Working With Bigger People

[davebold370]

Ok, Me and my wife have decided to start working out together. We really want a kid, but she can't safely have one right now due to her size. She was 327 lbs when we started last week. I was 230 lbs. It's been five days. She is now down to 310, but i have stayed the same.

Now the challenge, she can't walk or run. She has some weird condition that causes her foot to lock up if she uses it to much. It's because of her weight and as soon as she is back down to 280, she will be free from it.

What i have been doing with her. This is for you guys and girls that are larger and have troubles doing what "normal" people can do. I myself have arthritis so it's hard for me someday.

1) Warm up by stretching base snap muscles.
2) Martial Arts Based: 25 back hands, forward punches, and up juts per hand. in a oscillating pattern. I vary the pattern each day to change how the muscles adapt.
3) Modified Bicycle: Then we get on the ground putting our legs at a 90 degree angle. We place our hands on our foreheads with elbows out. Then we try to touch our elbows to our opposite knee. (Right Elbow to Left Knee) 4 count reps. 10 reps.
4) Modified Pushups: She then gets on her knees, placing her hands in front of her. Holding her feet up slightly off the ground, she does pushups. (Down 1, up 2, down 3, up 4 = 1 rep) She does 20 reps. While I do pushups the regular way.
5) Hello world: This changes up each time to keep the body from adapting. But the main idea is laying on her back, raising the feet 2 inches off the ground and then preforming an action with it. Like raising one leg slowly, then lowing it, and repeating with the other leg. Opening and closing of the legs, Rotating the legs, rocking the body, etc...
6) Balance: I place her in a position which doesn't put strain on the foot but requires a tremendous amount of balance. We do this until her body can't hold anymore. (Normally 30 seconds. Some of the positions are very hard to hold.)
7) Cool down: Using deep cleanings breaths, combined with stretches and light yoga, we bring her heart beat back to normal.
8) Relaxation hypnosis: I have training in basic hypnosis, and I use it to help her relax and let go of the things of the day to help her sleep better.

My question is this, I want to add one more cardio, one more muscle, and one more balance type exercise to this route. What would you all suggest?

It's also 105-120 outside most days during the summer. Which isn't normal for this area.

Lets share our ideas and make a great work out that we all can get fit with. :D

Thanks everyone!

[I_royalty_I]

Honestly, I think you would do great with a little bit of cardio mixed in there.
Running would probably be a little difficult, but maybe bike riding? Or since it's HOT out there, hop in a pool and swim for awhile. Swimming can be a great cardio exercise.

Just keep doing what youre doing and you will see a change. The reason nothing changed for you could be that you are gaining muscle and it's counteracting the weight gain. But if you keep doing it, you should notice a change.

[pinkie]

It's actually recommended you start with the elliptical machine or bicycling before you get into running. These activities are less strenuous on your system while still helping you lose fat and tone the muscles in your legs. Plus, it gets your body used to the movement so running will become easier once you start. So, maybe you don't need to bike outside, though I say the hotter the better because your body has to work to maintain a constant, healthy body temperature. If you feel it's too dangerous, a stationary bike is great.
Or you can always go dancing!!! Best way to be completely oblivious to how many calories you burn. Fun for both of you, really no rules, just shake that thang and get down with yo' bad self.
I would focus more on cardio than muscle building at least for the first couple weeks. You'll see results a lot faster, and you'll be able to improve over time. That paired with a change in diet is going to be the optimal way to see the numbers on the scale drop, as opposed to just chasing a healthy body. Cut out carbs (you don't need them!!!!! REALLY!) and focus on protein, fruits, and veggies. When I want to drop some pounds quick, I just stick to those three basic groups and my body sees almost immediate changes without any loss in nutrition. What are you guys doing in terms of food?

[Evelsaint]

davebold370

Great Progress!

In addition to exercise, remember that diet is an important must too!

This doesn't mean you have to starve yourself, quite the opposite in fact.

Go to Acaloriecounter.com to keep track it also has very useful information on food and nutrition, stay away from trans fat but saturated and mono is good. But don't kill yourself over it and count every grape you eat.

This is the direct link to what you may be interested in.

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

REMEMBER! Lose weight in a healthy manner! Do not lose too much too quickly and your goal is to lose weight and stay that way!

That means starting to maintain a healthy and consistent lifestyle, one step at a time.

There will be a point in the future where you will hit a wall where you just aren't losing weight anymore, that means you need to change up your exercise routine and work harder to lose more.

Also I definitely recommend swimming!

Good luck with EVERYTHING!

I hope this helps :2

[davebold370]

Thank you for all the great suggestions! :D


I_royalty_I Don't have the money for a pool. :(
Evelsaint We have been dieting, but this site has some good information. Thanks a lot. :D
pinkie The dancing would be great after we get the foot problem solved. :D I was thinking of getting zumba classes if the money comes available.

Thank you all for the great suggestions. I will be adding a little more cardio to it. :D

[jongeh]

Ok, Me and my wife have decided to start working out together. We really want a kid, but she can't safely have one right now due to her size. She was 327 lbs when we started last week. I was 230 lbs. It's been five days. She is now down to 310, but i have stayed the same.

Now the challenge, she can't walk or run. She has some weird condition that causes her foot to lock up if she uses it to much. It's because of her weight and as soon as she is back down to 280, she will be free from it.

What i have been doing with her. This is for you guys and girls that are larger and have troubles doing what "normal" people can do. I myself have arthritis so it's hard for me someday.

1) Warm up by stretching base snap muscles.
2) Martial Arts Based: 25 back hands, forward punches, and up juts per hand. in a oscillating pattern. I vary the pattern each day to change how the muscles adapt.
3) Modified Bicycle: Then we get on the ground putting our legs at a 90 degree angle. We place our hands on our foreheads with elbows out. Then we try to touch our elbows to our opposite knee. (Right Elbow to Left Knee) 4 count reps. 10 reps.
4) Modified Pushups: She then gets on her knees, placing her hands in front of her. Holding her feet up slightly off the ground, she does pushups. (Down 1, up 2, down 3, up 4 = 1 rep) She does 20 reps. While I do pushups the regular way.
5) Hello world: This changes up each time to keep the body from adapting. But the main idea is laying on her back, raising the feet 2 inches off the ground and then preforming an action with it. Like raising one leg slowly, then lowing it, and repeating with the other leg. Opening and closing of the legs, Rotating the legs, rocking the body, etc...
6) Balance: I place her in a position which doesn't put strain on the foot but requires a tremendous amount of balance. We do this until her body can't hold anymore. (Normally 30 seconds. Some of the positions are very hard to hold.)
7) Cool down: Using deep cleanings breaths, combined with stretches and light yoga, we bring her heart beat back to normal.
8) Relaxation hypnosis: I have training in basic hypnosis, and I use it to help her relax and let go of the things of the day to help her sleep better.

My question is this, I want to add one more cardio, one more muscle, and one more balance type exercise to this route. What would you all suggest?

It's also 105-120 outside most days during the summer. Which isn't normal for this area.

Lets share our ideas and make a great work out that we all can get fit with. :D

Thanks everyone!

Trust me, if you want the best information, get a personal trainer or use the forums on [Only registered and activated users can see links] Don't be put off by the name, it isn't a site for hulking steroid using gym monkeys; The people there are pretty much experts and they will set you up with a good routine and also help you with your dieting requirements. There are also lots of extremely informative posts to read through. I have read stuff on there that I didn't even have an inkling of knowledge about prior, and it really helped me out when I was training.

Give it a go.

[davebold370]

jongeh Thanks. :D

[paris hilton]

i throw up sometimes, i know that helps
and starve myself.

[archon_johnz]

I concur with jongeh that bodybuilding.com is the best source for information on getting in shape.
Quick counter-intuitive but scientifically solid information (that you'd find on there):
Cardio is the THIRD most effective measure for losing weight.
1. By far the most important is caloric restriction -- eating less.
2. Also more effective than cardio in weight loss is muscle building/strength training. This is because muscle fibers burn more calories/fat per unit weight than any other cell in our body, even when completely at rest.

For me, occupying myself with enjoyable/addicting activities like Neopets reduces food craving. Cardio is great for cardiovascular health, but in terms of calories and weight loss, eating one less snack bar is the same as running for a long long time. Cardio is more like finishing touches in terms of weight loss.

Good luck! :)

[spine]

It's been a month! How are things going??
It's difficult for me to imagine what that is like because I've always had a fast metabolism and being thin runs in my genes so I hope you reach your goals-both of you!

[yamakracker]

I just try and not to sit after my meal for about 30 - 45mins. Kinda helpful. Best I can come up atm.

[Xanice]

There are a few simple 'tricks' i can point off from the start that may help you notice gradual weightloss. They're not so much tricks as small steps toward becoming healthier and thus reducing calorie in-take at the same time. Dieting is not easy, it requires a lot of determination and a lot of knowledge about the foods you're actually eating. It also requires that you know where you are at in terms of how many minimum calories you need to sustain yourself (which can probably given to you with a hospital check up). Without working a complete dieting routine, it won't stick. There are a few changes which I can recommend right off the bat for editing your diet minorly though that helped me burn weight off back when i was trying to lose pounds too.

Step 1) Cut out any sugary drinks for water. Juice is acceptable, but not more than 1-2 cups a day, and preferbly get the 50% less sugar drinks if they are available to you. Ideally, you want to stray away completely from any non-diet soda, and limit the intake of diet sodas to a very minimal amount and/or completely cut it out with water. You may or may not drink soda or sugary drinks, but sticking to something like this immediately cut me 15-20 pounds when i was at a similar weight level as you, over the course of a year without any additional excercise. Cutting out alcohol from your diet would also be extremely helpful.

2) Steer away from greasy foods. Studies show that whole food's (mainly vegetables) give you a much more filling feeling compared to meats, and even more so compared to oils. Many fast foods load their foods with oils, creating 800 calorie meals that feel almost like nothing because the receptors in your stomach which signify you're full, do not detect calorie dense oils very well. This is a bit of a harder change especially if you are avid meat-eaters. For now, stick with low-fat white meats if possible, occasional redmeat is fine, but order something of higher quality like a small sirloin versus a burger patty.

I think these two changes alone would help your wife alot on her way down to 280, so her condition restraining her feet would be lessened. As for excercise, since I've been running for the last 2 years, I can't really remember what else I used to do before then. But I can say that doing the 2 above things made me gradually lose weight, without much effort (but of course over a longer course of time).

Best of luck!

[Meagan]

Great job on the weight loss so far! I gave birth a year ago and was overweight before getting pregnant, since giving birth I would say my 70+ pound weight loss was 80% diet and 20% exercise. Now that I'm about average in weight I plan on doing Insanity to start toning. I had to switch it up to different diets to sort of jump start it, I really loved making green smoothies. I would mix in kale, spinach, pecans, celery, flaxseed, and a fruit to give it flavor. I usually had this for breakfast and sometimes lunch. I would drink a lot of tea and green tea before dinner, I used Stevia to sweeten it, and drinking about about a gallon or more of water. For my exercise I would bike about an hour on an exercise bike while playing my 360. Good luck with the weight loss and trying to conceive.

[hairyknuckles]

I didn't read anything anyone else said so I'm not sure if this has been posted before, but you should really try riding a bike.

Due to your weight and your wifes medical condition, it would be ideal.
Biking is less strain on your knees than running would be.

There's a good bit of bro science in here.

[winston_tiu]

I really would suggest doing alot of cardio, and try to lessen food intake. Try a 5 meals a day routine:
8am light breakfast, ie. 1/2 egg whites and 1 glass of milk, 250 grams of high fibre cereal with milk.
10am 3-5 pcs of biscuits/crackers.
12pm light lunch, ie. one half cup of rice, a little piece of steak, and more veggies.
3pm fruit time, 2pcs of banana/1 pc of apple/orange.
5pm light supper. just like lunch but i suggest mix it up a bit.
Definitely no buffet style meal/softdrinks/sweet drinks. Once a month cheat day. Cheat day should also be controlled.
I've been doing this and lose 20 pounds in a month. Good luck