How to burn fat when your body can't handle running or a treadmill?

[bullrider]

I am an ex bull rider and from the years of hard landings on my shins and ankles I can not handle running or even walking on a treadmill and the hard cement sidewalks are too hard too. I also have exercise induced asthma which makes running not an option. What else can I do to burn fat?

[WendyB]

All these are non Weight Bearing

Ellipical

Swimming

Exercise Bike

[JenniLacey]

You can burn fat without exercising at all. When you eat less than your total daily energy expenditure your body will tap into stored energy (fat) to find the energy you are not getting from food. Technically, you don't even need exercise to lose weight, it comes down to how many calories you're eating.

If you want to burn even more calories and lose weight faster then exercise may help. As long as you're not eating back all that you burn but I prefer to see exercise as to increase fitness, energy levels, heart health and all the other wonderful health benefits it provides rather than to lose weight. Although being able to eat more while losing/maintaining weight is an added bonus. 🙂

That said, why not start with walking? It's an easy stepping stone to developing a fitness routine and increasing your activity. You can even use Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds if you can't get outside due to weather.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rnB9rDRrCM

I think swimming is a great suggestion by the above poster.

[gerrymcd]

Burning fat is mostly all about what you eat (and don't eat).  It takes a lot of exercise to burn off the calories in a chocolate chip muffin! 

In addition to suggestions already given, a rowing machine is fairly low impact way to get a good cardio workout (and burn fat).  If your interest isn't specifically cardio you might want to think about strenght training.  For most men this seems to burn calories more effectively than cardio - in terms of time spent working out.  I've had trouble with my ankles in the past (ex marathon runner) and I found working out while sitting or lying on an exercise ball to be really good for my core strength, and gentle on my ankles.  Lie with the exercise ball positioned between your shoulder blades and do some chest presses with 15 to 30lb dumbells.  Sit on the ball, and do overhead presses, with 10lbs in each hand. Sit on the ball and do tricept curls behing your head....etc.  If these exercises are too easy,  do them while with only one foot on the ground.....etc. 

Exercises like that combine cardio, core, balance, and strength all in one package.  

[bullrider]

I'm actually a woman but thank you all for your advise! I think I'll look into how much a membership to the local YMCA is so I can swim!! 🙂 Thanks again!

[gerrymcd]

Sorry!  I know nothing about bullriding, other than what I've seen on TV (admittedly even that is only a few minutes worth).....and I don't remember them ever showing female riders.  In saying that, as a feeble male its not something I could ever imagine doing...... too scary for me! 

[Naomi94]

Here is what you do:

High intensity cardio workouts, three days a week, before breakfast. Make sure your heart rate reaches 150 Research shows that when you workout before breakfast, your will burn 20% more fat. When doing your workout on an empty stomach your body will use fat reserves for its energy source instead of carbs in your bloodstream.  

I recommend spinning. Stay away from the ellyptical machine as it does not engage your full body. Keep it simple, and stay on the bike. 

Do this Three days a week. Make sure your breakfast is high in protein, egg whites, tuna, milk etc...

Good luck

[danid512]

Ditto on the swimming. But also... do you have trails near your house?

I run (and walk) but after a while the pavement takes a toll. I can run twice as long and far on a dirt trail because of the lesser impact. I'm not saying you should go run, but walking may be much more comfortable for you there (same goes for grass obviously).

[carl669]

---

@Naomi94 wrote:

Here is what you do:

High intensity cardio workouts, three days a week, before breakfast. Make sure your heart rate reaches 150 Research shows that when you workout before breakfast, your will burn 20% more fat. When doing your workout on an empty stomach your body will use fat reserves for its energy source instead of carbs in your bloodstream.  

---

can you clarify where you read this?  as i understand it, your body will still use the glucose in your blood first, it's just that there's less of it in the morning (unless you have other issues).  as the glucose in your blood is used, your liver can also dump part of it's glycogen store into the bloodstream.  converting fat is much less efficient than converting carbs.

[gerrymcd]

As you workout at higher heart rates the body switches from burning fat to being more reliant on glucose for energy. 

% Max heart rate  :  Energy burned

60 to 70% :             85% fat, 5% protein, and 10% carbohydrate

70 to 80%:              50% fat, 50% carbohydrate, and less than 1% from Protein

80 to 90%  :            85% carbohydrates, 15% fat, and less than 1% protein

The University of Northumbria research that showed you burn 20% more fat by not eating breakfast was carried out on 12 active men -- ie a small population of already very active males.  Its a bit of a stretch to extrapolate such an experiment to the population at large. 

[LZeeW]

I started doing water aerobics after complications from what should have been routine knee surgery.  For a while, I thought I was never going to be able to walk normally.  But I definitely built muscle and dropped body fat.  Chest deep water will take a lot of weight off your ankles.  You can also use a suspension belt for deeper water andyou will have no weight on your ankles.  There are all kinds of gloves and foot devices to increase your resistance.

My gym has a recumbent elliptical.  You might not burn as much as an upright elliptical, but it will be easier on your ankles.  The model in my gym has footrests, so you can alternate between using the leg motion or resting your ankles.

There are medications approved for exercise induced asthma.  Ask you primary care.

I am happy for you for getting a Fitbit -- but you clearly need non step based activities.

[Ukase]

Oh where oh where did I see this very debate mentioned? Pretty sure I saw it on YouTube, with sources quoted and all that good stuff. 

The gist of it was that it didn't make any difference whether you fasted or not before exercise. There were benefits and pitfalls to both. Just wish I could remember where I saw it.