so i'm new to exercise kinda of, i mean i'm new to sticking with this exercise thing. my doctor told me in order to lose weight that i would need to get in at least 60 min of activity on most days. so per her instructions i have been going to the gym 5 days a week and exercising for 1hr to 2 hrs. hoping to see some serious weight loss so far have lost 17lbs. looking for friends and support.

this is for everybody, in fact, i would argue that this forum is MORE for the folks just getting started and need information/motivation than the vets.  keep posting and asking questions, the best way to jump in is on the daily workout threads.  welcome.

This group is for everyone. I don't consider myself to be a hardcore exercise person, but some will probably disagree. You will hopefully learn that this group is for anyone who wants to exercise. This group tends to get you more into a lifestyle of exercise than the other forums.

I agree that one way to best make use of this group is to ask questions and contribute to the daily workout threads. You will fund this is the least judgmental and most supportive group of people on this site.

Congrats on your success thus far and hope to see you on here.

 definitely for everybody, we've all been in your shoes!

I hope it's not just for hardcore exercisers...else I've gotta find somewhere else to post!

All levels are welcome here, welcome aboard!

Everyone is welcome, the only thing we ask is that you work at it to make yourself successful. The people on this board have figured out that exercise is a key component of the weight loss journey. Some of us actually enjoy working out now. So jump on in and start letting us know what your doing to make your life better.
Rob

WELCOME!!! As everyone has said, this place is for EVERYONE!!! Don't be a stranger...

I have started the couch to 5K! We just had the Gasparilla Distance Classic here. I have 9 weeks to prepare, and have picked a few I want to participate in. Plus, muddy buddy is in April. Can't wait!

Heather

Welcome!  All fitness levels welcome (I hope, because I THOUGHT I was hardcore until I read what some of these folks do!).

This is one of the most positive boards on OH....none of that "my surgery is better than yours" name calling junior high crap you'll see on some of the other boards.  These folks here "get it"....that we must incorporate exercise into our lives REGULARLY in order to maintain good health! 

If only so many others would follow, then I'll bet we wouldn't have any need for the "Failed Weight Loss Surgery" forum or the revision board (although I do realize some revisions are necessary due to advancements in the procedures).

I still believe too many people go into WLS with the notion that exercise is an option.....when it really is a requirement.

Best to ya!

Kim

For everyone and we are here to help. Ask anything you need to know.

thank you to everyone for the outpouring of replys. i was a little intimdated by some of the exercises that i saw some of the members on the board do! i thought oh boy i'am nowhere near that level [ although i fully intend to be]. i do have tons of questions, so i'll start with the first; do you think you need to take in less cals than u burn to lose weight or more?? i hear some say you need more to burn more some say less and i'm just confused.  anyway thank you all for the support 

                                                                                                            susie

                                                                                    

Weight loss is simple science--burn more than you consume and create a deficit which = weight loss.  Many people subscribe to the "starvation" theory....meaning if you create a situation through deprevation that mimics starvation, the body will begin to hold on to everything in preparation for total loss of food.  Recently, some studies have indicated that is not how our bodies really work.......I don't think there is enough evidence yet though to change my mind (I do believe you can have consumption so low that your body will react by "saving up".....I'm living proof of it after years of starvation diets!!)

However, there are a lot of moving parts to this science.  You need to do what you can to insure against muscle loss....and after weight loss surgery, no matter what you do, you will lose some muscle.

Protein consumption will help muscle recovery.  You also need complex carbs for quick energy.  For me, I do much better eating 6 small meals a day to provide a constant source of energy for my metabolism.  My fat burning ramped up once I did this and ensured I was getting enough calories per day (for energy to continue the workouts).  The fact that I have a lot more muscles now also improved my metabolism.

To guarantee you are consuming less than you are taking in, you'll need to be able to acurately account for what you are truly burining in a 24 hour period.  There are several tools available for this (like the BodyBugg).

There are many other factors such as genetics, your resting metabolic rate, medications you may be on, thyroid activity....the list goes on....but that is the basics.

 I think the simple answer is take in less than you use, but not too much less, and while generally correct, I truly believe this is an over-simplification.  There are others factors involved, not the least of which is the composition (carbs/protein/fat), the type of workouts we're doing, the timing of eating/workouts (combined with composition) and so on.  

I don't say this based on anything I have really read in detail, although I've read a ton, but based on my own performance and experience the last year.  I think it really is very personalized because all of our bodies seem to react differently to different mixes of the above parameters - again based only on my experience and reading the journeys of folks right here.  

You have to take in less than you need to lose weight , but if you go to far you can cause your body to go into starvation mode and cause stalls.

Welcome! 

I started off not being able to walk more than a few minutes before being extremely winded.   Over the past year and a half I have made gradual improvements to my fitness ability and yesterday I ran 10k for the first time in my life.  Hell, I couldn't even run a mile in high school.  We all have to start somewhere though.  

I love being a part of this forum, though I don't post that often.  I love reading what's up with folks and I especially love knowing that every single person here started off the way I did - overweight, unhappy, and ready to change.  

When I tell non-weight loss folks about my running, they are kind enough and give me a high five.  But when I tell my serious weight loss folks, particularly those that had WLS?  It takes understanding and encouragement to a whole new level.  And vice versa - often I well up with tears just reading race reports or other exercise experiences because I know just how big of a deal what they're experiencing is. 

Stick around - this place is full of wonderfully helpful and inspiring dudes and dudettes.  You may see some of these rockin fitness folks post that they work out for two hours and run amazing lengths of miles each day.  But don't be misled or feel intimidated.  These are your/our peers - our fellow surgically altered friends that remember very well what it was like to be trapped in an obese body.  From my observations, there are no better cheerleaders to have rooting for you.   

Best,
Michelle