I’ve said this a few times before and that is, my weight loss journey now is so much different than my journey four years ago. First of all I’m older and let’s face it, older at 49 (which I will be in a few weeks) and older at 45 is different. My body is going through all kinds of lovely changes and the things that used to be easier are much more challenging for me now. That coupled with my aches and pains, specifically my back, knees and now shoulder, I really have to be careful with the things I elect to do when it comes to exercising.
So exactly what do you do for exercise when you are more than 100 pounds overweight? Well, my first bit of advice is to ease into it. Jumping in full throttle is the worse thing to do. Especially just starting out or rebooting. There was a time I was able to run and do exercise video’s such as the 30 Day Shred. But Lord knows these things would literally kill me now if I were to start off with them. Starting off slow and easy is the way to go to preserve my body and to keep it injury free.
Be gentle. Keep it basic. Start off with simply walking. Walking really is my go to workout. It’s how I started. It’s what I do when I need a reboot. It’s easy, cathartic, free and can be done anytime. From there I would suggest to stick with low impact exercise such as resistance training. There’s no jumping or running required and it’s very effective in transforming your body. Things such as body weight exercises, free weights or resistance bands are all good options to get you started and build upon.
The thing to keep in mind is that when you are 100+ pounds overweight, jumping or doing anything that causes you to come down hard on your body is going to be painful. Recovery time after a painful workout is a few days and does not lend itself to consistency. Not only that but there is a high chance of injury, which is the last thing you want. Being out commission due to injury is mentally discouraging on top of being physically painful.
Starting out full throttle is the worse thing you can do because it could lead to a negative experience which could take months to recover from.
So, give yourself permission to start easy, be gentle on your body and build from the ground up. Focus on your eating. Master your diet and nutrition and gradually work in exercise as you go. Do weight training perhaps twice a week, and walk four to five times a week. That paired with healthy sensible eating will have you seeing the results you want in no time!
Then once you have reached a weight that is able to withstand a more robust workout add in the other things you’d like to do such as running, P90x or C25K. Work your way up to these things, but again start off with a low impact workout that is both easy and sustainable for you to do.
Your Turn To Share
What are some low impact workouts you’d recommend to someone who has over 100 pounds of weight to lose?
GiGi Eats says
Walking is extremely under-rated but a GREAT WAY to get started with working out!
Stacey Strickler says
Hi GiGi! You are so right! Walking is my go to workout. I lost a good amount of weight just walking. It feels good and it allows me to clear my head. Thanks so much for stopping by. Hope to see you again soon.