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"Think You're Too Heavy to Exercise?" -- articles



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SparkPeople.com ran this three-part series, "Think You're Too Heavy to Exercise?," to encourage and reassure newcomers to exercise and weight loss.

Part 1, "Getting off to a good start" -- http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=584

Part 2, "How to keep going when the going gets tough" -- http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=587

Part 3, "Tapping into the mind-body-spirit connection" -- http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=589

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SparkPeople.com ran this three-part series, "Think You're Too Heavy to Exercise?," to encourage and reassure newcomers to exercise and weight loss.

Part 1, "Getting off to a good start" -- http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=584

Part 2, "How to keep going when the going gets tough" -- http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=587

Part 3, "Tapping into the mind-body-spirit connection" -- http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=589

This is great. There are some very practice ideas and suggestions in this series.

I would highly recommend it to anyone who is not currently exercising as well as those of us who are exercising at a higher weight.

Thanks for sharing this.

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There are several series on YouTube with bariatric/obesity specific workouts. One such series is the Workout Launchpad on the LIVEexercise channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPJKAG0mknI

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There are tons of exercise resources for people at all levels of fitness. So many who are obese and hesitant post in BP to ask for guidance. If we could have this topic as a resource specifically for beginners, it would be terrific. The number of offerings could become overwhelming, but better that than people remaining fearful or clueless.

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I agree. I can attest that working out when you become a certain weight is a struggle. Even going to the gym has limitations as much of the equipment is not meant for obese people, or comfortable to use.

Knowledge is power. Putting out as many options as possible is definitely a great resource!

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It would be great to have a list of these sort of resources stickied in the Fitness forum.

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Pre-op, I was pretty immobile and even my favorite form of exercise (swimming) was difficult.

I got an exercise peddler and peddled it with my hands while watching tv. I worked up to an hour a day.

It really helped me prepare for surgery and to get to a place where I can now exercise much more easily.

A fitness tracker is also helpful. Even if you can only exercise a few minutes at a time, it helps me to keep track so I can see how small increments can add up.

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I got an exercise peddler and peddled it with my hands while watching tv. I worked up to an hour a day.

I

A fitness tracker is also helpful. Even if you can only exercise a few minutes at a time, it helps me to keep track so I can see how small increments can add up.

One of the "stars" of SparkPeople.com (I'm really not touting Spark, but I've been a member since my surgery) is a woman who started at about 460. She, too, started with the hand cycle. She's a non-surgical weight-loser. It's taken years, but she's now about 220 and still at it.

For those are immobile because of weight, injury or some other physical disability, one of Spark's teams is Chair Exercise Team. There are lots of options online for chair exercises, videos, et al., easy to find by googling. The team, though, has a sticky topic listing much of what's available. For anyone wanting to take a look, here goes:

http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=32265

Among its own videos (see the Articles and Videos tab) are quite a few chair exercises positioned for people who have desk jobs.

Fyi, Spark is not geared to WLS, but many members have had surgery and there are at least several teams for them.

So that I don't seem to be 'selling' the website, let me say Livestrong.com.

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when I first got my treadmill I was only able to walk for 5 minutes at a time. my weight was not at it's highest, but I would say my fitness was at it's lowest. start where you are and what you can and your body will amaze you! I also love to swim and jog in the Water.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
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      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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