Whether you consider yourself cuddly, chubby, overweight, or just plain fat, if you are more than 100 pounds overweight or have a BMI of 35 or above, your doctor considers you morbidly obese. That scary-sounding term means that you are more likely to suffer from weight-correlated diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoarthritis than normal-weight or slightly overweight folk.
The good news? Getting regular exercise can decrease your risk of many weight-related conditions, help you sleep better at night, and get rid of pesky aches and pains. And there's no need to feel like starting an exercise plan means you have to start measuring and counting everything you put into your mouth. Exercise doesn't have to be about losing weight unless you want it to be; you can get fitter and healthier at any weight.
Exercise also doesn't have to mean going to the gym and worrying whether you'll fit on the equipment or wondering how you look in comparison to the gym rats; there are exercises you can do in the privacy of your own home to get you started, and there are lots of fun activities to get you fit that don't involve ever crossing the threshold of a gym. There are also plenty of attractive, comfortable options for workout clothes for large-size people, so you'll never need to feel self-conscious about how you look.
Let's get started!
Warning
If you are very overweight and have been living a sedentary lifestyle, talk to your doctor before starting an exercise regimen. Ask for guidance about what your body can handle at first so that you don't hurt your joints or get your heart rate too high.
Health benefits
Regular activity can:
- improve your heart and lung function
- increase your strength, balance, and flexibility
- build stronger bones
- give you more energy
- help you sleep better
- lower your stress level and make you feel good about yourself
Regular exercise can also help protect you from Type 2 diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and heart disease. If you already suffer from one of these conditions, exercise may help control your condition; ask your doctor about how much and what type of exercise you should be doing.
Lace up your sneakers and walk around the block to start getting more active.
Source: Brainy Bunny; all rights reserved
How to Become More Active
Start slowly! If you've been spending your weekends on the sofa after spending all week in an office chair, you risk hurting yourself if you go all out right away. The best activity you can easily do to start becoming more active and increasing your fitness level is to walk.
Your walks can be as short as you need them to be at first, but they should be in addition to the normal walking you already do every day. For instance, if you usually walk down the block to get your mail, that doesn't count, but if you continue around the block the long way or walk an extra block past the mailbox, it does.
As a heavy person, your back and knees may ache at first. If you need to rest along your walk you should, especially at first. You don't want to make yourself sick, or stop exercising because it feels too unpleasant. If you feel too achy for a 20-minute walk, try to fit in four 5-minute walks instead. If your climate is unpleasant or you tend to sweat a lot in the sun, try walking in your local air-conditioned mall. Some malls even open early especially for walkers.
Fitness Activities You Can Do at Home
If you're self-conscious about your size or find it difficult to get around, you can start getting active in the privacy of your own home.
- For many years, exercise DVDs were the best way to get a workout, but now you have a more personalized option: fitness video games. The Wii and the Kinect for XBox 360 both offer fitness games that will let you move your body at your own pace and improve your fitness level easily. (Note: The weight limit on the Wii balance board is 330 pounds, so you may not be able to use that component. However, there are other games for the Wii besides Wii Fit Plus that do not use the balance board.)
- Do a chair workout video in front of your computer. There are several good workouts you can find on YouTube; I have included an example to the right. This video allows you to get started moving without the danger of losing your balance and falling or having to get down on the floor.
- Climb stairs. No, not on the Stairmaster at the gym — right in your own home or office building! This is a great activity because you can start to feel results right away; after making a few extra trips up and down the stairs, the climb gets easier and you don't have to stop at the landing. After a week or so, you may not feel winded at the top anymore!
- Try dancing while you do your chores. It may sound silly, but if you are blasting some feel-good tunes while you scrub the tub or wash the dishes, you may be inspired to move your body to the music and get your heart pumping a little bit, or reach a little bit further, scrub a little bit harder. You'll end up with an improved fitness level and a cleaner house — a win all around!
Once you've stopped getting winded climbing stairs and can walk a mile without a backache, you're ready to take on the world of fun fitness!
- Try swimming at a local pool for a workout that will be easy on your joints. You may not sweat when you swim, but your body will feel it, I promise you! If your pool offers a water aerobics class, give it a shot; you can modify the exercises if they are too difficult at first, but you may surprise yourself with what your body can do in the water.
- Take a dance class with your spouse. Learning how to waltz, tango, or salsa dance can get your heart rate up without feeling too much like "exercise," and once you've learned the basics, you have another option for a fun date night.
- Take a hike. Map out a short, easy trail for your first time. If you like it and are ready for more, increase your distance and add some hills. Your fitness will increase, and you'll raise your spirits by spending time in nature. Don't forget your camera!
- Joining a gym is always an option for access to fitness equipment and classes, but frankly, gyms aren't always designed for larger people. Some machines have a relatively low weight limit and/or the handles may not be spaced widely enough apart to be comfortable. Ask for a tour before joining a gym, try out the equipment (don't just look at it and guess whether you'll fit), and speak to a manager about the weight limits on the machines, not just a receptionist who probably does not know the specifications for the machines.
.jpg)
