I'm Really Out of Shape; How Can I Possibly Exercise?

How do I exercise when I am out of shape?

People don't talk about it, but you may want to hide and not socialize when you gain weight. 

I feel your pain; I was there. I had gained so much weight that I couldn't fathom going to the gym or even walking around my neighborhood.

I gained weight because I was grieving. I didn't recognize it at the time, but I was feeding the pain of my grandmother's passing.  

Why Did You Gain Weight?

You may have gained weight because you are anxious, depressed, suffering a loss, or many other reasons.  

We may gain weight when we struggle to deal with our emotions or things out of our control.

Only you can find out the core reason for your weight gain. It is essential to reflect on why you gained weight and deal with any underlying issues, so it does not happen again.

Diets: Fad diets don't work and can cause more harm than good. Beware of any product that promotes fast weight loss or anyone who says they can help you lose weight fast.

The truth is that fast weight loss is not good for our health. It has also been proven that the faster we lose weight, the harder it is to keep off.

Any supplement claiming fast weight loss could hurt your cardiac or other systems in your body.

I teach you how to change your daily habits, which results in healthy and lasting weight loss. 

How I started exercising on my weight loss journey:

I got started by tracking my steps. In the beginning, I was only doing 5,000 steps. I worked at a desk and traveled quite a bit. Within a year, I consistently walked 12,500-15,000 steps a day.  

Step 1: Baseline. Start by seeing how many steps you take each day and increase it incrementally.  

Example: If you average 3,000 steps daily, your goal may be 3,250. On average, this is only 250 more steps daily, about 3 minutes of walking. 

Most smartwatches measure your steps. I can make a case for buying an Apple Watch or Fitbit. If you don't want to spend money, get a pedometer that clips onto your waistband.

Your smartphone likely tracks your steps too, but you must have it with you to count them. Therefore it is not the best measure.

What gets measured gets managed, and this held true for me. Once I started monitoring my weight and my steps, I started losing weight.  

Step 2: Park further away.   When you go to the store, park further away or walk around the store longer. Walk to the mailbox. Walk more today than yesterday; remember to start small but always do slightly more than the previous day.

Step 3: When at home, set a timer to go off at least every 2 hours. When the alarm or timer goes off, move for at least 5-10 minutes before sitting back down. This is an excellent tip for you if you work at a desk. 

Example: If at home, vacuum, sweep, dust, work in the yard, walk back and forth, or do gentle stretches.  

If you work at a desk, stand up and read something while walking. Consider getting a standing desk; you can get something to sit on top of your existing desk for less than $100.  

Step 4: Commit to taking a 15 - 20 minute walk three to four times a week; don't worry about your pace. At this point, you need to get out and walk at your normal pace. You will work up from here.  

Step 5: Record your Progress each day. Seeing how many steps you take each day and how much you increase over time will get the momentum going. 

Remember to keep the streak. Your step count and weight are metrics we will monitor throughout this process. 

Step 6: Trust the system; you did not gain weight overnight, and it will take time to lose it in a healthy, sustainable way.   

My weight came off slowly at first, but with each small win, I gained the confidence to add another habit, and within six months, other people noticed my weight loss as well. 

If you follow the suggestions in our articles, you can build a system that will work for you.  

You must not only trust the system but apply it to your life. 

When you get lost, go back to the articles and worksheets, these serve as your roadmap. If you still need to download the free workbook, here it is. You can do this!

Step 6: Compound Effect: My habits and wins were compounding before I knew it. Here is a graph of my first six months. IMAGE  

These habits are linked together seamlessly, and yours will be too.  

Seek progress, not perfection. 

**There are medical reasons for weight gain, like hypothyroidism and more severe conditions. Check with your doctor if you gain or lose weight quickly. Please consult your doctor before changing your diet and exercise regime.

LET’S REVIEW: I'm Out of Shape; How Can I Exercise?

•Increase your steps each day - see how

•Get up every 2 hours and move

•Take a 15-20 minute walk; 3-4 times a week

•Record your progress

•Trust the system

•Remember the compound effect

  Want to learn more about healthy weight loss? We have a series of articles that you may be interested in reading.  

After that, check our most popular articles, tips on grocery shopping for weight loss, and best mealtime tips for losing weight.

**Consult your doctor before changing your diet and exercise regime.