How do I build up stamina?

Really, it just takes time and effort. I was at a point of briskly walking, with sprint intervals, for about 2½ miles, 4 or 5 days a week for several months. I fell off the exercise wagon with a deafening thud about 5 months ago and am struggling to get back on. I’ve been sort of back at it for two weeks and the last two times I’ve found that I can (and want!) to go a little longer than the week before.

Try this: Figure out how long you can go fairly comfortably right now. Do that 4 to 6 days for a week. The following week, add 5 minutes and see how you feel. Try it for a week. You may find that you can do more than 5 minutes longer, but don’t kill yourself doing it. I’m not saying to be a wimp, but you don’t want to make it so outrageously painful that you lose your motivation and stop! Keep adding time and/or distance as you gain stamina. It worked for me. I started walking for 15 minutes a day (I’m 5’1” and weighed 203 at that time.) and then started adding more to it.

You can do this! Now I just have to follow my own advice. ugh!

Keep working at it and don’t give up. It’s going to take some time for your body to get back into shape. Gradually increase your speed or your distance (not both at the same time).

Start out by walking. If you are able to walk a couple of miles, that is giving you some exercise instead of running and quiting after one block. Do this for a few days, walking as fast as you can without running. Then, walk 5 minutes, run 1 minute, walk 5 minutes, run 1 minute. Next day up it to 2 minutes running, etc until you have built up your stamina. Get some weight lifting in about 3 days a week to build muscle and to help burn calories.
Edited to add: You might want to get a physical also to make sure you are in good health.

Try sprints. Walk regular for 5mins then very fast for 3 or 5. Do 15 minutes every other day for two weeks then up 5 miutes a time per week.
This is doable. You can run later. You are too heavy…me too… to run.
Wear good shoes. Get arch supports from the Dr. Scholl’s machine. I tried it the other day and it is fun. I found out as a plus that I was not putting any pressure on my right foot. No wonder my left hip hurts . So that was good too. Go late at night to walmart and no one will see your weight…that was good too.

According to the NIH bmi calculator, you are a 35 which is quite high. First thing you need to do is lose some weight. Try the Food Tree, a healthy diet and weight loss program. As you lose the weight I am sure your stamina will increase. (http://www.foodtreemd.com/) Buy her book, it is my bible and I am 65 and still going strong.

If you have pain when you run, I say don’t run. Walk for now, until you have lost some weight. Eventually add in a block of running for every 2 or 3 minutes of walking, then extend the running another block, etc. If your ankles are hurting a lot you can add arms while you walk. I do it, my husband says I look like an idiot, but I don’t care.

Also, I recommend taking water aerobics. There is deep water and shallow water water aerobics, if you don’t swim you might prefer to only do shallow water. But, know that you do not swim in the class. In the deep water you have a float belt around your waste and you ae suspended in the water. Also, I feel I sould mentions that most people in the class will most likely be older, I take water aerobics, I am 42, and the majority of the people are in their 60’s, but there are a couple my age, and a couple a little younger. Water aerobics is less strenuous than running, and very easy on the joints. In my deep water class the instructor is very easy going, and we all talk to each other almost the whole time, I like it a lot. Some instructors are more strict. I do water aerobics as part of my overall health routine. Usually I do it only once or twice a week, and I do Zumba (dance classes) 3–4 days a week. This way I am not stressing and working the same joints and muscles every day.

Diet and walk every day. Increase the intensity of a workout as you get stronger. My latest kick is strength training with bars. Work with your body weight. This is straight from the street. This shit is sick and it’s all about core strength and every muscle in perfect harmony.
Pure diesel. The definition of ripped and shredded without ridiculous body building. This is incredible strength that’s perfectly sensible.

First get a medical check-up.

Your body mass index should be about 22.5 with a body weight of 180 pounds. Therefore you are lugging around 100 pounds of more weight than you need. It’s no wonder that you have no stamina. You must realize how important it is to maintain good health though regular physical fitness, and healthy eating habits (eliminate junk foods and eat foods recommended by NIH). Also discontinue recreational drug and or alcohol and tobacco use.

Join a fitness club and start exercising a little everyday (not a lot once in a while). Keep a fitness journal to keep track of your progress. Write in it daily all the exercises (sets and reps, miles jogged, walked, swimming etc). If one part of you body gets sore or injured, then workout the body parts that are OK. Concentrate on getting stronger first and then slowly work on losing weight. It is not easy. Maintaing good heath takes perseverance and a lot of hard work. That is why there are so many unhealthy people in the U.S.A. and that is so sad because most of the poor health is preventable.

Believe me if you just let yourself go, then you will be in a world of hurt health wise by the time that you reach my age.

I’m 5’ 11”, 155 pounds and am 60 years old and jog marathons and participate in triathlons (I’ll be jogging the Boston marathon 2011). I’ve kept a fitness journal since 1983. The record shows that I’ve run an average of over 3 miles for every day that I’ve been alive.

Take action today! You can do it! Start working on being fit for life. You may not live longer but a strong and fit body will get sick less often and less severe than a weak unfit body. Also you will reach old age being stronger, healthier and more active.

Good health!

@SeventhSense – holy cow, the guy in the plaid shorts is good but the one in denim did some stuff I have never seen done before. He would make a gymnast envious! Can you do that???

I want to add to keep in mind that your first 20 pounds will come of very easily with adjusting your diet. Count your calories and cut them 700 a day. This will probably give you 2 pounds a week weight loss, if not more, with the walking, and initial water weight loss. After the initial 20 it gets harder to keep losing at the same rate, but hopefully at that point you will be able to increase your exercise because the strain on your body won’t be as great.

You weigh 280, I estimate you are eating 4360 calories a day with very little exercise. To maintain a weight of 220 with slightly increased exercise you need to consume 3696, so maybe in the end 600–700 calories less can get you where you want to be with the increased exercise.

@rooeytoo
No not me yet. :) That Hannibal guy is amazing. That’s seriously advanced but I just started training with a guy who can do stuff like that. And yes it is gymnastics. Some of it is even harder than the rings though since bars don’t give. It’s a great work out.

@SeventhSense – well get your mate to take vids of you, I want to see!!!

@rooeytoo
19.99 a month plus access to my ancient training secrets. :)

@SeventhSense – hehehe, no need for me, I can already do all that!

@rooeytoo
Do all what? You don’t know what my ancient secrets are..