Aibu to not know how to exercise as a fat person

[Blueonwhite]

Really really fat (140kg) and need to lose weight.

I want to exercise as part of my journey (I know and understand that food is the most important part) but it’s so physically hard! Went to beginners yoga and couldn’t do hardly any moves. My stomach was in the way of simple moves and I just can’t hold my own weight on my hands right now. The teacher sort of gave up on me after two sessions.

Tried a beginners fitness/stability class and couldn’t lie on my back and lift my legs to the ceiling. Again too much fat on my stomach to do the moves. The teacher said not to sit on the stability ball so I guess they’re not for people of my weight. Had to sit out that part.

Tried spinning and lasted 5 mins if that. The seat really hurt (I presume because I’m so heavy) and I just don’t have any stamina.

Going walking is fine but isn’t going to help burn calories/get the heart pumping/help with mental health.

Aibu to think I’ll need to lose a lot of weight before I can exercise properly?

Another vote for just walking. There's also a YouTube channel called The Body Project. It has classes that start at absolute beginner. Low impact but will get your heart rate up. I also like it because the "background dancers" are people who are also trying to lose weight or get fit and the modification demonstrates how to make it harder if you would like to whereas usually they are "if you can't manage this try it this way". I liked that because I think sometimes when we have to modify down it can be really disheartening. Give them a try. Good luck with it.

Just walking is definitely enough.
Every day if poss. Take the stairs. Walk to work etc.

Walking absolutely will help with raising heart rate etc as long as you walk pretty briskly. My daily dog walks certainly raise my heart rate and even raise a bit of a sweat at times, and I'm only very slightly overweight and reasonably fittish. Walking uphill is good, or just pushing your pace a bit on the flat. It's great for your health and mental health, gets some fresh air in your lungs, is unlikely to cause injury and requires no equipment apart from decent shoes.

The two for you are

Walking but fast ! So speed up , wear proper trainers and walk fast enough that you work up a sweat and get a bit out of breath
Walk up hills etc

And Covid aside swimming is wonderful to build up , I miss swimming

Start with walking but faster and longer

This is really helpful. Thank you.

First of all, bloody well done. You’re making an amazing investment in your physical and mental health. Moving is a wonderful thing and don’t let anyone tell you you need to be thin to enjoy it - exercise is for everyone.

My top suggestion would be to find a proper bodybuilding gym - yes, really! They might look intimidating but everyone there is there to train and be the best they can; there’s no judgement, just real camaraderie and encouragement. They also tend to me cheaper than commercial gyms and there’s always someone around to offer advice on using the machines and free weights correctly.

I weigh 100kg at the moment (I used to be a runner weighing 63kg, pre child/illness/life stuff). I started at 116kg in july and am gradually losing weight through a low carb diet, which works really well for me as I don’t feel deprived of cheese

At the moment I’m doing half an hour on the elliptical twice a week (kind to the joints), a gentle hike at the weekend, three pretty serious weights sessions, and a powerlifting session with my coach. The latter has completely changed my life. Heavy lifting is one form of exercise in which being a bit heavier and having a stockier frame can be a positive advantage.

Honestly walking is brilliant exercise. It is also much safer than running when you are overweight.

Walk briskly, measure your distance and aim to walk at 4mph. Increase your distance, include some hills, if it starts to feel easy carry a rucksack to add weight.

You don't have to just walk around your local area either, if you can manage 6 miles at about 3mph you could join a hiking/ramblers group and explore the local countryside. Walking on uneven terrain up and down hills is excellent exercise. A full day in the hills burns loads of calories, is sociable, fun, great for your mental health and exercise that you can keep up into old age. Plus it is (or can be) a very cheap hobby, no gym membership, and you don't need much kit to start with. A waterproof coat and some decent footwear is enough.

When I was hiking regularly my legs looked great too!

If you walk fast enough to feel slightly breathless then it will help, you'll also feel better because of the exercise and freah air.
At the start of the March lockdown I used to see a man and woman walking every day, they were both very overweight.
It was lovely to see how much happier and healthier (and slimmer) they looked as the months passed. I still see them and they always smile and say hullo. When the first started they kept their heads down and didn't speak.

Going walking is fine but isn’t going to help burn calories/get the heart pumping/help with mental health.

It will if you walk as fast as you can.

Agree with everyone, build walking into your day.

Swimming is another good one if you are larger, you burn calories just keeping warm in the water and the water provides resistance and protects your limbs. Go to an adults only session where there are a range of abilities and enjoy. Or an aquarobics session, MIL is 85 and loves her aquarobics and it keeps her fit and flexible.

Oh and if you find walking boring listen to audio books while you walk, or walk with others.

I once walked several miles more than intended because my walking buddy and I were so engrossed in conversation we missed the very obvious landmark that we were supposed to turn off at 🙈

The good thing about being fat and wanting to exercise ( I speak from experience!) is that anything that gets you out of breath and sweaty is good for you, and that's most things!

I'd sack off exercise classes for now - even at my smallest I always found them an exercise (hah) in humiliation and comparison. Exercise alone until you've built up your stamina and confidence.

Walking! Just walk. Couch to 5k is a useful app.

Swim! Your size means nothing when you're up your neck in water. You get to feel light for a change, and can get familiar with your muscles and learn to coordinate them.

Cycle - gently! You'll build up strength and endurance over time. I used to sit on the bike in the gym and watch Holby City on my phone while pedalling 😆 - it still but s calories, it all counts!

Lastly, give yourself a break and don't set yourself up to fail. You're not an athlete (yet!) so don't set yourself up against them and then use your inability to keep up as an excuse not to try. Again ALL this is from my own experience and not coming from a place of judgment. You are trying! If you break a sweat, you've done the job. You don't need to look fabulous while you do it.

Also... Diet. As a fatty I kid myself all the time that if I've been for a swim I "deserve" a treat. A half hour swim at my place probably doesn't even excuse a Mars bar. Focus on the diet. It's the harder part, but it's the part that will actually change your weight and make it easier to exercise.

Solidarity though mate, it is bloody hard! X

Brisk walking is great for health.

Try finding music to walk to that can help you set your pace and keep you moving and motivated.

www.verywellfit.com/walking-music-mix-playlist-workout-songs-3435845

Try to initially just move more and cut back a bit on the calorie intake. Small steps, literally - use the Health monitor on your phone to record your daily steps and try to get those up. I've been using mine while having a purge on the house - it records steps climbed as well so it's very satisfying. I don't put things on the stairs anymore for 'next time someone goes up' - I take it straight up there, to get more stairs recorded! So aim at getting your weekly average steps up higher each week.

Try Leslie Sansone walk at home (YouTube). She does various different length workouts. I was very sceptical but it does get your heart rate up. Could be handy now that the weather isn't great. It's basically just walking on the spot. Best of luck OP

I went for a short walk (20-40 mins) almost every day during lockdown. Started doing a flat route, gradually increasing pace, and slowly introduced short uphill bits. Literally just walked the streets near my house as I was restricted to baby nap time. I was 120kg at the time and after three months I noticed a huge difference in my fitness. I also have a compact exercise bike at home (one suitable for my weight) and would use that in five or ten min bursts while watching TV. It all really helped with weight loss (alongside the diet as you say).

A waterproof coat and some decent footwear is enough.

If you're on uneven or potentially slippery surfaces I'd definitely add a walking pole or two.
I've not tried 'Nordic walking' with two poles, I quite a few groups of older people doing that, quite fast - maybe that's something to consider?

yanbu op

I’ve seen some amazing weight loss and improvements in blood work in some of my diabetic patients during lockdown. Mainly through lockdown daily walks and eating less crappy processed sugars/carbs.
Once I give birth I’ll be back walking once we’ll enough to do so, baby in pram, headphones in, off we go.

My cousin was very overweight, and found like you that traditional exercise was too much. She started going for very long walks/hikes. Started at 1 hr daily then building it up. Some days she’d walk for 3-4 hours! And she cut carbs. Within a few months her belly had gone down quite a bit so could go to body pump etc at her gym. As she says to me “she’ll never be a size 4” (American) but is about 50 pounds down from her previous weight and very happy

Just walk for now, brisk walking so you are out of breath and build up from there. Just move more, it doesn't have to be a structured class.

A lady has joined our sports club, she is 23 stone, a big girl. She did a mini triathlon thing the other week, swam, cycled, ran. It is possible to exercise even when you are bigger but start off really slowly and build up your fitness. Couch to 5k is amazing. If you don't think you can run, just alternate your walking speed initially.

TeamRH have designed fitness programs and you have access to a coach who can help guide you through anything you might need to swap in/out. They will also help with setting your nutrition goals and step target. Maybe give them a try until Christmas (They are so much cheaper than any other “diet program”) and you have access to everything you need and then see how you feel in the new year. By then you might have improved your strength enough to retry some of the classes. I know it’s tough when you seem to be the only person unable to do something in a class but everyone starts somewhere. Don’t get disheartened,

I got a border collie pup. Lost weight steady and keeping it off. Buy some decent waterproofs and get out there. Walk walk walk. Can throw a ball a long way now too.

Diet is far more important that exercise if you want to lose weight. Get a good diet plan and do some walking. You can then work up to couch to 5k after that. Trying to jump in with yoga and other fitness classes won't work.

Walking is fine, I use the endomondo app on my phone to track how far and how fast. Just keep gradually increasing the pace, length and difficulty (hills etc). To start with walk at a normal pace for a mile or so (or whatever you are able). Then after doing that every day or every 2 days for a week then try to walk a bit faster or add another 1/2 mile or so. All you need is some comfy trainers and a waterproof jacket