The fitness and weight loss industry is a multi-million dollar corporate world. People spend thousands of dollars a year on gym memberships and exercise equipment. However, when viewing the advertisements and reviews of these things, most seem geared toward an already-fit populace. There are no obese or overweight people bouncing in an aerobics class or using the latest fitness machine.
There are two reasons for this. Number one, obese and overweight people do not sell exercise equipment and gym memberships. Secondly, many of these classes and machines are not safe for the physically un-fit.
If you are an obese or overweight individual, your exercise regimen will be different from an already healthy individual. As recommended, you should always consult your doctor before beginning an exercise routine. After that, there are some safe exercises for obese and overweight people outlined below.
Sit Down Exercises for Less Stress and Pain
For the severely overweight and obese, as well as older people and those with mobility or balance issues, sit down exercises are good options. These types of exercises can be useful in building basic muscle strength. While seated in a chair, individuals are able to a variety of arm raises, leg lifts, and bends and leans. All of these gentle exercises, especially on those who are quite obese, will help to build necessary strength for future exercise attempts.
Water Exercise for Endurance and Strength
After the obese or overweight person has graduated from the sitting exercises, swimming and pool fitness is a great alternative. In the water, there is much less load on the joints and bones. This greatly reduces the chance of injury and serious strain.
A wide variety of exercises can be done in the pool or other body of water. Jumping, standing breaststrokes or arm swishes, and leg lifts and kicks are all great exercise for the obese and overweight.
Walking - A Beginner's Guide
The final type of exercise that is appropriate for the obese or severely overweight is walking. Most fitness magazines focus on thirty minutes every day, or maintaining a four mile per hour speed. For some obese and overweight individuals, that is simply impossible.
When beginning a walking exercise regimen, it is important to keep a few things in mind. Number one: get good walking shoes. Obese and overweight individuals need high quality sneakers with good shock absorbing qualities. Number two: bring water. People in poor physical condition tend to sweat more when exercising and thus need their liquids replenished frequently. Number three: however far you go, you still have to get back. Pushing yourself to go too far is never good. Do not be ashamed to take breaks, sit down, or walk a very short distance to begin with.
