[Staisha]

Hi guys
I have two injured ankles and I'm looking for some advise on good fat burning exercise. I can walk and even run if I have too, but I can't over-stain the ankles or be on my feet for a long time. Therefore, no average cardio, hiking or even long walks I wear ankle braces on both legs. My job is sitting in front of the computer all day and being prone to weight gain I always had to keep moving (a lot!) to stay in shape. Sadly now I'm almost 100lb overweight and that's a huge extra strain on my legs. I'm looking for ideas (other they pool and cycling) to help me burn it off, get back in shape and ease the healing process for my ankles.

Thanks

[seagirl]

You can lose weight by just restricting calories.

[luckymommy]

I agree with seagirl....you just need to create a calorie deficit and that can certainly be accomplished by restricting calories. However, I get the desire to workout. I'm addicted to it, so I would go crazy if I couldn't do it....and I did have a time when I had a huge fracture all the way across my right foot.

Anyway, do you belong to a gym? They have a machine that you can sit at and it's like a bike for your arms. That's one idea. I'm not sure what else you can do. It sounds like you can do running, but not for long periods of time? What about a rowing machine? I have no idea what that would be like on your ankles, but I know it's a great cardio for me. What about doing a pilates mat dvd or class (if you belong to a gym). You can modify it so that you're not on your feet for long. Another great thing for weight loss is resistance training. You could do lots of weight lifting, push ups, pull ups, crunches, etc. and you can do them fast so that your heart rate is elevated...switching up very quickly between sets and attacking different muscle groups. I've heard many people say that doing resistance training is a lot more effective for weight loss than cardio because you're building muscle and the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. As hard as this is, try to look at this as an opportunity to learn more about what you can do to reach your goals.
I really hope you can figure it out.

Hi Staisha, I think rowing will be bad for the ankles, because they're being compressed with every stroke . I definitely agree to go with resistance training and pilates, in addition to walking. You'll build muscle and rev your metabolism. And you'll feel good. Along with the exercise, make sure you're giving your body good nutrition. Cut back on the processed foods and take-out. Eat more veggies, fruits, and proteins (beans, lentils and lean meats) that are prepared with as little extra stuff (butter, oil, salt) as possible. Eat well, get in your vitamins and minerals - your body needs good nutrition to heal and to burn calories. Good luck! You'll do great

[yoyomadness]

Push-ups on your knees. Pull-ups if you can do them.
Upper body exercises like seated rows, pec flies, lat raises, etc.
Leg exercises on the floor, like unweighted leg extensions, leg lifts, etc.
Crunches of all sorts.

Good luck healing!