Fear of exercise worse after watching The Biggest Loser

[beckmister82]

I watched the season premier of The Biggest Loser tonight and watched the girl collapse on the beach and get hospitalized.  Definitely did not help my exercise fear.  People throwing up, collapsing on the floor, just made me think what will happen to me.  I'm 5'2 and 250 lbs.  Every time I try to exercise, I get lightheaded and dizzy, heart races like crazy, and my legs turn to jello.  Even walking a mile.  But the doctor told me to do it since I had an EKG in February that was fine along with blood work.  How do I over come this fear and get my weight off.  I want to lose it so bad and be healthy.   

[gridder]

I have only watched the BL a few times, but don't they usually do pretty extreme stuff and work them really hard? I think as long as you start slowly and be respectful of your body then you don' t have anything to worry about. Start where you are and move up incrementally.

[idreamofskiba]

I don't like having my heart rate go up so I don't exercise much either, which it's funny because the more I do exercise, the lower my resting heart rate is and the better I feel in general.

I agree with gridder.

[Bandini]

this is a big issue with me currently.  For the past few months I've only been going to the gym to do 30 minutes of exercise.  I walk there though.  That'll change come winter.  But when my heart rate gets up, pfft, forget about it.  I'm gone and there's no one there to help out.  The anxiety will just take hold and build up so fast and so sudden.  I get all the physical symptoms you described and I'm 6'2'' and 175 lbs.  If I feel a soreness anywhere, a pop anywhere, or in recent cases my shin bones will be sore.  I'll freak out.  Happens everytime and it starts with the heart rate.  I'm letting you know you're not alone in what you're experiencing.  This coming from someone who has been told he's in the best shape of his life numerous times.

One thing that I TRY to remember but it can be difficult.  Is that when we exercise, we get the same physical symptoms that we do with anxiety.  So what may really be adrenaline from the workout, we interpret as anxiety rising.  The same 5 things happen with exercise, excitement, and anxiety.
1. Perspiration
2. Heart rate
3. Rapid breathing
4. Muscle tension
5. Adrenaline

Maybe if you keep that in mind it may help you out.

[shrublet]

Gridder is right. Those folks exercise for like... 8-10 hours a day. I would literally die (not to mention throw up/pass out) if I did even a quarter of what they did, so big respect to them.

My heartbeat races even after a bit of walking with a backpack sometimes, and I'm not terribly overweight or anything. Just deconditioned. It's gotten a lot better since I started jogging. Keep it up.

[groovy]

Sometimes when you are just starting out with a exercise or increasing your activity level, you could expect all the things you just said because your body probably not use to it yet. It will take time and just like the person above said, start slowly and increase your activity gradually. Don't jump into running 10 miles a day without getting all warmed up, of course ur body will react to it. And you did EKG and blood draw and everything is fine so you are good to go :)

[forestbythesealady]

Oh boy, I get the same way. If I am out cutting the grass and my heart starts to beat hard I start hyperventilating and get all light headed because I am waiting to have a heart attack. I make myself crazy. I, too, want to exercise more, but I try not to get my heart rate up very high! That defeats the purpose. My heart rate is higher during a panic attack than it is when I am exercising! What I can't understand is if my heart rate is so high during panic and anxiety, why don't I lose weight????

Don't go by The Biggest Loser people. They really do work these people hard. I can't watch that show. It is so unrealistic. I mean, how healthy is it to lose twenty pounds in one week??? Just start out slow. Little by little you will start to build up your confidence and trust your body a little more. I used to do Richard Simmons Sweatin' To The Oldies. I would just sort of do little bits of the workout and each time I did it I pushed myself a little more. I got to the point where I was keeping up with the whole workout. That was awhile ago. Maybe I should start that again.

Anyway, I understand how you feel. I wish I could be more help. I know how frustrating it can be.

[AruroGotti]

The way to conquer your fears is to start little and gradually build up, set up a plan. Walk for 20 minutes around the block 3 days a week, next week make it 30 and so on

Join a gym, do some swimming, I promise you will se results fast and it becomes very rewarding and addicting

not trying to be mean or anything but its essential you diet right and exercise at your height/weight