Greetings, comrades. So to cut the story short, my physical state is absolute junk and it’s about time to do something about it. I am overweight and lose breath after going up s flight or two of stairs, my back hurts almost daily and lifting things heavier than a backpack is stating to feel hard. All the doctors say I require exercise to resolve most issues. However, due to long commute and a few other issues, I can’t really visit gym on a regular basis (plus it’s not cheap). So what can I do from home to stop being a useless blob of blubber? For reference, I have a set of dumbbells, but using them hurts tendons in my arms more than it seems to affect the muscles.
I am seeking advice from the comrades
Helo, comrade! Glad you are improving your health and well-being.
Having a healthier balance means changing both diet and exercise, and diet is the more powerful thing to tweak, so I recommend staying on top of that. Counting calories while getting your macros is a simple and effective method. Adding a multivitamin doesn’t hurt either and can be super helpful when you’re changing your eating habits.
For home exercise, isometrics and calisthenics are the go-to exercises. Isometric is holding a position, like yoga or doing wall sits or planking. Calisthenics has more movement, like pushups and situps. I personally recommend yoga because it involves multiple muscle groups, has low risk of injury, requires only a yoga mat, has a set amount of time it takes, and also helps with flexibility. There are many free youtube instructor courses, too. The 30 day beginner challenges with Adrienne are great.
A better diet and yoga are plenty for getting started. You can add more, including weight training, any time you want. If you do use weights, like dumbbelks, I strongly recommend that you begin with low weight so that you can practice the forms. It is easy to injure yourself.