Very overweight and unfit exercise advice please

[magicalmollie]

Hi
I am about 5 stone overweight, had an eating disorder and am doing therapy to help. However I want to start doing some kind of exercise as I hate how unfit and uncomfortable I am. Can anyone give me some advice? Is there something on YouTube I could follow maybe? I want to start of slowly so I do not give up as it is too much. I do not want to go to the gym as I am too embarrassed same with walking as I do not want people to comment. Sorry all sounds a bit pathetic doesn’t it.

Get a fitbit and set yourself a small target for walking. You can go out early morning/late evening if you're worried about people watching you and costs nothing. I went from 5k a day that was a challenge to start, now I'm on around 12k most days and 15k at weekends without even thinking about it.

I'm nearly 4 stone down with the same to go. I hate gyms and forced exercise - you need to find something you enjoy doing to stick at it. I've got manic spaniels that help me enormously

Online, try finding Chris Powell on Youtube... he does the US show extreme weight loss that is good to watch online too. His beginner workouts are really good and easy to do in the privacy of your own home.

You've made a huge step in deciding to make a change. Good luck.

Peoniesarepink thank you, I will get a Fitbit or something like that and start great idea. Did you lose the weight just by walking or other things? 😊

Walking is great exercise. Don’t worry about what people say - most people will say and think nothing, anyone who does is an idiot and not worth thinking about.
Is there a park you can go to? Walking somewhere with lots of nature is really good for you.

If you want to exercise at home, I’d recommend Davina McCalls dvds.

There are loads of "walking" exercise videos on YouTube where you essentially march in place. I do them when it's raining and they're lots of fun.

Weights. I now love them. Hate going to the gym and going on treadmills, cross trainers etc.

I can do weights at home easily. Building muscle keeps you burning calories for a while even after you’ve stopped exercising.

I’ve not lost lots of weight (around 4kg) but I look smaller and have lost inches.

Good for you! It doesn't sound pathetic at all! Start very gently with Leslie Sansone one mile happy walk on You Tube and build up!

Like pp, I was going to suggest buying a wee dog because then you have to go out, rain or shine! And everyone focuses on the dog and you get to meet lots of friendly people!

walking is great. and you can increase the intensity once you get more fit.
you could also do some resistance training with elastic bands (pilates bands) to built up core strength.

but exercise alone will not shift weight. you need to consider your diet as well.
good luck!

I still have about the same as you to loose OP. Last summer motivated by not wanting to look and feel a fat mess at some upcoming but social occasions I had advance notice of I lost two stone last summer. I was motivated by the social occasions, I used a basic FITBIT and doing 10K steps every day. I also put down what I ate honestly into an app then you have an idea how many calories you consume against how many you are burning up. I ate more sensibly and did much less snacking. I also joined a gym and had a session a week with a new personal trainer so it was 2 for the price of 1. We mainly did weights at my level and shorts bursts of High intensity workouts on the rower and exercise bike. I work part time so I went early morning, about 2pm or after 8pm. I am going on holiday next week and feel like a whale so I will pick this up again when I get back ahead of Christmas.

Also if you go to your GP they will give you a referral for three months free at Slimming World if this is of any interest to you to get you started.

I've just started couch to 5k after having my second baby and am listening to some podcasts called 300lbs and running which I'm finding very motivational. The guy interviews a range of people who all run. Many are marathoners/half marathoners but also all of them are overweight and tell their stories.

I've mainly focused on exercise, and I've found the 16:8 way of diet to be fantastic for me. When I first started it, I ate what I liked within the 8 hour window, but as I've got further into it, I've stopped all snacking and just have 3 small meals across the 8 hours. I feel great, really energetic and it just feels like it's no effort.

Look at diet doctor website, lots of inspirational stories of how people changed their health with low carb

Come to parkrun. Loads of people walk, and it's a set route, so you will be able to see an improvement over time.
Good luck with it.

Hi Op, I M in the same boat. I am your classic YoYo dieter. I am determined to lose weight, and more importantly get fit. I am 55, and am equally motivated by health as appearance.
I have 2 goals. My daughter is graduating from medical school next summer and I do not want to be the’ fat mother ‘ for once I want to enjoy the occasion without my self consciousness blighting it.
My second goal is to enjoy outdoors activities more... I love swimming and live near the sea, but this summer I have not swum.
I hate gyms, but realize that dieting alone will not achieve my aim, so I did a lot of research and have just ordered a water rower. Rowing machines give a whole body workout an are low impact so ideal for overweight people ( me!)
Have a read about them. Mine is coming on Wednesday and I am so excited!!
Good luck x

Whatever you do OP, make sure it's your thing or it won't stick.

For example, running is always on here as some super magical solution, but for lots of us, it is horrible way to pass time. Don't be disheartened if you try something and it's not for you.

Try lots of things and see what really gets you motivated as that is the key to success and sticking with it. I'd also add that lots of the things below are very well suited for fatties to do (I'm one too!).

It could be anything - roller derby, nordic walking, weight lifting, archery, martial arts, white water rafting, jive dancing, pole fitness, (yes even!) running, downhill mountain biking, bouldering, swimming, rugby....

Last thing I'd say now, is that nobody else actually cares what you look like in exercise clothes (even the lycra). I know that can be a huge stumbling block, but trust me. We're all far too wrapped up in ourselves to worry about what your arse looks like as well!

I do not want to go to the gym as I am too embarrassed same with walking as I do not want people to comment.

I have been a member of dozens of gyms over the years and I can't recall a single time when an overweight person was mocked, pointed at or made to feel awful. To be honest most gym users will probably not even notice as they are too engrossed doing their own thing, those who do notice will be thinking 'fair play to you'.

I do not want to go to the gym as I am too embarrassed same with walking as I do not want people to comment.

I think I am by far the fattest at my gym by a margin. I can't even fit into the gym branded ladies wear they sell, I had to buy one of the men's sizes. I can barely jog a lap of the training area without being lapped by several people.

However, I recently got a new personal PB and I was deluged with tons of genuinely heartfelt high fives, congratulations and well dones from everyone nearby and then the days after people complimented me too.

OP, 99.9% of people are good and kind. They want you to do well and they are honestly pleased when a member of their gang achieves something. But of course we always remember that 0.01% who was so pitiful they could only knock someone else down.

You are going to have to take the plunge soon and I can guarantee you it won't be what you fear.

@ChoudeBruxelles how do you know what to do with the weights?

Why do you call me OP. 😊

OP = "Original poster"

I'm not Choude, but for weights I'd recommend a session with a PT to get a programme set up and ensure you know what you're doing to start with.

You can then have regular check in sessions to see how you're doing, it doesn't have to be every week if you can't afford it (or it can, if you can!)

magicalmollie good advice re trainer. I went to a private PT for a few sessions to get into it and then looked on YouTube/Instagram for ideas to develop.

I rarely go to the gym. Have a trx set up in spare room, a few kettle bells and some dumbbells at home.

Thank you everyone, you have been lovely answering. Went for. Walk today with my daughter, tomorrow I am going to try the 1 Mile thing on YouTube and get some weights 😍

Good for you! You'll be well away with it before you know.

You should be very proud of yourself, well done!

I started off with walking more with a fitbit, then couch to 5k (beginner running program) and cycling. I also did some aqua Zumba and aqua aerobics classes and swimming when I was pregnant.

Find something you enjoy or with people you enjoy being with so you keep it up. That's more than half the battle.

I'm doing couch to 5k and cycling again now.

I don't recall ever having a negative comment made about me running and I started at 20st.

The kinds of people who would laugh at you exercising aren't the kind of people you want to let stop you. What do they know?

It takes courage to start, but try either on your own in private or in a supportive group of folk trying to achieve the same thing.

You can do this!

Well done OP

I’d suggest trying to mix things up so you don’t get bored and quit

Yoga is a good one to introduce - for those dark and wet winter days! Lots of free classes on utube. Try yoga with Adrienne

Also try moving more at home eg squats while you clean your teeth or stir something on the hob