Yes, fat people can run too.

cnejunk
cnejunk Posts: 4 Member
in Motivation and Support
OK, to be fair, it's more of a slow jog. But I do jog, occasionally. Along with other forms of exercise. I don't exercise as often as I'd like to, or need to. Not that it's an excuse, 'cause I know other people do it, but as a working mom it is a little tough to find the time. I'm working on that. Meanwhile, I do take an average 13,000 steps and 23 flights of stairs a day. So I'm not completely sedentary.
But do people have to be so dang surprised every time I mention that I jog? The same 2 people, my mother and a friend. 3 times each. "You?? Jog??!!"
Yes, I may be 55-60 lbs overweight. But I am capable of moving my feet at a little more than a slow crawl. And I do exercise. Why do skinny people have to find this so &*$%! shocking?? Every single time??!!

Thanks, just needed to vent.

Replies

  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    Don't mind them it's just ignorance
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Some people find that anyone running is bizarre. Just say "yep, me!"
  • emcemayo
    emcemayo Posts: 45 Member
    You are probably doing more than them so keep at it !!!
    At 13k :) awesome steps I have not be able to get past 12k on a busy day.
  • Hamsibian
    Hamsibian Posts: 1,388 Member
    I don't. I'm skinny and have health issues. I understand that size has absolutely nothing to do with health.
  • neldabg
    neldabg Posts: 1,452 Member
    You're already doing awesome! Seriously. The ACTIVE effort put into taking care of the one body you have is great.
    When I was losing weight, I proudly told a personal trainer I came across that I'd worked my way down to a 10 minute mile run. He looked at me quite skeptically, and that was discouraging, but I just continued on as usual.
    I really hate that people can't accept that someone can be both overweight and active. How do they think those who are now within a healthy BMI range started out?? Also, weight loss happens only when calories in are less than calories out, so of course a person will remain overweight despite being active if they don't have their diet under control.
    So yes. Fat people can run too!
    Keep up the good work! :)
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    That is a fantastic step count! I'm sorry you are getting such rude feedback from the people in your life. They are probably jealous of your fitness level. I took up jogging when I weighed 240 lbs, morbidly obese at over 100 lbs overweight for my height. The amount of compliments and encouragement I got from other joggers in the park and random people on the street absolutely blew my mind. I thought everyone would think I was a joke. You have to seek out people who get what you are about and ignore the haters.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Clearly they are impressed!
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    Ssshhhhhh

    don't tell my trainer!!!!!!!
  • mmdolly56
    mmdolly56 Posts: 25 Member
    I miss feeling light on my feet. I'm down 34 lbs so hopefully if I hang in there I will have that feeling again. Until then, I don't even like walking :-(
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    Good on you for the exercise you're doing!

    I ran my first 10km charity run when I was 35kg (77lb) overweight, and was running long before it in training. I ran my first half marathon at 25kg (55lb) overweight. Providing a person trains properly and takes care of themselves, there's no reason that you can't do any exercise whilst overweight.

    As for the responses of people around you, that just shows that how society skews peoples views into thinking that being overweight is a barrier to being fit. Keep proving them wrong!
  • rubydrm
    rubydrm Posts: 112 Member
    Keep on going!!! Good for you to getting out there and getting it done!!!
  • PeachesNcreamgal
    PeachesNcreamgal Posts: 357 Member
    6 August 2015 is when I attempted to jog for the first time and I succeeded. Started c25k on 1 st November 2015. I was 82-83 kgs then. People called me a fatso and elephant but I continued running. I weigh 77 kgs now. Not much loss but totally in love with running!
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited October 2016
    Kids, senior citizens, amputees, skinny, fat, cancer patients, people with joint diseases, athletes, celebrities...

    They all run, I don't think it's surprising people run.

    The people that are "surprised" just aren't runners for whatever reason, they probably do things that would surprise you as well.

    Try to focus on you and your goals and not on how people react to your goals.
  • mbouchard1234
    mbouchard1234 Posts: 45 Member
    "No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everyone on the couch"

    Good on you, keep it up and don't let anyone make you feel less for bettering yourself. If I could high five all the people I drive by out for a jog or run and not seem weird, I totally would. Lol! But I totally get it, I'm heavy and I jog too...but go at like 5 in the morning for the sole purpose of fewer people seeing me. I'm still self conscious because of those kind of people you refer to or comments like that :(
  • apolinarshamler
    apolinarshamler Posts: 37 Member
    I used to run on the treadmill for about 8-10 minutes non stop. I stopped because I would always get these cramps all over my body. It was really frustrating because I knew that I could do more but the pain wouldn't let me. Now I just jump rope for 5 - 7 minutes with a 30 second rest in between until I get too tired to jump over the rope.
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    Keep running! You're a runner and no one can tell you otherwise.
    People who don't run don't realize that running takes determination, not a perfect body. Just keep going out and enjoy your runs. I could lose a few pounds myself but I'm still out there running....not fast, not prettily but I'm out there.
    Way to go!
  • cnejunk
    cnejunk Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you! You are all awesome. I got over it, mostly. I just find that attitude very frustrating. And, like mbouchard1234, that kind of attitude keeps me from exercising even more often, I'm embarrassed to run in my neighborhood because of what people would think or say when they saw me attempting to run. So I wait until I have time to drive to the trail to run. I'm struggling to wake up at 5am so I can run near home instead! I know I shouldn't care, but I do.
  • HardcoreP0rk
    HardcoreP0rk Posts: 936 Member
    Seriously, OP. I see people in all states of chubby blowing past me in races all the time.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited October 2016
    I don't think it's meant as a rude remark. They're more impressed than dismissive. Moving a larger load at a higher speed than walking is impressive! No wonder they're surprised.
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
    i've got nearly 50 lbs to lose and i run too. twice a week at least in the morning and if people think mean thoughts about me then *kitten* 'em. mostly they smile and wave, and i smile and wave and then i carry on. i run with my very big dog and the zombies, run! app, so i'm actually surprised i don't get more looks for that - when the zombies are coming at us and we sprint i KNOW we look funny.
  • agbmom556
    agbmom556 Posts: 694 Member
    simple. They are jealous of you.
    When I started it took me 24 minutes to finish a mile. (3 yrs ago) Today I am at 15 minutes a mile.
    I am proud of myself. I completed 3 1/2 marathons. Each time faster than before.
    My husband who runs full marathons runs at about 9 minutes a miles. In the beginning he use to lap me twice and I would be on my 1st mile, now it takes him a little longer to lap me. ;)
    I echo what someone else said. Running is about endurance. Keep up the good work!
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    I ran when I was fat, and was really proud when I finished my first 5k in under 45 minutes. I run now that I'm less fat, and I'm working toward a 30 minute 5k after finishing two half marathons this year. Running is why I'm now less fat.

    Especially when I weighed more, people were mock-concerned that I was going to destroy my knees (spoiler: with proper training and shoes, running does not destroy your knees, http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/what-joint-docs-say-about-running/, http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/25/why-runners-dont-get-knee-arthritis/). They hadn't bothered to do any research. They just didn't think a fat person could or should be running.

    Jerks will continue to be jerks no matter what you do or look like. 85 pounds ago, I worried that people would laugh at the fat woman running. Then I realized that in order to be laughing at me, they would have to be sitting on their butts, rather than running themselves. Who cares what they think? I'm doing what I want to do; they can kiss my moderately-paced rear end.

    And then I had two relatives tell me recently, in not-very-nice terms, that I was too small and shouldn't lose any more weight--I'm 15 pounds from my goal, still just slightly above the optimal BMI range, and my doctor says I'm doing great. The people who made those comments have never run before, and have various weight-related health problems (including knee issues!). Yes, what they said hurt, but I also know perfectly well that I don't want to be like them.

    There are good people too, though. When people do talk to me while I'm running (which isn't often, and I wear earbuds), they've all been very supportive. One day I was finishing mile 3 of 5, and I had hit the wall. My feet were barely moving. Just then, a woman pulled over to tell me that she drives to work every day on the road where I usually run. She had been watching my progress for months (without me knowing it) and wanted to tell me how great I was doing. I still see her once in a while, and she always waves. So just because people are watching doesn't mean that they're thinking negative things. They might be cheering you on.

    tl;dr: haters gonna hate.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    So just because people are watching doesn't mean that they're thinking negative things. They might be cheering you on.

    this. i was on my way home from work once - and me on a bike is a grubby-looking object really. any old outer layers, hand-knitted gloves, balaclava from a ww1 knit-for-the-troops site, raggedy muddy buddies, strange hiking boots, messenger bag. chain stains on everything. suave i am not.

    so i'm chugging down the road this one evening like a visitation from outer space and i pass this exquisite family party out for (clearly) a formal dinner somewhere. i mean even the men were beautiful the way only full indian formal wear is. and there's this woman among them who is more exquisite than all of them multiplied by each other, with the sari and the gold and the jewels and hair.

    she didn't just wave or smile as i went by. she clapped and cheered and stuck a fist in the air. i loved it.

  • Okohme
    Okohme Posts: 152 Member
    cnejunk wrote: »
    OK, to be fair, it's more of a slow jog. But I do jog, occasionally. Along with other forms of exercise. I don't exercise as often as I'd like to, or need to. Not that it's an excuse, 'cause I know other people do it, but as a working mom it is a little tough to find the time. I'm working on that. Meanwhile, I do take an average 13,000 steps and 23 flights of stairs a day. So I'm not completely sedentary.
    But do people have to be so dang surprised every time I mention that I jog? The same 2 people, my mother and a friend. 3 times each. "You?? Jog??!!"
    Yes, I may be 55-60 lbs overweight. But I am capable of moving my feet at a little more than a slow crawl. And I do exercise. Why do skinny people have to find this so &*$%! shocking?? Every single time??!!

    Thanks, just needed to vent.



    When I was first considering trying to run, after I had been walking and working our for a while but was still pretty heavy, I literally googled "too fat, can't run" and found some blog about running while fat and decided to go ahead.
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    Okohme, that reminds me of this blog entry. Was this the one you mean? It's a wonderful entry.
    http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5051269
  • Okohme
    Okohme Posts: 152 Member
    PaytraB wrote: »
    Okohme, that reminds me of this blog entry. Was this the one you mean? It's a wonderful entry.
    http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5051269

    No, it was a different one, but that one is good too.

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