Hello Everyone,

I'm a 27 year old male and I weigh 206LBS. I am overweight and terribly out of shape. Several years ago I had a health condition and I was confined to my bed for almost a year --- It was during this time that I gained a lot of weight and got way out of shape. It's so bad that I cannot even walk up two or three stairs (not floors!) without breaking out in a sweat, getting very out of breath, and getting dizzy/shaky.

I live in an area now where I do not feel comfortable walking around outside. I bought one of those Tony Little Gazelle machines. It basically just lets me "walk" or "glide" while moving my legs and my arms.

I do not really know exactly how to keep up my exercise routine. I don't want to be wasting my time and days by exercising too little so that my body does not benefit and I don't build my stamina. I'm not sure how long I should be doing the "walking/gliding" exercise in order to get my heartrate at an acceptable level so stamina can be increased. I've been doing this for about a week or so now, and I can make it (going slowly) for about 15 minutes tops. At the end of 15 minutes, I feel a little bit shaky and weird (I don't know how else to describe it), but I do not have any chest pains or anything like that. I'm not sure if 15 minutes is enough time, or if it needs to be longer? I don't want to literally kill myself with a heart attack by pushing it, but I don't want to do so little where it doesn't benefit my body.

My goal right now is to get back in shape to the point where I can walk around, walk up a hill, or up some stairs without completely feeling like I'm going to pass out.

If anyone can help me with some insight as to how long to do exercise for, and how the body actually builds its stamina so it can walk up stairs without any problems ... I would really appreciate it!

Thanks in advance

If the Gazelle is all you have to work with, then you just need to increase the time you are able to do it, to begin with. 15 minutes isn't a lot, but it's a good start. Set a goal to add a minute or two every session if you're able. If you can't hit that mark, don't sweat it. Try again next time.
You might also want to invest in some basic cardio DVD's, ones you can use in your home and do at our own pace. It will take some time to increase your fitness levels, so be patient, but not complacent.
Now the dizzy feeling you get could be a combination of low fitness level (quickly exhausted), low blood sugar, and/or dehydration. Make sure you are drinking a little water before hand, and maybe eating something small. If it's minor dizziness and not nausea, it's normal when you're just starting exercising. Just slow it down a bit if it gets unmanageable.

Naxis,

Starting with the 15 minutes ... Is that enough to begin increasing my stamina? One day here and there, after 10 minutes or so, I will feel very uncomfortable (it's almost like I feel like I'm going to pass out, or have a panice attack). I usually press myself and go the entire 15... I want to make sure that 15 is enough to start at? Even if I have to slow down the pace a lot I'm willing to do that. I know a doctor told me once there was a period of time that you exercise that it does nothing for you (i think until your heart rate rises he said) .... So I want to make sure that every time I do it, I am not under that time and the exercise that I do is indeed helping my body .... (Seriously, it really stinks right now doing these exercises. I'm scared to death every time I begin because of the weird feelings that I get when I'm almost complete). It seems that it my body wants to go into a panic attack every time I am finished with it (even if it is only 5 minutes at a very small pace) ... and it stinks. The reason why I've not kept up with it is because of that scared feeling that I get during and after exercise. I do drink a bit of water before I start, and my blood sugar is cool (I'm the panicy type, so I bought things to measure blood pressure, sugar, etc). It's definately not nausea (feeling like I am going to puke) but a bit of dizziness or shakieness. (I get done and I feel like I'm going to fall down ... Somewhat disorientated I guess you could call it).

Overall, it stinks. It's like I'm in this pit all the way at the bottom and can't get out. When I try it's like things get in the way (dizziness, etc) that make me fall back down and not want to do it. I don't want to get so intense about it that it causes me to have a heart attack or anything though, which is why I'm only doing the 15 (because afterwards, I feel like crap!). I just want to make sure that the 15 that I am putting in is actually helping to increse my heart rate / stamina ...

Thanks much for your reply!

Time is not the determinant of how effective exercise is for you. Intensity is, and for your fitness level, 15 minutes is a plenty good starting point. Now if you could breeze through 15 minutes and then you quit, Id say it was doing nothing for you. No offense to whatever doctor you talked to, but that advice was just incorrect. It's possible what they meant was that fat burning didn't really start until about 15 to 20 minutes into cardio, but for fitness to increase, you have to listen to your body and do what you're able to do.
I'm not sure what advice to give you about the panicky feeling other than to slow it down a bit. If you push too hard too fast, you'll burn yourself out. It won't take long until it becomes easier for you and you will be able to go for longer periods.

Shultas~
Your feelings are not uncommon for beginners, and I promise you, it will get better. It did for me!
For the sake of safety my NP gave me this formula, and I can check my progress and watch it drop!!! Subtract your age from the number 220. This number is your Maximum Heart Rate. Subtract your Resting Heart Rate (Take your pulse first thing in the am before any activity) from your Max HR, to get your Heart Rate Reserve. Multiply your Heart Rate Reserve by .70 & .85, and add your Resting Heart Rate to these numbers for your upper and lower exercise target rates. Divide by 6, for your ten second pulse counts. While you're exercising, stop briefly, count your pulse, and if you're lower, you need to work harder. If you're higher, slow down. This will tell you if you're "doing any good", and I think you are. 10 or 15 minutes is better than none, and it will gradually get easier to go longer.
You may be experiencing low blood sugar. Eat 1/2 gram of carbs per pound of body weight an hour before you begin. For you, about 400 calories. Granola, fruit, etc. It may not seem like a big deal, but as you increase your workouts, fluid will mean more! As you progress, you may need to take periodic sips during your workout to prevent dehydration. For glucose & hydration, take periodic sips of fruit juice. ( When I could do 30 - 45 minutes, I mixed OJ and grape juice, and sometimes perspired so much I'd finish a 16 oz bottle of it and one of water!)
Keep up the good work!!! I look forward to hearing about your progress! Kim

Hi, I can tell you i am in the same boat, i have a treadmill and i bought a trampoline called the body burner, i cant even do 3 min on it, it gets very intense very fast... the dvd that came with it was really no good only 10 min, and it didnt have much of a workout.
so I bought dvd's for a similar body burner trampoline called the urban rebounder, they sell alot more exercise dvd's for starters so i bought some on an auction site online

i am sure i can lose weight on this trampoline :bouncing:

buy boy after 2 min i gave up, my heartbeat was high and i also got scared of a heart attack. starting anm exercise routine isnt easy for a person thats out of shape, so hoepfully we can do at least 15-20 min a day to lose a few pds, good luck :bouncing: :bouncing:

When I started working out I was really out of shape and used an Urban Rebounder with their beginner/intermediate DVD and I loved it. It really got my heartrate up but was easy on my joints. Most important, it was really fun, so I ended up doing it a lot . . . so much so that I've graduated to other more rigorous cardio. I still use it sometimes, though, to break up my routine. For beginners, and especially those who hate to exercise, I think that's a great choice. :bouncing:

Hi carole and YES these trampolines give a wonderful workout!! :jester: :bouncing:

anyway how long have you been doing it? and how much weight have you lost? :bouncing:

Hi, new here and also trying to lose weight. Thanks for the tips and the support.
After reading your posts have ordered a rebounder. I do have a treadmill which I use most days and run/walk for about 15 miles a week but can't seem to shift the weight. I am quite fit, but way too heavy for my liking. I dont eat dairy products and very few carbs but do like my wine and coffee. As 50 year old female, I'm sure the hormones have something to do with it.

will let you know the results after a week on the rebounder!

For the sake of safety my NP gave me this formula, and I can check my progress and watch it drop!!!

Subtract your age from the number 220. This number is your Maximum Heart Rate.

Subtract your Resting Heart Rate (Take your pulse first thing in the am before any activity) from your Max HR, to get your Heart Rate Reserve.

Multiply your Heart Rate Reserve by .70 & .85,

and add your Resting Heart Rate to these numbers for your upper and lower exercise target rates.

Divide by 6, for your ten second pulse counts. While you're exercising, stop briefly, count your pulse, and if you're lower, you need to work harder. If you're higher, slow down.

I'm in pretty much the same boat as Shultas fitness-wise and there's not a chance I can do 15 mins using the numbers that formula gives me

at 25 years old it says I should be getting between about 160 and 175 bpm, with a max heartrate of 195

I'd be more inclined to say at the moment that 100-150 is all I could manage for that time, and then probably nothing for the rest of the day