but I'll never forget finishing and thinking I was truly going to vomit. I couldn't do all the jumping jacks or the jump roping either.

I also think the elliptical machine is not an easy machine At ALL. C25k is difficult for me now... even though I can do Turbo Fire which I consider quite difficult.

After speaking to your Doctor, I think walking is your best bet to start with. Build up your endurance and go from there. You can do this!!