I think this is going to be one of my biggest challenges (*i think*). I'm not able to easily get to a gym because I don't currently drive. I have a big gut and I'm short (5ft tall), so when I pull the seat up to reach the pedals my stomach is pressed up against the steering wheel and it makes it difficult to steer.

Today I found a good walking video to follow however after 5 minutes and I was ready to quit because I just found it too difficult. A walking video! Not even a quick moving exercise video.

So do you exercise at all? and if so, what does your exercise routine look like each week? I'm looking for ideas on what I can possibly do.

oh and I usually avoid outdoor walks because for some reason the outdoors cause me more problems with breathing than walking indoors (ex: the mall).

Hi Ree,I've not started to exercise yet - but plan to go to a kettlecise class tonight! I was sleeved on 11th Oct 12 and have managed to lose at least 70lbs so far - I try not to weigh myself too often, as if its not a loss or no big loss I get despondent... so better just to do it every few weeks. I too am 5ft tall, and can relate to the driving situ. What about starting off with just doing something from your armchair, lifting your legs up and down, just little movement things.. aim to do even 3 mins of the walking video and increase every few days. Have you had surgery yet? If not, when is it planned for?

Thanks Selena. I haven't had the surgery yet. I've only had the NUT seminar and on June 6th I have my physical and history. I'm just worried that after the surgery I'll have a hard time staying commited to doing some physical activity on a regular basis.

Rees, Did you buy walk away the lbs with Leslie sansone? It's one of my favorites that I've been doing off and on for a few years

When I first started, I did maybe 1/3 of it and stopped, laid down and started crying at how hard it was and how out of shape I was. I kept at it though and I can do two miles of it now at three months out. It doesn't take much time at all for your body to be able to do the moves with a little more ease and with more breath. I say stick with it. Commit to 6 minutes three times a day the first week. The second week commit to 8 and so on. One mile is only 12-15 minutes, you will be there in no time at all! An while you're pushing through and you feel your heart pumping, think about how good it is to get that muscle pumping!! How amazing you'll feel when youre a size 10 and moving. How good at it you'll be at that size. Please don't give up on the walking DVD , you deserve it!

You could get some 2 or 3 lb weights and learn a few moves with those too. There's quite a bit less huffing with strength training.

What about a recumbent bike?

The Leslie Sansone walk away the pounds videos are great. I have the 1 through 4 mile workouts, and it's also where I started. In the beginning I would do the one mile, and just did what I could. You will build endurance and strength, and it does feel amazing! I worked my way up to walking at our local rec center at a pace of about 3.2 miles per hour. Now I use a ski machine, a bow flex, or elliptical. What I love the most is how agile and strong and energetic I feel the rest of the time. My endurance is so much better, and I just feel so much better. I know I wouldn't feel like this with weight loss alone. I've started to view the exercise as a gift I give myself. I think it also help me manage stress. I don't do it every day, but shoot for 4-5 days a week. I also wear a fitbit to help track activity, and at work I take the steps when I can, and I try to get in as close to 10,000 steps a day as I can. Good luck, you are so worth the effort!

I think the key is that you are worth it! I started out walking as my method of exercise until I was walking outside all last summer. When fall got here I joined a gym and started working with a trainer. Spending the money on myself is worth it because I'm worth it. My trainer is wonderful and he pushes me far more than I could ever push myself.

I have the Leslie Sansone tapes too and love them...I just bought the new 5 mile one too, gives you a different exercise for each day and different miles...

I think this is going to be one of my biggest challenges (*i think*). I'm not able to easily get to a gym because I don't currently drive. I have a big gut and I'm short (5ft tall), so when I pull the seat up to reach the pedals my stomach is pressed up against the steering wheel and it makes it difficult to steer.

Today I found a good walking video to follow however after 5 minutes and I was ready to quit because I just found it too difficult. A walking video! Not even a quick moving exercise video.

So do you exercise at all? and if so, what does your exercise routine look like each week? I'm looking for ideas on what I can possibly do.

oh and I usually avoid outdoor walks because for some reason the outdoors cause me more problems with breathing than walking indoors (ex: the mall).

I'm a success story, so far anyway, but I am also a 'bad girl'. I did not and do not exercise. Let me add to this, I do NOT sit around on my butt eating bon bons, but I am not a gym rat or an exercise guru. I do park out in parking lots, I walk the malls and shop and I am up and down our stairs numerous times a day cleaning house, putting clean clothes away etc. I even bought leg weights to wear around the house and I do have a 5 lb weighted ball that I toss around every so often. I know me and I KNEW that since I have the attention span of a four year old, I'd never last on an exercise program for more than a few months. I did NOT want part of my weight loss to be because I was hitting the gym every day or every other day, but I'm smart enough to know I had to make lifestyle changes I can live with, FOREVER and I did just that. Prior to surgery I started eating on a smaller plate and most of the time I eat with a seafood fork. I still do this. I started logging my food on line, and I still do this. I started weighing every morning, first thing, and I still do this. As soon as I was discharged from the hospital, I started weighing and/or measuring my food. I still do this. I think all these things are important and all of them keep me aware of what is going on, what I am doing. It all is second nature now, like breathing. I reached goal, with no problem, without exercise. I don't advocate doing this, but for me, it's worked.

I chase my twin boys around for exercise and work two jobs

I chase my twin boys around for exercise and work two jobs

walking video - after 5 minutes - ready to quit - found it too difficult.

Ree

exercise was/still is a challange for me

i do it "sometimes" but not enough

many many many people here become exercise fanatics!!!!

that is great

"they" learned to love exercise, and of course we all know the benefits

then - they are all fit and trim and can exercise to their little hearts desire

enjoying the exercising, running, biking!!!! that really is great!!!!

i'm jealous

as far as the different walking tapes

i have also done them

i like the fact that i can do them at home - or walk in my development too

since you probably haven't exercised in a long time - its understandable you get tuckered out after a short time

but thats ok, really

remember rome wasn't built in a day!!!

you'll get better day after day!!

you'll build up stanima

we're all lookin' after you

see you walking around the block!!!

good luck with WLS

speedy recovery

kathy

chase my twin boys around for exercise and work two jobs

loti

i am now able to chase my DH around the bedroom !!!!

does that count????

oooops sorry for the hijack Ree

we now return you to our normally scheduled program - already in progress

kathy

Hello

First of all don't be discouraged by the walking video!! We all have to start somewhere and if you give up after the first go you will never get any better!!

When I started this journey it was hard for me to exercise, after walking for a minute or two I would be seriously puffed out. Now I can run non stop for 3km. I have a long way to go as I'm doing a 14km but I'm improving and that's the most important thing.

If you find it hard to walk I would suggest swimming. It's great exercise and it doesn't put stress on the joints. Aqua aerobics is also really fun.

Exercise is really important and shouldn't be ignored. Just because you have surgery it doesn't mean you don't have to exercise because you do!!!

I think any walking is going to benefit you and staying active until you're comfortable doing more and more. I walk a couple miles every day with my job so I don't always stop at the gym. I hate excercise and don't preach it to anyone because I suck at it. Start by becoming more active in your daily life and just keep adding more and more.

I love to bike though and once it stops raining I'll get my self back on it.

Do what you can.. And then a little more

Yes the video I was walking to was by Leslie Sansone. I actually found a full video on youtube. It was a 2 mile video and even though I felt like quitting 5 minutes into the video I kept going, but after 15 minutes into the video I had to stop because I started to get really bad dizzy spells. I rested for a few minutes and then just did some leg stretches on the floor. So 15 mins I suppose is a mile on that video.

I would like to try and do the 15 minutes 2x a week and maybe sometime after the surgery I'll be able to do the full 30 minute video 2x a week. Is that a reasonable goal or do people usually exercise more than that?

Also, when I'm following the walking video I mute the volume on it and I listen to some music that I really like. It keeps me motivated to keep moving.