To ask for you to talk to me about exercise

[rainyinnovember]

I am fat.

I was A Nice Size until Dc1 then put on weight and thought I was huuuuuuge.

I lost it. Then it slowly went on after DC2. By the time I had DC3 I was pretty fat. Now I'm really, properly fat.

I've committed to lose it (long story which I won't go into but I've just been told off by my own child ) but I'm wondering about exercise.

The problems are, firstly I am big enough for exercise to hurt a bit. I don't mean normal aches and pains but actually 'shit, ow, I can't move.'

I hate swimming. Don't mind the sea or lakes or rivers but bobbing up and down in a pool is not for me. And you get wet. And cold. And hungry.

I can't run, I really can't. Even when I was quite young and healthy and energetic I couldn't run.

So, any ideas people? Not Zumba or aerobics ... I'm as coordinated as a seal on ice and as flexible as a paving slab so yoga/Pilates are out.

I guess I might just be better focusing on diet.

Sorry but you need to exercise too. It helps tighten the skin up and it is so beneficial, especially for the heart.

Do your legs work? If so, you can walk. Get some music on your phone, pop in your earphones and walk.

I think it's probably best to focus on diet, yes. Exercise does make it easier though. myfitnesspal works for me - at least so far - 10kg off though I'm having a wobble right now and am a bit stuck. I cycle to work every day because it means I don't have to exercise IYSWIM. At the weekends I walk with dh and I have done some pilates recently which was a) great and b) everyone too busy doing it to look at anyone else. Some kind of circuits class at the gym was good in the past as it's strength based but with a bit of heart pounding too. But plain old calorie counting will get you there.

Incidental exercise. The stuff that you do because you have to, not because it's exercise. Is there any way you could give up the car and walk/cycle everywhere? I realise it's easier said than done, but it would work.

The problem with diets is that none of them work long term. Everyone loses weight, almost everyone puts it back on with a bit extra on top.

Cheers Albert (!)

Thing can be turned around, it's just a case of finding something that's right for you and sometimes it is a case of trial and error.

I attend a body combat class( (kick boxing moves to music) and it is fast and furious, but the class is a good mix of all shapes and sizes, ranging from ultra fit to obese ladies.Everyone works at their own pace and are spurned on by the teacher who used to be a size 22. She often tells the newcomers her story to inspire them, forties, three cesarians, she lost six stone. The before and after shots are amazing.She always says the hardest part was walking in the place, she attributes her weight loss to kickboxing classes.

The beauty of kickboxing is that you are that busy concentrating you do not realise how hard you are working. I have zero coordination, to the extent I struggle knowing my left from my right, but I'm getting there slowly.There are larger ladies in the class who have a great left hook and are strong and powerful.

I'd recommed this as one of the things you try, but if you do and it's really not for you, you go to the next one on your list.Youve got to persevere and open your mind to what you are capable of. This time next year, things could be very different, but the balls in your court.

For me, exercise is the key to my physical and mental wellbeing, it's amazing for mind, body and soul, but it's got to be enjoyed and thats the challenge finding something that makes you buzz and I do think there's something for everybody.

I've lost loads of weight doing Davina workout DVDs - I have about 5 and swap them around so I don't get bored of them.

Weights! I lost 6 stone through a high protein low fat diet and weights

Albert is right though sadly. to get weight off and keep it off you need a lifestyle change, not a diet which is normally based on depriving yourself of things

Well, we'll see. I know what you mean but at the same time to be totally honest posts like that really aren't helpful, they make me feel doomed to failure!

OP used to do loads of exercise as part of your ordinary lifestyle, so you don't really hate it. Just some types of exercise.

If you're quite large then running would be terrible on your joints (leaving aside how impossible you find it). All the high impact activities could be well dodgy. I'm not even sure if walking is a great idea.

Could you share how large U R? My friend is about 3 stone overweight (or maybe 4, she's not small anyway) & loves spinning classes. You do it at your own resistence. It's low impact & high cadence so reasonable for your joints.

I'd need to shift 4 stone for a healthy BMI. Please don't laugh!

That's not so impossible to deal with. Honest.
Would you really do a regular fitness activity hidden away at home, or could you stick it better if you went to regular sessions, even though someone would see you working out in public?

I lost three stone in the Cambridge diet five years ago - I've put a stone back on.
I'm not advocating the Cambridge diet as it doesn't suit must people, and you need a huge lifestyle change to keep it off.
What my Cambridge diet helper did tell me - focus on diet and not so much cardio. It's a bit much from the outset.
Brisk walking with nice music on your headphones is enough while you are on a diet - build it up if when can.

I find cycling is less stress on the joints too for some cardio. I found running and treadmill far too hard x

Apologies for typos as glasses free - again :)

I think the difficulty here is that you're basically knocking down almost every suggestion.

Exercising is a fucking pain when you have to restart it again. You have to just do it. No excuse. Pick one, try it for a week then see what happens.

Do a triathalon and console yourself at each point that at least you aren't doing the other 2 sports!

Seriously though, consider swimming for now, much kinder on the joints than most other sports.

Or do you tube videos, try yoga, aerobics, hiit, there's probably even videos for martial arts, different forms of dance, whatever. Commit to doing so many a week then in the new year you can join a class based on what you have learned from trying the different styles at home. There's so much out there you won't need to repeat any you don't like!

Another vote for Crossfit. It's tough but fun and everyone of all shapes and sizes is good at something and bad at something which is quite a leveller. The thinner women will often struggle to lift much weight and some of the bigger women may find the cardio harder, initially at least. You'll improve at the bits you are already good at and even become proficient in the areas you find hard to start with.

Sorry, that was a bit miserable of me. It is true though - you can't just rely on willpower because sooner or later it runs out. If you can set things up so it's easier to eat healthily and move then that you've got all that working for you. So, seriously, ditch the car, get a fruit and veg box delivered and never ever have junk in the house.

Right, first thing is to walk much faster when out with the dog. Walk like you're late for work and you're going to get a rollocking. Walk til you're heart is beating faster and you're feeling shorter of breath.

If you do regular routes, try to beat your time, even by a few seconds (easier said than done if dog gets distracted).

Then buy a bike for Christmas. If you enjoyed it before you'll enjoy it again.

Exercise bike?

I think I'll start a thread in weight loss chat :)

Hmm, in one breath you say you can't move, then you say you walk a lot with the dog.

Walking the dog is good. It's a start. If you want to lose the weight, then you need to start with your diet, I'm sorry, excercise is not a magic bullet,

Do you really want to lose weight? Or is it more you think you should because kids or whomever get on at you? Because honestly your posts don't come across like you really do.