Shoul I drop to below 100kg (220lb) before I exercise?
FatRunningMan1966
Posts: 45 Member
i am told that running is bad for your knees when u r heavy. I have lost 12lb over the past 4 weeks but slowing down to 1lb a week which is putting me down.
I am already on 1200 calories a day and consume 1500 as I burn an extra 300 walking to/from tube and doing house chores. Should I drop to 800 calories? Or am I being ambitious wanting to lose 2kg a week?
Thanks
I am already on 1200 calories a day and consume 1500 as I burn an extra 300 walking to/from tube and doing house chores. Should I drop to 800 calories? Or am I being ambitious wanting to lose 2kg a week?
Thanks
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Replies
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You're doing just fine. 1lb/week is great. 2kg/4lbs+ a week is crazy and unsustainable and not even possible in the first place (for most people).
Just keep doing what you're doing. I wouldn't wait to exercise unless you have doctor's orders not to.0 -
Exercise now, unless you are under orders not to, because there are a world of exercises you could do and running is just one of them. Find one that you like then go for it. No excuses! ☺0
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Running being hard on joints is at worst a fairy tale told by those who don't run. At beast it's incomplete advice, meaning that sure it's possible to injure your self it you take on an activity be it running or tennis or computer gaming and do it improperly.
Do you have any joint issues? Knees feeling fine? Then you can start now, just ease into it slowly. You need to give your body the time to adapt. Yes, you are carrying more weight than you'd like but guess what, your body is already adapted to that to a large degree.
Ease into it. Run *slowly* (you get tons of benefit while reducing risk). Run shorter strides with higher cadence (foot strikes per minute... don't fret about this now, just use shorter strides and keep your pace slow). Adopt a progressive training program like Couch to 5k (C25K - referenced on this forum frequently) as this will help you ease in properly. Equip yourself with good runners, seek the advice of a good running shop.
And get out there and do it!
Your situation is very similar to mine almost exactly 1 year ago today.
Context: Last September I weighed in at 116kg / 255 pounds and at 53 years old I wanted to run again -- I had been a trim and fit distance runner up until my later 30's. I'd had a minor bout with pneumonia earlier in the year so my lungs just ached but I pushed through it and if you lived near by you'd have seen my lumbering carcass run in the sun or drenching downpours alike all fall and winter.
From September through December I slowly built up my running because I really had no choice. While I could walk for hours even before starting to lose weight, I wasn't able to manage even running 1km without stopping frequently. Wheezing. It was frustrating to me, but I knew from my past that if I just kept at it, kept the faith, that I eventually would rebuild my cardiopulmonary fitness and endurance. By October I was stringing together a couple km at a time; by November 5km and by the end of the year, 7km. Sure, sometimes I'd stop for breather, and I had good and bad runs. From the start I should have adopted a run-walk-run approach but being a stubborn ex-runner has it's price to pay. No matter, at least I listened to my body and remained injury free.
I only ran two or three times a week during that period and covered some 250km by the end of 2014. That really isn't that much distance but it was more than enough to establish a habit and rekindle my love of running.
Over the course of that period of time I dropped 25 or 30 pounds and emerged from the Christmas-New Year holiday season for the first time in years having not gained any weight. That was pretty amazing to me and encouraged my weight loss efforts too.
Since then I've jacked up my running substantially (running 250km a month isn't unusual, aiming for 322km this month) and have lost cumulative total of 78 pounds. I've got a few more pounds to shed but am already very fit.
Just to be clear, I don't run to lose weight, I started running to regain fitness and I enjoy the activity. There are weight loss benefits from improving your metabolic function but the most important benefit of exercise is fitness. You'll still need to work on a restricted diet for weight loss although the calorie burn from running may allow you some meal flexibility.
So... do *you* have to lose more first? Just ask yourself how your body feels today and if you are up for it, there's no time like the present to get going. You can do a lot in a year. Or less!0 -
Do not cut calories. Men should not be netting less than 1500 calories per day and you are already doing that.
There is nothing that says you can't exercise at a weight heavier than 220 pounds. Only you know what you're capable of doing. If you want to run, then run, and let your body tell you if it's something you should or shouldn't do. I highly recommend an interval program for beginners like Couch to 5K (C25K). It has you running slowly in short bursts and then walking to slow your heartbeat. You'll slowly increase the running intervals over 8 or 9 weeks until you're running for 30 minutes straight.
If you get started with C25K and decide that the time isn't quite right for running, use it to do interval walking instead. For the running segments, walk as fast as you can and then slow down a bit for the walking segments.0 -
HassanShuman wrote: »I have lost 12lb over the past 4 weeks but slowing down to 1lb a week which is putting me down.
I am already on 1200 calories a day and consume 1500 as I burn an extra 300 walking to/from tube and doing house chores. Should I drop to 800 calories? Or am I being ambitious wanting to lose 2kg a week?
Separate answer for this part of your question...
1 pound a week is 52 pounds a year. That is NOT failure but is a terrific result. If you can manage that reliably you should be delighted.
No, you should not drop to 800 calories, such low intake for anyone but particularly for a larger male is unhealthy and unsustainable. You risk doing damage to yourself and having your efforts back fire.
If you do take up running you'll be burning more calories as your distance picks up. You need to replace them too by eating them back as you are now. You might find eating back 1/2 works for you after some experimentation.
Keep on doing what you are doing but don't be discouraged by 1 pound a week. It is still early on for you and that amount will go up and down based on what you are doing. The important thing to do is work on a sustainable dietary and exercise plan that leaves you healthy and fit at the end of the road. A plan you can adopt for life is ideal, because you'll never want to go back to the old you after you are done.0 -
take it slow, or you will lose too much muscles0
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Completely unrealistic 4lb a week. You must have plucked that figure out of the air without fully understanding how you might achieve it. If you did understand then you wouldnt set yourself such a target.
Exercise now as the benefits are great even with modest weight loss. Fitness gains also come quickly.0 -
Saw the great post by @mwyvr and love it. Realized I cut mine off before I said everything I meant to say (darn work, anyways!).
If you decide to do C25K, or any running program, follow it in all ways. Most beginner programs will have you running slowly, slowly enough that you can carry on a limited conversation while running. You're working to build fitness and endurance at first, speed will come later. Do not run more often than every other day and do not do anything else high impact besides the running. Your body needs a chance to recover between runs. Doing more then the prescribed runs will likely lead to injury.
Make sure you have the right shoes. Go to a running store (not Foot Locker or Famous Footwear but rather someplace like Roadrunner Sports or Fleet Feet which specialize in running sports). They will analyze your gait and determine the proper type of running shoe that matches your feet and the way you run. Improper shoes can cause things like shin splints and even knee pain (this happened to me!) so the right shoes are important.
As far as the calories... eating too little for what your body requires will lead to excessive muscle loss and other unpleasant side effects. 1% of your weight per week is an acceptable rate of loss for now. As you lose more weight, that will slow down, too.0 -
Completely unrealistic 4lb a week. You must have plucked that figure out of the air without fully understanding how you might achieve it.
Since he lost those 12 pounds in the first four weeks, I wonder if @HassanShuman is mistaking the easy, early, weight loss for something he can expect to do week in, week out?
Hassan - for those of us starting out with a significant amount of weight to lose there is often a quite large drop in weight that follows soon after adopting a calorie restricted diet. It can be that a large amount of that weight loss is water, especially if you have also reduced your carbohydrate intake significantly.
These large early losses are *not* sustainable and are more a product of chemistry than anything. 1 pound a week *is* sustainable and some people can safely manage 2 pounds a week. Aim for one pound a week while also setting out to improve your fitness (through running or any other new exercise you adopt) and you'll be delighted with your progress before you know it.
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I started the C25K after I had lost about 10 lbs and was just over 270. I paid attention to my knees and made sure there was no pain and learned to stretch properly and bought decent shoes. I have finished the C25K and started the 10K. C25K was great because it ramped up slowly but gave me a consistent program to follow. I repeated a few days long the way but it was a great experience. I had a physical about 1 month after I started and the doctor said she didn't recommend running for people my weight. I told her that while I understand where she is coming from, I was paying attention to not overdo it and would stop if there was pain. I am very glad I took charge of my own fitness while acknowledging the advice.
I'm now at 230 and so glad that I have built up the cardio as well as lost weight over the last several months. I've still got weight to loose, but being winded is generally not a problem for me now.0 -
Thank you guys for the advice. This explains why I have only lost 1lb this week vs the 6lb in the first week.
The C25k sounds like something I can get into0 -
I assume that I should aim for a net 1200 calories consumption which should motivate me to hit the road as I can eat more (healthy foods, naturally)0
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HassanShuman wrote: »Thank you guys for the advice. This explains why I have only lost 1lb this week vs the 6lb in the first week.
The C25k sounds like something I can get into
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I want to say that men should not eat less than 1500 cal. 1200 is recommended for womenHassanShuman wrote: »I assume that I should aim for a net 1200 calories consumption which should motivate me to hit the road as I can eat more (healthy foods, naturally)
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The recommendation for men on MFP is to NET at least 1500.HassanShuman wrote: »I assume that I should aim for a net 1200 calories consumption which should motivate me to hit the road as I can eat more (healthy foods, naturally)
http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/en/portal/articles/1375583-a-message-about-myfitnesspal-s-updated-nutrition-goals0 -
As a physiotherapist I can confidently tell you that running is not bad for your knees in the slightest and is actually good for them as long as you listen to your body and do not over do it. I would also like to recommend introducing some strength training into your program to further protect your joints and to help burn more calories throughout the day. Cardiovascular training is of course great but is only one piece of the fitness puzzle!
Congrats on embarking on this journey!
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You're doing just fine. 1lb/week is great. 2kg/4lbs+ a week is crazy and unsustainable and not even possible in the first place (for most people).
Just keep doing what you're doing. I wouldn't wait to exercise unless you have doctor's orders not to.
^^^This I started exercising at 160kg. I lose about 2kgs a month on average.
I want to say that men should not eat less than 1500 cal. 1200 is recommended for womenHassanShuman wrote: »I assume that I should aim for a net 1200 calories consumption which should motivate me to hit the road as I can eat more (healthy foods, naturally)
Also this. Dont eat too little.
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HassanShuman wrote: »Thank you guys for the advice. This explains why I have only lost 1lb this week vs the 6lb in the first week.
The C25k sounds like something I can get into
I was about 235 when I started "running" (more like a slow shuffle). Honesty I'm not a huge fan of C25K in that it sets up a lot of people for failure by creating the expectation that you'll be able to run a 5K in 9 or 10 weeks. For many people this is an unrealistic expectation and frustration sets in, frequently leading to giving up running.
When I started I could barely run around the block without feeling like dying, the approach I used (and I forget who showed it to me) was to think in terms of 10 minute blocks. Starting with 1 min of running & 9 minutes walking and every week or two adding a minute to the running and reducing the walking interval until you could run 10 minutes without stopping.
One of they keys is to keep it slow, you should be running at a pace whereby you can speak in complete sentences. If you're interested in racing (and the first time you cross that finish line the feeling is indescribable) worry about speed later, it'll come with fitness.
You should also include a strength component to your routine to support the running. Hip, glute and core strength will help your body resist injuries and make you a better runner (there are tons of great videos on youtube)
Don't rush your progress & have fun!
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BrianSharpe wrote: »Honesty I'm not a huge fan of C25K in that it sets up a lot of people for failure by creating the expectation that you'll be able to run a 5K in 9 or 10 weeks. For many people this is an unrealistic expectation and frustration sets in, frequently leading to giving up running.
That's a valid concern for sure and I'm with you on wanting to avoid setting people up to fail, especially since setting the stage for achieving success can be as simple setting the right expectations.
I use C25K more as a synonym or short hand for suggesting new runners take a progressive approach using periods of walking and running to develop endurance. There's nothing wrong with the program itself if the person is already at the stage where they can navigate through the progression, but many here on MFP won't be at that point, physically and mentally. Point noted Brian.
Hassan, in addition to Brian's suggestion I'd like to add that at our ages (late 40's early 50's) doing everything you can to avoid injury is important. Keeping speed down helps a lot. Don't forget to stretch; learn how. We heal slower than we did in our twenties but more than the injury itself the concern about being sidelined by injury is that some people will never get back to their health and fitness improvement program once they heal.
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BrianSharpe wrote: »Honesty I'm not a huge fan of C25K in that it sets up a lot of people for failure by creating the expectation that you'll be able to run a 5K in 9 or 10 weeks. For many people this is an unrealistic expectation and frustration sets in, frequently leading to giving up running.
That's a valid concern for sure and I'm with you on wanting to avoid setting people up to fail, especially since setting the stage for achieving success can be as simple setting the right expectations.
I use C25K more as a synonym or short hand for suggesting new runners take a progressive approach using periods of walking and running to develop endurance. There's nothing wrong with the program itself if the person is already at the stage where they can navigate through the progression, but many here on MFP won't be at that point, physically and mentally. Point noted Brian.
Hassan, in addition to Brian's suggestion I'd like to add that at our ages (late 40's early 50's) doing everything you can to avoid injury is important. Keeping speed down helps a lot. Don't forget to stretch; learn how. We heal slower than we did in our twenties but more than the injury itself the concern about being sidelined by injury is that some people will never get back to their health and fitness improvement program once they heal.
I actually never "progressed" beyond interval running when I started C25K. I was 45 when I began the program, having never run in the past, and have a sister who had already completed several marathons using walk/run intervals. I did a bunch of reading on it and decided that intervals were going to be a better fit for my health and fitness, too. Nearly 5 years later I've never had a running injury or pain that a new pair of shoes didn't correct and I'm still going strong. My "intervals" for races are currently 10 minutes running and one minute walking but my first half marathon was at 3:1.0 -
C25K is really just a 10 week program on how to run for 30 minutes straight. As long as you set that expectation ahead of time you are fine. I tried it a few times and could never progress past the stage where you start running 5 minute intervals. I finally made it over that hump when I slowed down. It is hard to run as slow as you need to because you will see so many people on treadmills running 6MPH like its nothing. I had to be around 4.2 when I finally got it.
But once you run 30 minutes at that speed for a week or two you can keep going, and its nothing to add on another 10 minutes to finish that 5K.0 -
C25K is really just a 10 week program on how to run for 30 minutes straight. As long as you set that expectation ahead of time you are fine. I tried it a few times and could never progress past the stage where you start running 5 minute intervals. I finally made it over that hump when I slowed down. It is hard to run as slow as you need to because you will see so many people on treadmills running 6MPH like its nothing. I had to be around 4.2 when I finally got it.
But once you run 30 minutes at that speed for a week or two you can keep going, and its nothing to add on another 10 minutes to finish that 5K.
Running 30 minutes and still being able to hold a conversation will be s great feeling.
As for today I started with a 2 mile brisk walk just to do Something physical0 -
I'm 252 lbs, I jog 4 days a week, and my knees are perfectly healthy. I started my journey at 299 lbs by walking until I built up enough cardio endurance to start C25K.
I would definitely suggest exercising NOW. There's really no reason to wait!0 -
HassanShuman wrote: »i am told that running is bad for your knees when u r heavy. I have lost 12lb over the past 4 weeks but slowing down to 1lb a week which is putting me down.
I am already on 1200 calories a day and consume 1500 as I burn an extra 300 walking to/from tube and doing house chores. Should I drop to 800 calories? Or am I being ambitious wanting to lose 2kg a week?
Thanks
power walk0 -
I was 239 lb when I started C25K. I did not have any problems with my knees.0
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I started running at 240 lbs+. I took it super slow. I could run 1 minuet at a time now I can run for hours. Loose weight slowly and exercise lightly till you build yourself up. Don't try to rush loosing weight it NEVER works.0
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I would go by the MFP guided goals, instead of going to 800 Calories. Less than 1500 Calories per day for a man is not really healthy, and is it really worth killing your liver to lose weight fast? You can't replace that one.
In any case, I started running when I was just under 300. I love to run. I run more now than I did before, of course. If you want to reduce impact, use an elliptical machine, or - if you are brave - a treadmill. I would recommend the elliptical until you find your pace, stamina, etc. Some days I run outside, others on a treadmill, and yet others I do the elliptical. I would not use an elliptical trainer (with the arms), it is not a running movement, it's skiing.0
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