ForumEasy Exercises For The Obese
Today, Americans are fighting a deadly epidemic that claims nearly 280,000 lives a year. The good news is that obesity, the number one health problem in the United States, is a preventable cause of death. The bad news is that due to various factors such as the overwhelming availability of fast food, monstrous portion sizes, and our increasingly sedentary lifestyle we are currently losing the battle of the bulge. One of the main reasons why we, as a society, struggle so much with our weight is because we are a convenience-minded group of individuals who have forgotten the joys and benefits of physical activity. Adding to all this is the fact that everyday we are bombarded with pharmaceutical adds offering quick weight loss solutions that devalue exercise.
So, it is not surprising that most Americans do not know how to go about starting an exercise program. Even more troubling is the fact that most of us confuse fad diets for exercise programs. Fad diets are bizarre and often dangerous eating plans that we undertake for a month or two in order to drop one or two dress sizes, quickly. Exercise programs, on the other hand, require us to educate ourselves regarding how our bodies work and make conscious, long-term, lifestyle changes in such areas as nutrition and exercise.
The first step towards establishing an effective exercise program is getting to know your body. Every one of our bodies is slightly different. Such factors as our weight, age, sex, genetics, and overall physical constitution directly effect our metabolism and cardiovascular exercise capacity. Consult your health care professional before you begin any exercise program. The next step is to get moving!
Join a Gym
Gyms can be intimidating places, especially for inexperienced, out-of-shape or obese individuals. It is important to do your research and find a gym with an environment conducive to your needs. One of the main reasons why people join a gym, attend once, and never set foot in there again, is because the environment does not compliment their personality and the facilities do not meet their needs. This is especially true for obese individuals. In most traditional gyms, the equipment are not designed for over-weight bodies and the staff is not trained to deal with the needs of these individuals. The result is a very uncomfortable, and often humiliating or unsafe experience for the obese client. Luckily, today more and more gyms are seeing the need to cater to the needs of the obese clients. It is up to you to do your research and find a gym in which you feel respected, safe and comfortable.
Hire a Personal Trainer
Hiring a personal trainer is the best investments for anyone serious about starting a long-term exercise program. Be honest with your personal trainer. Be sure to inform him or her of any health problems you may have so that he or she can tailor your exercise program around those obstacles. Your personal trainer will help you navigate the gym and design a fitness program tailored to your individual needs and fitness goals. He or she will educate you regarding such matters as your target heart rate, body mass index, body fat percentage, lean muscle mass, and calorie needs. A good personal trainer will not only help motivate and push you towards your fitness goals but he or she will also keep you accountable to yourself. Most importantly, a good personal trainer will teach you how to get the most out of your gym membership in a safe and efficient manner.
Keep a Detailed Food Diary
In order for any weight loss, long-term exercise program to be effective you must also embark on a long term-diet plan. Your personal trainer is not a nutritionist and therefore cannot give you adequate advice regarding nutrition. Consult a dietitian or your personal physician for a detailed nutrition plan. Most of us do not eat a balanced diet and therefore have trouble attaining and maintaining a healthy weight. Seeing just how many calories you consume on a daily basis, and where those calories come from, will help you make better choices. Learn how to keep a food journal and lose weight while keeping track of your daily calorie consumption as well as your daily activity levels.
Weight Training
Do not avoid the free weights! Most people new to the gym, especially the obese, are often intimidated by the weight room. They tend to be more comfortable in the cardio section of the gym and feel justified doing so since it is widely known that intense cardio exercise can help you drop a lot of weight quickly. However, what is often not mentioned is that cardio alone will not help you keep the weight off in the long-term. It is essential to increase lean muscle mass while decreasing the body’s overall fat percentage and this can only be accomplished through weight training. The result will be a leaner, fitter body that burns calories more efficiently.
Exercise Balls
Exercise balls are one of the most enjoyable and versatile exercise equipment currently on the market. Exercise balls are especially beneficial to the obese because most of the exercises done using gym machines can also be done using an exercise ball. However, unlike most gym equipment these burst resistant balls can hold up to one thousand pounds of weight. Exercise balls are often used by knowledgeable trainers to help obese or out-of-shape clients work on stability, balance and building core strength. They can also be used to help clients begin to build their quad, chest, shoulder, bicep and tricep muscles. If you have never owned an exercise ball the Gaiam Total Body Balance Ball Kit is a great beginner’s tool.
Pedometer
Walking is one of the simplest forms of exercise we can do. This is especially true for the obese. However, in today’s world it is so easy to avoid this form of exercise. In order to increase your daily activity levels set goals for yourselves and use your pedometer to see if you have managed to attain these goals. For example, one of your goals could be to take the dog out for a ten minute walk three times a day. Taking the dog for a ten minute walk can help you burn up to thirty five calories. That is one hundred and five calories a day. Remember, activity in our daily life is just as important as working out at the gym. There are many pedometers in the market today that can keep track of your activity level as well as estimate the amount of calories you burn. Of these pedometers, the Omron pocket pedometer is the most functional and economical.
