Regular exercise is extremely important for weight loss. However, for some morbidly obese people, simply moving or getting out of a chair can be an exhausting task. So you'll want to start at a low intensity and increase your activity level gradually. Before beginning any exercise routine, consult your doctor.
Types of Exercises to Try
Examine your current fitness level before embarking on an exercise routine. For bedridden people, constant movement for up to 15 minutes a day is a good start. You could do bicep curls with 2- or 3-pound weights. Try leg lifts if you are ready. Other exercises to try are slow core twists and even small crunches.
If you are able, try walking at a comfortable pace for 30 minutes a day. If you walk on a treadmill, make it a goal to walk without holding the hand rails. You could also swim or ride a recumbent bike to alleviate stress on your joints.
Exercise Benefits
Aside from losing weight, many morbidly obese people just feel better after beginning a regular exercise routine. According to Martin Blinks, research director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center, those who attempt even a minimal amount of exercise, such as tying their own shoes or dressing themselves, feel better and see an improvement of symptoms such as shortness of breath.
"These folks weren't reporting high levels of activity, yet they still felt better," Blinks says at Dukehealth.org. "This supports what we've been teaching for years -- no amount of exercise is too little to have an impact. And it's beneficial no matter what you weigh."
When to Increase Your Exercise
Have your vital signs checked every month -- more often if you have been diagnosed as super-morbidly obese. Ask your doctor to help you track your weight loss and changes in your heart rate, blood pressure and cholesterol levels
After a month of consistent exercise, you should be able to add a few minutes to your overall routine. For example, if you've been walking for 30 minutes at a comfortable pace, increase your duration to 35 to 40 minutes.
You could also increase your intensity and implement low-impact "farklets" into your routine. Farklets -- Swedish for "speed play" -- are sudden, temporary increases in exercise pace. If you walk for exercise, try walking at a brisker pace for one minute, then drop down to your regular pace for four minutes, then repeating the pattern.
