What are some good ways to lose weight? Can an overweight person learn to swim?

[extremis]

I need to lose weight as I am overweight, I am 200 pounds. The main problem is I cannot exercise. If I go on a treadmill or other gym equipment I get bored after five minutes and get off. What are some other tips to maybe lose weight

 

 

I have been hearing that swimming is a great way to lose weight. I am considering learning to swim but the problem I have is since I am overweight will I be able to float and stay straight in the water like other people do? Also I am 23 years old

[amaysngrace]

Nobody enjoys working out so play some music when you do and it will be fun!

[dichotomy]

Some fat is good for swimming. I remember when I got down to my thiniest and most muscualr a few years ago - I actually had to work harder to stay affloat. However while simming is great for muscles, and cardiovascular improvement, and the joints, its not usually the exercise of choice for weight loss.

 

When I got back into working out and was very overweight and out of shape - walking briskly and some light weight lifting was the ticket along with diet. Walking briskly - a little weight lifting - and diet for out of shape beginners. As someone mentioned get some music, or watch some videos or TV while on the treadmill. Watch your target heart rates.

Edited January 1, 2015 by dichotomy

[Robert Z]

I need to lose weight as I am overweight, I am 200 pounds. The main problem is I cannot exercise. If I go on a treadmill or other gym equipment I get bored after five minutes and get off. What are some other tips to maybe lose weight

 

 

I have been hearing that swimming is a great way to lose weight. I am considering learning to swim but the problem I have is since I am overweight will I be able to float and stay straight in the water like other people do? Also I am 23 years old

 

Weight is controlled primarily through diet. You need to make permanent changes in your eating habits. No amount of exercise for the average person can undo a bad diet. It takes a very hard workout to burn off the calories from one hamburger. You would be on that treadmill for at least two hours.

 

Eat natural and not processed foods. That is an excellent beginning and you will almost certainly begin to lose weight. From there, the reason you gain weight or can't lose weight is that you are eating too many calories [assuming you are otherwise healthy]. There is no magic to it. Eat well and count your calories. Exercise to stay fit and healthy.

Edited January 1, 2015 by Robert Z

[thefooloftheyear]

First off, see your doctor and get a comprehensive exam and bloodwork...Certain glandular/hormonal conditions will make it almost impossible to lose weight no matter what you do.. So get that in order first...

 

Then....

 

Lift weights.....Ive been beating the drum for decades-men and women...Its finally getting out there that low impact cardio activity, while better than nothing, doesnt hold a candle to a serious weight training regimen for overall fitness and body composition..

 

Once your body develops a base of muscle(dont worry, you wont look like a Soviet powerlifter), you will find that weight(in fat) just starts peeling off....Because it takes more food before you lift a finger to support your newly developed muscle mass, you dont need to be as strict on your diet, which helps one stay with it...Sure, mix in some cardio as well, but start a weight training regimen...

 

Also, rather than a treadmill, if you get bored easily, try a spinning or Zumba/dance class...Its vigorous and more fun...

 

 

Good luck

 

TFY

Edited January 1, 2015 by thefooloftheyear

[austyre]

see doctor for health issues change diet want to do something active ride a bike for a mile or 2 on daily basis great form of cardio probable easiest exercise for anyone heavy:cool:

[FitChick]

Get in your car and make a note, using your odometer, on where one mile away from your home is. Then start walking there and back. That will be a two mile walk. If you can't do that far now, go halfway and back. You will eventually increase your stamina. It's less boring than being on a treadmill because you are looking at the scenery, shops, traffic, seeing neighbors, etc.

 

I realized years ago that most of my weekend errands were two miles away or less. So I started planning walks based around that.

 

Eat less crap and get more sleep.

 

Using sparkpeople.com or similar calorie tracking sites, track your calories. People eat more than they think.

[Danda]

Working out is boring, for sure, but that's why I do it on my own (as opposed to a gym). Music is always nice, but I also have a treadmill in the basement and just put my laptop on a shelving unit in front of it. Not only is it less boring, but stand up comedy and interesting documentaries help me forget that I feel like I'm dying. Then I also tend to be obsessed with numbers, sort of an OCD kinda thing maybe. I love making charts, lists, calculating various things, etc. The math makes it very engaging for me. I like to look up calories per 1 minute of squats, time it, do the math, have a special chart just for calories burned via squats. My binder is full of all sorts of charts and progress lists, data records on calories taken, micro-nutrients, calories burned, different charts for different methods. Measurements, etc. Of course this sort of thing has to be kept healthy, but my point is that you've gotta figure out what engages you and makes you tick.

 

I have also found it best to focus on many short-term goals as opposed to one long-term goal.

[wish-i-knew]

I need to lose weight as I am overweight, I am 200 pounds. The main problem is I cannot exercise. If I go on a treadmill or other gym equipment I get bored after five minutes and get off. What are some other tips to maybe lose weight

 

 

I have been hearing that swimming is a great way to lose weight. I am considering learning to swim but the problem I have is since I am overweight will I be able to float and stay straight in the water like other people do? Also I am 23 years old

 

 

 

Good on you for making the choice to lose weight!!

 

The most important thing is to be in that head space, where you really want to achieve your goal.

 

Your questions are all about exercise, which whilst important for overall fitness, is only a very small part of the weight loss equation. I have read somewhere that weight loss is 80% diet, 20% exercise.

 

So, as others have suggested, firstly you need to look at your diet. An effective way to do this is to record EVERYTHING you eat and drink into a 'food diary'. This will allow you to see exactly how many calories you are consuming per day. It will also show you what foods are calorie intensive with very little nutritional value. They are the foods you need to eliminate from your diet. Typically this will be processed products with very high sugar content.

 

There is lots of information available on line about food diaries and counting calories. Not saying you have to do this forever, but it will help you understand the food you are eating, and ultimately help you make wiser decisions about what to eat. So it is a great way to help you start eating healthier.

 

Also, if you decide to see a nutritionist for specific help, having a food diary will help them to help you.

 

I agree with you 100% that some gym equipment can be very boring. Others have already given you great tips for exercise alternatives. Walking is a great starter. And you can listen to upbeat music which will help you set a brisk pace.

 

Weight training was suggested by thefooloftheyear. This is also a very important element in weight loss. You may not initially lose weight on the scales [because muscle is heavier than fat], but once you start some weight training you will lose inches off your body!

 

Of course, as others have suggested, do all the medical checks first.

 

Best of luck to you!

 

You can do this!!!

[Danda]

Oh and if you love the water and have access to a heated pool, you water aerobics can be very helpful, for sure, doesn't matter how much you weigh. The water serves as resistance to every movement you make, but if you're a water person, swimming around in a heated pool feels more like R&R than hitting the gym probably would. One of my grandmothers paid for access to a heated pool and also water aerobics classes while she was slimming down, in addition to a healthier diet. She absolutely loved it and it did help her, especially because it's gentler on joints.

[FitChick]

I used to know a woman who kept trying one crazy diet after another only to go back to her old ways of overeating. She loved swimming and finally, after years of being too embarrassed to be seen in a bathing suit, said screw this, I'm going to enjoy myself. She went to the local Y after work almost every single evening. She could barely finish one lap the first time. She kept building up her endurance. She'd come home exhausted and often would fall into bed, skipping dinner. She wound up losing fifty pounds.