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Exercise

Chat to other fitness enthusiasts on our Exercise forum.

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Original poster

Unfit and fat

38 replies

fizzyfood · 30/07/2022 22:59

Hi. As the title says I'm unfit and fat. I want to start exercising but don't know where to start. Money is tight so I can't join the gym. Any tips please ?

OP posts:

Limecoconutice · 01/08/2022 09:21

I think Second Nature is excellent value although you do pay a small fee every month but you learn a lot.

Walking would be fantastic for you, just walk once a day, every day in August. Maybe do it at the same time every day? Start with 15 mins, or however much you can manage and keep upping the speed, distance and length of time.

In winter, Leslie Sansone walking videos are good too!

Cut out one meal a day. If that is too much at first, replace with a salad.

Good luck op! It may seem unachievable now but I have just lost a stone doing the above! Two more to go!

FlowerArranger · 01/08/2022 10:30

@theDudesmummy try this to increase flexibility:

Fenella123 · 01/08/2022 21:42

trailrunner85 · 01/08/2022 07:19

OP with any of these programmes you choose, don't worry if they build up too fast. It's ok to repeat a week a few times before you go to the next one

This is true - but equally, remember it's meant to be hard, and you will find it a struggle at first. When I started c25k I honestly thought I couldn't run for 2 minutes. Then 5. And 10 seemed completely out of the question. Turned out I could, if I pushed myself beyond what I thought was comfortable.

And now, when I lead c25k groups, it's not the ones who are naturally slimmest or fittest who tend to progress and stick with it; it's the ones who are prepared to push on (and then discover they can do it after all!)

This. Dogged persistence and the willingness to haul up and go round again wins the day, every time.

LimboLass · 01/08/2022 22:16

Find something you enjoy doing. This is really important.

irtazasheikj · 04/08/2022 12:53

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

TooHotToTangoToo · 04/08/2022 12:59

I'm old, fat and unfit. I've been trying to up my steps for the past few weeks and started to do yoga at home, only 20 mins a day but at least it's something

Mumtothreeandadog · 09/08/2022 09:19

I'm 51, fat and unfit. Share walking the dog most days with DH, but still unfit. Just tried the C25K app but couldn't manage the 90 second run at the start

FlowerArranger · 09/08/2022 10:07

I think running is too much of a leap if you are ‘fat and unfit’ @Mumtothreeandadog …

can you try working out at home for a couple of months first?

try Rebecca’s stretches (see my previous post) and some of Lucy Wyndham Read’s workouts on YouTube. Lucy is calm and gentle and explains all the moves really well.

CristinaNov182 · 09/08/2022 16:12

The NHS couch to 5k is great but I couldn’t have done it straight out from the start when I started running at 30. I was unfit and fat as well, couldn’t run for more then a few secs.
What I’ve done is run / walk. Run as much as you can, slowly, 3 secs, 10 secs etc. Then walk till your breath comes back to normal. And repeat, for 10 mins.
Every other day.

I has lots of pain and stiffness but after 2 months of this I could run for 20 mins, and did about 2k. Amazing! Even in high school couldn’t have done it. In 1 year I got to 10k. Havent progressed after but I don’t want to do more.

2 keys here: regular exercise (3 times a week or every other day) + do what you can and don’t push yourself.

CristinaNov182 · 09/08/2022 16:12

Forgot to say, started with 10 mins and did longer times as I felt comfortable.

chilliesandspices · 09/08/2022 16:45

My first few weeks of C25K was more of a very slow jog than a run. I was too worried about running out of steam to go faster. I was amazed at how quickly it made a difference when I finally made it to the 20 minute "run" and actually managed all 20. The following week when it was back to intervals I was confident to go faster.

OP can you ride a bike? I ask because I'm learning to ride a bike and to swim as an adult, so I never assume. If you can, it would be easier to build up cycling than jogging. No need for Lycra and skinny road bikes if you're doing it for some exercise rather than racing.

FlowerArranger · 09/08/2022 16:51

@fizzyfood - try this to start running - it's the first of 4 sessions

Do each one for a week or so, or keep repeating 1-4 until you feel ready to venture outside. But also do Rebecca's stretches and some of Lucy's short workouts - it really helps!

jeffersonsam · 12/08/2022 13:23

If your money is tight? for going to Gym.
Doing simple workouts such as running, walking, swimming and playing games.
Workouts in Home such as Jumping jack, sit up, push up and planks will surely boosting your body fits.

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