I really do and I dont remember it being easier or more enjoyable when I was smaller but I wonder... Does it get easier as you lose? Really?
Does it get more enjoyable and how much do you think it helped you?
What exercise do you do and what has worked best?
Do any of you have arthritis in the knees and whatworked best for you?
Yes I will exercise, I just wonder if there will come a time I dont want to moan and groan cause of it?
My body is a mess and even after losing so many pounds, exercise hurts me and I HATE it! BUT, in order for me to maintain my weightloss, I have to exercise. You can lose the weight by RNY, but maintaining that weightloss is a whole new ballgame. And exercise, unfortunately, is a big part of that. LOL!! Do what you can, now! Later on you may still hate to exercise, but you will be able to do it more easily because it is easier to move less bulk. I had to climb a bunch of steps this weekend and man did it just about kill me. I think about the show "Ruby" where she had to climb all of those steps to get to the top of the bridge. Hundred of steps, when she weighed over 300 pounds. Well, if she can do it than we can do it! My legs, knees, and back burned after a few flights, but hundreds!!!! I walk, mostly, because it is less stress on my back, hips and artificial knee. I've got a lot of deformed joints and arthritic pain, but I sit I get stiff and I need to expend my calories. I'm 58 y/o and I need to raise my heart rate for heart health. YOU CAN DO IT!!!
I love exercise. I really do. And YES, I have found it does get easier. I most love exercise because it is controllable and because our bodies respond to it in direct correlation to what we put in, unlike weight loss. The scale rarely reflects my efforts, but my blood pressure and my heart rate and my fitness levels respond with amazing speed. My body really likes exercise.
I recommend starting where you are, wherever that is, and measure it in some way, whether it be in minutes or speed. And keep track of perceived effort. It's truly amazing how quickly we adapt. So maybe the first day you can walk 10 minutes. Do that for one week and then increase it by two more minutes. Once you're up to 20 minutes, maybe increase the speed. Eventually that will get too easy and you can add strength training while keeping up with the walking routine. Set small goals and allow yourself to be elated when you accomplish them!!
My husband wants to run and he set out to run one mile. I urged him to change his goal to a half mile his first time out. He did and was glad he changed it before setting out because when he could only do a half mile he was still proud of himself instead of feeling like a failure for not being able to do the whole mile. This way, he's still motivated, he knows where he stands and he know what he needs to do to move forward. Had he set the goal too high at one mile, I'm pretty sure he'd have thrown up his hands and quit.
I started out this time around with the Wii Fit, but I'm not a big fan. Still, it got me up and moving and motivated. Then I got back to my old faithful, the elliptical machine. From there I started doing Spin Cycle classes at our gym and swimming laps in the pool and lifting weights and just this week I added running and Yoga. (See, I love exercise!)
That sounds like a lot, and it is!! But just like kindergartners can't fathom sixth grade, they're always ready by the time they get there.
...and now I see I'm in the wrong forum!! Whoops! I thought I clicked on "Weight loss support". Ah well, hopefully it's still good advice. Best of luck to you!!
I haven't had weight loss surgery so I hope it's okay if I chime in with my 2 cents....
I think some of us just aren't ever going to love exercise. I am one of those people who has never been athletic or even loved to be outside in nature. I am sedentary by nature. Prefer reading a book in the library any day over a bike ride in the park. Having said that....
I think we can get to the point where we don't mind exercising. That's progress for me. I don't mind going to my water aerobics class. The time passes by quickly (45 min, 3x a week) and I enjoy the instructor. She challenges me so I don't get bored. I feel better afte exercising. My body feels more limber and it usually helps my aches and pains from arthritis (knees) and bursitis (hip and shoulder). I know losing weight has been helpful in alleviating some of the chronic stiffness I used to feel but I also know regular exercise keeps me in a good place too.
And, yes, it does get easier as you drop weight.
Just make it your goal to keep trying different things until you find something that clicks for you. You may never get that endorphin high that some people get or maybe you will. Maybe you'll be like me and find something you don't mind doing.
Anyway, that's my experience and I hope it helps to hear from someone who feels very much like you do.
I started both dieting and exercising on the first day of my weight loss journey. I was very out of shape. It was a struggle for me to do 5 minutes walking on the treadmill. I now can do an hour walking easy. I have been doing to the couch to 5k program to start running on the treadmill. My point is that exercise does get easier. The stair stepper machine was so painful when I first used it. I could only last maybe 8 minutes. Now I can do an hour on it easy as well.
It takes time for your body to adjust, but if you are consistent you will be able to do more and more. It will get easier and easier. Some days I love exercising and other days I hate it. But, I really do like the benefits that come from it. My health has improved a LOT. I am no longer pre-diabetic or pre-hypertension. And, I have lost 52lbs. I don't think I could have done all that with dieting alone. Right now I am loving exercise, really loving it. I like the way it makes me feel. I used to think it was silly when people claimed exercise helped depression and made you feel better. I now know it's true. I feel great after exercising. There are still some days I would rather sit on the couch all day, but for the most part I like exercising.
Last edited by Asherdoodles87; 05-03-2010 at 11:22 AM.
I love to exercise but can understand your reluctance. When I was 300 lbs. my knees and feet definitely hurt, my belly got in the way, etc. I started out with real gentle exercises such as the dvd YMCA's Back Exercises, dvds that concentrated just on stretching. My theory was if I couldn't stretch than I couldn't manage to exercise properly. For cardio I did bicycles laying on my back.
I also got a step and used it during commercials on television. It worked with my diet until I was able to do the beginners dvds that are out there.
I just was at the site Collage and watched a pilates dvd for big women which I think you could do. You get to sample the dvds before you buy them so this might be a way to get the appropriate dvd for yourself. Don't push yourself too hard to where you sweating and doing the exercise improperly; your not doing yourself any good or building up any endurance. Be gentle with yourself and build yourself up slowly. Once a week, challenge yourself.
I'm proud of you. I know how hard you are working. It's not easy. You have taken on the the challenge of a better life for yourself. I am glad that you have. Good luck.
I hate to excersize too, really hate it. BUT I started gardening, and i keep my bottled waters in the fridge downstairs, and other things i use often during the day. that way i have to go up and down the stairs more. I got a WII fit, and only play the games i truely think are fun. (hula hoop is alot of fun for me) My husband and I started taking swing dancing lessons. I try and make sure we do active outings, like go to the zoo or walk a flea market. this is all way more excersize than I used to do.
Exercise can be fun. I chose to participate in classes at the local YMCA because doing group keeps me focused & motivated. I really did hate it 8 months ago when I started and I was SO sore . But I kept with it and now I do 7 classes per week - 2 cardio/sculpt, 2 Zumba and 3 strength training. I especially enjoy Zumba and step boxing.
I also walk 2 miles per day. Because of all this, I've lost 33 Lbs. and feel much better. And it does get easier . When I started, I jumped in with both feet and tried to do it all. Big mistake! I was so sore I thought I'd die!!
So don't get discouraged. Experiment and find what you like and stay with it and be consistant and you will see results and be pleased.
Yes, exercise does help! And it will reshape your body. As long as you keep it consistent, one day you'll crave it on most days. I have one bum knee and I started with strength training and walking (leslie sansone tapes). Some days I like strength better because the results can be encouraging, sometimes m endorphins make me like cardio, and some days I'm not in the mood for any of it but I know I need to do it. Try to find something fun to do to exercise. I know 80 pounds ago, I started with 15 minutes of exercise and 3 pound weights. After working at it, I was able to move up on weights and would routinely do 45 minutes. Yes, you will get better! You can do it!
I hate exercise, but I love the way it makes me feel. I started walking while in the hospital after my surgery. I had gastric sleeve four months ago. When I got home I walked everyday even if it was just up the road a bit. Now I walk two miles a day during the week and four miles on the weekend days. I have also begun strength training. I would so much rather do cardio than weights. I have no upper body strength so it's hard for me to do a lot of the upper body exercises. But I am sticking with it! I can't wait until I feel like I can tackle Zumba!
This is one of my big goals with weight loss. Right now my exercises are pretty limited to stuff i can do while sitting or partially sitting due to my back. I can stand up for about 6.5 minutes before the pain in my lower back becomes noticeable, and at 9 minutes it's very bad, and at 12 minutes it's unbearable (shaking from pain) and i have to sit down.
I used to be active, and i'm hoping that shedding weight will put pressure off my back to the point where i can walk around the mall for an hour without needing to sit down between each brief store trip. =/
-couldn't walk the parking lot without being winded
-feet ached ALL of the time
-I hated exercising and figured even if I were thin I would despise it
-couldn't do more than 5 min. on the elliptical without feeling like I would pass out
Truthfully, I had no idea just how much pain my body was in until I began to lose weight and feel better.
Now, I'm still no where close to my ideal weight range. But I can walk 4 miles non stop. And I've even started including interval jogging in the mix. Jogging! Shocked the daylights out of myself.
Do I enjoy it? I enjoy being able to move my body without pain. I enjoy being more capable instead of disabled. I enjoy being outdoors more than I used to (I no longer sweat the minute it gets over 70 degrees). I don't think walking for four miles is the most fun thing ever. But I enjoy all of this other stuff that comes with it... I enjoy feeling stronger and healthier. And I find myself wondering if I've been an athlete stuck in a fat body, convincing myself that I hated exercise when it was really just my inability to do it speaking.
I echo the other suggestions - start small. Try to find something that is tolerable to you. Don't expect yourself to love anything... but be patient and consistent and you never know what you'll find yourself growing to like
I am now doijng 30 mins in the pool 5 days a week, it is hard partly because I am COLD all the time but they say being cold burns more calories, my BF joined Golds gym with me and we work out late at night right now cause of his work and it is just easier with him there. I hurt a lot but I am trying to up my protein intake and I have lost so much and I know I will lose more muscle is I DONT workout and feel even worse so I do it.
Thanks for the advice.
I used to hate exercise too. As a fat child, I was slower and clumsier than everybody else, and I was laughed at constantly. It was uncomfortable to do because of my size. Of course I hated it! Why wouldn't I?
Imagine my amazement when I discovered that I enjoy moving my body! Would I have ever seen myself buying dumbbells, let alone using them? Getting up at 4am so I can be sure to get my workout done? Sure -- about like I would have pictured myself being asked to pose for Playboy!
But I LOVE it. (Playboy never did call...)
I agree, some people never will enjoy it; too many negative memories. But keep an open mind as you do it, and who knows? You may come home from a walk feeling energetic and happy and full of life -- those great endorphins!
There are so many options -- I started with daily walks outdoors. Now my preferred method is my library of exercise videos -- cardio, weights, Pilates, yoga, dance -- I just love to move my body. You might look into water aerobics, or Curves for Women, or just getting a walking buddy to begin with. Find something you don't mind doing too much -- and then do it with all your heart.
Challenge yourself -- do all you can, and maybe just a little bit more!
Congratulations on making the commitment to exercise! Now commit to keeping an open mind -- there might be a Fitness Diva living inside who you never knew about!
Man I hate to exercise (some questions)
I really do. And YES, I have found it does get easier. I most love exercise because it is controllable and because our bodies respond to it in direct correlation to what we put in, unlike weight loss. The scale rarely reflects my efforts, but my blood pressure and my heart rate and my fitness levels respond with amazing speed. My body really likes exercise.
. But I kept with it and now I do 7 classes per week - 2 cardio/sculpt, 2 Zumba and 3 strength training. I especially enjoy Zumba and step boxing.
. When I started, I jumped in with both feet and tried to do it all. Big mistake! I was so sore I thought I'd die!!
