What do you do?

I am looking for any suggestions regarding exercise.  I am having a lot of trouble with my breathing and I get really short of breath with very minimal exertion. However, I still need to be proactive here.  Do any of you have any suggestions for me?  What can I be doing for exercise?  Preferably exercise from sitting position to start out.  I have b een lifting cans. I feel really stupid doing this but since nobody will witness this, I do it.   I just feel like there is more I need to be doing besides can lifting and lifting my legs.  Any suggestions will be utilized.

HI

You are totally on the right track lifting cans will help build muscle tissue in your arms which will help you with strength and also with fat burning, walking is an awesome excersise, and a lot of people think they need to go and do a marathon the 1st time they walk , nope, all you need to do is walk in place just a couple of steps, whatever is comfortable for you, do that for a couple of days then add an extra step or two, do that for a couple of days then add another step or two, keep this up and listen to what your body tells you and before you know it, you will be walking in place for 30 mins or so, it's not easy at first but you will rock it! Just work at your own pace don't let anyone tell you that you need to be a super athlete right away and have fun! put on some music you love while you do it!

Good luck!

dancing is also a good and fun exercise, do one song and build it up to 2 or 3.  here is a link to a 5 min. arm workout i use for MLM (my little man I take care of for you newbies), he has 5 lb weights, but you can use cans. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UmRb4UphfM&feature=related   make it fun.  when I fold a load of laundry I do a little something inbetween every piece. (like bend and touch your toes 5 times) or 5 jumping jacks??  gotta start somewhere.

I started off literally doing about 5 minutes every other day and I was up to about 25 minutes on the treadmill before I hurt my foot.  I'm working back up to it again, baby steps.  It's all about moving and every little bit counts when you are overweight and out of shape.  You can do it!

Chair exercises are a great place to start.  Using the cans for your arms is great. Start slowly and build up to 2-3 sets of 10-12 repititions.  As you get stronger, you can use heavier cans.  There are all kinds of sitting exercises you can do for your legs too (Kicks, marching, leg circles, a little stationary bike on the floor, if you have one)  You can also do some leg exercises laying on your bed (leg lifts, heel slides).  I'd google sitting exercises......I'm sure there are plenty out there!

Walking is great exercise......start slowly, as everyone else has said.  3-4 minutes of walking in place is fine.......just try to add 30 seconds or a minute every few days.  If you have steps in your home, just step up and down 1 step 4-5 times and then you can increase from there.

Any activity is better than none.  Just space it out, remember to take your deep breaths and rest as often as you need to!

Good luck!  You can do it!!!

I go to the pool at the YMCA for their arthritic swim program.  The water supports my weight so I can do more, like walking unassisted.  Also, my Y has a lift chair that puts me in the pool and lifts me out, so I don't have to try to use the steps.  I do this 3 times per week.  On the days I don't go there, I use resistance bands while seated in my lift chair.

I wasn't able to do much exercise before surgery with limited mobility, so I bought this dvd. I'd be happy to give it to you to use since I don't need it anymore if you would like it, then you can pass it along to someone else when you don't need it anymore!

If this is something you'd like, pm me your mailing addy and I'll get it out in the mail to you this weekend- if you don't want it, that is also ok.


http://www.bariatricdvd.com/