The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Unca_Tim]

duhhhh....We should have had this room long ago.

Post all your fitness and exercise topics here.

Unca

[Jeanette]

GRAND idea Tim!

Perhaps the first post should be from Nancy regarding exercise on the program for newbies. I am sure there are some questions like:

--When should I begin exercising?
--What is a good beginning exercise for someone who has NEVER exercised?
--How often should I exercise?
--Is there such a thing as TOO MUCH exercise?

Just some food for thought....

[fedup]

Jeanette nailed it! I am a "newbie" and do indeed wonder about exercise and when to begin, how much is too much. I think the way I worked out in the past when trying to lose weight will probably be too much with this plan, but I am worried about being "flabby" if I don't work out at all.

[Nancy]

Aloha and howdy ~

Regarding exercise...Jeanette, you bring up some good points. These have been covered in previous posts but I am happy to address them for you again, especially since Unca opened up a new exercise room.

When should I begin exercising?

For anyone beginning the Medifast Weight Loss Program, it takes several weeks for the body to reach the fat burning stage and to adjust to utilizing our stored fat for its needed energy use so we do not recommend that anyone begin exercising until the THIRD or FOURTH week of their program. IF YOU HAVE BEEN EXERCISING REGULARLY PRIOR to beginning Medifast, please do not resume your regular exercise routine - cut it in half initially and then gradually re-build it to your former level.

What is a good beginning exercise for someone who has NEVER exercised?

IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN EXERCISING PRIOR TO BEGINNING MEDIFAST - which describes me - when I began the weight loss phase I weighed 265 pounds and I could NOT safely exercise - my joints are bad and my obesity would have caused further joint damage. Begin with gentle stretches and then either water aerobics or brisk walking for short periods of time is a good way to begin an exercise program. Water aerobics is superb - it allows stretching, toning and enhances circulation, flexibility and aerobic enhancement and yet preserves the integrity our our joints.

How often should I exercise?

Begin exercising three times a week for 5 - 10 minutes per day, gradually add more time and eventually exercise most days. As one becomes more proficient, vary your routine and intensity. Many of our clients who have not been accustomed to exercising have benefited from joining Curves because they can just pop in during their lunch hour or before or after work and exercise in half an hour's time and be on their way.

Seeking a physical trainer or attending an exercise class at a local community college is a good alternative. Some of the hospitals have exercise programs, too.

The important thing is to establish the habit of daily exercise - select something that you will faithfully be able to do for the rest of your life. Many times people begin a very rigorous exercise program when they begin a weight loss program and it is quickly dumped because the person is not capable of sustaining such a program. Many times personal trainers or directors of clubs and gyms are not familiar with Medifast and they design a program that is way over the top - too much exercise for a low calorie eating plan. If it is too vigorous for obese clients - injuries can occur or we can become overwhelmed and it just is not necessary nor is it wise, particularly for people who have a lot of weight to lose.

When I began my Medifast Weight Loss Program, I did virtually NO exercise for the first two months. Then because of preconceived ideas from previous weight loss plans and programs, I erroneously THOUGHT that if I were to be a successful at weight loss using Medifast that surely I MUST begin exercising so I began using our treadmill for 20 - 30 minutes a day. When I started to exercise, my weight loss slowed down substantially. I felt tired and after a couple of weeks, I became discouraged and abandoned the treadmill. My weight loss picked up again. I am not particularly proud of it, but I did not add exercise to my daily routine until AFTER I had reached my goal weight. Now I might add, however that I am a rather active woman and while I was not exercising per se, I DID mow and hand trim our lawn and the church lawn every week. I did a considerable amount of walking at the college during my work hours as I would go from my classroom and office to other offices.

Is there such a thing as TOO MUCH exercise?

Yes, a person CAN over-do exercise. Remember, while Medifasting, you are on a very low calorie diet, therefore DO NOT OVER DO it!

Drink PLENTY of water before, during and after exercise. Have a shake prior to your exercise routine and follow up with another shake or a meal bar. Remember, at first, "slow is the way to go."

[Nancy]

Hello, Faithchild ~

I am sorry to say that I am not sure of the capacity of the MF digital scale. I have a Tanita digital that I received exactly two years ago tonight for my 54th birthday from a few of my friends that got tired of hearing me whine and say that I was unsure of my exact weight when the needle zoinked about on my former 'needle' scale. I believe my friends spent about $50 for the Tanita that they gave to me - perhaps you have some friends that will also pool their funds together to give you a gift of weight loss encouragement!

Maybe there are those out there in MakeMeThinner Land that have ordered one of our MF scales and will let you know more about it...