Starting Exercise while very out of shape:(

[TAYBIZ]

What is the best way to go about starting an exercise program when you are very very out of shape and over weight? Its hard to do 5 minutes and I dont want to get discouraged but its very hard:( has anyone started and had a very hard time in the begining? It would be amazing to hear some positive stories and things that help pull someone esle through the start!!!!!

 

Thank you in advance for any suggestions and for taking the time to read my post.

[Keenly]

I started a few few weeks ago, right around valentines day.

 

I don't know if I qualify as overweight. I'm built pretty wide as it is, 5'11 and 200 lbs but the problem was is I was extremely out of shape cardio wise. I could barely make it up the stairs without getting winded.

 

 

The eliptical is your friend. It's a lot easier on the lungs but harder on the legs, get ready for that. Also, I read on the interwebs that if you build a little bit of muscle before you start doing running and other strenuous things, the increased muscle mass will help burn calories faster.

 

Is it true? Hell if I know. Do I see any results so far? I can feel it in my arms, but not on the scale or in the mirror. What I can definitely feel is the increased confidence and general good mood. Use that as your motivation, that while it will feel like crap while you are doing it, in 2-3 weeks you are going to feel fantastic.

 

Sorry that that is all I could offer.

[Toddbt12y1]

First, I would do cardio, until my weight was under-control. This will actually help your muscle development(asuming you'll lift weights), appearance-wise, look better.

 

Set reasonable goals. Keep a list, or a journel of your work-outs, and what you are capable of doing. See by-weekly, or bi-weekly, if you can up your previous goals. Say you ran for 1 mile....

 

Next week see if you can run for 1.5 miles. If you cannot do a mile at first, and you may not be able too(who knows?), try to run(jogging is better then running for fat loss), .5 mile. Set goals that are within your range, and accomplish them, this builds your confidence and later helps with reaching higher goals.

 

Of course, eat healthy, to help keep your muscles full of good healthy nutrition: this will keep your muscles up, when you do any exercise; as well as stop cravings. (that is extra info, and I wouldn't eat past 7:00. Divide your meals into smaller portions)...

 

You can do a form of cardio with weights...Lower the weight, and do more reps, this will help burn fat. Do pushups, they are great for tonning the pecs: if you can only do three pushups, do three. Always try to one-up, or two-up, or however much you feel comfortable with, yourself.

 

Good luck!

[TAYBIZ]

Thank you both very much!!! I will start a journal to trck progress and keep it up adding as much as I can to the next day..... I will definiately keep coming back here to read all of the positive posts and great advice....

[ooglesnboogles]

On top of exercising more, one thing I did when I started losing weight was take away all the things I was using as crutches. For example, when I got out of chairs I stood using my legs instead of pushing on the armrests. Same thing when standing up from the ground (I get down there to pet my dog); now I get myself to one knee and stand up. I've noticed that it makes a difference in the muscles in my legs and also that I can use that as a good meterstick to see my progress. When I first started, I had to lean forward and basically rock myself out of my chair because my leg muscles were so weak. Now, I can basically leap out of it.

Another benefit, it keeps you constantly thinking about losing more weight/focusing on workouts/making progress.

 

You can also stand while doing things (I find myself standing and watching TV when I feel like I have energy but don't want to workout =P ) as it burns slightly more calories than sitting.

 

Most people probably wouldn't recommend this, but it worked for me so I'll toss it out there: I started off by setting very loose goals for myself. I didn't declare that I'd work out 5 days a week, or even 4 days. I didn't give up soda (which was a major cause of my bad shape). But in doing that, I managed to see small decreases in weight for very little effort. I realized that if I put in just a little more effort, I'd do even better. So I did. All I needed was some personal, concrete evidence that I could actually lose the weight. Knowing that really helped me stay motivated and stay convinced that I was on the right track.

 

I was very out of shape when I started and really did not like the way I looked. I had a big gut, fat fingers/wrists, no neck-head definition, etc. I've been eating much better, working out some, and things are going great. I finally hit the weight goal I originally set for myself (200lbs) and I feel like I can do so much more than I could before.

So keep at it! It will pay off and it will feel great!

[tman666]

If you are very overweight, I would recommend that you do not run yet. Running is pretty hard on your joints, and if you are carrying a lot of extra fat, this could lead to injuries and inflammation, both of which aren't conducive to improving athletic performance or losing fat.

 

My advice is to start slowly with low-impact activities. As Keenly mentioned before, an elliptical machine is an example of something that's fairly low impact. Walking is good. Swimming is good.

 

I would also recommend that you start some form of resistance training. At this point, you're probably not ready to dive into any sort of heavy lifting, but putting on muscle mass will not only help you perform better, but it will help you look better, plus, muscle is more metabolically expensive. This means that the more muscle you have, the more calories your body uses.

 

If you are unsure on how to begin strength training, it would be to your benefit to hire a qualified personal trainer. Eventually, you will be able to ween yourself off of their guidance and self-direct your workouts. However, in the beginning, having someone show you the ropes can help you stay safe, get a more effective workout, and build confidence.

 

Regarding diet, one big mistake that a lot of people who are trying to lose fat make is not eating enough and/or dropping calories too quickly.

 

I recommend that you keep a food log for a week or two to visualize what you're eating and how much. Read the label on everything you eat. How much salt does it contain? What is the food's macronutrient profile (how many grams of fat, carbs, and proteins)?

 

As much as I LOL at the name, "Paleo" nutrition is probably the best all around dietary style that I've seen for someone who not only wants to look good and feel good, but also support an active lifestyle.

 

Fitness is a lifestyle, not a temporary fix. If you approach exercise and nutrition as a temporary endeavor, you'll ultimately be back where you are now. However, if you make small, incremental changes and are consistent (permanent) with their application over time, you'll find that these small changes add up to big results over time.

[tman666]

Most people probably wouldn't recommend this, but it worked for me so I'll toss it out there: I started off by setting very loose goals for myself. I didn't declare that I'd work out 5 days a week, or even 4 days. I didn't give up soda (which was a major cause of my bad shape). But in doing that, I managed to see small decreases in weight for very little effort. I realized that if I put in just a little more effort, I'd do even better. So I did. All I needed was some personal, concrete evidence that I could actually lose the weight. Knowing that really helped me stay motivated and stay convinced that I was on the right track.

 

 

On the contrary, I think what you did was smart. You made small changes over time and progressed at a rate that felt comfortable to you. By consistently pushing your comfort zone and abilities, yet not setting the bar so high that reaching your goal was unattainable, you allowed yourself to make continual progress.

 

Kudos.

[SmileFace]

I lost over over 80 pounds by just walking and cutting cals.

I lived in the city and walked about 4 mile min. a day.

I didn't exercise until I was no longer obese.

 

However I am not sure of your weight but if you are just out of shape and not obese... you need to start some where.

[amazingdrummer]

If you are very overweighted, you may lose weight pretty fast and easily just by adjusting your diet. After losing your extra fat, you can start doing exercise to re-shape your body.

[velvetunderground]

One of the biggest reasons people stop their fitness program is that they try to do too much too soon. The two most important things are 1. consistency and 2. progression. (i'm talking about exercise here, not food. Research shows people who make drastic food changes actually tend to be most successful.) Walking is the absolute perfect place to start. Just make sure each time you go out you walk just a little more, a little more, a little more. Then once you have your distance, go just a little faster, a little faster, a little faster.

 

You can start running whenever you feel like it. But remember NO ONE can run for long when they first start. Even people in very good shape if they're non-runners. Just jog a few steps to start off with. Do that a few times throughout your normal walk. Then each time you go for your walk, jog a few steps more at a time.

 

If you want to join a gym and start training with weights, etc. go ahead whenever you want to. People often want to lose some weight before joining a gym but there is no reason to do so.

 

You'll be amazed at how quickly your fitness improves when you feel like you're not really doing anything much more each time you go out.

 

Just another note: don't worry if you can only go for a five-minute walk to start off with. If you add only 30 seconds each time you go out, and if you go out five times a week, then you'll have doubled your time in two weeks.

 

and another: To be successful at weight loss, diet is the key. Exercise is great for your overall health and eventually fitness, but it's not what brings about real weight loss.

Edited March 5, 2013 by velvetunderground

[FitChick]

Walking is free.

[todreaminblue]

What is the best way to go about starting an exercise program when you are very very out of shape and over weight? Its hard to do 5 minutes and I dont want to get discouraged but its very hard:( has anyone started and had a very hard time in the begining? It would be amazing to hear some positive stories and things that help pull someone esle through the start!!!!!

 

Thank you in advance for any suggestions and for taking the time to read my post.

 

 

when i started exercising it was after years of inactivity and seclusion, i was on medication that made ti very hard fro me to exercise so i just didnt.....i started with walking......i am still overweight but fitter, i can walk long distances.......i do gym three to four times a week most weeks and i have a personal trainer i am prone to injuring myself.......i can do one hundred crunches.......i couldnt do five before....i actually have issues at the moment wont go into it because that wasnt the question.......gentle walking.....is my advice......build up ....dont push your body to exhaustion push it to where you are sore......but able to do it again the next day without sustaining injury to work out with....i shoudl listen but i wont...........walk an incline walk......walk at night when its cooler.......bring a buddy.......use music to gently warm up by stretching and slow long movements...before you walk, increase the distance and or pace as you get fitter then think about cross training...deb

[Feelin Frisky]

What is the best way to go about starting an exercise program when you are very very out of shape and over weight? Its hard to do 5 minutes and I dont want to get discouraged but its very hard:( has anyone started and had a very hard time in the begining? It would be amazing to hear some positive stories and things that help pull someone esle through the start!!!!!

 

Thank you in advance for any suggestions and for taking the time to read my post.

 

Don't risk yourself with any cardio or weightlifting until you've lost some pounds and brought your stamina up. Do that by walking and cutting out any recreational eating. Increase your walking distance and speed until you can do at least three to six miles. By then you'll be ready to start pushing yourself some more. If you can go to a gym, start doing some light activity--nothing that will strain your groin or cause your heart rate to go nuts. Get good rest and nutrition and take it slow but don't give up. And consider that it takes just a couple of weeks to acclimate to the new life-style of increased activity and decreased empty calories. Stationary bike is better than running to increase your heart rate if you're heavy because you won't be having the impact of hitting the pavement that comes with running.

[dichotomy]

I was really out of shape 3 years ago and I agree with many of the others - walking and diet.

 

But I would add simple dumbel weight workouts as well. Weight lifting has been shown to help accelerate weight loss. When I committed to working out I started with 15-20 mins of weight lifting, followed by 15-20 mins of walking. Walking was slow at first, then faster. I used a heart rate monitor to keep my heart rate in the fat loss zone and not over do it.

 

When you get good enough that you can walk fast for 30-45 mins at at a good pace, make the weight lifting on alternate days - walk, lift, walk, lift. Hopefully you can then begin to add bouts of jogging into your fast walking...

Edited March 6, 2013 by dichotomy