# anyone want to talk about exercise?



## crazygrad (Feb 5, 2007)

I've noticed the diet/eating thread has really taken off, but frankly, I can't keep all the diets straight! E4L, SB, etc- to many abbreviations, its like studying the New Deal! And honestly, I've take nutrition coursework, and I just dont' dig talking about it that much.

But I do like exercise. And I've just stepped up my exercise regime after a period when my exercise was minimal. Is anyone interested in an exercise thread? Like what videos do you like, find do-able, maybe even fat friendly? What exercise equipment works well for us bigger folks and what is just not a good idea? Any fun gadgets to play with during a workout?

Anyone up for a good sweaty thread?


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## SamanthaNY (Feb 5, 2007)

I'd love to see an exercise thread, yes! It's one area where I need constant inspiration. 

Though it's a *damn shame* that the only place we have to put it is on _THE WLS***_ board.  :doh:  

I hope more people show interest - I'm looking forward to some good suggestions and discussion.

***This would be perfect for Health Board!! *poke, prod, nudge*


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## Jeannie (Feb 5, 2007)

crazygrad said:


> I've noticed the diet/eating thread has really taken off, but frankly, I can't keep all the diets straight! E4L, SB, etc- to many abbreviations, its like studying the New Deal! And honestly, I've take nutrition coursework, and I just dont' dig talking about it that much.
> 
> But I do like exercise. And I've just stepped up my exercise regime after a period when my exercise was minimal. Is anyone interested in an exercise thread? Like what videos do you like, find do-able, maybe even fat friendly? What exercise equipment works well for us bigger folks and what is just not a good idea? Any fun gadgets to play with during a workout?
> 
> Anyone up for a good sweaty thread?



I am! 

My left knee has some pain so I'm trying to find exercise that doesn't inflame that. I love riding my bike but it hasn't been knee friendly. I also love dancing but haven't been keeping up with it like I was before my knee went haywire. I bought I pedometer and it's shocking how few steps I take in a day!! :doh: All the people I see talking about Pedometers on TV say we should be aiming for 10,000 steps a day.  I haven't been breaking 3000.  It's colder than a witches tit outside so I haven't been going for walks. When the weather warms a bit I do plan on getting back to the track. It's hard to do 10,000 steps a day in your house!

Another thing I'm very interested in is yoga for fat people. Anyone have experience doing that? I've heard there are videos available but I haven't taken the step of locating them.

I'm interested in hearing about what everyone else is doing. Thanks for the new thread! 

ps- I'm also interested in a health board!


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## crazygrad (Feb 5, 2007)

Sweet smelly socks!

Well, then, I'd like to mention a fun gadget I got last year. Its the Body Bar Flex- looks like either a broomstick or the bar portion of a barbell (depnding on your frame of reference). It only weighs a pound or two and comes in either 3 or 4 foot length and has a workout video. What I like is the bar flexes, and thats where the resistance is. Its very fun to bend and you can use it seated or standing. I wouldn't replace my free weights with it but it is fun when I want something different.


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## SamanthaNY (Feb 5, 2007)

Jeannie said:


> Another thing I'm very interested in is yoga for fat people. Anyone have experience doing that? I've heard there are videos available but I haven't taken the step of locating them.


There's a yoga DVD here. I've tried it - I like it. In conjunction with some sort of cardio, and some weight lifting, it really is a complete program.

Yoga has other health benefits too.


Which... coincidentally.... would be perfect to discuss further on a Health Board.


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## crazygrad (Feb 5, 2007)

Hi, Jeannie,
you say your bike has been giving your knee problems? What kind are you riding? (regular bike on a trainer, upright exercise bike, recumbent) I ask because cycling is among the most knee friendly activities as long as the seat is adjusted the correct distance from the pedals.

Do you have access to an indoor pool? Most people don't but if you have the $$$ for a club membership with an indoor pool, water aerobics or just water walking are incredibly joint friendly.


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## crazygrad (Feb 5, 2007)

There's a video (hard to find) called Big Butts on the Beach, it has yoga, toning and cardio programs.

Let me see if I can get more info.

Oh, and don't take this the wrong way- but pregnancy workouts can often work very nicely for people with larger bellies. Pregnancy workouts modify the activity to account for the presence of a large gut, so pregger yoga workouts may be an option. One workout- Preggie bellies on the ball. make sure your ball has a higher weight capacity (some tolerate only 250- 300). Its gotten good reviews by exercisers.

Also, preggo workouts tend to move up intensity very slowly and have often have a lower maximum intensity to prevent increasing the body temp too much since that can be unhealthy for the baby. Just saying- if you want to keep a lower intensity, this may be an option for you.


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## Jeannie (Feb 5, 2007)

crazygrad said:


> Hi, Jeannie,
> you say your bike has been giving your knee problems? What kind are you riding? (regular bike on a trainer, upright exercise bike, recumbent) I ask because cycling is among the most knee friendly activities as long as the seat is adjusted the correct distance from the pedals.
> 
> Do you have access to an indoor pool? Most people don't but if you have the $$$ for a club membership with an indoor pool, water aerobics or just water walking are incredibly joint friendly.



This is my bike. Do you think I should try making some adjustments?

http://www.diamondbackfitness.com/page/items.deptid.1.itemid.18


I do have a swim spa




but it is in a sceened in room and it has been too cold to use lately. The water is nice and warm but getting out is a bitch. I can't find my bathing suit so I have been going in nude. Many of our days this winter haven't been out of the twenties.  Nude swimming in below freezing temps just doesn't seem to motivate me. I should try and find some nice/cute guy who belongs to the polar bear club to entice me out! Anyone in the area game?  I would love to join the Y for a water aerobics class but with that spa right outside my door, I can't justify the expense. 

So there it is. Another excuse I have waiting for warmer weather.  

Thanks for the yoga link Samantha and the big butts on the beach, and body bar flex ideas. I'll check them out! I like the pregnant video advice. My belly definitely gets in the way of exercising.

Hope more people chime in!


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## Tad (Feb 5, 2007)

Jeannie said:


> I am!
> 
> My left knee has some pain so I'm trying to find exercise that doesn't inflame that. I love riding my bike but it hasn't been knee friendly. I also love dancing but haven't been keeping up with it like I was before my knee went haywire.



Oddly I'm nursing a hurt left knee right now too. Do you know what you've done to your knee?

A good general call is regular icing (even if only with a bag of frozen vegetables) and steady low doses of anti-inflamatory (i.e. ASA or ibuprofen (spelling?)). That should reduce any swelling secondary to the original injury, which will reduce general discomfort and let the injury heal better. But you still have to be careful....at best knee injuries take weeks to heal up, and some never go back to the way they were. So don't push it too hard!

Bikes are not knee-injury friendly in particular, but are not so bad normally if you switch to a much lower gear than you normally use, and try to avoid hills. My wife has kind of shot knees (not much cartilage left inside her knee caps, so the leg bones can easily grind against it), but she was able to gradually build up from occasional short easy rides to the point where she puts about a thousand miles a year onto her bike. So even with major knee wonkiness you can get back to serious biking, but it takes time.

-Ed
PS. I agree about a health board being a good idea. I was thinking this myself recently, having a few questions I'd like to pose to people on such a board, which would not probably not be right for the main board (i.e. option one is probably: lose weight).


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## crazygrad (Feb 5, 2007)

Hi, Jennie,
You might want to try to reposition the seat along the track line. Maybe a little more or less distance from the pedals would do the trick. You might also want to try ditching the foot straps on the pedals if you use them. They might be positioning your feet oddly for your build. If you don't use them, try them. They might put you in better alignment. Do you live near the store you bought it at? Give them a call, they might have more suggestions as well.
I biked to rehab my knee after surgery, but you do need to be careful- use low resistance, a smooth cadence and make sure whatever you're riding is in good working order anf adjusted for your body.

Knees can be wonky. Its never bad to see the DR. for them. You could have an imbalance between the quads and hamstrings, too tight quads, or something more serious. Always better to know and address the underlying problem rather than self medicate for temporary relief while ignoring its cause.


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## kerrypop (Feb 6, 2007)

Jeannie said:


> I am!
> 
> My left knee has some pain so I'm trying to find exercise that doesn't inflame that. I love riding my bike but it hasn't been knee friendly.



I've had Rheumatoid Arthritis since I was 6, and I really have knee trouble as well. Bikes KILL my knees, unless they're upright. I can't do the sitting bikes with the pedals in front, my knee will explode and I will lose half my leg. Or it will just hurt a lot... Here are some things I have done and recommend:

Trampoline- YES. this is completely do-able and low impact. I know it sounds crazy, but the impact is little to none. ALSO, there ARE trampolines that can hold us chunky girls up. I actually took a class at university that taught me basic trampoline skills. I HIGHLY reccommend this.

Elliptical (spelling? don't know): This is a great low impact replacement for a treadmill, and most local Gyms have this... 24hr fitness for example. 

Swimming: Swimming has been AWESOME exercise for me. I get really tired without pain at all! Hooray!

DDR: As long as you don't do too much jumping around on this, DDR is great. it's like step aerobics without a step. The impact is a little higher though. I wouldn't use this as your every-day workout.

Kundalini Yoga: This is the greatest type of yoga I have ever done. The moves are fun and kind of silly at times, and the focus is on the breath. Many if not most of the poses in this type of yoga involve movement, and can be aerobic if done correctly. 

I hope some of these work for you. If you have ANY questions about any of them, I would be happy to answer!


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## crazygrad (Feb 6, 2007)

Rebounding (using a mini trampoline) is a lot of fun, but it can be so hard to find a mini-tramp that can withstand more than 200 pounds.

I'm not a huge fan of the elliptical- good workout, sure, but after 15 minutes or so, I find them boring. If you have bad knees, don't go in reverse on the elliptical though. I've heard that can put pressure on the joint.


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## SamanthaNY (Feb 6, 2007)

The Urban Rebounder (a mini trampoline) has two models: the regular model sells for about $99-$120 and has a capacity of 300 pounds. The Gym Rebounder sells for over $200, and has a capacity of 350 pounds. 

I've used the gym rebounder - it's fun! And a really good leg workout. Takes some getting used to, but good for developing balance (USE the stabilizing bar), and reducing impact on joints. I can't say I would recommend the non-gym rebounder because it folds in half to store, and I've heard horror stories about the folding mechanism (read the reviews at the HSN page). 

If you're interested, google "urban rebounder".


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## Jes (Feb 6, 2007)

I love the elliptical machine. I always try to make it my bitch. It's much easier to do so with the type that has moving arm handles (think: ski poles) The ones with the stationery frame, and the pedals that move on tracks (as opposed to wheels of some sort) make me THEIR bitch. I do that one for 5 minutes. FIVE. The other I've done for 40 minutes. But b/c you never lift your feet off the pedals, there's no impact, and b/c you're holding on to the handles, you can do other things (read, watch tv, close your eyes--which I do often. Helps the workout b/c you'r ein the zone, and you're not watching the clock). I can't do any of those things on the treadmill. Can't walk quickly and not look straight ahead to balance myself.

YFAMV
(your fat ass may vary)


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## LillyBBBW (Feb 6, 2007)

kerrypop said:


> I've had Rheumatoid Arthritis since I was 6, and I really have knee trouble as well. Bikes KILL my knees, unless they're upright. I can't do the sitting bikes with the pedals in front, my knee will explode and I will lose half my leg. Or it will just hurt a lot... Here are some things I have done and recommend:
> 
> Trampoline- YES. this is completely do-able and low impact. I know it sounds crazy, but the impact is little to none. ALSO, there ARE trampolines that can hold us chunky girls up. I actually took a class at university that taught me basic trampoline skills. I HIGHLY reccommend this.
> 
> ...



Re: Elliptical - I found it to be extremely uncomfortable on the hips when I tried it. Everybody raved about this machine so I was surprised to find how uncomfortable it is. My theory on why is that the machine is designed for people to have their feet hip length apart. However if your hip span is wider or less wide than the standards used to construct the machine it won't be as comfortable and can probably do more harm than good. If you've got extra wide hips and/or superchunk thighs I would pass on the Elliptical machine.


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## tinkerbell (Feb 6, 2007)

I am still trying to get into an exercise routine  I love my DVDs, but cant seem to get my butt out of bed in the morning to work out, and then by the time I get home, its late, and I just want to eat dinner, and do nothing. 

I like the DVDs that I have, my favorite is the Biggest Loser one - I'm not a huge fan of the show, but the work out dvd is great  I think its 'fat' friendly in the sense of the work outs - they show modifications for people who cant jump around, and ways to fit it to your body. I also like it because it has the people from the show in it, and its not like any of them are really skinny perfect people. The people mess up, and they kept that in there. It has 2 cardio work outs (low and high intensity), strength training, boot camp, warm up, and a cool down/stretch.

We're thinking about buying a treadmill with my tax return - does anyone have one they would recommend?


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## Jeannie (Feb 7, 2007)

edx said:


> Oddly I'm nursing a hurt left knee right now too. Do you know what you've done to your knee?
> 
> A good general call is regular icing (even if only with a bag of frozen vegetables) and steady low doses of anti-inflamatory (i.e. ASA or ibuprofen (spelling?)). That should reduce any swelling secondary to the original injury, which will reduce general discomfort and let the injury heal better. But you still have to be careful....at best knee injuries take weeks to heal up, and some never go back to the way they were. So don't push it too hard!
> 
> ...



I don't recall any specific injury Ed. It has been bothering me on and off for a while though. I always just chalked it up to being 300 lb give or take 30 lbs for the last 18 yrs. Climbing stairs always causes a flair up and sometimes my bike will. I do use the lowest resistance setting and stay off of it for a few days if I start having trouble. Unfortunately I'm very sensitive to ibuprofen so I won't take it for inflamation. It has caused me intestinal ulcers in the past. I do need to try the ice pack though. I'll do that tomorrow and see what happens.




kerrypop said:


> I've had Rheumatoid Arthritis since I was 6, and I really have knee trouble as well. Bikes KILL my knees, unless they're upright. I can't do the sitting bikes with the pedals in front, my knee will explode and I will lose half my leg. Or it will just hurt a lot... Here are some things I have done and recommend:
> 
> Trampoline- YES. this is completely do-able and low impact. I know it sounds crazy, but the impact is little to none. ALSO, there ARE trampolines that can hold us chunky girls up. I actually took a class at university that taught me basic trampoline skills. I HIGHLY reccommend this.
> 
> ...




I have DDR and it really bothers my knee! I'm probably jumping/pounding down my feet too hard but I can't seem to do it any other way. 
When I was in college and weighed 125-130 pounds, I would use a rebounder to drop 10 pounds quickly. I LOVED mine but can't imagine using one now with this knee pain. 
Swimming is my favorite form of exercise by far, but I'll have to wait for warmer temps. It shouldn't be more than 3 weeks or so before it's bearable being wet outside.

Crazygrad - I'll change my seat postion on my bike and see if it helps any.

I appreciate everyone's imput! Lots of good advice here.


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## kerrypop (Feb 7, 2007)

Jeannie said:


> I have DDR and it really bothers my knee! I'm probably jumping/pounding down my feet too hard but I can't seem to do it any other way.



I totally understand. It's definitely a case by case thing. I thought I'd put it out there, because it's great as an occasional workout for me. I can definitely see how it would bug someone's knees depending on what type of pain they have. Bummer! 

Swimming in the cold is the WORST. It is hard to get into the water, and then it is hard to get out, and you're never at a comfortable temperature no matter what. 

Good luck!


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## kerrypop (Feb 7, 2007)

tinkerbell said:


> I am still trying to get into an exercise routine  I love my DVDs, but cant seem to get my butt out of bed in the morning to work out, and then by the time I get home, its late, and I just want to eat dinner, and do nothing.




I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I just need to find the balls to get out of bed 45 minutes earlier... but I have fleece sheets and they are so warm, and Stan is so cuddly in the morning that I have a hard time getting up 10 minutes after I'm supposed to be up to get to school on time.  

And after school? hahahah riiight. I need a support group to get me up in the morning or something. Maybe I'll set up a positive behavior support system for myself with positive reinforcement or something.


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## tinkerbell (Feb 7, 2007)

kerrypop said:


> I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I just need to find the balls to get out of bed 45 minutes earlier... but I have fleece sheets and they are so warm, and Stan is so cuddly in the morning that I have a hard time getting up 10 minutes after I'm supposed to be up to get to school on time.
> 
> And after school? hahahah riiight. I need a support group to get me up in the morning or something. Maybe I'll set up a positive behavior support system for myself with positive reinforcement or something.



LOL, I so understand what you mean about finding the balls to get out of bed - its just so warm with Craig and Cocoa (seriously that little dog is like a fireplace he is just so warm!), lol, I just don't want to get up. I keep setting my alarm for 5:30 in the hopes that I'll get annoyed and just get up instead of resetting it after it goes off. We'll see  And see, like tonight, instead of kicking Craig out of the living room and working out, I just get on here


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## kerrypop (Feb 7, 2007)

tinkerbell said:


> LOL, I so understand what you mean about finding the balls to get out of bed - its just so warm with Craig and Cocoa (seriously that little dog is like a fireplace he is just so warm!), lol, I just don't want to get up. I keep setting my alarm for 5:30 in the hopes that I'll get annoyed and just get up instead of resetting it after it goes off. We'll see  And see, like tonight, instead of kicking Craig out of the living room and working out, I just get on here



Yeah, I think dims is a catalyst for my not working out... I _could_ go work out right now... no one is even home! But if I did, this reply would have never come to be! That would be a sad thing. If everyone went to go exercise, the dims forum might just collapse! I'm doing this for the forum.


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## Wagimawr (Feb 7, 2007)

tinkerbell said:


> I keep setting my alarm for 5:30 in the hopes that I'll get annoyed and just get up instead of resetting it after it goes off. We'll see


Alarm clock trick - set it on the opposite side of the bed so you HAVE to get up to turn it off.


kerrypop said:


> Yeah, I think dims is a catalyst for my not working out... I _could_ go work out right now... no one is even home! But if I did, this reply would have never come to be! That would be a sad thing. If everyone went to go exercise, the dims forum might just collapse! I'm doing this for the forum.


That's the spirit. 
All for one and one for fat!


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## Dibaby35 (Feb 8, 2007)

You guys are gonna laugh but the only time I have to do any exercise is at work. The problem with this is that the fitness center is in the other building and I have no time to get over there. So I have been doing things in my cubicle..LOL. Like chair exercises..and crunches on the floor..lmao. Although that floor is hard! I'm gonna bring me a little mat in or something. I know its not alot but at least I'm doing something. If anyone catches me I'll be so embarrased..LOL


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## tinkerbell (Feb 9, 2007)

I wish I could do something like that at work! 

I actually worked out today! I feel pretty good - it was for about 30 mins. Lets see if I can do it again tomorrow


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Feb 10, 2007)

I have issues with stamina....at my size after 2 minutes Im outta breath and near an asthma attack. a while ago I heard about exercise you can do from a chair...just wondered if anyone knows anything about it. 

I would love to get into kick boxing....but babysteps, lol. So chair exercising seems the way to start...right? Also what about yoga for huge people? lol. I have heard about it for big people....but...once Im in the downward dog...there isnt any getting upwards again withour putting the dog down, lol.


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## LillyBBBW (Feb 10, 2007)

I have one of those FitBalls and I bought a strappy harness thingie for it. You put it on, climb aboard and hop around on it like one of those hopity hop things you had as a kid. It's kinda fun if you can remember to do it.


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## crazygrad (Feb 11, 2007)

You can get videos that feature chair exercise exclusively. My mom has one and it looks kinda cute but it isn't really my style. You could always find a workout you do like (like the instructor's style, the music, the choreography) but you sit down, do the hand/arm movements and move you feet vigorously. Make sure you're on a sturdy hard seat with a narrow back so you can move your arms fully, sit center or slightly foward, and move your feet in and out, back and forth, march while seated, do kicks. You can either mimic the choreography on the tape, or do your own. Richard Simmons workouts work well for this. He uses lots of arm motions and the music in his videos is wonderful. Simmons is a terrible cue-er (he doesn't cue well so you often don't know what to do with your feet) so by the time you want/are able to do the workouts standing up (should you ever decide to), you'll know the choreography and won't feel so lost.

When I was rehabbing an injury, I did cardio on an exercise ball, much like I described above. This was surprisingly intense and really worked the abs and stabilizers. I also found that I did some fairly high impact naturally, just from the spring in the ball. I LOVE my stability ball, but you do need to check its weight tolerance. I've seen lots of balls that only tolerate 200 lbs and a few others that only tolerate 300 lbs. You can find some really nice stability balls at spriproducts.com and stretchwell.com (where I got my burst resistant ball). I also like using mine for weight work (lying on it for bench press, seated for biceps or tricep work, etc.) so if you think you might want to use it for weights, keep that in mind when looking at weight tolerance loads.


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