Complications from cardiovascular diseases is the leading cause of death and disability for adults in America. If you are obese you at risk for developing conditions such as high blood, high blood sugar and diabetes. They are known to cause cardiovascular disease and they are also modifiable. Which means they can be controlled with lifestyle changes. One way to reduce your risk of being plagued with these conditions is to engage in physical activity. If your excess weight makes it difficult for you to workout on a regular basis, you should not give up. Instead, you should choose your exercises carefully and keep going on your wellness journey. The following five easy exercises are perfect for overweight people who are trying to drop those extra pounds and get healthy. They can be done at home . No gym membership necessary.
1. Wall Push-Ups
These are great for making your arms stronger and giving you toned biceps. They are also a good precursor to regular push-ups as they help you develop strength slowly in preparation for tackling your first full push-up.
To do a wall push-up, stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Position yourself arm length away from a wall and place your hands against its surface. Slowly lean forward until your elbows are at a ninety-degree angle to the wall. Push yourself back to starting position to complete the exercise.
2. Modify Jumping Jacks
Lifting two or three hundred pounds is difficult, so you might not be able to do a regular jumping jack until you have lost some weight. However, there are several variations of this exercise including the no jumping jack that allows you to ease in into this exercise and improve your fitness levels at the same time.
To do a no jumping jack, stand with your feet together and arms at your sides. Raise your hands above your head and step out to the side with your right leg. Return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg. Complete the required number of reps and sets.
3. Wide Leg Dumbbell Squat
This exercise works quadriceps, abductor and abductor muscles, and your core. It is great for burning calories, increasing your flexibility and toning your lower body.
To perform a wide leg dumbbell squat, stand with your feet slightly more than hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in both hands and slowly lower your body until your hips are at a 90-degree angle to the floor. Pulse several times until you have completed several sets.
4. Seated Reverse Fly
This is a great exercise for flabby arms as it works the back of your arms to burn fat and build muscle.
To perform this exercise, sit on an exercise ball and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Lean forward until your face is parallel to the floor. Raise your arms to each side until they are aligned with your shoulders, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Return to starting position and repeat as needed.
5. Planks
Planks target mostly your core . You will also engage muscles in you arm, chest, leg and butt.
To do this exercise, kneel on the floor with your hands under your shoulder. Stretch both legs out backwards until your entire body is in a straight line. Hold for 10 seconds.
How Often Should You Exercise?
As a beginner, you should start off at a low intensity 2 -3 days a week . Your goal should be to exercise for 5 -6 days a week. Give yourself time to come up with a schedule and routine that you can stick to. The American Heart Association recommends 2 days of strength training and 5 days of cardio for 30 mins. You do not have to do all the exercises above in one day. Ease into the routine by picking 2 each day. And go for a walk if you can. See below table for a workout plan.
| Exercise | Reps | Set | Rest |
| Wall Push | 12 | 3 | 1-2mins |
| Modify Jumping Jacks | 12 | 3 | 1-2mins |
| Wide Leg Dumbbell Squats | 12 | 3 | 1-2mins |
| Seated Reverse Fly | 12 | 3 | 1-2mins |
| Modify Jumping Jacks | 12 | 3 | 1-2mins |
| Planks | 10 seconds | 3 | 1-2mins |
Reps, Sets and Rest are terminologies that are commonly used in the fitness industry. Their meanings are below.
Reps is the abbreviated word for repetition. This means how many times you will be repeating the exercise before stopping.
Set refers to the number of cycles of reps. In the above examples you will have 3 cycles of rep for each exercise.
Rest refers to the length of the break at the end of the reps prior to start the cycle. In other words, its the break between sets.
How to Make Exercises Harder
As you get stronger and the exercises become easier you can intensify the workout by:
- Increasing the Reps
- Increasing the Set
- Decreasing the Rest between sets
- Increasing the weights or adding weights
- Hold the plank longer
- Increase to 4 or five days of exercise
- Do all exercises in one day
If the exercises are done consistently your body will adapt and therefore you will have to find other exercises to challenge and activate new muscles. It really only takes a few key exercises done with the right form to change your physique. Do not over complicate things by tyring too many at once.
To Conclude
Exercising when you are already overweight can certainly be a little difficult. However, it is by no means impossible. The exercises outlined in this article are a great place to start your new workout regime.