by Mario Carini

Created on: March 15, 2011

Exercise for the obese requires a different approach to exercise employed by fit and healthy people. If you are obese, you should forget about those expensive fitness programs. The gym environment with its various machines and weights pose more dangers for the overweight man and woman.

It has taken years for you to accumulate those pounds, so it won't take a fortnight to get back into shape. The first step to weight loss is to dispel any myths you may have in shedding pounds easily. Weight loss takes time and effort, two areas that many people feel they don't have in abundance.

Before you engage in any activity, you should consult your doctor about your current state of health. Once you know where you stand, you can begin to formulate an exercise plan that can work for you to bring the best results without strain or injury. If you have high blood pressure or suffer from diabetes, your doctor can make recommendations and steer you to the right fitness program or trainer.

It's likely that you'll start off with some basic and safe exercises, starting with sit down exercises. They're the easiest to do and you can do them while working in your office cubicle or in front of the television. You can start off with simple arm and leg raises, light back and knee bends all while seated in a chair. These simple exercises help build up strength by working some unused muscles until you're strong enough for more rigorous exercises.

A portable peddler is a simple device to work your feet, ankles and lower leg muscles. They come with tension adjustments and help improve circulation to your feet.

The simplest exercise is always the best. Rater than a long lunch break or that coffee break, start walking. Just 30 minutes a day can help you strengthen the leg muscles and get the blood oxygenated for better circulation. When you start out, your walks can center on the floor where you work. Take a single flight of stairs to increase your heart rate slightly. Invest in a good pair of walking shoes so you don't put undue strain on your ankles. Once you et used to walking your office space, graduate to walking a single block outdoors. Never strain or attempt to walk too fast. The idea is to raise your heartbeat slightly and improve the oxygenation of the blood. A marathon can wait.

The swimming pool is ideally suited for the obese and injured. The buoyancy of the water puts less pressure on the joints and bones and lessens the chance of injury. Make it a habit to join an exercise group to exercise in a pool near you. Stretching, leg lifts, breaststrokes, kicks and light jumps will help gain some muscle mass.

A private fitness instructor can help you get into shape and supervise your exercise routines. The instructor can help you stick to an exercise routine. You will need to check the credentials of the trainer you pick and the prices he charges. Choose an instructor who has the knowledge and the experience in helping overweight people. There are online trainers that can also be effective, but there's less hands on training available.

You won't need any fancy equipment beyond a few light weight dumbbells and an exercise ball to improve balance. Treadmills and stationary bikes are expensive but are likely to remain unused.

The final consideration is your diet. A dietitian can provide you with the right kind of foods to help you lose weight. Today's typical diet of high carbohydrate foods do nothing to help weight loss. The right foods give you the energy you need to stick to an exercise program until you begin to see results.

Getting back into shape doesn't have to be difficult or challenging. The right attitude and the simplest steps will translate to a healthier and richer you.

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