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WOULD
you like to be more
physically active, but are not sure if
you can do it?
Good news—if
you are a very large person, you
can be physically
active—and you can have fun and
feel good doing it.
THERE
may be special
challenges for very large people who are
physically active. You may not be able to
bend or move in the same way that other
people can. It may be hard to find
clothes and equipment for exercising. You
may feel self-conscious being physically
active around other people.
Facing these
challenges is hard—but it can be
done! The information in this booklet may
help you start being more active and
healthier—no matter what
your size!
Top
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BEING
physically active may help
you live longer and protect you
from:
-
type 2
diabetes
-
heart
disease
-
stroke
- high blood
pressure
If you have any of
these health problems, being physically
active may help improve your
symptoms.
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Being physically active
can be a lot of fun!
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REGULAR
physical activity helps
you feel better because
it:
-
Lowers your stress
and boosts your mood.
-
Increases your
strength, movement, balance, and
flexibility.
-
Helps control blood
pressure and blood sugar.
-
Helps build healthy
bones, muscles, and joints.
-
Helps your heart
and lungs work better.
-
Improves your
self-esteem.
- Boosts energy during
the day and may aid in sleep at
night.
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TO start being more active, try these
tips:
- Think about your barriers to
being active.
Then try to come up with
creative ways to solve them. The
following examples may help you overcome
barriers.
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![Barrier: I don't have enough time](active_images/Barrier1.jpg)
![Barrier: I feel self-conscious when I'm active](active_images/Barrier2.jpg)
![Barrier: I'm worried about my health or injury](active_images/Barrier3.jpg)
![Barrier: I just don't like exercise](active_images/Barrier4.jpg)
![Barrier: I can't stay motivated](active_images/Barrier5.jpg)
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-
Start
slowly. Your body needs time to get used
to your new activity.
-
Warm
up. Warm-ups get your body ready for
action. Shrug your shoulders, tap your
toes, swing your arms, or march in
place. You should spend a few minutes
warming up for any physical
activity—even walking. Walk
slowly for the first few
minutes.
- Cool
down. Slow down little by little. If you
have been walking fast, walk slowly or
stretch for a few minutes to cool down.
Cooling down may protect your heart,
relax your muscles, and keep you from
getting hurt.
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![Blue line](active_images/blueLine.gif)
Appreciate
yourself!
If
you cannot do an activity, do not be hard
on yourself. Feel good about what you
can do. Be proud of
pushing yourself up out of a chair or
walking a short distance.
Pat yourself on the back
for trying even if you cannot do
it the first time. It may be easier the
next time!
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TO maintain your
active lifestyle, try these
suggestions:
-
Set
goals. Set short-term and long-term
goals. A short-term goal may be to walk
5 to 10 minutes, 5 days a week. It may
not seem like a lot, but any activity
is better than none. A long-term goal
should be to do at least 30 minutes of
moderate-intensity physical activity on
most days of the week. You can
accumulate your physical activity in
shorter segments of 10 minutes or more.
An example of a long-term goal is to
walk briskly on 5 days of the week by
the end of 6 months.
-
Set
rewards. Whether your goal was to be active
for 15 minutes a day, to walk farther
than you did last week, or simply to
stay positive, you deserve recognition
for your efforts. Some ideas for
rewards include a new CD to motivate
you, new walking shoes, or a new
outfit.
-
Get
support. Get a family member or friend to
be physically active with you. It may
be more fun, and your buddy can cheer
you on and help you stick with
it.
- Track progress.
Keep a journal of your
physical activity. You may not feel like
you are making progress but when you look
back at where you started, you may be
pleasantly surprised! You can make copies
of the blank journal at the end of this
booklet to keep track of your
efforts.
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![Journal table](active_images/JournalTable.png)
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-
Build up to
it. Any physical activity is better
than none, so start where you can and
gradually increase the amount. The
Government recommends 30 minutes of
moderate-intensity physical activity on
most days of the week. Do not worry if
that sounds like a lot! It does not
have to be done all at once. Try
breaking this into three 10-minute
slots. A few minutes of activity here
and there can really add up.
- Have fun!
Try different activities
to find the ones you really
enjoy.
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MOST very large people can do some or all
of the physical activities in this booklet.
You do not need special skills or a lot of
equipment. You can do:
-
Weight-bearing
activities,
like walking, climbing
stairs, and golfing, which involve
lifting or pushing your own body
weight.
-
Nonweight-bearing
activities,
like swimming and
water workouts, which put less stress
on your joints because you do not have
to lift or push your own weight. If
your feet or joints hurt when you
stand, nonweight-bearing activities may
be best for you.
- Lifestyle
activities, like gardening or washing the car,
which are great ways to get moving.
Lifestyle activities do not have to be
planned out ahead of time.
Remember that physical
activity does not have to be hard or boring
to be good for you. Anything that gets you
moving around—even for only a few
minutes a day—is a healthy start to
getting more fit.
Walking (Weight
Bearing)
The walking that you do
during the day (like doing chores around
the house or in the yard) can help you
become more fit. But regular, steady
walking that makes you breathe heavier can
help you to be healthier. It will give your
heart and lungs—as well as your leg
muscles—a good workout.
Top
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![Blue line](active_images/blueLine.gif)
Do I need to
see my health care provider before I start
being physically
active?
You
should talk to your health care provider
if you:
-
Have a chronic disease or
have risk factors for a chronic
disease, such as asthma or
diabetes.
-
Have high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, or a personal or
family history of heart
disease.
-
Are pregnant.
-
Are a smoker.
- Are unsure of your health
status or have any concerns that
exercise might be unsafe for
you.
Chances are your health care
provider will be pleased with your
decision to start an activity program. It
is unlikely that you will need a complete
medical exam before you go out for a
short walk.
If you are not active
now, start slowly. Try to walk 5 minutes a
day for the first week. Walk 8 minutes the
next week. Stay at 8-minute walks until you
feel comfortable. Then increase your walks
to 11 minutes. Slowly lengthen each walk by
3 minutes—or walk faster.
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Tips for
Walking
-
Wear comfortable
walking shoes
with a lot of support.
If you walk frequently, you may need to
buy new shoes often. You may wish to
speak with a podiatrist about when you
need to purchase new walking
shoes.
-
Wear garments that
prevent inner-thigh
chafing, such as tights or spandex
shorts.
- Make walking
fun. Walk with a friend or pet. Walk in
places you enjoy, like a park or shopping
mall.
To learn more, read the
brochure Walking...A Step in the Right
Direction from the Weight-control
Information Network (WIN). (This
publication is available in English and
Spanish.)
Dancing (Weight
Bearing or Nonweight Bearing)
Dancing may
help:
You can dance in a
health club, in a nightclub, or at home. To
dance at home, just move your body to some
lively music!
Dancing on your feet is
a weight-bearing activity. Dancing while
seated lets you move your arms and legs to
music while taking the weight off your
feet. This may be a good choice if you
cannot stand on your feet for a long
time.
See the
list of additional resources at the end of
this booklet for seated workout
videos.
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Water Workouts
(Nonweight Bearing)
Exercising in
water:
-
Helps
flexibility.
You can bend and move
your body in water in ways you cannot
on land.
-
Reduces risk of
injury. Water makes your body float. This
keeps your joints from being pounded or
jarred and helps prevent sore muscles
and injury.
- Keeps you
refreshed. You can keep cool in
water—even when you are working
hard.
You do not need to know
how to swim to work out in water—you
can do shallow-water or deep-water
exercises without swimming.
For
shallow-water workouts,
the water level should be between your
waist and your chest. If the water is too
shallow, it will be hard to move your arms
underwater. If the water is deeper than
chest-height, it will be hard to keep your
feet on the pool
bottom. For
deep-water workouts, most
of your body is underwater. This means that
your whole body will get a good workout.
For safety and comfort, wear a foam belt or
life jacket.
Many swim centers offer
classes in water workouts. Check with the
pools in your area to find the best water
workout for you. See the list of additional
resources at the end of this booklet to
learn more about water exercises.
Top
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Where to Work
Out
You can do many activities in
your home. But there are other fun places
to be active, including health clubs,
recreation centers, or outdoors. It may
be hard to be physically active around
other people. Keep in mind that you have
just as much right to be healthy and
active as anyone else.
![Blue line](active_images/blueLine.gif)
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![Blue line](active_images/ManTreadmill.png) |
Weight
Training (Weight Bearing or
Nonweight Bearing)
Weight
training builds strong muscles and bones.
Getting stronger may also help prepare you
for other kinds of physical activity. You
can weight train at home or at a fitness
center.
You do not
need benches or bars to begin weight
training at home. You can use a pair of
hand weights or even two soup
cans.
Make sure
you know the correct posture and that your
movements are slow and
controlled.
If you
decide to buy a home gym, check its weight
rating (the number of pounds it can
support) to make sure it is safe for your
size. If you want to join a fitness center
where you can use weights, shop around for
one where you feel at ease.
To learn more about weight
training, see the list of additional
resources at the end of this
booklet.
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Weight Training Rule of
Thumb
If
you cannot lift a weight six times in a
row, the weight you are lifting is too
heavy. If you can easily lift a weight 15
times in a row, your weight is too
light.
![Blue line](active_images/blueLine.gif)
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Bicycling
(Nonweight Bearing)
You can bicycle indoors
on a stationary bike, or outdoors on a road
bike. Biking does not stress any one part
of the body—your weight is spread
among your arms, back, and hips.
You may want to use a
recumbent bike. On this type of bike, you
sit low to the ground with your legs
reaching forward to the pedals. This may
feel better than sitting upright. The seat
on a recumbent bike is also wider than the
seat on an upright bike.
For biking outdoors,
you may want to try a mountain bike. These
bikes have wider tires and are
heavy.
You can also buy a
larger seat to put on your bike.
Make sure the bike you
buy has a weight rating at least as high as
your own weight.
To learn more
about bicycling, see the list of additional
resources at the end of this
booklet.
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Stretching
(Weight Bearing or Nonweight
Bearing)
Stretching may help
you:
-
Be more
flexible.
-
Feel more
relaxed.
-
Improve
posture.
- Keep
your muscles from getting
tight after doing other physical
activities.
You do not
have to set aside a special time or place
to stretch. At home or at work, stand up,
push your arms toward the ceiling, and
stretch. Stretch slowly and only enough to
feel tightness—not until you feel
pain. Hold the stretch, without bouncing,
for about 30 seconds. Do not stretch cold
muscles.
Yoga and
tai chi are two types of stretching. They
help you breathe deeply, relax, and get rid
of stress.
Your local
fitness center may offer yoga, tai chi, or
other stretching classes. You may want to
start with “gentle” classes,
like those aimed at seniors.
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Questions to Ask When
Choosing a Fitness
Center
-
Can the
treadmills or benches support people
who are large?
-
Does the
fitness staff know how to work with
people of larger sizes?
-
Can I take
time to see how I like the center
before I sign up?
-
Is the aim
to have fun and get healthy—not
to lose weight?
-
What are
the hours, and what time of day is it
crowded?
See the list of additional
resources at the end of this booklet to
learn more about these physical activities
for large people.
Top
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![Women weight training](active_images/WomenTraining.png) |
Lifestyle Activities
Lifestyle physical
activities do not have to be planned. You
can make small changes to make your day
more physically active and improve your
health. For example:
-
Take 2- to 3-minute
walking breaks at work a few times a
day.
-
Put away the TV
remote control—get up to change
the channel.
-
March in place
during TV commercials.
-
Take the stairs
instead of the elevator.
-
Stand or walk,
rather than sit, while talking on the
phone.
-
Play with your
family—kids, grandchildren,
nieces and nephews, etc.
- Walk to your
coworker’s office rather than use
the phone or email.
Even a shopping trip
can be exercise: it is a chance to walk and
carry your bags. In addition, doing chores
like lawn mowing, leaf raking, gardening,
and housework can count as
activity.
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Applaud
yourself!
If
you can do only a few or none of these
activities, it is OK. Appreciate
what you can do, even if you
think it is a small amount. Doing any
movement—even for a short
time—can make you healthier.
Remember, each activity you do is a step
toward a more active lifestyle.
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Tips for Safe Physical
Activity
Slow down if you
feel out of breath. You
should be able to talk during your
activity, without gasping for
breath.
Drink
water when you are thirsty
to replace the water you lose by
sweating.
Wear Suitable
Clothes
-
Wear lightweight,
loose-fitting tops so you can move
easily.
-
Wear clothes made
of fabrics that absorb sweat and remove
it from your skin.
-
Never wear rubber
or plastic suits. Plastic suits could
hold the sweat on your skin and make
your body overheat.
-
Women should wear a
good support bra.
-
Wear supportive
athletic shoes for weight-bearing
activities.
-
Wear a knit hat to
keep you warm when you are physically
active outdoors in cold weather. Wear a
tightly woven, wide-brimmed hat in hot
weather to help keep you cool and
protect you from the sun.
-
Wear sunscreen when
you are physically active
outdoors.
- Wear garments that
prevent inner-thigh chafing, such as
tights or spandex shorts.
Stop your activity right away if
you:
-
Have pain,
tightness, or pressure in your chest or
neck, shoulder, or arm.
-
Feel dizzy or
sick.
-
Break out in a cold
sweat.
-
Have muscle
cramps.
-
Are extremely short
of breath.
- Feel pain in your
joints, feet, ankles, or legs. You could
hurt yourself if you ignore the
pain.
Ask your
health care provider what to do if you have
any of these symptoms.
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Drink water when you are
thirsty.
Water helps every cell and
organ in your body work. It cushions your
joints, helps keep you regular, keeps
your body cool, and prevents dehydration
when you are sweating.
![Blue line](active_images/blueLine.gif)
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Healthy, fit bodies
come in all sizes.
Whatever your size or shape, get
physically active now and keep moving for a
healthier life!
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Additional Resources
Inclusion of resources
is for information only and does not imply
endorsement by the
Government.
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Fitness-related
Publications
Active Living Every Day: 20
Weeks to Lifelong Vitality
Steven N. Blair, Andrea L. Dunn, Bess H.
Marcus, Ruth Ann Carpenter, and Peter
Jaret. Human Kinetics, 2001. This book
offers a step-by-step plan for getting and
staying active. The information, suggested
activities, and self-help tools in each
chapter were successfully tested with
people who followed the plan and learned to
make activity a part of their daily lives.
The 20 chapters correspond to the 20 weeks
of the program, but readers are encouraged
to go at their own pace. Available from
www.humankinetics.com
or your local or online
bookstore.
Don’t Weight: Eat Healthy
and Get Moving NOW!
Kelly Bliss. Infinity Publishing, 2002.
This book provides motivation and
information for healthy eating and
plus-size fitness. It also teaches
problem-solving techniques. It offers
information that can help the large person
plan and achieve a fitness program that can
be sustained for a lifetime. Available from
KellyBliss.com, P.O. Box 572, Lansdowne, PA
19050; 1–877–KellyBliss;
www.kellybliss.com;
or your local or online
bookstore.
Easy Does It Yoga
Alice Christensen, American Yoga
Association. Fireside, 1999. This book
presents a program of exercises, breathing,
meditation, philosophy, and nutrition for
older adults and those with physical
limitations. Simple chair exercises and
more challenging standing and floor
exercises are described. Available from the
American Yoga Association, P.O. Box 19986,
Sarasota, FL 34276; (941) 927–4977;
www.americanyogaassociation.org;
or your local or online
bookstore.
Great Shape: The First Fitness
Guide for Large Women
Pat Lyons and Debby Burgard. iUniverse,
2000. This book urges women to be
physically active for fun, fitness, and
positive body image instead of for weight
loss. The authors describe a healthy
lifestyle program including walking,
swimming, dancing, martial arts, bicycling,
and more. Available from www.iuniverse.com
or your local or online
bookstore.
Just the Weigh You Are: How to
Be Fit and Healthy Whatever Your
Size
Steven Jonas and Linda Konner. Houghton
Mifflin Co., Ltd., 1998. This book presents
a plan for total fitness and healthy living
no matter what your size. Chapters focus on
accepting oneself, improving nutrition
without dieting, managing stress, and doing
moderate physical activity. Available from
your local or online bookstore.
Real Fitness for Real Women: A
Unique Workout Program for the Plus-Size
Woman
Rochelle Rice. Warner Books, 2001. This
book describes a 6-week introductory
fitness program that includes warm-ups,
aerobics, strength training and stretching
techniques, and meditation. Photos of
plus-size women demonstrate the exercises.
The book also addresses getting motivated,
creating support, evaluating current
abilities, and increasing self-acceptance.
Available from www.rochellerice.com
or your local or online
bookstore.
Tips to Help You Get
Active
Weight-control Information Network (WIN).
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Publication No. 06–5578. 2006. This
booklet provides ideas and tips for
becoming physically active. It focuses on
overcoming common barriers and setting
goals. Available from WIN, www.win.niddk.nih.gov.
Walking . . . A Step in the
Right Direction
WIN. NIH Publication No. 03–4155.
2001. This pamphlet explains how to start a
walking program, presents a sample program,
and shows stretches for warming up and
cooling down. Available in English and
Spanish from WIN, www.win.niddk.nih.gov.
Water Exercise
Martha D. White. Human Kinetics, 1995. This
book presents water exercises for fitness
and muscle tone as well as exercises for
injuries, postsurgical rehabilitation, and
other special needs. Available from Human
Kinetics, P.O. Box 5076, Champaign, IL
61825; 1–800–747–4457;
www.humankinetics.com;
or your local or online
bookstore.
Other
Publications
Plus Size Yellow
Pages
Over 3,000 online resources for fitness
clothes up to 6X, casual wear up to 10X,
bikes, bike seats, kayaks, sports bras,
supportive tights/leggings, supportive
fitness shoes, and much more.
www.plussizeyellowpages.com.
Size Wise: A Catalog of More
Than 1,000 Resources for Living With
Confidence and Comfort at Any
Size
Judy Sullivan. Avon, 1997. This book
describes resources that offer products or
services for large people. It discusses
where consumers can buy items like
swimsuits, bicycle seats, and walking
shoes. It also has information on exercise
classes and sports instruction for large
people throughout the United States,
Britain, and Canada. Available from
www.sizewise.com
or your local bookstore.
Videos
BIG MOVES: Yoga for Chair and
Bed
Mara Nesbitt. This video is designed for
people who have difficulty getting down to
or up from the floor. Led by a plus-size
instructor, it includes stretches done
standing, sitting, and lying on a bed, plus
a guided meditation. Available from Mirage
Video Productions, P.O. Box 19141,
Portland, OR 97280; or www.miragevideos.com.
Chair Dancing
Jodi Stolove. This no-impact video series
is designed to improve muscle tone,
flexibility, ardiovascular endurance
without putting stress on your knees, back,
hips, or feet. Available from Chair Dancing
International, Inc., 2658 Del Mar Heights
Road, Del Mar, CA 92014;
1–800–551–4386; or
www.chairdancing.com.
Tai Chi Chuan
Dawn Fleetwood. This 50-minute
instructional video features slow, gentle
movements and breathing exercises that
involve all of the muscles and organs in
the body. Available from Orchid Leaf
Productions, P.O. Box 72, Flint, MI 48501;
(810) 235–9864.
Yoga for Round Bodies, Volumes 1
and 2
Linda DeMarco and Genia Pauli Haddon. These
videos offer a fitness system based on
Kripalu yoga to promote strength,
flexibility, stress relief, and
cardiovascular health. Round-bodied
instructors tailor classic yoga postures to
large people at both beginner and
intermediate levels in each video.
Available from Plus Publications, P.O. Box
265–W, Scotland, CT 06264;
1–800–436–9642; or
www.amazon.com.
Organizations and
Programs
YMCA and YWCA
The YMCA and YWCA offer physical fitness
and health awareness programs in many
locations throughout the United States.
Contact YMCA of the U.S.A., 101 North
Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606; (312)
977–0031; or www.ymca.net.
Contact YWCA of the U.S.A., 1015 18th
Street, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC
20036; 1–800–679–1209; or
www.ywca.org.
Council on Size and Weight
Discrimination, Inc.
The Council on Size and Weight
Discrimination, Inc. (CSWD) is a nonprofit
organization that seeks to improve health
care and access to services for large
people through educational programs, media
monitoring, and medical conference
attendance. Contact CSWD at P.O. Box 305,
Mount Marion, NY 12456; (845)
679–1209; www.cswd.org.
National Association to Advance
Fat Acceptance
The National Association to Advance Fat
Acceptance (NAAFA) is a nonprofit
organization that seeks to end
discrimination based on body size and to
improve the quality of life for large
people. It offers a variety of publications
and videos on size acceptance, self-esteem,
and health and fitness. Contact NAAFA at:
P.O. Box 188620, Sacramento, CA 95818;
(916) 558–6880; or www.naafa.org.
Websites
Body
Positive®
This site addresses issues ranging from
self-esteem to fitness to finding
respectful health care providers. It
includes resources and links to related
sites. www.bodypositive.com.
Healthy Living with
Bliss™
This site includes information on walking,
swimming, aerobics, stretching, and other
fitness activities for large and very large
people. A resource section includes fitness
wear, books, exercise equipment, classes,
and information on where to buy fitness
videos for large people. There is an online
workbook, e-newsletter, and a chat with
plus-size personal fitness trainer Kelly
Bliss. www.kellybliss.com.
Just Move
Just Move is a personalized, Internet-based
fitness program of the American Heart
Association. It features an online activity
diary for monitoring your progress,
frequently asked questions, health
information, and many fitness links and
resources. www.justmove.org.
Mayo Clinic Fitness
Center
This website contains many different offers
a set of articles that are all about
walking for fitness and includes a
shoe-buying guide and a pedometer guide. It
also contains slide shows for strength
training and stretching exercises.
www.mayoclinic.com/health/fitness/SM99999. Top
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Keeping an activity
journal is a useful tool to help you stay
motivated, stay on track, and reach your
goals. It may be helpful to set a
short-term goal, a long-term goal, and
rewards for meeting those goals.
You can print out this
journal page to keep track of your efforts
and improvements. (Journal)
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Weight-control Information Network
1 WIN Way
Bethesda, MD 20892–3665
Phone: (202) 828–1025
Toll-free number:
1–877-946–4627
FAX: (202) 828–1028
E-mail: win@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov
The Weight-control
Information Network (WIN) is a service of
the National Institute of Diabetes and
Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the
National Institutes of Health, which is the
Federal Government's lead agency
responsible for biomedical research on
nutrition and obesity. Authorized by
Congress (Public Law 103–43), WIN
provides the general public, health
professionals, the media, and Congress with
up-to-date, science-based health
information on weight control, obesity,
physical activity, and related nutritional
issues.
Publications produced
by WIN are reviewed by both NIDDK
scientists and outside experts. This
publication was also reviewed by Steven
Blair, P.E.D., and John M. Jakicic, Ph.D.,
Chair, Department of Health and Physical
Activity, Director, Physical Activity and
Weight Management Research Center,
University of Pittsburgh.
Special thanks to the
Women of Substance Health Spa, Kelly Bliss,
M.Ed., and Rochelle Rice, M.A., of In
Fitness and In Health for providing many of
the photographs in this
brochure.
This publication is not
copyrighted. WIN encourages users of this
brochure to duplicate and distribute as
many copies as desired.
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![Publications](pubsbut.gif)
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NIH
Publication No. 04–4352
May 2004
Revised October 2006
e-text posted: January 2007
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Contact Us
Toll free:
1-877-946-4627 Fax: (202)
828-1028 E-mail: win@info.niddk.nih.gov
Weight-control Information Network, 1 WIN Way, Bethesda,
MD 20892-3665
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