Not sure if anyone remembers me. I've been away for a loooong time. I'm sure there are lots of new faces around here!

Anyway,at my "skinniest" I was down to about 170 pounds. I was big into weight lifting and loved doing squats and chest presses and bicep curls until the cows came home. Well, not... the cow has quite literally come home. I haven't weighed myself in a long time but I know I'm flirting with 300 pounds.

I'm so afraid to start weight training. Just the thought of doing a squat or step-up makes me knees hurt. The first time around I was "only" about 215 when I seriously started training. That was after doing cardio for awhile and losing about 25 pounds. Now I'm just a huge couch potato

I guess my question is how should I get back into it? Is it safe to do everything I did then at this weight? Are there certain exercises I should avoid?

Thanks in advance ladies.

Hi Stacy and Welcome Back!

Is it safe to do everything you did before your recent gain. Since I don't know the volume of your workouts or the type of lifting you did I can't say "Sure, knock yourself out"

What I do want to impress upon you is that there are progressions and regressions to most exercises. You just begin at the place where you are. If that means chest presses with 12 lb dumb bells on a flat, stable bench then that's what you do.

Since there are levels of progression I would start with a personal trainer. A good trainer will be able to assess your neuromuscular strengths and weakness(coordination and how well the brain and muscles communicate and engage) to develop a plan. The goal should be to strengthen any underactive muscles, stretch overactive muscles, as well as improve your stability. This should be done before you progress into more challenging lifting goals.

Before you meet with this person, make a list of your strength goals as well as the type of exercises you would like to learn. Share this with them ahead of time so they can be prepared for any modifications that may be necessary during your session.

Last piece of advice/opinion...do not insist or place the condition upon yourself that you should lose weight before you begin lifting again. Seriously.So many people do this and it really just isn't necessary. Lifting and muscle building are serious metabolic enhancers. Take advantage of that by incorporating your strength training at the very beginning.

Good luck! and Happy Lifting.

Stacy,

I remember you and welcome back. I know it will be hard but you do need to get on the scale. I started weight lifting at 360 lbs with a bum knee so I understand. A personal trainer may be the way to start but yes you can do modifications for things that are more difficult. Realize that you have more weight on you and that alone will be a workout for things such as squats and lunges and you don't have to go to deep on those.

You can do this, you can.

Hello and welcome back! I am glad you are here.

Take exercise slowly and build on it. I started by just walking 5 to 6 times a week. Now, I am in the gym at least 5 days a week and have so much more endurance than I could have ever imagined.

I wish you the best on your weight loss journey. We will all be cheering you on!

Cheers,

J

Stacy, definitely go for it! Come join the chat thread, too, so you can post your workouts, get feedback and ideas and support. Since you've been off for a while, you may not be able to squat as deep or lift as heavy (yet), you might have to do step-ups on a lower step or box, but just find out where you are, start there, and soon you'll be making fitness gains like crazy, and get that feeling back where you just can't wait for your next lifting session or cardio, or whatever you love to do for exercise!

I just started exercising again yesterday! Similar to you, I was a pretty heavy lifter about three years ago.

Just for an example, I used to run up and down the stairs for 20 minutes as a WARM UP. Today I thought ten times would be a good goal. Uh...yeah...I only made it up and down 5 times. LOL!

But I have heard that it's a little like riding a bike in that your body will remember quickly what it used to do.

I suggest starting where you are. You're never going to get more fit than you are right now if you don't, right? It can only get worse.

That said though, let me backtrack a bit. Have you started dieting? I focused on that for a good two months before throwing exercise into the works and I've heard other women do that too. Focus on one thing at a time.

Thanks for the responses and "welcome backs," ladies. Sorry it took me so long to write back!

To answer a couple questions/statements:

nelie, I braved the scale after I read your post the other day. 280 pounds I guess I'm glad to know, but it just makes it seem so real.

Eliana, no I haven't really started any diet yet. Basically, I don't know what to eat at this point. I get grossed out by meat and would like to be a vegetarian, but I don't like vegetables (big surprise, huh?) so I basically end up eating junk. The fact that a major hobby of mine is cake decorating doesn't help either. I tried a couple months back to just jump into salads and, well, needless to say it didn't happen!

About hiring a personal trainer: the thought scares the heck out me. Not for the reasons it should, but because of the other gym members. I've been a regular and heard the "I can't wait until February when the gym is empty again" comments. I know it's silly, but I'm so paranoid about what people think. I don't think living in San Diego has been good for my self esteem! At any rate, I've been avoiding the gym like the plague since my weight went back up. We have a treadmill, some free weights, videos, and all that good stuff. I'm hoping to at least get started at home until I get the nerve up to step foot in the gym again.

I'm actually starting to look forward to working out again, gym or no gym. I saw the link that nelie posted (I think it was her!) to the stumptuous "no fat chicks" article and I think I'm going to start with that. I think the only modification I'll make so I can do it at home is the lat pulldown.

Anyway, thanks for the support ladies. That's why I missed this place

Stacy,

I started P90x last week and I had similar thoughts running through my head about it being cliche to start an exercise program, especially one normally sold through an infomercial, at the beginning of January!! Really though, I wouldn't worry what people think, you can be one of the ones that sticks with it and goes beyond March Although working out at home is perfectly viable, I haven't gone to a gym in years.

As for the food, I'm a vegetarian but I love veggies. I didn't start out that way, what veggies do you like, are there any? If you feel overwhelmed and not sure what to eat, there are a lot of decent veggie burgers and what not on the market. I didn't always love veggies, I started simply with the ones I liked and kept eating those and then expanding until really I got where I'm at yet.

I did almost all free weights. A few machines like the 45 degree leg press (not sure if it has another name). Since I did do almost all free weights, it's definitely something I'll be able to do at home.

I've gotta say... the thought of putting on a bathing suit at the gym makes me want to cry! LOL

Holy cow, P90x? I considered doing ChaLean Extreme before, but I'm definitely a ways from anything that hardcore now. I thinking of working through the "no fat chicks" plan and then starting one of my Firm rotations.

I hate admitting it, but really the only vegetables I like are potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn. Typical. I've tried a couple veggie burgers but didn't like them. I do like the soy substitutes, especially the sausage. I just have no idea where to start with actual vegetables. I've gone as far as buying them, but usually end up feeding them to my guinea pig. He's a great little garbage disposal

About the vegetables, I often find it's all in how you prepare them. One good thing to try if you don't like them is cauliflower. I bet you are thinking "gross!" but if you cook the cauliflower in low fat chicken stock, then take the cauliflower out, puree it, add a little stock back in to make it the consistency of mashed potatoes. Then you can add a little salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. I swear you will think you are eating mashed potatoes.

Squash is also good if roasted with a little olive oil at 400 degrees. It almost caramelizes. Adding a bit of healthy fat to a vegetable and roasting it makes the taste so much better.

Good luck with getting back to lifting. I always tell myself, it doesn't matter what I do, I just need to move my body! Walking, biking, lifting, water aerobics, anything that gets your body moving and you'll soon be on your way!