Out of shape but want excercise to make a difference

[chubbynovlawstudent]

I am 22 years old and gained almost 100 pounds due to various medical issues over the last few years.  I found out that I have a hypothyroidism, pseudotumor, and was taking a medication which has a side effect of major weight gain.  Under a doctor's care, those issues are under control, but I still have all this weight to lose.  I currently weigh 268 lbs and am very out of shape.  When I weighed 170, I excercised daily and had a balance of strength training and cardiovascular activity.  I know I have hard work ahead of me, and I want to make sure I'm using my time at the gym/pool well.  I know everyone says to start out slowly, but I want to make sure I'm doing enough of the right kind of workout to really make a difference in my weight loss program.  I heard that excercising in short spurts throughout the day can help if I'm still too out of shape to do it all in one go.  I've also heard about "interval training" and have been hearing claims that some cardio machines are far superior to others.  Can you help me fix my excercise regimine so that it actually makes a difference in the weight loss?  I know that a little bit goes a long way and that even small steps make a difference, but I'm not looking for reassurance that a lackluster progam is good enough.  I really want my workouts to make a difference.  Thank you for your help.

[Barb135]

Good girl -- keep working at it and take baby steps, you will get there.  If you have access to a swimming pool, which apparently you do, since you are swimming laps, maybe you could look into water aerobics or something like that.  Water exercises are excellent because they are low impact so they reduce the possibility of injury while still working the muscles.  

And do make sure your thyroid is totally under control for YOU -- not just what the doctor says it should be.  

[chubbynovlawstudent]

Thank you so much for your support, Barb.  I'm up to 45 min 5 days a week and swimming some laps.  Also doing a little weight training, but not too much too soon (you're totally right that jumping in with too much could deter me later).  Thanks so much!

[Barb135]

I'm one that advocates beginning slowly if you haven't been exercising recently.  If you start trying to much too soon, you will end up sore and in pain, which will make it more likely to give up.  

My first suggestion is walking every day.  A 30 minute walk is a great way to start, but if you can't handle 30 minutes at one time, break it into 3 - 10 minute walks.  Work your way up from there.  There are a lot of websites from which you can watch exercise videos.  I'm also a firm believer in yoga as it is great for building your core muscles and it's relaxing as well.  

Secondly, I'd recommend a food and exercise tracker, such as the ones here on MedHelp.  By writing down everything you eat, you will be able to pinpoint whether or not you are actually eating more calories than you think.  

Last, but not least - I must comment on your hypothyroidism.  I know you said you have that under control, but do make sure your hormone levels are right for YOU.  I have been fighting this same issue for almost 2 years and although my doctor kept telling me my levels were "normal", I discovered that just because they fell into the "normal" reference range on the lab report, didn't mean they were "normal" for me.....Now that I am finally getting my thyroid levels to where *I* need them to be, I'm finally able to lose some weight --- now I have to get busy and work at it......

Good luck and keep posting so we know how you are doing.  

[chubbynovlawstudent]

thanks so much for the inspiration and the link!

[Red_Lily]

If I were you, I would skip the cardio machines and go outside for exercise. You can get a lot more out of running in fresh air than you can with running inside a clammy room and being bored. You should also schedule your exercise around 2  hours after you eat - so that you can burn the calories from your meal. I try to go jogging at least three times a day, it's a great way to get leg muscle. Also make a routine up for yourself. Know the amount of crunches, push ups, lunges, squats, etc you want to do. Make sure you pinpoint the area you want to tone or lose weight from, work your exercise around them.

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/

This is a great place to find exercises and certain routines, diets, or goals for yourself. They also have a calorie counter and an exercise tracker. Youtube has some great videos as well. There are also some great exercises you can find that you can do at work - even in your office.