Okay, so here's the thing. I fall into what's medically considered the "super morbidly obese" category. Let's just say I'm very, very fat and my metabolism is shit. So I've decided to make a lifestyle change and kick-start my metabolism. This is my biggest issue: walking, even slowly, for more than 10 minutes causes moderate ankle pain. I generally push myself to walk 30-60 minutes, and by the end they're screaming. They feel swollen and sore and I end up limping around for a day or two. I tried cutting my walks into shorter times, but then I don't lose weight unless I cut my calories down to the 1,200-1,300 range, and I'd rather eat a little more (1,400-1,600) and work it off than to feel hungry all the damn time. I can push through pain, but I don't want to be stupid and then end up in shape with fucked up ankles and arthritis by the time I'm 30 or something. tl;dr - I'm really fat and exercising causes a lot of ankle pain. Is this safe or will it damage them permanently? Edit: I'm female, 24 years old, about 5'3"
Yes, it can hurt your ankles. Do you have good shoes for walking? They can make a big difference! (Ask any nurse what she wears- they will be good) I know you are not a "senior", but your weight has virtually made you into one! (I'm 65, incidentally) Seniors face many of the same problems exercising that you do so this may be of interest- Sitting Down Exercises For Seniors | LIVESTRONG.COM Also, what you eat makes a big difference, more than just in the number of calories. 10 "Wheat Thin" crackers have the same number of calories as a medium apple. You are still hungry after 10 "Wheat Thins", but the apple keeps you full! Omega 3, although a fat, will help you lose weight! Fat to treat fat: Emerging relationship between dietary PUFA, endocannabinoids, and obesity. (abst – 2013) Fat to treat fat: Emerging... [Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI Hemp & GLA: Good Fat Burns Bad Fat (article - undated) Hemp & GLA: Good Fat Burns Bad Fat | Manitoba Harvest - Hemp Foods and Oils A second reason to take Omega 3 is that you can't make working CB1 receptors without it- and the CB1 receptors in your brain are what get you high on cannabis! (They also fight depression! ) Omega-3 deficiency disrupts cannibinoid receptor function in brain (news – 2011) Omega-3 deficiency disrupts cannibinoid receptor function in brain - Wellsphere How Long Before Fish Oil Works on Depression to Lift Your Mood? How Long Before Fish Oil Works on Depression to Lift Your Mood? A third reason to take Omega 3 is that several recent studies have linked low levels of omega 3/ high levels of Omega 6 to an increased risk of breast cancer! Long-chain n-3-to-n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratios in breast adipose tissue from women with and without breast cancer. Long-chain n-3-to-n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid... [Nutr Cancer. 2002] - PubMed - NCBI An easy way to get more Omega 3 in your diet is to make your own salad dressing with some hemp seed oil (on line or check the local health food store). Here's a recipe for an Italian salad dressing that is good for you! [FONT="]Omega 3 Italian Salad Dressing [/FONT] [FONT="] [/FONT] [FONT="]1/2 cup hemp seed oil [/FONT] [FONT="]1/3 cup cider or red wine vinegar[/FONT] [FONT="]1 teaspoon of garlic flakes [/FONT] [FONT="]1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes[/FONT] [FONT="]2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning (or half [/FONT][FONT="]cannabis) [/FONT][FONT="] [/FONT] [FONT="]1/2 teaspoon sea salt[/FONT] [FONT="]1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper [/FONT] [FONT="] [/FONT] [FONT="]Mix, shake well before using[/FONT][FONT="]. Keep refrigerated. [/FONT] Good Oils and Fatty Substances http://www.math.ucsd.edu/~ebender/Health%20&%20Nutrition/Nutrition/oil_good.html O-6 to O-3 ratio- Discover the Shocking Reality That Ruins Your Health More than You Think! [FONT="]http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Omega-6+to+Omega-3+Ratio+-+Discover+the+Shocking+Reality+That+Ruins...-a01073970178[/FONT] Omega-3 Fatty Acids Shown to Prevent or Slow Progression of Osteoarthritis Omega-3 fatty acids shown to prevent or slow progression of osteoarthritis [FONT="][/FONT] OK, that's enough for now! I don't want to overload you too much! And good on you for taking charge of yourself! Granny
if there's any pain in your body, you need to stop. focus on your diet, drink a lot of water, and start by doing very simple exercises until you lose enough weight to walk without pain for 60 minutes
I'd swim for now until you cut some weight. The water will lessen strain on your body and swimming is great cardio. Eat right and start swimming you should see fat start melting off. Cut the carbs too
This ^^ swimming is the best and lowest impact workout for you at this moment in time. Also you diet is probably what you need to look at the most. If your really as big as stated you'll hve no trouble losing weight with a well balanced diet.
Swim and diet, then get back into walking etc or other low impact exercises. Sounds like you already know about the dieting aspect, just keep eating right, exercise the best you can, and you can have your body look however you want it to. Best luck to you. Keep it up. Also stationary bike!
Yes, try swimming. When you're very heavy, even walking can be high impact. However swimming is pretty much no impact. Do not cycle, that is murder on the knees. With you being very overweight, your knees are under enough stress as it is. Actually, you may want to just do some simple aerobics at this point. Nothing that involves jumping, lunging, or stepping, but there are other things. You've seen the arm circles? Leg lifts and what not. Stuff like that. At this point, your weight loss focus should be 90% diet. Once you take off some weight, you can work out more. Also, how are you eating? I don't just mean how much, but also what kinds of foods? Try drastically cutting carbohydrates and sugars. Try to half what you're eating now and see how that goes. And the carbs and sugars you are getting, try to make sure they're natural and unrefined. Fruits, veggies, etc. Eat as little pasta and starch as possible. I would avoid breads too. You can get all the fiber you need from veggies. Really you can. I've found high protein, high fat, low carb and sugar to be the best combination for weight loss (and no, it's not unhealthy for your heart, that's a whole lot of junk science). You see, sugars do affect your ability to lose weight, even if you're not getting an excess of calories (and carbs process just like sugars). Sugar increases your insulin level which tells your body to store energy rather than burn it. Over time this excess of sugar and Insulin (which is most likely what you've been doing to yourself for a very long time) will cause you to be Insulin resistant...and what that does has a very long winded explanation, but basically that boils down to is being hungry all the time because you're starving at a cellular level, and on your way to Type 2 Diabetes. Cut the carbs and sugar, you'll put your self back on track to your body using fuel as it's supposed to, and it will take time, but sticking with this sort of diet will take off the weight much easier than a low fat diet, even eating the same amount of calories. Fat is good. Fat is healthy. Fat keeps you full, and keeps you from ODing on carbs. With a high fat diet, you may feel quite sated at 1,200 calories, but do give it time, it will take time for your body to adjust.
I second the stationary bike. least amount of impact while burning the most calories. I have problems with my right hip from a sports injury and stick to that or the eliptical other than running, which makes it fuckin kill. No problems what so ever with those two machines.
If you can't do that much physical activity, you might have to be hungry a little. My advice is to eat very small portions throughout the day (yes, you will be hungry). Drink nothing but water, and lots of it. The more water you drink, the less hungry you'll be and the more weight you'll shed. The pounds will drop. Also, like people said, a stationary bike might help you out. Walking for 10-20 minutes might be a good thing for you to try as well.
If your ankles are hurting, that is your body saying STOP. If you can afford it, i would hire a personal trainer. Or just exercise with a friend, it will make you much more motivated. I'm not too sure about your physical capabilities, but you should definitely do YOGA when you can. Otherwise, i would focus alot on eating extremely healthy foods to lose that initial couple of pounds. Swimming would probably the best exercise for you, since it is a whole body workout! Good luck !