Top Five Exercises for Overweight Teens
By
Meghan Vivo
August 21, 2008
Overweight adolescents face even more criticism and humiliation than overweight adults. Between their parents, peers, teachers, and the public, teens are constantly reminded of their struggles with weight. A typical gym workout for fit teens can be a dreaded experience for someone who is overweight. Why? For starters, the weight-lifting equipment and cardio machines are often designed for the “average” sized person, and can be difficult for larger people to maneuver. Also, many gyms are filled with fit young people who know how to use the machines, and are happy to flaunt their results.
It’s not that obese teens are lazy or don’t want to exercise. The truth is many of the most common exercises can wreak havoc on an overweight person’s spine and joints. A study published in Pediatrics suggests that significantly overweight children should begin an exercise regimen with low-intensity activities at a slower pace to prevent them from losing motivation and giving up. For the obese children monitored in the study, simply pedaling a bike at the lowest setting for four minutes brought them close to the “lactate threshold,” a point where working muscles become deprived of oxygen and exercise becomes unsustainable.
So what exercises are best for overweight and obese teens whose bodies may not be able to endure more rigorous gym routines? According to Kim Justice, the head fitness trainer at Wellspring Camp in New York – one of the leading weight loss camps for young girls in the country – fun, low-impact activities like walking, swimming, yoga, strength training, and biking can be a great place to start.
Justice, who herself was an obese adolescent and adult before dropping 80-plus pounds through diet and exercise, became frustrated trying to use weight-lifting machines and gym equipment that no one taught her to use properly. Inspired to help others in the same predicament, she earned her degree in exercise science and became a certified group fitness instructor and personal trainer, and has been teaching at Wellspring New York for the past three summers.
“The Wellspring program is a tremendous opportunity for those who take advantage of it,” she says. “Our fitness facilities are open before breakfast until 11 p.m. every day. The girls can come here during their free time, they can take fitness as a club each week, they participate in daily fitness classes – and there’s always someone here to help.”
Because many of Wellspring’s campers are very overweight, Justice develops an individualized fitness plan for each teen that begins with an introduction to the gym equipment and a series of low-impact exercises that are easy on the joints.
“My first goal is to get them educated and using basic gym equipment as soon as possible,” Justice explains. “As part of their fitness plan, I ask each camper how much time she is willing to spend in the gym when she leaves camp. I want these girls to be healthy and fit, but I also want their routine to be realistic. By the time campers leave Wellspring, they know what exercises they like and don’t like, and know how to stick with a fitness regimen that works for them.”
Walking
The best part about walking is it can be done anywhere. For those too embarrassed to walk around their neighborhoods or on a treadmill at the gym, try walking around the backyard or up and down the stairs in the privacy of your own home, or visit a local park with secluded walking trails.
Don’t think a few steps will take off the pounds? Wear a pedometer and track your progress. You might be surprised at how many steps you’re taking. And if it turns out you’re more sedentary than you’d feared, the pedometer can be a great motivator.
Walking is one of the most important elements of the fitness program at the Wellspring Camps. All campers (and staff) wear pedometers and track their steps in a self-monitoring journal each day. With a goal of 10,000 steps, or five miles per day, Wellspring campers quickly become aware of how much or how little they move, and how important physical activity is for good health.
Swimming
Swimming is a fun, low-impact activity that can help people of all ages and sizes shed pounds without the pain, sweat, and heat of a gym workout. Swimming is a full-body workout that improves cardiovascular conditioning, muscle strength, endurance, posture, and flexibility all at once. Because you weigh 1/10th less in water, you are able to move freely and there is much less load on the joints and bones, which reduces the chance of injury and strain.
Jumping, arm swishes, leg lifts and kicks, and walking or running in water are great pool exercises for obese and overweight teens. For those willing to swim laps, the freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke are ideal for overall body toning.
At Wellspring, lifeguards and certified swim instructors offer special swimming classes with different themes and games each week. Depending on the campers’ degree of skill and interest, the instructors will teach them how to swim and conquer any fear of the water, while demonstrating the proper techniques for breathing, timing, and stroke. Because swimming isn’t painful, the campers exert a ton of energy without realizing they’re getting a great workout.
Yoga
Yoga is one of the few exercises specifically designed to strengthen the body on a physical, mental, and spiritual level. There are many types of yoga, ranging from deep, slow stretching routines to high-heat, high-intensity aerobic workouts. Among the physical benefits, yoga tones the muscles, increases flexibility, energy, and blood flow, and is gentle on tendons and joints. More importantly, yoga synchronizes the mind and body, boosting body awareness, reducing stress, increasing concentration, balance, and coordination, and promoting an overall sense of peace and well-being.
In 2003, researchers at California State University, Los Angeles, studied test scores at a charter school where students practiced yoga regularly. They found a correlation between yoga and better behavior and grades, and discovered that the young people who did yoga were more fit than the district average.
At Wellspring, yoga is a regular part of weekly life. Campers take yoga classes once a week and have the option of signing up for a one-week yoga club. Every yoga class begins with a breathing exercise, followed by a warm-up, strength-building session, and higher intensity workout, and concludes with five minutes of deep relaxation. By developing a mind-body connection, campers become more aware of their bodies, lose more weight, and feel more energized and motivated.
Strength Training
Lifting weights is an essential component of a fitness regimen, no matter what your size. Most weight machines allow the user to sit down while building strength and endurance. For overweight teens who are inexperienced with strength training equipment, the guidance of a personal trainer can help you get informed and excited about being in the gym.
If you prefer to work out on your own, exercise balls, bands, and dumbbells are easy to use, without having to leave the house. These inexpensive pieces of equipment are effective for improving balance, stability, and abdominal strength. However you choose to do it, strength training is just as critical as a good cardio workout. Because muscle burns three times the amount of calories that fat burns and boosts the body’s metabolism, lifting weights can significantly contribute to your weight loss efforts.
The personal trainers at Wellspring Camps encourage teens to use stability balls, gliding discs, and medicine balls to strengthen and tone their muscles because they are easy on the joints and core-intensive. As campers learn the proper technique and form and grow stronger and more flexible, they slowly progress to weight machines, free weights, and advanced strengthening techniques.
Recumbent Bicycles
For people who need extra support while they exercise, recumbent bikes are a great option. This style of bicycle places the rider in a seated or
supine position on a seat that is larger and more comfortable than traditional bikes. This riding position reduces strain on the neck, wrists, hands, arms, shoulders, and lower back, and the bike’s low center of gravity and short distance from the ground make it safer to use.
Whatever your weight, size, and fitness goals, exercise is critical for weight loss and maintenance. The more you dislike, or think you dislike exercise, the more creative you need to get. Try new activities, sports, and equipment and work at your own pace, taking breaks as needed and drinking plenty of water.
“Doing activities you enjoy and keeping your routine varied are essential to making exercise a part of daily life,” says Justice. “The best part of my day is getting our campers excited about fitness. Because of where I’ve been and how far I’ve come, I just love spending time with these girls. I know we’re making a difference.”
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