General Discussion

@Finnley Okay! Now I can respond! CX Thank you for that link, I think I might have to make some adjustments to the beginner's body weight circuit, but I think it really will help!! I chose sit-ups because as a kid I was really good at them. I'll have to replace that with something else, definitely! I can see how it would not be helpful with my posture, and I do know for a fact that I tend to lean while doing them, so I think that's a great idea, thank you!

@Eve Thank you! I wish you the absolute best of luck! I'm going to work on my diet slowly, because any time I tried to suddenly stop something or have a drastic change, I have failed miserably due to cravings. So first to go is sodas, and to watch portions of what I am currently eating!

@Iridescence4810 It really isn't as much of a drawback as it could have been, I think. I have good front mobility and decent back, it's just drawing the arm to a 90 degree angle is really tough! It's been like that since birth, though, so I've learned to work around it. But I have been using it as an excuse for far too long, I feel like if I work with it, it shouldn't hold me back so much!
Unfortunately, there's no beach near me, and I'm extremely embarrassed about my body as it is so I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to hit a public pool. I think I am going to focus on being able to walk and jog distances, but then I will definitely look into getting a bicycle! Thank you so much for your suggestions!
Also, I had heard of the Zombie Run app before, I'll give it a looksie!

@Rhea I'm going to give that link a try when I get home this evening, but just reading the FAQ it looks very interesting! It looks like a good way to motivate yourself, thank you1

@Cymas I just got back on health insurance, so I am definitely planning to visit a doctor to ask some questions on what they'd advise, but I thought I would try here as well to see what other people have done that helped them. I think walking is going to be my best bet at the moment, maybe once I have gained enough confidence I'll start going to a gym to give the stationary bicycles or the elliptical a shot! I could probably swing for a personal standing desk, but I'm positive my job won't jump for it. :c

@EnchantingCurse I'll work on being able to walk a reasonable distance first, but then I will definitely look in to jogging intermittently! That does sound like it would burn more calories, and since you aren't full out sprinting it must conserve more energy!

Thank you everyone for all of your suggestions, I'll see about altering days of walking and days of circuits, maybe I'll be able to convince someone to join me in them! c:

@Confectionary

Along with seeing your doctor about it (I noticed your above post about visiting a doctor), you may also try dancing, if that is your thing. A few years ago, I lost around 20 pounds by watching my calorie intake and doing around 2 hours of Dance Central (Xbox 360) for roughly 5 days a week. I lost the weight in 3 or 4 months, IIRC.

I recently received a Zumba workout kit for Christmas and just started 2 days ago. (Couldn't start earlier because of arthritis in both knees. Stupid wacky weather!) I've heard that it is really good for burning calories, too. I can tell you that it does up your heart rate and will make you sweat! Keep lots of water nearby!

Both options you can do in the privacy of your own home, so you don't have to worry about other people watching you. There are also several places that offer Zumba classes, if you'd rather go out and try it. Either way, since it is dancing, I'm sure you'd be able to alter any moves that require your arms to something you're comfortable with.

@Finnley Pretty well, actually! I'm still not as physical as I would like, but I haven't had a soda since I made the first post, and I've lost a bit of weight. I've stayed away from fast food for the most part, and cut down a bit on the home-made stuff as well. Portion control is hard when food is so delicious :c

@Vitalani I've heard a bit about Zumba, a coworker of mine was in a class for a few months and she loved it. I lack rhythm, so maybe it would be a good way to learn!

@Confectionary
Personally I don't believe in things like shakeweight. Building muscles takes hard work, not shaking a stick (yes, I know how that sounds).
I would rather invest in some real weights(if your arm can handle it..?) I would also recommend that you exercise your whole body, with focus on the arms. Start off easy with light weights on your arms so you don't hurt yourself. Some resistance bands would also be great! Search around the internet for exercises with dumbbells and resistance bands. Also, have you tried doing push ups on your knees?
It's also great that you are walking, but try to keep a little tempo. Some jogging / other cardio would be great too!
And remember, your diet is the key to success. If you want reult, you need to eat proper food. I don't know what your diet looks like, but some general guidelines is to stay away from junk / fast food and eat fruits and veggies. Drinking a lot of soda / juice is also a no no. Make sure you get loads of proteins too, they will keep you full longer.

@Confectionary

People here have been making good points, I hope you won't mind my input xD Like you I have horrible posture and had no interest in exercise, though I've been lucky that I have a high metabolism. However, I recently changed majors from Bio to Kinesiology to become a personal trainer.

That brings me to my first point: put yourself in a situation that makes you work out. I wouldn't be a very good personal trainer if I wasn't in good shape, now would I? Try to get a family member or friend to do it with you. Also, ask your boss about standing at work. A professor in my department recently made the point that this is much healthier than sitting all day and a lot of teachers here have begun to do that. Obviously I don't expect you to be able to stand all day, but as you get healthier you'll find you can stand for longer periods of time.

I would definitely check with a doctor and personal trainer about your arm, but if the only problem is raising over your shoulder, most arm exercises should be okay. I would suggest just working with free weights though since bars on machines make you extend your arm farther than you can probably go. I saw people suggest swimming, which really is the best work out you can do because it works everything; however, it could be hard to do with your arm. There's a lot of shoulder rotation involved.

The most important thing though is WALK.

A little lesson on energy: your body uses three sources for energy. Carbs, fats and proteins.

Carbs you get from foods like pasta and is what your body uses for short-term, strenuous work. As in: running, swimming, weight lifting, etc. This is what your body will jump to first when you start doing work that is harder than usual.

Fat is what your body uses for long-term, non-strenuous work. As in: Walking! However, if you're running, when you run out of carbs your body will begin to use fat so hard-core working out is still going to help because fat is used for long-term workouts!

Basically, walking for an hour will burn more fat than running for 30 minutes. Walking everyday at a good pace will help you shed many unwanted pounds. You have to keep it up though, and watch what you eat.

Your main goal is to burn more than you put in. For example, you eat 1,000 calories? Burn 1,500. Eating 1000 and burning 1000 will keep you where you are.

Proteins aren't used for energy unless your body is desperate for energy and it begins to break down things like muscle. You won't have this problem, but it's important to eat proteins cause your body needs it to build up those muscles you'll be working on! :3

And for your bad posture, I can tell you all this from experience: work on strengthening your back and abs. Make it a conscious effort to walk with chest out, butt out, and shoulders back. It'll be hard because you'll have to think about it, but soon it'll be like you've always walked like that!

Hope this helps, and please make sure you check with a professional~ And be sure to set reachable goals for yourself or you'll be more likely to give up :3

@Confectionary Check out the Fitness Junkies Forum!

@Confectionary here's a ping to encourage you! Also Ethelid and Rhya in my friends list are CP/CI and Ethelid especially manages to still be mostly healthy. You might try messaging with them?

Cardio is definitely the way to go for me, as I have muscle damage and chronic migraines.