My husband and I are both overweight, but I am a mover (volleyball, walking, swimming, etc.) while he is relatively sedentary. He weighs nearly 500 lbs and has many associated health problems.

We're working together on dietary issues, but I need ideas on how to get him moving. He's not physically able to do sports, and isn't all that crazy about taking walks, and is too self-conscious to swim. I think something like yoga would be great for him, but all the videos are for thin athletic people, or even if they're for bigger people, they're more woman-ish than manly.

I need ideas for things he and I could do together, that are physically within his realm of capability and are maybe even fun.

Also, if anyone has a dvd suggestion for very overweight people, I could use it. It's kind of messed up that all fitness videos, gyms, classes, etc seem to be designed for people who are already fit.

Thanks for your help.

What does he have against walking? Walking is what I'd suggest because it is one of the best things to do, especially for a beginner.

There are a few DVDs you can order through amazon or elsewhere -- including, "Yoga: Just My Size," "Yoga for Round Bodies" and "Plus Size Pilates"

Hope that helps

and yeah, walking is always a good start too... even if it's just a block.. or half a block.. just moving helps.

Yoga is great, but I don't think it is what your husband needs right now. He needs to focus on cardio - get his heart rate up and keep it that way while physically active. Yoga won't make him lose weight (even though it would be better than no activity at all).
I agree with Nelie that he should walk - due to his current weight, he won't be able to use any exercise equipment (my TM, if I recall correctly, is only for people up to 350 lbs). It sounds like he does not want to move at all - and I do understand that at 500 lbs the desire to move may not be there - but he will have to bite into the bitter apple and start moving.

How about Walk Away the Pounds? He can go at his own rate and build up.

I have nothing against working out, but i find that eating healthy is more important than exercising, simply because it is so easy to eat 1000 calories but takes days or a week to burn off that many.
I say focus on eating right if you can't get him moving. Maybe once he loses a few pounds he will feel a little better and want to get up and move more.
If you want to get in some exercise, try weights. That's much more manly. That will build muscle which will help him lose weight faster.

I just do 10 mins of walkin in the morning 300 crunches and 10 mins of squats with dumbells and 10 push ups. All after I eat lunch. For a month I did the 30 day shred. I let my friend borrow the dvd cuz she wants to try it. I lost 4 lbs and 11.5 inches with that dvd. I did HHA's but now I want to do my own thing. I'm still tryin to eat healthy and I now don't eat pass 7 pm instead of 8 pm. I have to take painkillers and antibiotics for my teeth cuz I have to cavities and I need to get them pulled so its hard to not just eat whatever I want. Since I've started WW I'm lost 19 lbs. I'm gonna get another dvd soon another Jillian Michaels workout I think she is great and it keeps me really motivated. I workout everyother day.

I am a big yoga enthusiast, and I disagree completely that yoga doesn't help one lose weight.

Some of the movements are EXTREMELY strenuous-you can be supporting your entire body weight on your hands, or on one leg, and holding it for a long period of time. It isn't all stretching. It has added a lot of muscle tone to my shoulders, triceps, back, and thighs, and it has really helped to lift my buttocks, too. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body uses per day. I have some yoga dvds, and have taken some classes, where I am exhausted and sweating buckets by the end.

On the yoga note, though-at his current weight, you will have to get a plus sized yoga dvd, not a regular one. Because of his body size, there will be some poses that will need modifications-simply because the belly area among other things can get in the way of some of the postures.


To the OP:

I would recommend that you check out the website Collage Video. There is a dvd there by Leslie Sansone (Walk Away The Pounds) but it is one for older adults-it is slightly slower paced. Since your husband is very obese, this might be a good fit for you two to do together, since one of her regular dvds might move too quickly for him. Try it out.

I also recommend the videos meant for plus sized adults-I have heard wonderful things about Just My Size Yoga, and Plus Size Pilates. (BOTH are at Collage Video as well.)

I would also recommend that you two walk together....but if he isn't interested in EXERCISE, you might want to disguise it a little bit. Tell him that you want to take a walk and look at holiday lights in town, or that you want him to go to the outlet mall with you to look for holiday gifts, etc. Think of things that will get him moving, but maybe that he won't view as a "workout".

Thanks everyone for the input. I've been doing a little research and I think I'm going to try kukristin's suggestion of Yoga for Round Bodies. My husband has agreed to at least give it a try once or twice, and if I make it fun I may be able to keep him at it. If not, maybe we'll move onto the Leslie Sansone video for older adults. I'm glad to know there are a few good options out there for us, and I'm super excited about giving yoga a try.

I also really like Aphil's suggestion about "disguising" exercise. I've already thought of a bunch of ways to do it. Yesterday I convinced him to buy two rakes on the suggestion that "leaf blowers are too expensive". This weekend I'll talk him into following the trail in the woods behind our new house for aways..."just to see where it goes".

He was just diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, and it was yet one more wake-up call that it's now or never. The diagnosis rattled us both, and I'm hoping to capitalize on that to help us both make the lifestyle changes we need to be healthy.

Thanks again for all the suggestions!

Here's an ispirational video of Yoga for Regular Guys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suTPns5cy_Q

I may be a sentimental fool, but I can't help but cry when I watch it.

Best wishes to you and your husband