Hi I just registered. I really need an answer to this question. I have gained A lot of weight in the past 3 years. I used to exercise but I got sick in 2005 and stopped. I have Gastroparesis (delayed emptying of the stomach) and IBS. I have severe midsection bloating (to the point of looking pregnant) several times a day. However, there are times during the day when I am not bloated. My stomach is so big. It has never been this big before!! It pulls on my back severely. I want to exercise again, but if I do ab exercises when I am not bloated, will I be able to lose weight? I am so scared that I will get diabetes (my dad passed away from complications of it in 2005) and heart disease. I don't want that to happen to me. If any professionals can answer this question it would help me out so I can get healthier. Thank you!
Trish

Successfully losing weight requires a combination of exercise and diet, to the point where if you do one without the other, losing weight's very hard. I suggest you first look at what you eat on a daily basis, and see if you can cut out the sweets (candy, chips, cookies, sodas, juices, etc) and then see if you can utilize portion control. Many people don't realize that they're eating FAR more than what they actually require to sustain themselves.

If you want, feel free to PM me with your age/gender/general physique/general schedule (how often are you free?) and I can try and come up with a personal diet/exercise plan that will fit you.

Sounds pretty bad. I'd start with stationary biking for a month or so. No resistance then turn it up. That'll get your heart and lungs into shape without putting the rest of your body at risk for a twist, turn or too much stress due to your size. Do something with your arms too that's faily strenuous. That'll spread out the energy expediture.
There are two question you should ask at every meal "Is this good fuel?" is the food your eating natural, or processed fried and sugary? Spare no expense and get some natural stuff. The other question is "By eating this food and this much of it am I losing weight?" Cut your spoonfuls of potatoes down 25%, less meat, less this, less that. Fruits and veggies are OK especially if its fresh. Eat twice a day. Fish eat twice a day, morning and night and other animals do to, so have two meals. Lunch is an artificial meal created by people who want a break from work... no snacking either. Let your stomach digest what you ate. It'll be hard skipping lunch the first few days since you're so used to it, but you'll live.

Just keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat, so while exercise can contribute to weight loss, if you are converting a lot of fat into muscle, it can actually cause your weight to increase.

That said, you will still be better off even if you gain weight from the exercise.