Losing weight without exercise... How much exercise do i need to add and what kind?

[Dr. Zaus]

I weigh myself every week on Tuesday when I wake up.
4 weeks ago: 325
3 weeks ago: 320
2 weeks ago: 317
1 week ago: 313
today: 310.

I've not been exercising though. Just eating a bole of cereal, a fruit salad for lunch, about 1/2 a pound of meat and veggies for supper w/ 2 yogert/sardine/popcorn snacks a day.

But now my back is starting to hurt; I'm guessing that my weight loss is both fat and mussel... so how do i keep my back in shape?

I'm about to start a 30min/day walk because I couldn't care less about being strong; I just want to be healthy.


Am I off base on any of this?

 

[rcpratt]

Eat more mussels.

 

[douglasb]

Fat Loss Sticky

 

[mvbighead]

As much as everyone points to the fat loss sticky, given your current goals, I would say to just be active. Walks sound like a good plan, and 30-60 minutes a day would at least keep most of your body headed in the right direction.

However, you should take into account that other exercises should be incorporated as well. Personally, just find yourself a good short aerobic workout that you can handle. Bending, light repetitive motions, but something that covers every body part. Aerobic would be a great way to improve endurance, health, and not turn you into a muscle head. I would think that starting off with something about 20 or so minutes per day at least 3 times a week would be a great start. Then add more as you feel comfortable. But some level of aerobic activity would be the best way to improve health while not increasing your strength or muscle mass.

 

[OlafSicky]

Go for a brisk walk everyday and instead the cereal eat oats. Add some chicken breasts baked not fried drink green tea skip or the soft drinks and eat 5 times a day.Start reading food labels and skip anyfood that comes in a box

 

[SociallyChallenged]

As much as everyone points to the fat loss sticky, given your current goals, I would say to just be active. Walks sound like a good plan, and 30-60 minutes a day would at least keep most of your body headed in the right direction.

However, you should take into account that other exercises should be incorporated as well. Personally, just find yourself a good short aerobic workout that you can handle. Bending, light repetitive motions, but something that covers every body part. Aerobic would be a great way to improve endurance, health, and not turn you into a muscle head. I would think that starting off with something about 20 or so minutes per day at least 3 times a week would be a great start. Then add more as you feel comfortable. But some level of aerobic activity would be the best way to improve health while not increasing your strength or muscle mass.

Being active in an aerobic sense tends to make people hungry. On top of that, "just being active" won't help with his back issues. Weightlifting can very likely help a de-trained individual in this aspect.

 

[mvbighead]

Being active in an aerobic sense tends to make people hungry. On top of that, "just being active" won't help with his back issues. Weightlifting can very likely help a de-trained individual in this aspect.

As far as I'm concerned, any form of working out is going to make someone hungry. I've lifted, done aerobic work outs, etc. Every single one of them I come away feeling as though I could eat a horse (if the workout lasts long enough).

As far as his back issues, that, IMO, is where the aerobic stuff comes in. We're not talking about lifting weights. We're talking about repetitious activity to work the muscles in his body. Arms, legs, back, chest, etc. If you're working those muscles, chances are, your pain will go away as you are adding flexibility to your not often used joints. Yoga would also be a good exercise for that, though I am not sure how many are hip to getting into yoga.

Point being, just walking isn't going to do a lot for the health of his back. Thus the reason I introduced the idea of aerobic exercise, but something modest enough that he could handle. Personally, I don't see weight-lifting as something the common joe needs to do for health. Aerobic exercise, on the other hand, would accomplish much of the same thing with minimal financial commitment from the op.

An example would be as follows:
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00302

Nothing weight related, just simple exercises that anyone could do in the comfort of their own home.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Being active in an aerobic sense tends to make people hungry. On top of that, "just being active" won't help with his back issues. Weightlifting can very likely help a de-trained individual in this aspect.

Nothing weight related, just simple exercises that anyone could do in the comfort of their own home.

that would be great, but:

I should have specified: the pain is in my upper back, so I'm not sure how to work those mussels. Is there a specific way to strengthen my upper back? I have some 10-15lb dumbbells and I don't want to buy a weight-machine or go to a gym if I can avoid it.

 

[Safeway]

As others have said, weight training and interval training has been shown time and time again to be very beneficial to bigger guys trying to lose weight and get fit.

I don't mean lifting sissy weight. At 310 pounds, I am sure you can move quite a bit. Sure, start slow so you don't injury yourself further and so you can learn the proper techniques for the various lifts, but move up as soon as you feel comfortable. Lifting heavy weight, doing interval training, and eating marginally 'right' will likely have you seeing sub 250 pounds in 6 months.

Also, please see my signature. 🙂

 

[SociallyChallenged]

that would be great, but:

I should have specified: the pain is in my upper back, so I'm not sure how to work those mussels. Is there a specific way to strengthen my upper back? I have some 10-15lb dumbbells and I don't want to buy a weight-machine or go to a gym if I can avoid it.

Upper back strengthening requires use of the rhomboids, trapezius, and all of the erector spinae. You can't do that effectively without a weightlifting program. Movements like bent-over rows, cable rows, shrugs, deadlifts, etc are great at strengthening the musculature of the upper back. Do you actually get the pain on muscle? Or does it feel like it's at the ribs/spine/shoulder blade?

I'm just curious - why are you so adverse to going to the gym? Is it money? Nervousness? Intimidation? I'd like to address your issue with the gym itself, if possible, because that will be a huge resource in helping you improve your health AND lose weight.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Do you actually get the pain on muscle? Or does it feel like it's at the ribs/spine/shoulder blade?

I'm willing to do what it takes. My upper right back right next to the spine between the bottom of the shoulder blade and spine; it feels like a muscle problem.

I'm just curious - why are you so adverse to going to the gym? Is it money? Nervousness? Intimidation? I'd like to address your issue with the gym itself, if possible, because that will be a huge resource in helping you improve your health AND lose weight.

The school gym isn't bad; but when things start getting heavy over the summer its going to be school from 7am to 7pm Monday through Saturday (first 2 years in Ph.D. land are hell man).

I could make it from 6am to 7pm, but only if I'm willing to give up an hour at night with my wife (which I'm more than willing to do if it'll give me another decade with her down the road).

Also, I've got no idea what I'm doing in there. I'm the kind of guy that likes to know more than the next 19 people about what he's doing and I'm not even close to a 5%er when it comes to workout-knowhow.

If lifting a bit will help with general health I'll do it without question; Is the "lift heavy" a good choice for simply trying to improve health? I was thinking more reps would be better for such things...

 

[douglasb]

Well, you probably don't want to go too heavy. Try enough weight where you can do 10 reps, but struggle to complete the 10th rep. Any more reps than that and you are basically wasting your time IMO. If you want to go a little heavier, bump the weight up to where you struggle to do 5 or 6 (or even 8) reps. After you spend a little time in the gym, you will know what your limits are and how much you want to push them.