[sarahsweets]

I am an active person and about 20 lbs overweight but by being active I mean running all over, high energy, connected, etc. I had gastric bypass 10 years ago and lost about 127 lbs. I have kept all but 20lbs or so off. I have arthritis and some other pain issues so when I am not "active" I am not doing any sort of exercise. I used to belong to a gym and was able to keep at it for awhile but it was torture. I really hate exercise. I know I need cardio to build stamina and then of course strength training but I cant afford any fancy equipment or memberships. I need tone up but ultimately I want to make extended physical activity less painful because in August we are going on a huge trip to Yellowstone with my family as a college graduation gift for my son. We will be on our feet and moving everyday. I have arthritis in some places but newly in my feet. They hurt so bad after a few hours and I do not want to suffer on vacation. I also think I need a good pair of sneakers but do not know how to get the right ones. I do not want to guess at it and drop a 100 bucks and have them be not good. Any suggestions or support?

[Discombobulated]

A few thoughts.

First yes, it's definitely possible to lose weight and get fitter just by walking more. If you walk briskly enough it's cardio.

Second, you say you want to tone up. I really recommend either pilates or yoga for that. Those won't help you lose weight but they'll tone your muscles and build your strength which will help general fitness. You can get some great videos on YouTube- I recommend Adrienne yoga.

Lastly your shoes - runners do gait analysis and I don't see why you can't have that done for walking too- most sports shops offer it. They film you on a treadmill and slow the footage down and from that advise what shoes are best. Some people benefit from orthotics for support.

[Mountaindewed]

I can lose weight by eating 1,280 calories and just being at my job 5 hours a day 3 days a week. My metabolism is weird though. My job involves a lot of walking and standing and some lifting. I have to eat very little in order to do this though. I hate exercising.