At my weight I find it very hard to exercise unless it's in the water. It's low impact and so much gentler on your joints and back. And you can do water aerobics in a 3 or 4 ft backyard pool. If you don't have a pool then try looking into the local high schools in your area that have pools. I have 2 schools that offer watr aerobics classes 2 to4 days a week and usually its in the evenings. And unlike a gym membership you just pay as you go. It's usually about $3 per session. Its fun, you'll make friends because usually its just regulars that attend, they do the exercises to music and I bet you enjoy it. Also don't worry about how you look in a bathing suit because it's almost always bigger gals in their 30's, 40's, and even seniors that go. It's not a bunch of skinny minnies in bikinis. Good luck!

I did an hour of water aerobics before dinner and I would never be able to work out that long on land at my weight.

I started my weight loss journey at just over 350 lbs. It's been a long journey and I'm only about 1/3 of the way along. I am currently 51 and weigh 288 lbs.

Lots of valuable wisdom shared here...just my 2cents to add to the mix.

Exercise is important, but you're never going to exercise enough to lose any appreciable weight. Exercise is about building endurance and strength to keep your body moving. Some forms of exercise are going to be easier on you than others, but all of them will feel uncomfortable at first. It will get easier to exercise as you lose weight.

The treadmill is not the best form of walking exercise. It's harder on your knees, ankles and lower back, especially if you push yourself to go faster and longer. But if that's the only place you can walk, then take it slow and make sure you have good shoes. Us heavier people have issues with foot alignment and that affects all the joints from the ankles up. That may be why you're in such pain. At the moment I'm dealing with an ankle ligament injury and some plantar fasciitis in my heel and it has created a problem in my knee and my lower back because my gait is off. I have to take ibuprofen and ice my ankle every night and try to stay off it during the day for a few more weeks.

I really recommend seeing your doctor to make sure you don't have any other issues to keep you from exercising.

My journey with exercise started with walking, both on a track and a treadmill (depending on the weather). Then I added weight training, which I love. Eventually I started using a rowing machine (this supported my weight but I got a good overall workout - but form is important with this too). I tried an elliptical cross trainer but its just too hard on my knees at this time. Next, Pilates (my body's best friend and my favorite!) and finally I recently added a step-cardio class, which I HATE, but the fat around my middle is starting to melt. And I can't do that now because of the ankle thing (from the wrong shoes!).

All along the way I had the support of very good trainers. Well-seasoned, experienced trainers. The young, idealistic trainers don't know what to do with us bigger people. Find someone with a background in physical therapy too.

There are steps to success. I have a great support system. Not just people who encourage me to exercise verbally. I developed meaningful friendships with people who also exercise and are really good at keeping fit. I aspire to be like them. I also have fitness goals...I don't plan to ever run or take up tennis. But I do like to hike and would love to make it up Machu Pichu or to basecamp at Mt. Everest. But I get altitude sickness (discovered this at Mt. Whitney) and need to figure this out.

I wish you the very best! Let us know how it goes!

geoblewis if you are looking for fantastic trekking challenges without altitude to worry about I reccommend Iceland. It is teh mose amazing place with fantastic scenery and people. There is a 100km walk which is world famous amongst people who know about these things. Lots of trekking comapnies run trips there.
Just beware...it rains......alot!!!!

Hey! Iceland sounds like a destination I'd be happy to experience! Thanks for the idea!

I keep a bunch of quotes taped to my fridge to help motivate me. One of them says "no matter how slow you go you're still lapping the person sitting on the couch". I think of that often...even if I only do 10 minutes I'm doing more than if I was sitting on my butt.

I am an armchair mountaineer and trekking in the Himalayas is something I have never dreamed might be possible for me. Wow. Maybe I have a goal? I don't want to be unrealistic, though. I am a 'touring' person, for sure, but not so much a 'camping' person, no matter my fitness level.

Maybe I will make trekking in Iceland like mountain walker did my goal instead.

That said! I went to Machu Picchu this May. I did not take any medications for altitude sickness, but some of the people with whom I was traveling had gotten prescriptions from their doctors for altitude sickness that seemed to help. Have you ever tried prescription medication to ameliorate your symptoms? Also: in Peru, coca candy and tea are ubiquitous and are actually really good for mild altitude sickness.

That is brilliant. I am putting that somewhere!

My body is sore all over. I'm taking it slower today and only doing water aerobics until my muscles quit screaming in protest. But the diet is going great!

Chubby girl....well done for the diet...and the exercise too. In a way it feels curiously good to be hurting when you have exercised. At least it is better than getting pain when you DON'T do anything! Which I tend to get dunno about you!

You definitely can exercise enough to make a difference in your weightloss.

I exercise in the water for 90 minutes every morning. I do a combination of water walking, water aerobics and lap swimming. I can burn between 500 & 700 calories in that time simply by moving more and more. It has made a huge difference in my weightloss and keeps my blood pressure low.

The first time I went water walking I was 374 pounds.. I built my way up.

I'd also like to chime in that the elliptical is really great for people who get sore easily since it is so low impact (compared to walking/running).

I would love to get into swimming, but I just feel so embarrassed at the weight that I am at. Not that anyone should be embarrassed about getting back into shape or exercising or anything, it's just how I feel about myself. I really miss swimming. I haven't told anyone that.

I am at 318, and I feel the same way. Even walking from my bedroom to the kitchen sometimes makes me tired.

I was on Pinterest and saw this Leveled "exercise" plan. I have only done two days (i am just starting) and my heart rate goes up really high and i pant really badly .. but it's something.

I would google "Level One Exercise Plan." For example, the first day - all you do is 20 jumping jacks and 10 crunches. THAT's IT .. then the next day you move on.

Get yourself a swimming costume that covers a little more, I got one with quite a long skirt and I love being in the water.

Im British but live in Finland, they go naked to the open shower room (single sex of course), shower and put their swim suit on then hit the pool. After swimming its cossie off and naked time in the sauna or steam room. Honestly I was mortified the first couple of times I went, but I soon realised that no one gave a toss. The women were all shapes, sizes and ages and just busy having a swim and then relaxing, showering etc. Our pool was shut for summer holiday and Im happy to be going back in the morning.

Thank you for that bit of encouragement! I would love to be that comfortable with my body, but even when I was young I just wasn't. We had a pool growing up and it was wonderful. I miss that, a private pool.

This may sound strange, but for those of us who are larger, even housework can be exercise.

Sweep, vacuum, mop, or scrub with a little extra vigor, and you'll be surprised.

Years ago I read an article about a woman who had used JUST housework for exercise, and she had lost a lot of weight. She'd use two sponges, and scrub her counters in circles, for instance. Lots of little things like that.

I'll bet her house was sparkling.

I like the idea of turning daily tasks like housework into an exercise. At the supermarket I like to lean into the shopping cart and slowly let it roll out in front of me, then using my abs I slowly stand up and roll it back in. Getting a little extra core work at the store helps! I park at the far end of the lot to have extra time for walking. If I use the stairs, I push up with my glutes, quads and upper hamstrings clenched (have no idea what this looks like from behind and I don't care!). Those are our strongest muscles.

My Pilates instructor has me stretching out my toes and gripping the floor a few times a day. And I do squats as well, but it's important to do these properly or you'll hurt your back and knees. There's a good explanation on how to do them here.

But we all have to remember that in an effort to lose weight, exercise is only part of that game. 80% of the effort has to go into the diet. How we work the diet part is an individual game (and I am constantly changing up that game...I get bored!) but when it comes to losing weight, we can't exercise enough to manage overeating. There are those that exercise their brains out just so they can drink more alcohol or eat what they want. My level of fitness and activity is never going to get there. I have to cut carbs (to manage diabetes) and calories in general. I have to eat lots of vegetables daily to get enough micronutrients so that my body doesn't experience cravings. I had to cut processed foods from my diet and I had to stop going out to eat. (I have food sensitivities.) And I really had to get into a good, regular sleep pattern with at least 7 hours of sleep a night or all of that wasn't going to work. And only then did my body agree to give up the stored fat.

Find out what works for you and do it till it doesn't work any more, then find the next thing that works. We have a loooooong way to go and I have a short attention span. Willpower sometimes doesn't last past 10 a.m. for me. I had to recreate my life and remove all obstacles that I could.

Best of luck to everyone!