Not sure where this should go so I put it here...but anyways:

I've started walking around our block (note that I've not been really 'active' other than a walk here or there with the dogs for several years now) which we clocked at a half-mile. I've been walking that for a week and a half now and the pain in my calves hasn't lessened any. I assume it will as I keep going, so that isn't the point. My goal is to make it to a mile a day (two laps around the block) until I'm comfortable with -that- and then make it 2 miles a day, hopefully by November.

However, I've heard that you should also do cardio? What exactly is this and what does this entail? What do you do (any specific exercise vids/etc?).

I currently cannot afford a gym membership/trainer, nor can I drive, so that's out of the question for now (but hopefully in my future!)

So do you know of exercise(s) I can do for free/cheap at home? Any specific books/vids/etc that have helped you?

Also: what did you start out doing and how did you work up to bigger things? And what are you currently doing to lose/maintain?

-ko

Well, I started just as you did. Walking and moving more. Then I added time and intensity. I just increased as I felt I could....

Cardio is cardiovascular exercise! If you're getting your heartrate up, then that is 'cardio'. We used to call it aerobic.

Now I do belong to a gym, and I do a lot of cardio -- on ellipticals, treadmills, or walking -- and weight lifting. I've also tried yoga and would like to go back to it. I also can get a fair workout with some of the yardwork I do.

I invite you to join our exercise thread (stickied at the top). We track the number of minutes of exercise we do and are trying to break our 2007 goal. It's easy and helps keep us accountable and regularly exercising (This is still the part that's hardest for me).

There are lots of good videos out there. Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred and some of her other ones are great workouts. You might want to start with something a bit less intense - check out the DVD's thread - there are lots of comments on different ones.

And when buying them, make sure you check out Amazon and eBay to save some money!

Well...I remember when I went to Amazon and ordered a set of DVDs thinking I could just jump into those. Not only did I get the wrong DVDs lol I found I couldn't do it for more than a few moments without just feeling like I was gonna keel over. So, I started walking. I could go for like 10 minutes and then I would walk back and little by little I started doing more and more.

Then I decided to order a Yoga and another exercise DVD, and I slowly started doing those. I remember the first time I did my cardio workout, I could get through the warm up.

Do what you can, don't worry about doing it all right now. Just do what you can when you can and build up. I currently struggle with exercising regularly so I"m back to the "do what I can when I can" attitude and that is training me to look forward to my workouts. I'm also active, so I'm out and about and though I don't count that as a workout, it is activity.

When I was 340+ pounds I got a cardi workout just by walking lol. My heart was pumping lol. Now I do exercise DVDs and I didn't find the price too expensive. I got mine from Amazon for around $15 and one has two DVDs, so I got a two for one deal. I also walk.

Wow are you me? a non-driver whose legs hurt at the half mile on a budget and is just getting started ? weird - it was like reading a post I wrote I just went up to a mile on Monday and boy do my legs still hurt! I have no idea when that goes away. I am just now looking at upping the walk work out (I am at day 15) with something else, I like to preview before I buy, so I probably see what is on youtube and for rent on Netflix before I buy.

I started with walking in place 5-15 minutes a day, worked my way up to Leslie Sansone DVDs and then jogging in place 40 minutes. Now I do cardio/weight intervals with Jillian Michaels and TBL DVDs and some DVDs from exercisetv.tv (great site btw, free full length workouts there too) and if you have it, exercise tv is on demand with cable companies (or some anyway)

I did have a gym membership and I had trainers in the past so I knew how to do weights. What I started with was weight training. I actually couldn't walk far or aerobically due to a knee injury at the time so weights was awesome!!

Walking though is great exercise. Something you could also do is perhaps invest in some resistance bands? There are a lot of good workouts you can get from resistance bands and they are fairly cheap and portable.

Also check your library for exercise videos/dvds. That's a great way to change up your routine a bit and to preview ones you're interested in buying.

I started with walking then joined Curves for cardio/resistance. I love walking, and I have a dog so she really motivates me because I almost feel like a hero for making her day every time I take her for a walk. I tried notching it up to a run but I really stopped enjoying my walk that way, so I went back to walking, just faster, hillier and longer.

Anyway, that's what I'm still doing -- walking is my primary form of exercise and I add Curves as often as possible.

Walking at 300+ IS cardio. I'd do what your doing until it feels comfortable and keep adding to it in time and speed as it gets easier.

I started by only walking too. And then I added DVDs to it and when I was light enough I learned to run. It all started from very simple walks!

Rather than buy the DVDs first I started with the minworkouts and downloads on from ExerciseTV's website. They were more fun to do since I could do a short routine, take a break and then do another one by a different trainer.
I would recommend the all access pass for $9.99 a month on ExerciseTV - it is good value for money because I got access to so much more variety than a DVD set.

About the leg pain, you might have pronation or supination issues with your feet. Read about it here. Once you've determined your gait, you can get the right shoes for the job.

I had no problem walking with an old pair of shoes, then I got a new pair and my knees, shins and ankles were killing me. I had my gait evaluated and then got the right shoes and now I'm fine.

And I agree that when you're just starting, you're good with the walking as cardio. If you find your walks getting easier, then mix it up by stepping on and off curbs, adding a little jog for 30 seconds to a minute to raise the heart rate here and there...you're shooting for increasing the intensity, not just the time. That's when the fat burning really happens.

I use Cardio Coach with my walks, elliptical training and rowing. It's also good to use with cycling and running. It's an audio file that can be downloaded on to your mp3 or Ipod, and the trainer coaches you to speed up or slow down, as needed to get your heart rate up (or down) for a good workout. I love using it! The trainer (Sean O'Malley) takes care of all the timing, and he uses great music and commentary that fuels motivation. He actually got me jogging!

I find that my calves hurt when I try to walk too fast... Maybe try slowing it down a little bit?