Over the last couple of years, our society has progressively embraced a sedentary lifestyle. It has led to multiple health consequences, the obvious being obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Due to the alarming nature of these health problems, most obese people have begun embracing physical activity or exercise.
Watching weight loss workout videos inspires most people with such sedentary lifestyles to get their fitness back on track. However, the problem is that as a beginner, an obese person can face numerous challenges. They range from identifying the best exercise routine, doing it right, to staying consistent. Most of these challenges, when thrown at you right off the bat, tend to discourage beginners.
Luckily, there are effective workouts for obese beginners that they can easily incorporate into their weight loss plan and everyday schedule. With these workouts, beginners are usually high on motivation, which encourages them to put in their maximum effort and stay on top of their fitness goals.
Before you even pick your workout plan, there are a few things you ought to do. One of them is consulting with your doctor. People with sedentary lifestyles are more vulnerable to chronic diseases like high blood pressure and heart disease. Therefore, one must consult their doctor to know the appropriate types and levels of physical activity they can undertake.
The second step is mentally preparing yourself (6). For any workout program to be successful, you need to stay consistent and motivated. Always manifest positive thoughts and they will transform to positive behaviors and increased motivation.
Lastly, before you start working out, accept your fitness level without judgment and self-deprecation. Worrying about what you cannot do stands in the way of what you can do, ultimately affecting your results.
Read More: Why Is It Important To Ease Into An Exercise Program: Expert’s Take On No-Rush Beginner Workouts
This question keeps on coming up because most beginners often want rapid results. Therefore, do not be surprised when you bump into other similar searches online including ‘how to lose 100 pounds fast.’ Yes, some exercises can make you lose this much weight in a short space of time. However, they must incorporate healthy eating and other healthy behavioral changes.
Workouts for obese beginners can be classified into two groups. These include workouts with equipment and those that do not require any equipment. The workout you choose should depend on several factors. For example, your preferences and availability or accessibility to the required equipment.
Some obese beginners may prefer to start working out from the comfort of their homes. They may also choose to go for workouts that do not require any equipment as they start their workout regimen.
Some of the best workouts for obese beginners that require no equipment and can be done at home include:
Yes, walking is an excellent cardio workout for obese beginners. Although some might find it overwhelming and challenging, it is manageable with some assistance. The good news about this exercise is that you require no special gear to do it. Therefore, it is quite easy to implement.
Obese beginners shouldn’t focus on how far they are going, but instead the fact that they are walking. Again, focusing on what you cannot achieve at the moment can decrease your motivation.
So, keep walking regardless of how far you can go. What matters is that the slow walks also help in burning calories. Ultimately, taking such brisk walks daily will help in weight control.
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Like any other exercise, beginners too can compromise their results when undertaking walking as an exercise. These tips can help boost the effectiveness of this exercise as well as your enjoyment.
The first tip is to try this activity with your friends or family members. Their support can go a long way in encouraging you to stay on track. They will push you even when you feel like calling it quits.
The second tip is to start walking to familiar locations or any other places you enjoy going to (5). For example, if you enjoy watching the sunrise at the beach, walk there. Similarly, if you enjoy walks in your neighborhood, start there before moving on to another location.
Since you have fun doing it, you will hardly recognize that it is an exercise. Besides that, you will always be motivated to walk to these places because certain aspects of them make you happy.
The third tip is to set aside a specific timeline on when you go for walks. If you are not a morning person, then do not try fitting this exercise in the early mornings. This also applies to people who are not active in the evening. Learn when you are most active and make that time your physical activity time. It’ll slowly become your daily routine.
Obese people are required to moderately exercise for 150 minutes every week to maintain modest weight loss (8). This number may sound overwhelming for some and can cause discouragement. However, this target is attainable if you turn dancing into a workout session.
Dancing is another perfect exercise for obese beginners because it keeps the body actively engaged. Again, luckily, you do not require any equipment to get your feet moving. Similarly, you do not have to have perfect rhythm or groove for the exercise to yield results.
The fact that you are moving your body to the beat is enough to burn some calories. However, you need to consult with your doctor before undertaking this form of exercise. It is especially when you have other conditions such as bad knees, severe injuries, arthritis, or heart disease.
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Again, because most people want to shed weight fast, they will look for the best dance workouts for obese beginners. Keep in mind that as a beginner, some dance moves might be overly complicated or unacceptable for various health reasons. Therefore, instead of focusing on the best dance workout, try doing your current dance workout effectively. Here are some tips to ensure you gain the most from your dance workout:
Dancing along with your partner, friend or family member will make this exercise even more exciting (2). Since you are comfortable around them, you will not be afraid of being judged for having two left feet. Nonetheless, if you are good at dancing, they can help you muster up enough courage to eventually join a dance class. Whatever the case, the fact is that this group of people offer solid support, encouragement, and motivation.
The key to dancing for an extended duration is having a playlist you enjoy. Therefore, try listening to your favorite jams as you move your body to the beat. It will help you enjoy this form of exercise even more. Therefore, whatever your favorite genre is, pick your go-to songs and groove to the beat.
Dancing for weight loss should not be a one-time thing. Instead, it has to be something that you do regularly. This is because being active daily and then eating healthy will help in weight control, improved mood and mental health (3).
The feeling of incorporating equipment in an exercise program may make some obese beginners hold back. However, there is no reason to do so because the equipment can be pretty useful in your weight loss journey.
However, before you start exercising with equipment, your doctor should green-light it first. You will be advised on what equipment to incorporate and the required intensity. Similarly, you also have to select appropriate equipment that matches your fitness level (9).
Considering these aspects is crucial as they determine the effectiveness of your exercise program. With that said, let us now give you a small lowdown on the workouts for obese beginners that require equipment.
Treadmill workouts are also on the list of workouts that are perfect for obese beginners. You might have come across searches online that have to do with treadmill workouts for obese beginners. They are common because this form of exercise is well known for its effectiveness at burning extra calories.
Unlike walking, treadmill walking requires a piece of equipment, which is the treadmill machine. You can choose to access it in the gym or purchase it and work out from the comfort of your home. Whatever the case, the fact is that treadmill workouts are crucial in burning fat for weight loss.
The key to effective treadmill workouts lies in the intervals. Obese beginners are not expected to fly through these exercises. Instead, they are expected to trudge along but constantly change the speed now and then.
Unlike experts, beginners are not expected to warm up for five minutes at a 3.5 mph speed (1). Instead, they can start slow and pick up the pace as they progress. For example, they can warm up for three minutes at 3 mph, then slowly raise it by 0.5 mph.
After the warm-up, they can recover for at least one minute. Thereafter, they can incline their treadmill to a suitable level and then walk for four minutes at 3.3 mph. If comfortable, they can increase their speed to a higher speed.
After the four minutes, they can recover for a minute and then run or walk for another five minutes. However, this time they have to adjust their incline level and speed. For example, if before their incline level was at 4%, they can adjust it to 11%. They can then recover for a minute, run another four minutes, and then recover for another minute.
If you want to learn how to lose weight with exercises, then you must adhere to the right form of doing that exercise. Otherwise, you might be doing treadmill running for months and still see no results. Here are a few tips that can help when it comes to treadmill workouts:
The last thing you want is to run out of air on the treadmill. Therefore, deep breaths are vital when it comes to treadmill workouts. Ensure you take slow deep breaths throughout the entire exercise.
Another tip that can be highly overlooked is never getting cocky on the treadmill. If you have never tried certain speeds, avoid trying them for the sake of ‘showing off.’ It is better to be safe than sorry. Increase the speed slowly, for example 0.5 mph every 3-5 minutes. Drastic speed increments can result in severe falls or injuries. Hence, always ensure you stay safe as you exercise.
Jump rope workouts are other exemplary workouts for obese female beginners. The only equipment you need is a rope to get started on this workout. You may also require a yoga mat if you do not have an even surface.
Although it may look like an old playground game, a jump rope workout is highly effective for burning calories. Jumping rope produces the same results and intensity as a bike ride at 20 mph (7). Similarly, it also has the same intensity as running for a mile for eight minutes.
Therefore, it is an option obese beginners can choose from when deciding what workout to select. However, they must always consult with their doctor. Since it is a high-impact workout, it may not be effective for individuals with arthritis or osteopetrosis.
Similarly, individuals with heart diseases, high blood pressure, and diabetes need to consult with their physicians.
The following tips can help maximize the results of jump rope workouts for obese beginners:
Start slowly and then gradually work your way up by improving your intensity and increasing jump rope time. If you have never jumped rope before, then you will need to do some research and go through a couple of failed tries before you master it. Once you get it down, start switching things up and try incorporating various jump rope styles. For example, you can try doing the phantom skips or crossover jumps.
Just because it looks easy doesn’t mean you should forget about keeping the right form. You must always ensure you use your back muscles to keep your posture straight. A good posture will challenge your core and help you get results faster. It also minimizes the risk of getting injuries.
A stationary bike is another exercise to consider if you are looking for cardio exercises for obese beginners. As the name suggests, it entails riding a stationary bike, meaning you are not cycling through the busy streets.
The stationary bike tends to have a backrest, which comes in handy for obese people with back problems. Therefore, if you cannot exercise while standing on the treadmill, try a stationary bike. Again, consult with your doctor to avoid further health problems and injuries.
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If you want to benefit the most from this form of exercise, take note of the following tips:
Just because you were cycling when you were younger doesn’t mean you are a professional on the stationary bike. Therefore, avoid going crazy when you hop on it. Instead, first do your research, if it is your first time using it. You can also ask for some pointers from a gym instructor (4).
Do not stay long on the bike and don’t cycle too fast. Yes, it is important to change the intensity, but the changes have to be controlled. Overdoing this exercise, like any other, wears out your muscles as you are not giving them time to recover. Therefore, worry less about how much to exercise to lose weight and instead focus on how to do it correctly.
It is important to start this exercise with a goal in mind. Without a goal, it becomes quite easy to lose focus on the long-term goal. Therefore, try making short term goals such as cycling the stationary bike for 180 minutes every week. With such a goal, it becomes easier to stay on track with your workout plan.
Similarly, after you accomplish these small wins, make sure you reward yourself. Small rewards go a long way in ensuring that you stay focused and motivated for the long-term goal attainment.
Exercise shouldn’t feel like punishment when you are working towards your goals. Such a feeling can overwhelm and demotivate you to continue with your exercise routine. Therefore, let loose and have fun as you cycle. You can achieve this by listening to your favorite music.
Obese beginners should ease into regular exercise by starting off small with beginner level workouts. Get a go-ahead from your doctor and try any of the workouts mentioned in this article to get your weightloss journey back on track.
All the views in this article are not a representation or a substitute for a doctor’s advice. They are not intended to push you to implement any workout program. Therefore, ensure you consult with your doctor for more details.