Exercise plan for the completely unfit

[ColdFeetWarmHeart]

I desperately want to get fit. I also have quite a bit of weight to lose, but I am trying to tackle that with diet mainly. I want to exercise along side the dieting, but am realistic in thinking that the amount of exercise I am able to do isn't going to have much effect on my weight.

I am active during the day in regards to on my feet doing housework etc. Work in the afternoons/evenings in an office, so barely move at all for these 6 hours. I haven't done any regular exercise for about 11 years really, since I passed my driving test and stopped walking home from school/work. Every so often I will start a get fit plan, but haven't even done that for about 2 years. The last thing I tried was Tae Bo / Jillian Michaels 20 day shred about 2 years ago.
I got on the elliptical trainer last week for 5 minutes and it damn near killed me. The muscles on the front of my thighs were just burning and I really struggled to move!!

So, where do I start? I want to do something that can easily be done in my living room that DD can join in and do with me (she's nearly 3) or I can get on and do while DD is having a tea party in the corner. Also, if I plan to do something that I can get on with in my living room or garden, I am less likely to make excuses like its too hot, or its pouring with rain!!

What is the best exercise to start with? Do I aim to exercise for longer each time, or quicken the pace as it were?

[Jo4040]

Start with a Wiibfit game if possible, its fun for you and your DC and its really easy. Also a 'rebound' trampoline is great for gentle exercise. Research it along with the different moves that can be brought into it. A rebound trampoline is only small and you can do it whilst watching telly.

[ColdFeetWarmHeart]

Thats a good idea. Thanks Jo I didn't think of that, and we have a wii and wiifit! I haven't done it regularly for a while - it hasn't been set up properly since we moved. will have to sort that out.

i have thought about a rebound trampoline before - i want to get into a routine of exercising though before I spend anymore money on equipment.

[Jo4040]

I used a second hand 'normal' trampoline. My brother has the proper rebound one tho. And the difference is the rebound one isn't as springy.

[CadiM]

Fitness Blender have hundreds of free workouts on their site and have downloadable programmes, for about £5, which tell you which workouts to do each day so you don't end up doing the same thing over and over again. There's one for beginners here, via Lulu. Only equipment you might need are dumbells (I got a cheap set from Argos) but you can improvise with bottles of water etc. I'm a big fan of theirs and I have rather marvellous arms now .

[KanyesVest]

I was in your position two years ago! I started in a local sports centre bootcamp and 30 day shred if I missed a class/felt very enthusiastic. I also started moving more in little ways, eg walking to nursery, local shops, playground, etc whenever I could.

You're right about weight loss coming more from a better eating plan, but exercise will help you tone up, feel better about your body as you get strong/fit, and it really can help dampen your appetite!

Best of luck with it, I'm delighted with my life changes.

[antimatter]

Start with walking.10K steps a day os very good goal to start with.
Find easy streching routine.
Combine both daily.
Once you do 30-45 days of that you'll see if you are ready for harder exercises.

[babybouncer]

I know you said inside exercise, but I've just done the couch to 5k podcasts (also available as an app, both from Change For Life) and they have been fantastic for me. I always said I could never run and I thought I would hate it (I only started it to prove I wasn't a runner!), but it makes it very easy and starts at a very 'unfit' level. The idea is that you go out for three 'runs' a week for nine weeks and the first one has you running for around a minute at a time while by the end you are running for 30 minutes and there is a lovely woman called Laura who talks you through everything. The reason why I suggest it is because it takes less than half an hour (until the last couple of weeks) and is straight from your door so I found it incredibly easy to fit the three runs in. I've also considered taking DD out with me on her little balance bike - it might be a bit slower, but she'd love being involved.

The steps is also a good one - I've started wearing a pedometer and average between 5500 and 8500 a day, not including runs - because you want to get the numbers up it makes you just move more.

Good luck!

[Tricycletops]

Wii Fit can be pretty good if you stick to the more active bits - so boxing, step, Rhythm Parade rather than the sitting looking at a candle game! I was incredibly unfit last year after my DD was born and Wii Fit and walking were what got me started exercising again.

The 30 Day Shred is pretty amazing too and can be done in your living room.

[ColdFeetWarmHeart]

Thanks everyone. Got a pretty busy weekend ahead (annual family get together) but hopefully peace shall reign from mid-afternoon on Sunday. I shall instruct DH to set up the Wii properly then. I did regularly do the boxing, step and rhythm parade on there; will do those again, and the free running.

Will start off with that, and then I really would like to push myself to do the couch to 5k. I don't know how often I will be able to fit that in at the moment, as DD doesn't go to a nursery or anything yet. She is with me all day and by the time DH gets in I am going off to work.
I might try to do Wii fit for a month, then try and do couch to 5k once a week, and 30 day shred 6-7 days a week. I have done that before too, but never got past level 1!!

Am determined to get fit though.....would love to be one of these people that pop out to do a 10k run!! To be fair at the moment I would love to run up the stairs with no problems!!

[SilverNightFairy]

When I was very overweight and out of shape, I began working out with Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds DVDs.. She is American and very perky but her style is easy to follow and she has other instructors on the programme that show modifications if you need them. You can begin with an easy 1 mile walk and work up to an intense 5 mile. I lost my first 25 lbs using her DVDs.

[HemanOrSheRa]

Do try the C25K when you have more time. I did it a couple of years ago but had to stop running due to an unrelated shoulder problem. I've started it again, this time with a local leader lead running group. I'm just about to go onto week 5. I hate exercise and have tried pretty much everything. But I actually enjoy running .

Like babybouncer said, the runs on the C25K are timed. You know exactly how long you will be out for. No faffing about, out the door and off you go. And the great thing about the programme is you can actually feel yourself getting fitter and stronger each week. Nothing boosts the confidence of an unfit, exercise hater like being outside and thinking, "LOOK AT ME I AM RUNNING!!!!!"

That said, I also dip in and out of the Davina 7 minute fit too. It's very good and you can mix and match each section, as little or as much as you like.

Good luck!

[BitchPeas]

Davina 7 minute fit is good and you can pick and choose how many to do and where to target.

Get a mini trampoline. The daily mail published a work out to do on it. If you google it you'll find it I think.

I am on week 4 and its amazing. I am a smoker and was very unfit but am finding it quite enjoyable. I have also lost 2 inches off each thigh in 3 weeks!!

[ErrolTheDragon]

Just one thing to add - you said you may try to do shred 6-7 days per week at some point. Aim for 5-6 - you should always have 1-2 rest days per week. Apart from being what every expert says, I think it makes exercise more sustainable and what you want to do is to get into a habit you can carry on with (improving as you go) not just a few weeks blitz and then crash out.
Good luck and 'just do it'

[CainInThePunting]

I would throw skipping into the mix, brilliant exercise and both you and DD can do it...

[MrsMook]

I took up the C25k when my joints finally settled down after Ds2 was born. 9 months of SPD (it claimed squatters rights long after the birth) had ruined my CV fitness, and I was puffing my way up any hill and fed up of it.

It worked. One year later I completed a half marathon.

I've got several short videos too which are good to fit in around family life.

[ColdFeetWarmHeart]

That is what i am aiming for mrsmook - maybe not a half marathon to start with, but I would live to run the 10k. Not walk it, but run it in a respectable time. I'm not going to register for one yet as am ttc no 2 and there is a chance I'd be pregnant at the next one. But would be looking to do it in 2017.

[MrsMook]

I had no goal at first other than to stop puffing everywhere, but when the runs began joining up, I signed up for the 8 mile fun run in my home town. I was so astonished to actually run the whole thing that my brother managed to talk me into a HM!

[ErrolTheDragon]

Has anyone mentioned tabatas? HIIT is brilliant for improving your CV fitness, and it may be better for fat loss than long sessions of steady moderate effort.

If you get a tabata timer app (I use a very simple free one), you can either use it at home for a routine of your own devising (essentially choose a selection of things which you can do at maximum intensity for 20 secs), or you can use it while running to time sprint intervals (where 'sprint' means as fast as you can go for 20 secs). If you're less fit initially, you can use the timer for intervals of 'power walking' or suchlike during a walk. I usually do 4-5 sets (where each set is 8x20 secs exertion, 10 secs rest) with about 3 minutes recovery in between, but even doing one or two sets is good and takes very little time.

[JasperDamerel]

Jillian Michaels has a Beginner Shred dvd which is really good if you are starting off from a situation where you are unfit/overweight. There are more modifications for sore joints etc. I felt like a bit of a wuss doing that instead of the "proper" shred, but what I've found is that by exercising at the right level for me, I've actually improved my fitness far more than by trying something harder. I'm enjoying the workouts, using heavier weights, and have managed to do a couple of proper knees-off-the-ground press-ups which I wasn't able to do even when I was much, much fitter!

[ColdFeetWarmHeart]

Thanks jasper - I had seen that dvd on amazon and was thinking about getting it. Will order it later when I sit down to do monthly banking (maybe before I do the banking and realise we have no money! !)

[holmessweetholmes]

There are loads of great workouts on YouTube - you can vary what kind you do so you don't get bored. Dance-type ones are fun. And you could throw in a few yoga ones fir core strength and balance.

Very sensible attitude about concentrating on diet for weight loss though.