Morbidly Obese & Exercise

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  • Theresafinallygetsitright
    Theresafinallygetsitright Posts: 157
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    Hi! I started a bit heavier than you and have taken off 100 pounds in about 8 months. When I started exercising, I started just walking, doing as much as I could but every day. I am now hiking (strenuous), working on C25K to be running soon, lifting weights and using the elliptical (60 mins) so my activity level has changed greatly. I would be careful with the squatting that was suggested earlier as I inflamed my knee pretty good doing those with so much weight on those joints. Just get moving is the important thing :).
  • AC417
    AC417 Posts: 56 Member
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    Just keep moving. I started off walking 30 minutes a day, then gradually increased my time. My energy increased as well and I started doing more and more exercise like bicycling, strength training and Zumba for Wii. I noticed that with Zumba, the key is to just keep moving and not worry at first about whether or not you're doing the steps right. As long as your heart rate is up and you're sweating, you're doing good.
  • carld256
    carld256 Posts: 855 Member
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    I was in a pretty similar position. I was 50 years old and weighed 275 pounds when I started. The most important thing is to get your diet under control first. I didn't exercise at all until I lost 30 pounds. If you can exercise, then you'll be that much better off, but it isn't really necessary. Exercise is great and healthy, but diet is far more important for weight loss.

    Once I'd lost a bit a weight I started walking, and that's all I've done since then. I did get myself a treadmill so I could increase the intensity of the walk, but just plain walking is good enough. If you get to the point where you can lift some weights in addition to walking you'll help build muscle which will make losing weight easier.
  • CLCinNOLA
    CLCinNOLA Posts: 82 Member
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    Hi. I looking for friends who have a LOT of weight to lose and have a challenge with exercise. I'm currently 325 lbs and 50 years old. Even walking becomes painful after a few minutes. Ideas, personal stories and mutual understanding needed.

    Believe me, I have some personal knowledge of your dilemma. :). I am 64 and have hovered around 300# for years, after finding myself at a high well over your current weight.

    Exercycling works well for me. Swimming is good too, although I haven't done that much because I don't have a swimsuit that fits. The elliptical helps my knees, but I am no good at it. Personally I like the weight machines at the gym, although I realize that many seeking to lose weight prefer other forms of exercise.

    You need to find a form of exercise that you actually like, so that you will keep doing it, I think. If walking hurts, it seems to me that's probably not a good choice for your main form of exercise!. What helped me the most was joining a gym, so that I could try a lot of different things and find out what works for me. I budget for that as a medical expense (high priority expense), because it is vital to health for me.
  • rejie1
    rejie1 Posts: 20 Member
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    walking is the best place to start! Do little bits and gradually increase your time/distance. Also, you can try "stationary" cardio like a row machine or shadow boxing.

    And maybe the best thing is swimming - it removes the pressure your body feels during normal exercise but still is a great workout. Man, I wish I could swim. :(
  • dawnkilmurray
    dawnkilmurray Posts: 13
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    WATER AEROBICS!!!! January 16th I started a weight loss challenge called Drop it 4 Life. The classes were circuit training at a gym close to my house. It is run by Koli Polau and Ashley Johnston for the Biggest Loser Season 9. My beginning weight was 418.50. I am now down to 363 this morning on the scale. I couldn't hardly walk and standing for an hour to do the class was so painful. I hurt so bad. They modified everything for me, but i still ached so bad. They suggested I try swimming. I found a water aerobics class and I was hooked on the first night. You feel so good in the water.. I am getting a good cardio workout and I am now able to do the circuit classes with the Drop it 4 Life class. I even sprinted (which to others looked like a fast walk but to me it was a sprint) and Koli noticed and was so proud of me. You can do it. I never thought I could do it and I am. My picture on my profile is from my first 5K race that I did with the class. I am the big one on the right. It took me about an hour and a half, and everyone else had finished in about a half hour and waited for me. They walked back to greet me and walk me in. I was so touched and had a good cry. We can do this....
  • tugers2
    tugers2 Posts: 139
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    do as much as you can... work on ur calorie restriction and the pounds will come off.... as u lose weight u'll be able to do more and more.... record all ur work outs/ walks even if its for 5, 10 mins. then compare in a month u'll be amazed and very proud
  • laceybrobie
    laceybrobie Posts: 495 Member
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    Def invest in a new pair of shoes. Download the Endomondo app on your phone and start walking. It will track your distance for you. start slow, 5 min here or there. then eventually you will be walking ALOT more. Go Swimming like a few people have said.

    GOOD LUCK.. you can do this.
  • PaperThinLips
    PaperThinLips Posts: 79 Member
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    i would start out w/ healthy eating and after you've lost some weight include exercises like walking and swimming into your regular workout schedule.
  • Trutra
    Trutra Posts: 131 Member
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    And maybe the best thing is swimming - it removes the pressure your body feels during normal exercise but still is a great workout. Man, I wish I could swim. :(

    Have you heard of aquarobics or aquafit? I do it and there are women and a man in the class who can't swim. The man told me he's had a fear of water all his life, but he's working on it and spends lots of time in the pool - in the shallow end. The classes I've been in were all done in the shallow end, with the option of staying near the sides for people who were nervous. Aquafit is a good calorie burner, but you don't get hot and sweaty - you're in water that cools you. I find it "splashy fun" - how many ways can you think of, of jumping up and down in the water, jogging with no pain in your legs or feet, suspended with supportive floats you wrap round you while you cycle your legs in the water, work your arms with foam dumbells or floats like boxing gloves that increase the resistance of the water.

    Can you tell I like it? :happy: Oh, and don't feel self conscious, it's a class that is good for big people and I'm sure there would be others there too.

    ^^^^^^ this
    I am also morbidly obese. Started off at 51 BMI, currently 43. I try for aquarobics 3-4 times a week. The great thing is that you can do it at your own pace, so you can start off slowly and then slowly increase as you get fitter. I can really feel how my strength has increased since I started. I also walk on the treadmill and have generally tried to be a little bit more active in my life e.g. park my car further away etc. In my aquarobics class there are people from about 25 to about 70, from superthin and fit to overweight and unfit and everybody in between. In the beginning I used to be very self-conscious, get unchanged at the last minute, leave my towel ready for the end and make a dash in to the pool. Then do the same at the end of the class and cover myself with a towel. Now, I couldnt be bothered anymore, lol. I did invest in one of those huge bath towels and stuck velcro on the one edge so that it wraps around me and sticks properly for my walk back to the changeroom!
    Good luck and feel free to add me. I started off at 304 lbs so not much less than you, currently 260
  • lieselq
    lieselq Posts: 10 Member
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    Hi. I'm new here too. I'm 5'2" and used to weigh 310. I live in Texas and felt like I was going to die every summer with the heat. (Summer, in my opinion, begins in February and ends in November around here.) I lost my car in 2003 and HAD to walk/ride the bus. In the time until I was able to replace my car (about a year later), I lost nearly 75 pounds...just from the most necessary walking only. I wasn't 'working out' or doing anything special.

    This time around, I began at 201 (um, last week). My daughter announced her engagement last week and I have (as of today) 124 days until the big day. As Mama of the Bride...I don't want to waddle (too much). I'd like to be down to 150 by Oct. 19 (the big day).

    April 6, 2011, I severely tore ligaments/tendons in my right knee (probably from years of excess weight on them). Last summer I swam all summer long. I just pretended not to see others looking at me and did what I needed to do to help my knee. I found water to be very healing because it supported my body and took the weight off of the knee and yet I could move the leg through the water - the water resistance helping.

    I don't have television (cable, etc.) so I splurged for Hulu Plus. My sister told me that watching The Biggest Loser was inspiring to her. So I've began with Season 1 and have been watching them. I do belong to a gym through my health insurance. I saw a Dr. Oz episode that talked about Dr. Life (real name) and the guy showed before and after shots of himself. I'm not too keen on some of his stuff, yet one thing - he said he hired a personal trainer. It's been a bit of a financial struggle, yet I hired a personal trainer at the gym for 30 minutes 2 x's per week. She is showing me some of the equipment and also helping to build confidence using my knee again. I find that I can motivate myself by what I choose to watch on television (when I do choose to watch it). I am drawn to shows where the underdog wins and trust me, when we're fighting this particular battle, it can certainly feel like we're the underdogs!

    My daughter always said, Mama walk. Just walk. Go to the mall and walk in the air conditioning. Just walk, walk, walk.

    I tried to do the elliptical machine at the gym and struggled to do a whole 3 minutes on the lowest setting. This very lovely elderly lady stopped me in the locker room and asked how my workout had gone. (I was THRILLED that someone spoke with me!) I told her and she smiled and said that when she started, she could only do 4 minutes on the elliptical and now she does 30. I was in awe! I thanked her so much for that!

    The part I struggle with now is after I've watched a motivating show and am at the gym or walking up and down hills in Austin, am I pushing myself the right amount? I know I can push myself hard based on what I've seen others do on television, just need to not push too hard and get another injury. So I decided today to seek out physical therapy for the knee for a bit to be certain that I'm doing things correctly.

    Sounds like you have kids...so you have a cheering squad! When you get tired, rest. Just get back up and get going again once you've caught your breath. You can do it! We can ALL do it!!

    Best to you!
    LQ
  • Mrsbrandnewmeslimandtrim
    Mrsbrandnewmeslimandtrim Posts: 267 Member
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  • loadsandloads
    loadsandloads Posts: 353 Member
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    I don't think anyone else has offered this suggestion and it may sound crazy but here goes. I'm really big and have lots to lose and don't like weight training. I like to walk but having had a herniated disc in my lower back years ago I'm prone to have a lot of back pain. One time I had purchased Spanx to wear under something to look better and notice my back didn't hurt. Well that convinced me that just by sheer nature of the product it kept everything from "jiggling" and jarring my back. I was hooked. Work offered to pay for people to enter the Disney 5K and I did it - with my Spanx- at about 310 lbs. No running just walking and completed in less than an hour. Huge accomplishment for this "fat old lady" That was last year's 5K. I did it again this year and the Princess 5K a few weeks later. I unfortunately have just started trying to lose again and am determined to do it next year in 45 minutes or less without having to run. BTW I don't have to wear the Spanx for the jiggle anymore as just walking has started toning the core muscles and my form is better.

    Sorry so long winded and maybe somebody got a good laugh.

    Good luck in your quest! You can do it!
  • lesle1
    lesle1 Posts: 354 Member
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    Walk. Listen to your body. Do as much as you can. Keep at it. I just saw a guy in the 10K I ran yesterday that was over 300 pounds. I was 265 pounds when I started walking. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY and do what you can. You don't have to go fast.
  • loneworg
    loneworg Posts: 342 Member
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    I was in a pretty similar position. I was 50 years old and weighed 275 pounds when I started. The most important thing is to get your diet under control first. I didn't exercise at all until I lost 30 pounds. If you can exercise, then you'll be that much better off, but it isn't really necessary. Exercise is great and healthy, but diet is far more important for weight loss.

    Once I'd lost a bit a weight I started walking, and that's all I've done since then. I did get myself a treadmill so I could increase the intensity of the walk, but just plain walking is good enough. If you get to the point where you can lift some weights in addition to walking you'll help build muscle which will make losing weight easier.
    I think this is the best answer by far.
  • healthymewannabe
    healthymewannabe Posts: 30
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    Hi and welcome! :) As many others have said, swimming is a great way to get in that exercise without having a painful impact to your knees or feet. Or invest in some good shoes and get in as much walking as you can/. As you continue to walk, it gets easier.
  • AlmstHvn
    AlmstHvn Posts: 378 Member
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    I suggest finding a personal trainer. They will be very familiar with what an obese body can do and coach you so that you keep good form and don't hurt yourself. They will coach you with full-body workout - we started with 5 and 10 lb weights to build up strength, as well as 10 minute up to 30 on the treadmill or exercise bike. Don't let fear stand in your way! It feels SO good to feel strong, I can't TELL you :)

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  • Kathy53925
    Kathy53925 Posts: 241 Member
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    I was in a pretty similar position. I was 50 years old and weighed 275 pounds when I started. The most important thing is to get your diet under control first. I didn't exercise at all until I lost 30 pounds. If you can exercise, then you'll be that much better off, but it isn't really necessary. Exercise is great and healthy, but diet is far more important for weight loss.

    Once I'd lost a bit a weight I started walking, and that's all I've done since then. I did get myself a treadmill so I could increase the intensity of the walk, but just plain walking is good enough. If you get to the point where you can lift some weights in addition to walking you'll help build muscle which will make losing weight easier.
    I think this is the best answer by far.


    I agree - This is the best answer. I am 55 and have several medical issues that restrict my exercise drastically. I am going to apply for a YMCA membership and "jump a bit" in the pool while the others do Zumba. :) Don't forget to log the time you stand cooking meals. Yes, it does count...especially when you have over 100 lbs to lose.
  • sillygoose03
    sillygoose03 Posts: 16
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    There used to be a show on PBS called Sit and be Fit. I don't know if they still show it but look into it. I remember flipping through the channels and watching it a few minutes at a time when I was a kid thinking 'what a waste!" but now I could use some sit and be fit sessions myself. lol
    The aquafit class mentioned in another post could be a LOT of fun too. i'm going to look and see if there is one in my area. :)
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
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    Start somewhere, do it regularly with no excuses, and push yourself hard to do a little more each time, even if it hurts.

    Water aerobics is great, light weights with lots of reps (I know, I know, and I do heavy free weights now, but it's a place to start), elliptical machines, and walking are good places to begin. Do a lot of different things and push yourself until you're out of breath and sweating every time. Add just a little speed, weight, time and distance every week. You will be amazed at your progress.

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