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?

Agree with others, you'll need to start off losing weight by cutting your food intake down. Most people don't lose weight only by exercise.
Walking and swimming are good for now. Both should get your heart pumping sufficiently when you're very overweight.

Walking is about one of the best exercises you can do. So yes. Do it.

Do not underestimate the benefits of walking.
I maintain my weight by walking briskly several times a week
If you cut down what you eat and walk daily, the weight will come off

These are often incredibly overestimated. Obviously you burn, but I take all the counters with massive pinch of salt.

It doesn't matter though, most people aren't using them as some sort of scientific thing - more as a motivational way of tracking it. Set the target at 'just above achievable' to push yourself, then increase it gradually. That might be 10,000 steps for you OP, or it might be 2,000. As long as you achieve the goals initially, then increase them, it will be fine.

Start with swimming and walking

Walking will be great start... don’t dismiss it. But you need to get a good walk going increasing your heart rate. It depends what you can tolerate but walk walk walk! Uphill if possible at times. Get the heart pumping not just a slow amble all the time. Lots of walking and a good diet.

Have a look at ‘chair based exercise classes’ or ‘low impact exercise classes’ on YouTube. And keep walking. Well done for starting 🙌

I know this thread is pages long and you'll have got some brilliant advice, but as someone who went from 22st to 10st10lbs 6 years ago and kept it off (up until lockdown anyway) I felt I should share what opened my eyes about exercise.

I was talking to a friend who was a personal trainer, thinking about booking sessions but saying I got out of breath so easily that I didn't think there was a point to it.

He said 'just move'.

You don't have to book a session, do a 5k, go swimming .. 'just move'.

Everything you do burns more calories than if you didn't.

Walk to the shop, park a little further away from work, take the stairs, get up during ad breaks on the TV and wander round the house - ANYTHING.

Of course, as you lose the weight and get a bit fitter, you can increase this, and you will soon find that you CAN do proper sessions or sports or whatever interests you.

I bought a FitBit so I could count my steps. I was shockingly doing just 600 steps a day at the start (WFH so have to move very little) so I set my goal to 1,000 steps a day first, just walking round the house for the extras, then after hitting that every day for a week I'd move it up by 500, hit that target for a week, then another 500 - etc.

Eventually, back then, I ended up with a goal of 20,000 steps a day!!

Admitted this year has set me back a long way, I've gained weight, I'm unfit (had covid and struggled with breathlessness but that's pretty much better now), and I basically have to start again.

Take a look at your diet and make sure you're making healthy choices. Maybe download MyFitnessPal to log how much you're eating until you get an idea of ideal portion sizes - and gradually build up exercise.

It'll become second nature before long!

@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?

Are pools open yet?

Aquatic fitness class/swimming or even just walking laps in the shallow end is fantastic.

The water will support your weight and joints and reduce pressure and provide some assistance for lifts but resistance for movement.

At your current size you should be careful with your body, the forces you can inadvertently apply to your joints and tissues are much higher than they're are designed* to deal with. So it's important to protect yourself till you lose a bit more

(*I know theyre not designed but I cant think of a better word, performance envelope ?)

Order the book 'Walk off weight with your pedometer' by Jan Small. An old but a good one.

What about something you can do from home, like walking up the stairs several more times? There are also some 'walk a mile at home' videos on Youtube which helps you increase pace gradually. Just to help you start.

If you are keen to do yoga then have a look at The Yoga Room on YouTube - lots of videos covering yoga for bigger bodies.

Walking is great. Even better if you can build in uphill sections.

Try to make sure that you are walking fast enough to get breathless for 2 minutes, then ease off for 2, speed up for 2, ease off for 2, and so on.

Try bodyglide if you have issues with chafing.

As others have said, swimming is great too. Don't try to run yet.

Swimming is gr

I personally find exercise a bit boring and usually give up after a few days. Bought myself a cheap fitbit and began counting my steps. Most days I ate pretty healthy foods although took a treat if I wanted one. This combined with between 8,000 to 10,000 steps 6 days a week and the weight came off great! I kept one day as a day off.
I never did all that heart pumping, power walking. Just normal steps! This is the first time I've lost weight successfully.
Good luck

I started doing taekwondo when I weighed 133kg. It is exhausting but they let me tailor the exercises to my own ability. The warm ups are Hit type exercises whilst we also do patterns which are slow and steady or sparring when you just get the fun of punching and kicking.

I've now lost 20kg (and continuing) and it is getting easier but glad I found the one sport I still enjoy doing even after 3 years of weekly classes.

and would recommend padded cycling shorts

Excellent suggestion. I also get (literally) a pain in the bum during spin and on the exercise bike. I’ve just ordered some on amazon, so thank you.

I would recommend low impact exercises, walking, swimming. If you can afford a PT you might even find weight training really enjoyable and less daunting than cardio.

I can recommend www.facebook.com/CurveSomeYoga/ who specialises in plus size yoga. Courses are online and can be done from home.

Swimming

I started at 17 stone (I think around 110kg). I bought a Fitbit and started walking more, cut out snacking and used the Lose It app and downloaded the DDPYoga app. It’s about £7 after the month free trial and the yoga workouts range from lying on a bed, sitting in a chair or standing up before you get into the full up and down yoga workouts.

I’ve been doing these three things (and still eating cake / the odd takeaway) for two years and am now 10.5 stone. It’s completely changed my life in lots of lovely ways but the best thing for me was in those early months I could exercise privately at home without feeling like people were looking at me.

Walking and swimming are hugely underrated as exercise by a lot of fitness fans. Remember humans can walk for hours with few ill effects and it will make you stronger. Challenge yourself to walk more briskly and further. The same with swimming. These reliable forms of exercise don't get much publicity because they're not as marketable.

Focus on general movement along with your diet, it helps your general health. Walking rather than driving helped me. Try couch to 5k it go slowly (repeat week 1 2-3 times, week 2 for 2-3 weeks etc). I shifted 20kg in 5months without being hungry etc though unfortunately lockdown hasn't been kind to my waistline, got into bad habits!

Lots of water with meals and/or soups is a good trick for feeling fuller

Try this. its a 15 min cardio workout. Its quite a,slow pace but you def feel it after. A lot of this lady's things are good and short.
Watch "15 MIN DANCE CARDIO WORKOUT - 80s EDITION, burn calories and be happy / No Equipment I Pamela Reif" on YouTube

you say "Going walking is fine but isn’t going to help burn calories/get the heart pumping/help with mental health" - but as many others have said, this is not the case at all. Walking does all of those things.

I’m a yoga teacher. Yours could have done a lot better. Not catering for you is very poor. And a bit lazy.

I haven’t read the thread sorry. But two things.
Body project has free workouts including seated. They call it something like real beginners.
Also Leslie Sansome is fun. Check you tube. It is cheesy but I like it. Walking on the spot. You can get a good pace up- add weights and other arm movements.

But you are doing brilliantly already. You are already doing it.

Oh if you have insta check out fat.to.goddess she started heavier than you and enjoying moving her body. You could message her for tips. She’s ace.

@Gertiegumboot

Order the book 'Walk off weight with your pedometer' by Jan Small. An old but a good one.

At 140kg I wouldn't want to be putting the strain of prolonged walking on the knees, hips and pelvis.