Exercise

  • I'm a big girl and even though I have lost almost 100 lbs I still have trouble even walking for more then ten minutes. I'm pretty much limited to what I can do at home. What kind of exercise do you all do?
  • Swimming!! Swimming!! If u r having a hard time with walking then swimming laps is the best choice to relieve stress off your knees.
  • Congrats on your huge weight loss already!!! There are lots of lower intensity workouts you can do at home. Just look online, and youtube has workouts, too. I go to the gym, so my workout probably won't be helpful for you. I lift weights and do cardio machines, and exercise outside some by kayaking, swimming, hiking, etcetera. But I say get some hand weights and some ankle weights and do some mat exercises and some stretching, and if you can, walk around the neighborhood. Even if at first your stamina is not good, it will improve quickly. You just need time to develop fitness. Your heart is a muscle, and you have to work it to make it stronger. If it takes doing a ten minute walk, do it. Then when that is easy, do 15 minutes. Repeat with longer/harder sessions, and voila! You are a fitness buff!
  • I agree with all that brands says. Though if you don't want to walk, don't worry. You can afford to wait until you have less weight to carry around.

    Look into pilates exercises which you can do at home. They will work on your core strength. This is very good. Most of the exercises can be done lying down. so you just want a nice mat to work on. I'd suggest getting a book. I find it easier to work from books than the computer.

    If you don't want to walk, try dancing at home. You could try learning some dance moves from video. Try learning some zumba moves and when you are thinner and fitter and want to do it in a class you will find it easier and more fun if you already know the steps.

    House work. Lots of window cleaning, vacuuming, sweeping, gardening - raking, picking up stuff. Carrying things about. All of that will build some muscle and increase your fitness.
  • lilturtle you can walk for 10 minutes! Good for you! Now can you walk your 10 minutes a few times a day? I did not exercise much at a time when I started. I just did it more times through out the day.
    We have a May Moving thread, feel free to jump in and committ to as many minutes as you feel comfortable doing.
  • Congrats on the loss!
    For exercise I do a 45 minute 3 mile power walk video by Leslie sansone that I find on youtube (I take a 30sec-1 min break every 12-15 minutes depending on how my back feels). I use 5 lb weights during that walk whenever she uses handweights. After that I do 20 minutes of yoga, mainly to stretch out my muscles.
  • I have massive problems having the energy for any exercise. Congrats on your ten minutes!
  • Lilturtle, I know swimming is the recommendation of lots of people. Me, I have trouble--still--both getting in and out of the pool and being in a bathing suit in public. So, I stick with things I can do with privacy.

    When I was at about 330 and found walking pretty challenging, I got myself some DVDs. "Yoga for the rest of us" was very helpful--it was modified enough that I could actually do most of it. I also got "Dance It Off" from Prevention, which has 10-minute or less long segments. At first I could only do the 5-minute warm up.

    I still do DVDs pretty often, when I'm on plan. I've added much higher intensity things now, including kickboxing (Jillian Michaels), cardio salsa, and Weight Loss Yoga (Biggest Loser). I can do them on my schedule regardless of weather. But with persistence my mobility has improved, so when weather permits I also walk outdoors.

    Hang in there. Keep doing what you can do, work hard to avoid injury, and I hope you'll have the happy experience I have of suddenly finding you can do more and it feels good.
  • I just started a chair exercise routine I found on youtube (I like youtube cuz its free). It has two people, one a trainer and the other person is a gentleman who used to weigh 600+ lbs and is in the 400s at the time of the first video. I find it vigorous yet appropriate for very heavy people (like me) and there are 4 or 5 other videos for as you advance. It's called "Seated Exercise for Obesity and Limited Mobility - Stage.1 Ep.1"

    I haven't worked my way up to later videos yet, I just started using water bottles as weights for this one, but I will when I get more fit.
  • First of all ...WOW.. you totally rock.. Congrats on the weight you've lost so far!!

    I have issues that make exercise standing up hard...I keep a chair in the room. Got the bike pedals and do that to music or tv.... when I can stand for a bit I dance.

    Got Pandora on the TV and I made some oldie stations and have mad up my own lil richard simmons kind of sweating to the oldies when I have to sit down I do and then get up when I can and go on with it

    the youtube video that lostbuttrying mentioned is one I love as well. Seeing someone who is my size exercising is more motivating for me and the exercises make a good workout.

    My kn knees scream at me allot but i'm hoping that when i have lost more my knees will hurt less and less
  • Hey! Congratulations on the loss already that is Amazeballs!!!!

    I agree with a lot of what was said above, swimming is low impact and easier on the joints so it's a good one, there are even some places that offer areobics in the water for heavier people that are really good. The water both helps lift the weight off your joints AND adds resistance so that's double awesome.

    Chair exercises is a great way to go too!

    If you are able to walk 10 mins comfortably, then keep that up... but if 10 is your MAX before the pain/exhaustion sets in, I would suggest cutting it down to 5 and couple it with something else like chair exercises (Thank you Youtube). It's not good to push yourself to the MAX every time, let your body get there in it's own time.. pushing yourself too hard can result in injuries and setbacks in your progress.

    You got this!!!
  • I have been doing tabata. They are 4.5 minute circuit training sessions. If there is an exercise I can't do I modify to what I can. I usually do 2 a day. 10 minutes is awesome and 100 times better than nothing! Congratulations on your weight loss! You are a rockstar!!!!!
  • I second the swimming. Great cardio but less stress on your body.