the fat beginners guide to running?

mummma

hey

so i have acquired my mums treadmill as i bought her a better model for mothers day. which is great for me because im a single mum with 3 little ones so it means ill be able to get the heart rate going when they're in bed, no need for a gym pass etc.

firstly ive been walking on it and trying to get my balance, its entirely new to me so i was a little wobbly at first! and now i want to pick it up, but im soooo unfit and there's a lot of jiggle going on

how would you recommend that i start. i was thinking to walk for 5 mins and take it up to a jog for a few mins then back to walking... each time i go on the treadmill increasing the length of time / speed for a few mins then slowing it down...

ahhh i dunno. i need help! x

discoveredamber

You could always try couch to 5 k. It basically gives you guide. Slowly increasing in run time each week. I finished it on the treadmill. And loved it.

mummma

thats a good idea! thanks

tabbyblack13

Make sure you get good shoes too and with the C25K it alright to repeat days. I've repeated days and I'm only in week 3 out of 8 weeks.

lizafava2

Couch to 5k - repeating days when you need to - for time (not distance) is a great start for fat runners.

I've been a fat runner for 8 years. Was a non-fat runner for three years before that. (sidenote: running doesn't make you skinny). One thing that is super important to keep in mind is that, for most folks and especially heavy people, your muscles/bones/tendons are going to lag behind your cardiovascular fitness. Heavy runners get injured so much, I think, because they build fitness pretty quickly and then put too much stress on joints and muscles. So take it slow and listen to your body. Running injuries suck.

When I started increasing my milage a couple years ago I went really, really slow and listened to my body. For me, switching to running outside was like starting over. It is usually much harder on your body - the treadmill has a lot more cushion and stability. If I just ran outside the same amount of time I ran on the treadmill I would get injured. So at first I ran outside once every other week then once a week and now I am mostly outside weather permitting.

For the jiggle get some compression shorts. You can even wear an abdominal binder if tummy jiggle annoys you. Some people I know wear trisuits all the time for this reason. But you will be on a treadmill at home so wear whatever makes you comfortable. An Enell bra is a lifesaver for me FWIW

mummma

oh im prepared i have a compression vest i have been wearing for work outs for a while since i had abdominals surgery a few years back and that helps somewhat. i know running isnt the key to being skinny, but its something ive always wanted to do. partly to give me something to focus on, clear my head. my youngest goes full time school in september which will give me a little more time to get outside during the day when the time comes so it'd be nice if i could build up some kind of fitness before then so i dont just get to the country park and die of exhaustion before i crossed the gateway :P

thanks for your replies. so helpful x

froeschli

Make sure your comfortable walking for the amount of time you are planning to run (30 mins if your are doing c25k) before you get into the program. Also, c25k often neglects warmup and cool down time. So just add a 5 min walk on either end :happy: and have fun!

whitnizzle

You mentioned this in your post already, and it was what I was going to suggest anyway: INTERVAL TRAINING!!! Increases endurance and actually burns more calories in less time than just straight running or walking. There are a million formulas out there on the interwebs, but just find out a ratio that you think is comfortable and after you can maintain that, kick it up a notch to keep challenging yourself. A tidbit from my own experience: (a) the length of running/jogging time should be just enough so that you're in that "omg is it time for me to walk yet????" stage for 10-20 seconds before going back to a walk, and (b) the walking part should be a recovery walking speed, not a speed walk or you'll never recover!

mummma

Make sure your comfortable walking for the amount of time you are planning to run (30 mins if your are doing c25k) before you get into the program. Also, c25k often neglects warmup and cool down time. So just add a 5 min walk on either end :happy; and have fun!

good tip. i shall time my walks before i begin! x

mummma

You mentioned this in your post already, and it was what I was going to suggest anyway: INTERVAL TRAINING!!! Increases endurance and actually burns more calories in less time than just straight running or walking. There are a million formulas out there on the interwebs, but just find out a ratio that you think is comfortable and after you can maintain that, kick it up a notch to keep challenging yourself. A tidbit from my own experience: (a) the length of running/jogging time should be just enough so that you're in that "omg is it time for me to walk yet????" stage for 10-20 seconds before going back to a walk, and (b) the walking part should be a recovery walking speed, not a speed walk or you'll never recover!

interval training! it has a name yay lol. ill look it up! i think its how c25k works anyway isnt it... ill be trying that first i just downloaded the app x

sodakat

I started running in my early 30s. Never ran before that. I ran for quite a few years and loved it, but at some point I quit, darn it.

The reason I'm responding is to tell you what helped me become a runner. I ran alone for years and I had no idea what I was doing when I started as I knew no other runners. I could tell that my breathing was just not quite right and sometimes I think I held my breath some of the time. So, to fix things, I started singing repetitive songs to myself over and over and over. This made me breathe correctly.

Good luck! I hope your learn to love running!

Kathy

handyrunner

Make sure your comfortable walking for the amount of time you are planning to run (30 mins if your are doing c25k) before you get into the program. Also, c25k often neglects warmup and cool down time. So just add a 5 min walk on either end :happy: and have fun!

There are plenty of apps that incorporate a warmup and cool down period if you chose to use them..

I second the pre requisite to walk the 30 minutes before starting it... or even walking a full 5k just to tell your head you made it that far...

mummma

thanks for the tips i have downloaded an app and it does include the warm up 5 min walk and the cool down too. i am starting as you have advised with the walking. thanks xx

verhunzt

There's not much you can do wrong, really. Get some running shoes and make sure your running form is okay.
The best advice I can give you is to really not expect much at the beginning and to go SLOW!
When I started I always wanted to go super fast at the beginning but then I was out of breath after 5 minutes and puking after 10, feeling super discouraged. Give yourself time and you will turn into a super fit running mom!

Loralrose

If you have pain when running (in the joints especially) then STOP! Take time off running until the pain goes away and start back gently. When you get to the point where walking doesn't get you out of breath, up the incline. Running is really hard on the joints especially for us bigger folk so you want to ease into it. Hills let you keep building fitness without injury.

yesdnil1990

Download the Zombies, Run! 5k training app. It's so much more interesting

Lcruz2014

well, you are on the right track plenty of good advise , just remember the first step is hardest keep on trucking

queenbea77

Don't push yourself just because "you think" you need to go faster. Your body will tell you if you are going too fast. If you need to stop running to walk then do it.

Get a good sports bra to help stop that jiggle. They make sports bras especially for high impact sports (running). Good shoes are a must.

Good luck and keep us posted on how you are doing!

mummma

Thanks everyone **blows kisses**

HaraldurB

I just started this C25K this week and it is working well for me. It includes 5 minutes for warm up and 5 minutes for cool down.

http://www.c25k.com/c25k_treadmill.html