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?

@daubrew

I'm amazed at how much people are losing just from walking. I've been walking around 20,000 steps a day for ten months now and haven't lost a pound although I really enjoy it so will keep on.

I am combining it with eating no more than 1700 cals a day (two or three times a week it's around 1400).

For me take waaay too long just dieting. With lift weights can eat not always being hungry. My bf he eats 3000 cal and still see stomach muscles.

Walking. Worked for me. 17.5 stone to 10.5 stone

Yoga is great. I cant remember the name but here is a person who does yoga targeted to overweight people. Walking is also very good when starting to exercise. I found aquarobics and swimming good as less joint pressure but wasnt keen on the getting in and out bit and being in a swimming costume as I felt self conscious.

Walking is more than enough right now. I started at just under 22 stone (not far off where you are I think, am now 18.5 and falling). At our weight just walking will get our heart rates up enough to burn calories. I find this is the case even though I am fitter than when I started and finding walking much easier. I went through a phase of seeing personal trainers, doing spinning and setting myself crazy goals but all that happened was that I kept straining my knees or hurting my ankles. Walking has strengthened my ankles and knees, it's incredibly good for boosting your resistance to all sorts of illnesses and inflammation and for me it really boosts my weight loss too.

I am obese and have found that swimming is the best exercise for me, as well as the treadmill as you can adjust the speed and incline to what works for you. I find it so much easier than real walking!

Would something like this help? Also walking at the best pace you can manage, rather than an amble, will help shed pounds and increase your fitness.

It's so good for health to be physically active, too - and being outdoors always lifts my spirits even if the weather is terrible.

@TazMac
Thanks, I know my eating isn't great but I've cut down a lot and only eat between 12 and 6 during the week.
I've tried counting calories on MFP but find it really hard to use especially when cooking from scratch which I do 90% of the time.
I just thought I might have seen a small difference in weight by now, as I've gone from around 5k steps.
It's like when DH cut out sugar in his tea and lost a stone, I did the same and stayed the same and no I didn't replace the sugar with a biscuit!

You can lose weight by walking..in fact I have always found it better than the gym and exercise classes.

@daubrew

It’s frustrating isn’t it, my DP seems to lose weight very easily too, when he puts his mind to it.

I wonder what the issue is for you, I’m not an expert so I can’t advise but I’m wondering if it’s perhaps something hormone or thyroid related.

Walking is great exercise! Jogging only burns 30% more calories than walking OP.
Swimming is fab too. You can't hurt yourself & there's loads to improve on with strokes etc...

Walking is best - try to vary the pace - say 1 minute at a steady pace where you can hold a conversation in short phrases interspersed with 15 seconds of walking really quickly. See if once a week you could go on a longer walk at the steady pace - otherwise using couch to 5k with a faster walk on the running sections is good advice from a pp.

Try and find a gym with a trainer who could give you a 1:2:1 for a personalised programme - many trainers are happy to give you a programme to work on and then come back in fortnightly intervals if a week is too expensive. You could also ask your GP to prescribe you exercise on referral which would be a free weekly session with a trainer with specialist knowlege on those starting out with exercise

You might also like to look at something more upper body based like boxing.

Do you think birds consider flying an exercise? 🤔

you need to get used to being a bit more active before you can attempt these classes.
the easiest way is to walk.
just walk as much as you can.
gradually you will be able to walk faster.
but take it gently at first.
it will also help greatly with mood, mental health. why do you think not ? i have been pleasantly surprised by the benefits of simple walking. give it a go.
good luck.

Don’t dismiss walking!

Or free YouTube exercise classes, so many good ones out there!

Thank you @TazMac I'm beginning to think there might be something else going on. My husband has commented he can't understand why I haven't lost any weight as he's noticed a huge difference in what I eat.
It is very frustrating and demotivating though.

Do you think birds consider flying an exercise? 🤔

You don’t think my 20 mile Kinder Skyline walk, up and down hills, with a 30kg back pack is exercise then?

Admittedly I don’t do that every weekend but we always go out for a hike, usually up and down hills, carrying backpacks, on uneven ground. Most people consider this to be exercise.

[quote daubrew]@TazMac
Thanks, I know my eating isn't great but I've cut down a lot and only eat between 12 and 6 during the week.
I've tried counting calories on MFP but find it really hard to use especially when cooking from scratch which I do 90% of the time.
I just thought I might have seen a small difference in weight by now, as I've gone from around 5k steps.
It's like when DH cut out sugar in his tea and lost a stone, I did the same and stayed the same and no I didn't replace the sugar with a biscuit![/quote]
Remember, man somehow lose much faster. My dh did too! Bugger.

I think you might have to try to count your calories for a week just to see. It really helped me with small things which are easy to miss and portion control. I cook a lot from scratch too, what I do is that I take out all ingredients, log them into recipe section and then just set how many portions it is. It shows you cal and macros per portion. It's annoying at first, but it's worth it for a bit at least in my experience.

I’ve lost nearly 2 stone since August just by reducing my calories and walking. As you get fitter you naturally walk more and want to move more.

@TazMac

Do you think birds consider flying an exercise? 🤔

You don’t think my 20 mile Kinder Skyline walk, up and down hills, with a 30kg back pack is exercise then?

Admittedly I don’t do that every weekend but we always go out for a hike, usually up and down hills, carrying backpacks, on uneven ground. Most people consider this to be exercise.

What. I just asked if birds consider flying an exercise. A joke.

Should have known someone will take it as a dig here🙄 Let me try again. It was just a passing though that made me giggle.

Do you think birds consider flying an exercise( lighthearted)? Like chirping "today I am going to fly the longer route, feel that seeds from the feeder"😁 Is there an equivalent to running? 🤔😂
Lighthearted. No digs at anyone. Just a little bit of fun.

Diet is the most effective way to lose weight coupled with low impact exercise - walking and swimming. If you add in lifting weights, the latter will build muscle which will help to burn calories.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Do you think birds consider flying an exercise? 🤔

Birds tend to need to conserve energy rather than expend extra. Repeatedly disturbed flocks will suffer because they're being made to use more energy. So yes, flying is 'exercise' for them.

Short walks at an amble may not be exercise (though still better for you than sitting on your arse). But faster walking and/or uphill can be. It's one good reason for using a tracker that includes using heart rate to determine if you're exercising or not.

Also I don't consider 20 miles up and down the with 30kg backpack "a walking". That's "a hiking" which requires totally different equipment and stamina.

Birds tend to need to conserve energy rather than expend extra. Repeatedly disturbed flocks will suffer because they're being made to use more energy. So yes, flying is 'exercise' for them.

Ooh. Thank you! I didn't know that!