Starting an exercise routine can be difficult for anyone, and even harder if you are overweight or obese. If going to the gym isn’t a practical option for you, there are plenty of home exercises that are perfect for getting fit.

How to Start

Taking the first step is often fraught with self-doubts. So, start with small steps until you finally reach your goal.

Exercise Plan

The American College of Sports Medicine suggests that overweight/obese individuals should work out for 250 minutes a week to achieve significant weight loss. Moderate-intensity exercise for 150-250 minutes a week will achieve only modest weight loss.

How much exercise per day

Begin with just 10 minutes of exercise a day and work up to 50 minutes a day over the next few weeks, repeating it 5 times a week. If 50 minutes a day feels too much, you can work out for 37-minutes all 7 seven days of the week to hit the 250 minutes a week target.

Low impact exercises

Carrying extra weight puts stress on certain joints so make sure to choose low-impact activities like walking and swimming. Swimming also stretches your muscles and increases your mobility.

Cardio

Start by walking regularly for at least 5 days/week. Then begin with interval training of jogging for 15 seconds or even a minute and then walking for the next five minutes. Over the next few weeks or months, gradually increase the jogging intervals until you can eventually complete a short run.

Top Home Exercises for Losing Weight

Rather than just cardio, strength training is also important for obese beginners. Weight training helps build muscle and burn fat more efficiently.

If you are looking for an exercise plan for obese women or men, here are some at-home exercises to consider:

  • Modified push-ups If you find it difficult to do standard push-ups, try doing a similar exercise by elevating your hands on a bench or chair. If this is still too difficult, you can raise them even higher until you are standing with a slight lean against the wall.
  • Modified squats Performing a bodyweight squat can be difficult if you are overweight as, in a normal full squat, you lower your body all the way to the ground. For modified squats, you lower yourself into a sitting position using a chair, which can reduce the range of motion (ROM) until you build up enough strength to increase it.
  • Knee lifts with a ball Use a ball or a dumbbell to do this workout. Stand up and hold the ball above your head. Now lower the ball in front of you while bringing up one knee to meet it. Go back to starting position and repeat with the other knee. Aim for 3 sets of 10 reps.
  • Side leg lifts Lie on your right side with the right hand under your head and the left hand resting on your hips or the floor. Now lift your left leg as high as you can, and then bring it down slowly. Repeat 10 to 15 times. Now, lie on your left side and repeat the same steps with the right leg. Aim for 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
  • Reverse bridges Lie on your back with your knees bent. Now, keeping your head in position and feet planted firmly, raise your hips off the floor, hold, and then lower back gently. Repeat the exercise, aiming for 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps. Bridges strengthen gluteus muscles and lower back.
  • Riding a stationary bike Cycling a stationary bike may very well improve your body’s ability to use oxygen and strengthen your heart muscles as it is an extremely low-impact cardio exercise. 20-30 minutes of moderate-intensity cycling is a suitable place to start.
  • Chair exercises You can use a pair of dumbbells to do seated bicep curls, seated chest press, seated front shoulder raise, and shoulder press. Clench your abs to maintain a strong core and good posture during these seated exercises.

Overcoming obesity is no easy task but breaking down your journey into achievable small goals will help you lose weight gradually and get healthy. It’s all about starting small and improving what you are capable of. If you start walking regularly, you will eventually be able to do short runs and, eventually, much more.

A proper workout plan/program needs to be followed. Be persistent and optimistic, give your body time to adjust, and track your progress using apps or a handwritten journal. The desired results may take months to achieve, but you will eventually reach your goal. Fitness is a lifetime journey.

 

https://pubmed.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/ 19127177/

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