Swimming? Swimming is no-impact, and the fact that you aren't hot always tricks me into thinking I'm getting a lot less of a workout then I actually am (it's when I get home and crash that I realize, hey! I worked out).

1) I get short of breath if I exercise more than, oh, somewhat moderately.

This is the first thing that will go away once you start exercising regularly.

Swimming is always the answer unless you are that lady from AskMe who said no swimming.

I should actually expand that to be more helpful. Everyone's short of breath when they're out of shape, and exercising will gradually increase your fitness so that things that formerly caused you to get winded won't any more. But it is a gradual process.

When starting a brand new exercise program from scratch, it's very important to ease into it, no matter what it is. You might, for instance, begin walking for 45 minutes at a time, three times a week. After a couple of weeks add a fourth workout. Then lengthen a workout. IF you swim or ride a bike instead, do the same. Don't try to burst out all guns blazing and get your heart rate up really high. Your body will be working too hard, and it's likely you'll be sore, you'll hate the whole thing and won't stick with it. Easy does it.

I don't know anything about compartment syndrome so I won't speculate about what kind of exercise might be right - swimming is low impact, and so is cycling, though cycling puts your joints through a lot of pressure. Since you have a condition, and you're starting brand new, it would be a smart idea to make an appointment with your doctor just to talk about this - what's recommended and what isn't. And you might also want to make an appointment with a trainer, if you can, so you can lay out a plan for the first 6-8 weeks of exercising. You'll be much more successful if you have a plan that includes gradual increases in intensity rather than a leap straight in to heavy-duty working out.

I seem to remember you're in college - there might even be free training available. Check out what's offered at the clinic and fitness center. Even if there's nothing, you can get an appointment with a trainer somewhere humble like the Y for just about $30 an hour, and all you really need to get started is an hour or two.

Good luck - exercising has a lot going for it. Body feels better, you sleep better, and it is an anxiety destroyer.

yeah swimming is great. i'm always tired after i get back from the pool . i usually swim for 30-45 minutes with no rest or until my eyes get foggy from the chlorine (i hate swimming goggles)

also don't forget about simply going for walks . tons of studies show that casual walks of 30 minutes 3 times a week do wonders for the body . just make sure you wear good shoes and go at the pace your legs will let you . you dont have to kill yourself to get healthy

May I suggest a physical before embarking on a big lifestyle change? It just seems like a good idea.

Yeah, they always say to check with your doctor, especially true for someone with a known issue.

But the out-of-breath thing is definitely something that a cardio program will address. I would say that 45 minutes may even be too long -- try 20 or 30 minutes for the first week, then gradually ease your way up. You need to find your comfort level, then you need to start pushing yourself.

As rollick notes unless you're doing exercise for weight loss, moderate activity levels have been shown to give the biggest jump in health benefits. From that to being really obsessive about exercising may give you psychological benefits, maybe even a hobby that replaces (say) going to the fridge, and a social life even -- but the actual health improvement over moderate exercise is less significant. It's a diminishing returns thing.

I'm not into exercise, but I'm into being outside doing stuff, which is why I enjoy bicycling, hiking, throwing things for dogs to fetch, that kinda thing.

I'm with box. I can't "exercise" but I can ski all day, or walk for miles, or tool around town on my bike. Could you get a bike for transportation?

Oh, and hula hoop while watching teevee. It's fun and a lot like exercise.

Walking is pretty safe, as long as you stay within your limits. Just walk as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. Once you get used to it, slowly start to stretch yourself. Don't go all-out trying to et fit in two weeks, because that will more than likely just make you hurt like hell and put you off exercising. Best of all, walking is free and you need no special equipment.

Otherwise, go to a gym, tell them about your history and ask them to work up a program to suit you.

If your doctor agrees, you might put an inexpensive exercise bike in front of your TV and ride slowly whenever you watch. It doesn´t add a new item to your schedule if you were going to watch TV anyway, and you don´t have to ride very hard to see a benefit. You might even be able to do it in your regular clothes if you don´t ride hard enough to get out of breath.