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I’m not going to sugarcoat things here, or tell you that starting and sticking to an effective exercise plan will be easy or fun. The fact is that if you’re very overweight and out of shape, you’re likely going to face some obstacles—both physically and mentally—that will challenge you in every possible way. But I can tell you this: These obstacles are not just obstacles to exercise—they are the same challenges that stand between you and the life you want for yourself. If you can find a way to meet these challenges head-on now, by being successful at making exercise a part of your daily life, you’ll have self-management skills and the confidence you need to handle just about anything else life might throw at you. Exercise can help you shed pounds, and a lot of other unwanted baggage as well. Sounds pretty dramatic, considering we’re just talking about exercise, doesn’t it? But it’s true—at least it was for me. Trying to get myself off my 370-pound backside and into motion brought me face-to-face with all the parts of myself that had helped me get into the mess I was in: the part that had become an expert in excuse-making, procrastination, and rationalization; the part that relied on food and eating to manage feelings; the part that was afraid of what other people might think about me; the part of me that didn’t think I had what it took to lose weight (or do much of anything else); the part of me that was terrified of what might happen if I actually succeeded and no longer had my physical limitations to use as an excuse for avoiding intimate relationships, challenging work, and other anxiety-provoking situations; and yes, even the part that just plain liked sitting on the couch with a bag of chips a lot more than all the huffing and puffing and discomfort of exercise. After years of yo-yo dieting, years of studying philosophy and psychology in graduate school to figure out what made me tick, and after trying one “miracle cure” after another, my own path beyond all these obstacles started with a very slow (and pretty painful) walk around the block. Go figure. So, let’s talk about some of the challenges you might face, and how to handle them. This is the first in a three-part series, and we’ll focus here on getting off to a safe yet effective start. (Part 2 will offer you some tips for building and maintaining both your motivation and your progress, and Part 3 will focus on some special goal-setting and problem-solving techniques that can help you get through the toughest days—and have a lot less of them.) Continued › |
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Fitness Articles › Special ConcernsThink You're Too Heavy to Exercise? - Part 1Getting Off To a Good Start-- By Dean Anderson, Fitness & Behavior ExpertSparkPeople advertisers help keep the site free! Learn more
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About The Author
Dean Anderson
Dean Anderson has master's degrees in human services (behavioral psychology/stress management) and liberal studies. His interest in healthy living began at the age of 50 when he confronted his own morbid obesity and health issues. He joined SparkPeople and lost 150 pounds and regained his health. Dean has earned a personal training certification from ACE and received training as a lifestyle and weight management consultant. See all of Dean's articles. |
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Reverse Grip Triceps Pulldown on Cable Cross Machine
A reverse grip adds challenge to this exercise.
A reverse grip adds challenge to this exercise.
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Member Comments
That being said, nothing I do really pushes me. I'm 360 pounds, we live in 2 travel trailers side-by-side, so it's not like I'm chasing my grandson in a yard, of course driving is mostly sitting, and I'm a gamer chick, so almost all the rest of the time I'm in front of my computer.
I've tried to walk, but my feet and lower back hurt when I do. I rationalize that I need new shoes (which I can't afford) or that the sandy terrain here is too difficult to walk on (I live in Arizona.) I can't afford to go to an exercise center, the public pools here shut down for the winter (not to mention the fact I'm not really fond of everyone commenting and whispering about me in a swimsuit - I don't mind the suits or swimming, just the looks and the comments,) and being on foodstamps I can't really afford fancy ingredients like chia meal or xyletol - even if they had stuff like that around here which they don't. And you can't buy with foodstamps on-line.
So while I know there are excuses, there are also some very reasonable points that many people don't take into consideration. However, it's very true that attitude is an amazing percentage of our success! Keep positive, stay connected to people that will keep you focussed and on-track, and never let the turkeys of life get you down. - 2/1/2013 12:38:33 PM
Encouragement received from your article today!
Thank you!!! - 1/27/2013 2:52:18 PM
"Above all, don’t make it easy to talk yourself out of starting an exercise program by getting confused about the difference between a challenge and an insurmountable obstacle."
Need to keep this in mind when I'm leeting my head talk me out of exercising. - 10/16/2012 10:52:48 AM
- 9/14/2012 2:56:32 PM