How to Start a Workout Routine When You're Overweight

Routines and good system are the best way to achieve your goals. Getting started with a workout routine can be challenging when you have not been in the habit of exercising regularly.

Even making it to a class or a gym for one time is an excellent first step, but how do you make a regular habit?

They key is finding a way to break your goal down into a daily habit.

Even if you do not complete an intense workout each day, getting a daily habit of breaking a sweat or doing 30 minutes of low impact cardio could change your life in two ways.

Firstly, you rewire your brain to accomplish a habit of focusing on fitness daily. This makes your body crave the energy it gets from fitness like it has learned to crave things like coffee, tea for energy.

Or how many of us now use television to unwind before bed.

These are habits that we have decided to build.

Why of you need to exercise if you’re overweight?

Knowing why you are exercising is very important. When people are motivated by appearances it is rarely a lasting motivation. 

Thekey reasons to start exercising more regularly are the health benefits for your body. Benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Better mental health
• Reduced pain
• Relaxation and better sleep quality
• It can help your brain health and memory
• It can help skin health
• Reduce your risk of chronic disease
• Increase energy levels
• Good for muscles and bones
• Can help with weight loss
• It can make you feel happier

The bestworkouts for overweight or obese adults:

Aqua Jogging or Aqua Fitness

Working out in water is a great low impact experience for those who are overweight as it will raise your heart rate to a safe zone. Different accessories and classes are available to help you get started.

Using a buoyancy belt, you can work the same biomechanics as running withwater running.

Group Exercise

Classes like Zumba, yoga, pilates, and other exercise programs can be a great first step for someone who does not have their own structure for their independent workouts.

Strength Training

Investing in a trainer and a strength training program can help you access some of the unique benefits of strength training.  Strenght training is key to help improve your posture and strengthen your muscles and joints. Best of all, it continues to boost your metabolism so you are burning fat even when your body is at rest.

Tai Chi

Tai chi is a fantastic way to start doing mind-body exercise. This means that while the exercises are calm and slow, they still activate a greater range of motion in the joints. The mental element of tai chi is interesting because it incorporates many meditational elements that help decrease stress and improve your sleep.

Elliptical

Famous for being low-impact, an important consideration for the morbidly obese as they are carrying more mass on bones that may not be as strong. Having the preset workouts built into the machine also makes it easy to program a good 20-30 minute workout on a lower intensity. While an ellipticals is a big investment, they’re wildly available in many gyms and are a great place to start.