Fitness for overweight people: exercises for those who are overweight

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The problem of excess weight
often occurs in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle, do not watch their diet, or have metabolic problems. Although the third reason often becomes a consequence of the first two.

Excess weight is a problem not from the point of view of compliance with the canons of beauty, but from the point of view of physiology. Beauty is subjective. The desire for freedom and pluralism of opinions in recent years, on the contrary, has popularized body positivity, i.e. accepting your body and valuing your inner world as opposed to external attractiveness. But this should not be used as an excuse for not wanting to control your weight. Overweight

and obesity can cause the development of various serious diseases. In order not to force your body to work for wear, you need to maintain your weight within normal limits. For some, it is enough to slightly balance their diet, and for others, they will have to work hard, but everything is real.

Fitness for plus size: main rules

* Start small. If you haven't exercised before, spend the first few weeks simply increasing the amount of physical activity you do. Walking at an energetic pace will be enough for this. Then add cardio. “First, people with significant excess weight need to prepare their respiratory and cardiac systems,” comments Dmitry Glukhov, personal trainer of the Territory Fitness club chain. — I would advise you to start not even with strength exercises, but with cardio exercises on machines and in the pool in order to strengthen your systems.
Then more oxygen will enter the blood and it will become easier to exercise.” * Eliminate shock loads - jumping, running.

* After 3-4 weeks of regular cardio exercises, you can introduce light strength exercises. “You don’t need to lift weights right away! Perform simplified versions of classic movements. So, instead of doing regular squats, start with bench squats. In this case, the range of motion will be short, the hip joint and knees will work very carefully. Gradually, their mobility will improve, the muscles will get used to the load. Then you can move on to deeper squats,” says Dmitry Glukhov.

*Choose shorter workouts. “At first it is important to maintain motivation. But if you train too much and too often, it will inevitably fall. Therefore, I recommend exercising for 20-30 minutes every other day or two. So the “fuse” will last for a long time,” advises Dmitry Glukhov.

* Monitor your well-being during exercise - if you feel discomfort and fatigue, it’s time to end the workout.

We wrote in more detail about the rules for “full” classes here.

The importance of motivation

The reasons that make you think about physical activity are varied:

I want to lose weight and wear tight clothes;
health problems, because physical activity has a positive effect on normalizing blood pressure, lowering sugar levels in diabetes, speeding up metabolism, which helps to lose weight;
excess weight prevents you from living a full life; it is difficult to walk and climb stairs.

Having motivation is a good incentive to start practicing. This will help you persevere in achieving results.

How to build a lesson

* Start your workout with a simple warm-up. This will protect you from injury.

* Perform the exercises at a comfortable pace, watch the execution technique and muscle function.

* Experiment with the number of repetitions and approaches. “We start with 5-15 repetitions of each exercise. If it seems easy to you, increase the number of approaches,” says Dmitry Glukhov.

* Watch your breathing: make the main effort while exhaling.

To perform the complex, you will need a stable bench, TRX loops attached to a support, and a mat.

Intensity and regularity

The intensity of training depends on preparation. You should not do gymnastics through force, this will lead to a feeling of disgust for exercise. Follow the principle of gradualness when increasing the number of repetitions or do exercises in several approaches per day. For obese women, this method is more rational.

Over time, the muscles will get used to the activity, they will pump up, and what at first seemed difficult will be easy and enjoyable.

Interesting: Exercises for back and lower back pain

Exercise every other day, for 30-40 minutes, until you feel slightly tired and perspire. This is an indicator of sufficient load at this stage. The body continues to lose weight after this workout for 48 hours.

On the days between workouts, you should walk more at a fast pace. This will help the body not to relax and the result of the efforts will be achieved faster.

Ab crunches

Lie on your back. Bend your knees, place your feet on the floor. Stretch your arms behind your head, point your chin forward and up. Working your abdominal muscles, smoothly twist your body forward and touch your hands to the floor at the level of your feet. Then also smoothly twist your spine back and lower your back onto the mat again, and your hands behind your head. This will amount to one repetition.

Don't chase speed and records - practice according to this scheme in a mode that is comfortable for you. Gradually the body will adapt and you will be able to increase the load.

Warm-up

You can start with squats, first with support on a chair, 10-20 times. To warm up quickly, do them slowly. You can march in place or around the room for 30-60 seconds, raising your knees high and swinging your arms. At the same time, breathe deeply and steadily through your nose. Running in place with a weight exceeding your norm by more than 20 kg is not recommended.

Next, tilt your head back and forth, left and right. When bending, the shoulders remain in place. We don’t hold our breath.

Swing your straight arms in a circle back and forth 10 times. Cross your straight arms in front of you and move them to the sides. Also 10 times. The shoulder joints will open and the lungs will straighten. It will be easier to breathe during gymnastics.

Bend the torso to the sides to stretch the lateral muscles. Place your right hand on your belt, lift your left up and stretch to the right, pulling yourself additionally with your left hand. At the extreme point, breathe 3-5 times through your nose in a calm rhythm. There is no need to jerk your body. It is easier for muscles to stretch in a static position with even breathing. And to the left side there is the same slope.

You can start your main training.

To start

One of the biggest hurdles overweight clients must overcome is simply walking into a Pilates studio. You can help.

Be friendly and considerate.

Clients may be afraid and uncertain. Focus on what they can do rather than what they can't.

Don't humiliate them.

Teach with respect and love. If you empathize and take into account the client's body and mental state, it is difficult for you to go wrong.

Be present and learn to anticipate needs.

When you offer equipment or modifications to an exercise, offer it as part of the work, not as an easy option. Learning Pilates is hard, it's body language. As with any new language, achieving mastery takes time and patience; Explain to clients that this is normal so they don't get upset.

Understand that overweight clients are just as different as regular clients. Consider each client's fitness and Pilates experience, goals, and weight distribution. Think in terms of 4S: Stability, Strength, Stamina and Stretch-ability

– coordination, strength, endurance and flexibility. Many overweight clients lack endurance, so plan ways for clients to get more movement (Cakmakci 2012).

In one lesson, help clients realize that they can do more than they ever dreamed possible. Don't assume that clients haven't tried or even attempted something. If you see signs of inability to complete the full version of the exercises, give them the part that they can do. Marie O., one of our overweight clients, was so dedicated to Pilates that she took 4 private lessons a week and went on to become a certified instructor! She admitted: “You never let me think that I couldn’t do something. You gave me the understanding that I was preparing for exercises that I could do later.”

Who is predisposed to a triangle body type?

This physique is formed by a combination of several factors. People with a defective FTO gene located on the 16th chromosome pair have an A-shaped figure. This specific element determines the number of adipocyte cells in the body and their distribution.

It is responsible for the production of a special hormone, ghrelin, a peptide compound that is involved in endocrine regulation and has a number of key metabolic functions. People with a defect in the FTO gene have an addiction to fatty and high-calorie foods, which provokes the development of lipid subcutaneous tissue.

Women with bad habits are predisposed to a triangular figure - those who abuse nicotine, beer and other alcoholic drinks.

Eating behaviors that contribute to the formation of an A-shaped silhouette include:

Excessive consumption of proteins, fats and carbohydrates due to a sedentary lifestyle.
Consumption of products with harmful synthetic additives. Such heavy compounds are difficult to break down and have the ability to be deposited in biological tissues, contributing to the growth of the fat layer.
Consumption of hormone-rich meat. Such drugs are actively used in raising poultry and meat and dairy cattle to enhance weight gain in individuals. Hormones rise in chicken eggs, milk, and meat. With excessive and regular consumption of such foods, the chances of forming a fat layer in the lower part of the body are high.
Small volumes of water consumption. People who drink less than 2 liters of fluid per day and have a slow metabolism have a significant chance of developing a pear-shaped figure. Water promotes the evacuation of toxins, accelerates metabolic processes and fat burning during physical activity.

A thin top with disproportionately thick legs is typical for those with a hypersthenic type of build. They naturally have wide bones, short lower limbs and massive hips, which serves as a prerequisite for the formation of anthropometric disproportion.

Causes of figure imbalance, when there is a thin top and thick legs

Much more strongly than metabolic characteristics, anthropometric imbalance is influenced by genetic predisposition, acquired hormonal disorders, circulatory and lymph flow disorders.

The leading causes of the accumulation of fatty layers in the lower part of the body include lipedema, a chronic systemic pathology characterized by an uneven distribution of lipid tissues. It is associated with fluid stagnation in the affected areas.

The genetic factors that give the figure a triangular shape cannot be radically influenced. The lower body will still look massive and weighty. To a certain extent, the proportions can be harmonized by adjusting the diet and special sets of physical exercises.

Pathological causes include various vascular diseases in which blood circulation and outflow of lymphatic fluid are disrupted. If body imbalance is caused by hormonal disorders, complex treatment is required.

They often serve as a symptom of dangerous endocrine diseases - diabetes, hypothyroidism and others. Another common etiological factor in the formation of a pear-shaped figure is considered to be chronic physical inactivity caused by a sedentary lifestyle.

Due to insufficient physical activity, blood circulation in the lower part of the body is weakened and metabolism slows down, which leads to the rapid accumulation of fatty layers even in people who do not have a natural tendency to be overweight.

The benefits of exercise therapy for obesity

The advantage of Physical Therapy (PT) is that everyone is able to perform practical exercises anywhere, wherever they are: at home, at work, in the gym.

It is believed that doing morning exercises is very effective; the use of exercise therapy at this time is the most popular among people. Although this takes extra time in the morning, nevertheless, psychologically it helps to get a good mood before a new working day.

At this time, the human body is most prepared before performing various physical exercises. An important criterion if you want to lose weight is the regularity of physical therapy exercises for obesity. If you do exercises once a week, then there is no need to talk about any weight loss.

Performing gymnastic actions in the morning not only helps to physically adjust the body during obesity, but also increases the efficiency of many internal organs, including the intestines. Thus, we get rid of frequent headaches and increased fatigue.

But such symptoms affect people who are not at all prone to obesity, therefore, a set of morning exercises is universal and suitable for all people, without exception. With light exercises (sitting down, standing up, bending over, stretching your arms), the abdominal muscles are primarily involved, and, therefore, we not only strengthen them, but also help improve digestion.

Thus, by doing simple exercises, you can:

help normalize breathing,
help improve digestion
work of internal organs
get rid of headaches and increased fatigue.

The simple technique allows gymnastics to be used even by people with limited physical capabilities. These methods will serve most as additions to special diets, since the latter sometimes have the opposite effect; due to the wrong combination of components, you may not lose weight, but gain weight.

What is stretching

Many people wonder what stretching does for your figure and does it help you lose weight? Professional trainers say as one: “Yes! And there is no need to doubt its importance for the body.” Stretching is the very first step of exercises that help tone muscles before building muscle mass, shaping your silhouette or losing weight. The main advantage of stretching is the ability to perform the simplest movements not only in a special gym, but also in ordinary home conditions; all you need is a mat and half an hour of free time.

Contraindications

Under various scenarios, even the loads used in exercise therapy can cause harm to the body. Let's highlight the main contraindications:

inflammatory and infectious reactions;
malignant tumors;
foreign object in the body;
blood circulation in the brain is impaired;
increased cardiovascular failure;
manifestation of tachycardia and bradycardia.

In childhood, the same processes occur during obesity as in an adult body, so the negative aspects that occur in the body are similar to the developments of events in older people.

Other body shaping measures

In some cases, body wraps, which are a physiotherapeutic procedure aimed at removing excess fluid from biological tissues and breaking down lipid deposits, will help eliminate anthropometric imbalances in women that are not caused by genetic or pathological factors.

It is performed using coffee beans or medicinal clay. The best results are achieved by alternating hot and cold cycle wraps.

At home you can use:

mustard with honey;
ginger with cinnamon;
clay with anti-cellulite properties;
algae used in spa salons for thalassotherapy;
red pepper;
special fat-burning ointments and gels.

A contrasting water massage procedure, which improves blood circulation in the lower extremities and reduces the volume of fat layers, allows you to give your legs the lost slimness.

Expert advice on maintaining a healthy physique

Recommendations from phlebologists, endocrinologists and nutritionists include a set of available activities that allow you to always be in optimal physical shape and acquire a harmonious figure.

Basic principles of maintaining anatomically correct body proportions:

Set realistic weight loss goals - weight loss by 0.5-1.5 kg per week.
Together with a nutritionist, create a nutrition plan and strictly adhere to it.
Reduce to a minimum the consumption of sweet foods and drinks, confectionery, and homemade baked goods.
Maintain a daily water intake of 2-3 liters.
Increase your consumption of fresh vegetables, fruits, and citrus fruits.
Introduce an active lifestyle.
Sleep 7-8 hours a day.

The process of correcting a triangular figure, in which the legs are thick against the background of a normal or too thin upper body, requires a review of one’s own behavioral habits and a change in lifestyle.

Exaggerating the importance of cardio exercise

If you look at the legs of long-distance runners and marathons, you can conclude that their slimness is ensured by constant exercise with an emphasis on cardio (running in particular), but this is not the whole truth. Of course, cardio exercise can speed up muscle catabolism (muscle contraction), but this will not necessarily lead to fat loss.

Thus, as a result of constant jogging, it is not a layer of fat that comes off from your legs, but a layer of muscle. This is why your body is thin and your legs are thick even after intense cardio training.

Features of metabolism of people with a triangle figure

Metabolic rate is key to the formation of the body. The set of such biochemical reactions is called metabolism.

Its physiological functions include:

interaction of the body with the environment;
cell proliferation;
restoration of damaged tissues;
growth of the organism as a whole and all its parts separately.

Metabolism is determined by a quantitative characteristic that reflects the rate of conversion of substances supplied with food and drinks into the energy necessary to maintain life. In people with a pear-shaped figure and excess weight, metabolic reactions are slowed down, which leads to the accumulation of fat deposits.

The parts of the female body most susceptible to the formation of lipid deposits are:

hips;
waist;
buttocks;
caviar.

Metabolic rate is not a constant value. It is determined by physical activity, daily cycles of sleep and wakefulness, and diet. The characteristics and nature of metabolic processes are influenced by endocrine causes, heredity, and other factors.

Metabolism is a complex of biochemical reactions, divided into catabolism and anabolism. The first is called the reaction of the breakdown of substances with the release of energy.

During the process of anabolism:

new tissues are formed;
natural cell proliferation occurs;
mineralization of bone fibers increases;
muscle structures grow.

The nature of the anabolic processes is influenced by the level of synthesis of the growth hormone - somatomedin. People with a triangular body shape have an increased physiological ability to store excess energy in the form of body fat.

Differences between anabolic and catabolic processes affecting excess weight:

Comparative characteristics Anabolism Catabolism Main functions Formation of biological structures and plastic metabolism Providing cells with the energy necessary for functioning Method of transformation of substances Synthesis of complex compounds from simple substances Disruption of molecular bonds leading to the breakdown of multicomponent biochemical compounds Energy Expense Release of ATP Costs Production and synthesis

A thin top and thick legs are an anatomical disproportion that rarely occurs solely due to a slowdown in the above biochemical reactions. It should be assessed in conjunction with other factors - age, gender, lifestyle and diet.

Quetelet index

Quetelet index - body mass index indicates obesity or underweight. The Quetelet index can be calculated for adult men and women from 20 to 65 years of age.

Body mass index indicates obesity or underweight. The Quetelet index can be calculated for adult men and women from 20 to 65 years of age.

Below, in the Quetelet index calculator, enter your height in centimeters and weight in kilograms.

The resulting number will be your index.

The norm for men is 19-25. The norm for women is 19-24.

Results may be false for pregnant and breastfeeding women, athletes, the elderly and adolescents (under 18 years of age).

In general, we can divide obesity into several types, which are clearly visible in the image below:

Basic points that are important to know at the beginning

Stretching for weight loss is not a quick way to lose extra pounds; to achieve results you will have to make an effort and be patient. Therefore, you should not “mock” your body. In addition, if a person has not previously been interested in sports at all, then one should start with extreme caution, otherwise there is a high risk of serious injury.

Therefore, before you start, you should consult your doctor and find out about contraindications, how dangerous they are and how they can affect your health. Next, it is important to pay attention to the following tips from professional athletes:

There is no need to try to immediately produce the same result as the coach or other group members. Each person showed their own flexibility, muscle elasticity and joint mobility. They increase gradually with regular exercise.
When performing stretching exercises for weight loss, there should be no unpleasant or painful sensations. Only tension and tension are possible. If pain occurs, this indicates an illness or improper execution.
Don't start doing the splits right away. The complex is intended not only for certain parts of the body, but to tone the entire body.
You can't hold your breath. Inhalations and exhalations should be smooth.

Overweight: the best exercises for men

Ecology of health. Fitness and sports: The problem of excess weight among men is as relevant as among women. Today everyone understands that excess weight and, especially, obesity is not only and not so much an aesthetic defect, but a serious disease.

Exercises for weight loss for men

The problem of excess weight among men is as relevant as among women. Today everyone understands that excess weight and, especially, obesity is not only and not so much an aesthetic defect, but a serious disease.

Unfortunately, people often try to solve the problem solely with the help of diets, forgetting that exercises for men to lose weight are simply irreplaceable.

By performing a set of special exercises, you can get rid of a significant amount of fat without even changing your usual diet. This will happen, firstly, due to the fact that energy consumption will increase. And, secondly, special exercises for men to lose weight contribute to the growth of muscle tissue . And muscle tissue, even at rest, consumes 3 times more energy than fat tissue.

However, undoubtedly, the process of losing weight will be more effective if, simultaneously with increasing physical activity, you adjust your nutrition system. First of all, you should give up “fast food”, canned food, smoked meats, and excessively fatty foods. Of course, you should limit the amount of sweets and white bread in your diet.

Principles of doing exercises

Exercises for losing weight for men should solve two main problems . First, you need to burn excess fat. Cardio training helps with this. Secondly, the training program must include strength exercises necessary to strengthen existing muscles and build new muscle fibers.

The localization of fat deposits on the body of men can have several options. Sometimes adipose tissue is distributed relatively evenly throughout the body. But recently, more and more often, excess fat is formed in the abdominal area. Moreover, fat can be located both subcutaneously and inside the abdominal cavity. The latter option is called abdominal obesity . It is considered the most dangerous, as it significantly increases the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, inclusion in an individual set of exercises for losing belly fat for men is mandatory.

The main principle when performing exercises for weight loss for men is to do no harm . The load must correspond to the person’s age and state of health. The number of excess kilograms is also of great importance. If excess weight exceeds 15 kg, then running and jumping should not be used to lose weight. In this case, the best option for cardio training is vigorous walking or working on an exercise bike. resembling ski poles - gives excellent results for weight loss When walking with poles, up to 90% of the body's muscles are involved in work, so energy consumption is quite high.

An indispensable means of losing weight for very obese men is swimming. You shouldn’t give up water aerobics either. The opinion that this type of fitness is only for women is wrong.

As for strength exercises, they should be performed in series. The number of repetitions of exercises in each series, if the goal is to lose weight, is quite large - up to 30-50 times.

At the initial stage, exercises for losing weight for men are performed with light weights or without them at all. There are many very effective exercises that use your own body weight: squats, push-ups, bending, twisting, leg and torso lifts, etc.

Cardio exercises can be a separate training session, or they can be one of the blocks of a comprehensive workout.

The load when performing exercises for weight loss for men should increase gradually . And at first - by increasing the number of repetitions. After the exercise is performed without much effort, for example, 40 times in three series, it will be possible to increase the load by increasing the weight of the weights.

The optimal training regimen includes two half-hour aerobic workouts and two half-hour strength training in a weekly cycle.

A set of exercises for weight loss for men

This complex is designed for men whose excess weight exceeds 15-20 kg. The exercises are performed at home; the only equipment or equipment you need is a regular chair.

Exercise 1.

Running and walking while sitting on a chair. Sit on a chair and walk in place for 30 seconds, raising your knee higher and actively, as in normal walking, working with your arms. The back is straight. Then, for 30 seconds, run while sitting on a chair. This is one cycle of exercise. Such cycles should be performed 4-5, without a break. Walking and running on a chair can be replaced by an exercise on an exercise bike: 30 seconds of pedaling at a moderate pace, 30 seconds at the fastest possible pace. And so 4-5 times.

Exercise 2.

Half squats near a chair. Starting position – legs apart. There is a chair 30-40 cm behind. Sit down smoothly, touching the edge of the chair with your buttocks, and immediately begin to slowly straighten your legs again, while lifting your arms up and turning your torso to the right. Return to the starting position, lowering your arms. Squat down smoothly again, touching the chair, and rise again, already turning to the left. Perform the exercise for 1-2 minutes.

Exercise 3.

Push-ups for 1 minute. If this is difficult to do, do push-ups from a higher support. You can increase the load by increasing the pace of the exercise.

Exercise 4.

Starting position - lying on the floor, legs bent at the knees, at a right angle, feet pressed to the floor. Stretch your arms forward, raising your head and shoulders. Return to the starting position, but do not lower your head. Work in this mode for at least 1 minute. If the problem of how to remove belly fat for a man is being solved, exercises like the one described are simply irreplaceable .

Exercise 5.

Starting position - as in the previous exercise, arms lie on the floor, extended along the body, palms pressed to the floor. Raise your pelvis so that your torso and hips are in line. Stay in this position for 2-3 seconds, return to the starting position. This is a very effective belly fat loss exercise for men. It also strengthens the muscles of the legs, buttocks, and back.

Exercise 6.

Starting position – lying position. Hold in this position for 1-2 minutes. As an option: lying on bent arms. The forearms lie on the floor, the elbow joints are exactly under the shoulder joints. Hold in this position for 30-60 seconds.

One of the most effective exercises for the rectus abdominis muscle, in order for the stomach to become flat, and in the future - “with cubes”, is raising the legs from hanging on a bar or Swedish ladder. Strive to raise your legs to a right angle, hold them for a second in the upper position, then smoothly lower them.

Those who are seriously solving the problem of how to remove belly fat for a man should perform a variety of exercises that load not only the rectus abdominis muscle, but also the oblique muscles and back muscles.

This set of exercises for losing weight for men is the bare minimum. You can expand it and complicate it at your discretion. published