Thread: What type of exercise is best when you've a shed load of weigh to lose?

Just wondering what type of exercise anyone is doing.

I'm a big girl with a dodgy back after a fall last year.

I am joining an aqua zumba class near me ( first class next Tuesday after weigh in) and was wondering what other low impact but effective forms of exercise for us bigger people there are out there

What exercise have you done?

What would you recommend?

* weight not weigh

I hate it when I make spelling mistakes

I have some back troubles and when i went to a gym to ask the only thing they wanted me to use was the bikes and boy do i hate riding a bike lol ...i think the best low impact is swimming etc until you are stronger ,i am using a treadmill at the moment and just walking at a good pace that gets my heart rate going and gets me sweating a bit ...mind you i have only been at it a week lol ...
Good luck with your aqua zumba sounds like it will be fun

Swimming all the way for me. You can vary the strokes in order to confuse your muscles. It's cardio and strength at the same time. You can also do "swimming exercises" with a foam board (to focus on legs or endurance for example).

Beware though that swimming makes you very hungry. From what I remember from my PE lessons, it is due to the fact that the body remains relatively cold while exercising in a pool. And for some reason (that's when it becomes hazy, I can't really remember!) it means it does not suppress appetite but increases it!

for me its walking , as its something almost anyone can do, I have a young collie so its something I have to do but I do enjoy it and its something that I can step up gradually, I do at least two 45 min - 1 hour walks a day, I started off walking far slower and on the level and now I walk much faster, cover much more ground and take in slopes and I am a large girl myself so its takes it out of me but pushing myself that bit more each time works for me. I have now lost 2 stone 1 lbs in 7 weeks thanks to this exercise and healthy eating (1700 kcals a day) and I am feeling so much better for it. Its always going to come down to finding what works for you, for me I hate the gym and am too self conscious right now to go swimming so walking is ideal as I can go up on the moors or in the local woods / fields and wear my baggy dog walking clothes and nobody gives a damn as we are usually all looking wind swept and wearing mud covered clothes or what have you, you just don't feel self conscious at all as everyone I meet is a typical dog walker and only pay attention to each others dogs ha ha, I could tell you the peoples dogs names but would be hard pressed to even describe the owners or know their names! Em x

Thanks for all your replys

I'm too self concious to try a gym, I just imagine them to be like the call on me video all blonde hair and lycra * shudder*

I'd try walking my cat but somehow I don't think it'd be the same lol. My work is about an hour's walk away ( for me) so I might try to work a walk home from work in come September.

As for swimming. I used to love it so I might have to try going again. Not been in years

I love swimming when i first started this I swam for a hour without a break 5/6 days a week. Unlike most I did not feel hungry afterwards what I did find helpful was drinking afterwards if I felt hungry even if I did not feel thirsty seemed to do the trick. They say with swimming its best to build up the amount of lengths you can do before taking a break so I would do that as you get into the fat burning zone much easier.
Sadly I can not do it very much at the moment my ex has started going and due to it being a very difficult breakup I can no see him everyday just yet, so I am walking and using a cross trainer. I find the cross trainer much harder than swimming and I can only do shorter bursts but it is low impact as well. I use the yorke one which has a weight limit of just under 20 stone I started using it when I was 20 stone and I know some heavier who have. I would love to swim at a different time of the day but I have social anxiety and go when it is most quiet which is when he now goes. But I am working on my issues with that.

Originally Posted by xMariex

I would love to swim at a different time of the day but I have social anxiety and go when it is most quiet which is when he now goes. But I am working on my issues with that.

I am the same I have to go at 6.30am or nothing at all. Or 8pm during the ladies' evening on Tuesdays. But at least I don't have to deal with an awful ex. What a shame that you can't keep on swimming because of him

Probably none, to be honest, bar what you feel up to. So swimming is good for joints etc or gentle walking.

Far more important is to get a handle on the diet as this is what will drop the weight. I didn't do any formal exercise at 15 stone. I began running at 11 stone or so and now can run miles at just over 9 stone. I also hula hoop and go to the gym. But again, really not important until the diet is firmly in place and the weight is dropping.

the best way is started by walk , and after you feel alittle good , make other exerc

I would put in a vote for rowing (indoor), its hard at first buts tones the arms, the legs, bums and is good cv work - you dont need to do much to get a good work out and if you can afford a good machine you can do it at home in front of the telly... check out the concept2 website which gives you training plans and logs as well as motivational challenges to join

Originally Posted by GretaGrip

Probably none, to be honest, bar what you feel up to. So swimming is good for joints etc or gentle walking.

Far more important is to get a handle on the diet as this is what will drop the weight. I didn't do any formal exercise at 15 stone. I began running at 11 stone or so and now can run miles at just over 9 stone. I also hula hoop and go to the gym. But again, really not important until the diet is firmly in place and the weight is dropping.

Considering buying a hula hoop, used to love it as a kid and at least it's an exercise i'd enjoy!

Sarah, i'd say swimming would be good. And once you're in the water, no ones looking at your body. I found some quite flattering swimming costumes on evans

Hehe! I could just see someone walking thier cat, that really did tickle me!!

I'm not a gym bunny at all. I love swimming, but it's bloody freezing at the moment and with dark nights etc.. I know myself that I wont swim so much this time of year than I do in the summer! (though i still go 3-4 times a week) I like swimming because you don't get sweaty and it's quite relaxing and easy on your body, until you get out of the pool and you ache everywhere! Top tip, I always take a banana to eat straight after swimming, because I am STARVING (i'm doing sw so fruit is nice and free)

Another thing I do if i'm feeling energetic... If you have sky telly go to channel 282.. It's called fitness TV and theres lots and lots of work outs that are on them! I go through the week and sky plus what I fancy then I can do it when I'm feeling energetic haha I like Violet Zaki best, it's like a box-fit type thing and it's only for 30 minutes

Lots of love! x

I love walking and can often been chatting away to myself on my treks. It's great for me and gets the little ones fresh air. I tried the gym but I just don't like working up a sweat in front of others. Swimming is another gave but I am very self conscious of how I look.

I am trying the couch to 5k programme (free from the nhs site) Have downloaded the podcasts on my ipod and have started.
The idea is to go from nothing to running a 5k in 9 weeks however already I know there are weeks I will have to repeat as I don't think Ill be able to progress that quickly. It is good though as all the music is provided and the person talking tells you exactly what you need to do