If you are overweight and decided that it is time to add some exercise in your daily routine, but maybe you feel uncomfortable going to a gym, where do you start? What exercises would be suitable for you as an overweight and beginner to exercise? What exercises will tone your muscles but not cause an injury?
How Many Days/ Week Should We Exercise?
As a fitness professional, I get this question a lot. What I would suggest would be a minimum of 3 times/week or more for at least 20-30 minutes, would be ideal.
However….because I often get a lot of excuses like: ‘I don’t like to exercise, or ‘I don’t have enough time’, what I usually say to people who are not exercise fans is: ‘Even if you exercise once/week it is better than nothing’.
So my message to you is: even if you have all the excuses in the world not to exercise, which I know is not true, find at least one hour/week to do some type of exercise.
When Searching For The Right Exercise Program For You…
First and foremost, in my opinion, you need to follow an exercise program that YOU LIKE. Whenever you start a new activity, and this goes for all areas in our lives, unless you enjoy what you are doing, you will not keep doing it for long enough.
So before starting any sort of exercise, make a little research first and see what’s out there, and what would you enjoy doing. Try out a few things, and keep doing the ones you will eventually enjoy most.
If you want a basis to start, you can check out my post on easy exercises to start.
Add Cardio In Your Program
As an overweight person, you want to include some cardio in your fitness routine. You probably have noticed that when you do some everyday jobs like taking the stairs for example or carrying the groceries, that you might be out of breath for a while. This is normal when you are carrying extra body weight.
I remember when I was 8-9 months pregnant, I had a difficulty taking the stairs to my moms kitchen. I felt my legs getting tired and I was out of breath for a while because of the extra weight I was carrying.
So adding some cardio to your fitness routine will help you increase your endurance and keep your heart healthier.
Now please don’t get scared when you hear the word ‘cardio’. It really isn’t that complicated. The simplest thing you can do is go for a walk around your neighborhood. Put your headphones on with your favorite music and commit that you will go for a 30-minute walk 3 times/week. Or perhaps at your local park, wherever you feel most comfortable.
If 30 minutes are too much for you and leave you out of breath, then start with what you can (maybe 10-15 minutes), and you will notice for yourself that slowly, day by day, you will feel more comfortable to add more time, until you reach your goal (30, 45 minutes or 1 hour). I wouldn’t recommend going more than an hour, the body gets too tired and you don’t burn the fat you want as effectively.
Of course if walking isn’t for you, there are many other types of cardio you can do. Cycling, swimming, dancing, elliptical, basically cardio is whatever increases your heart rate. Just find something that you enjoy doing, it’s a must.
After doing cardio for at least one month and a minimum 3 times/week, you will start noticing some changes in your body. Your endurance will increase and you will be able to do your everyday house jobs without getting out of breath.
You will most probably notice some pounds coming off, even without dieting. However, if you try to include healthier food in your nutrition, you will get faster results. And I don’t mean going on strict diets that you do for one week and then give up. Just try to make healthier choices, that’s all. And although I am not a nutritionist, one thing I know helps a lot is to include some type of vegetable in everything that you eat. It helps with fat burning!
Weights And Floorwork Are a Must
Although cardio will help you a lot as an overweight, what will most effectively tone your muscles are weights and floorwork.
Again don’t be scared by the words. You don’t have to join a gym that you don’t want to, you can either buy a set of small weights 1-3 kg, or you can even start by holding a small water bottle in each hand.
There are lots of exercises that will tone your muscles that you can find online. You can also find exercises in my other posts on my website.
And if weights seem a little overwhelming to you at the beginning, you can always start strengthening your muscles with some floorwork. Yes, the old fashion floorwork.
Again you should do a little bit of online search to find some easy to start exercises, and try to perform them as accurately as you can so you don’t get injured. You see, another issue that comes when working out at home, is to be able to perform the exercises with the right technique.
On my website, you will find other articles in which I analyze some of the basic exercises so that you can perform them the best way possible.
So Can Overweight People Exercise?
YES, YES, and of course YES. Being overweight should never be an excuse for not exercising. There is always some type of exercise that is right for you, and it should be something you enjoy doing. And from the comfort of your own home.
Just start easy, no need to jump or run, at least at the beginning, especially if you have a lot of extra pounds, and build your exercise routine slowly as you get stronger.
You will not only feel stronger, but you will also notice that your mood is getting better. You will feel happier, and you will notice your energy levels are going up. So what are you waiting for?