holding breath while jogging?

thatTOPSlady

I've lost a lot of weight but I'm still 72 pounds overweight. I try to jog some instead of always just walking. However....I can only jog for 30-45 seconds at a time because I HOLD MY BREATH when I jog! I don't mean to! It isn't voluntary. I just can't breathe and jog at the same time (maybe the "can't walk and chew bubble gum" syndrome LOL)

Any advice? Think this will change when I get smaller?

RuthieCass

I think this is fairly common for beginner joggers. You just have to be more mindful of your breath when you first start. I know I had a lot of trouble with this at first because I got a lot of cramps. First of all, you should make sure you're not running too fast. A slow pace is ideal when you first start--just steadily increase your speed/dstance at a moderate pace. Secondly, if you need to actively think about your breath during the run, do it. I think about it and even count sometimes. Inhale for 3 steps, exhale for 2 steps. Take steady breaths; huffing and puffing is not going to give your body the oxygen it needs for a run. For starting runs, try to avoid distractions so you can focus on this (avoid the chatty running partner, loud streets, busy intersections, etc). But I think the best suggestions I can give is to ease into the running; there is no need to go from 0 to 60 all at once, especially if you are not already a heavy exerciser. Running and walking intervals are a great way to start off (e.g. C23K). I promise the breathing (and running) will get easier with practice.

Some other tips: http://www.livestrong.com/article/87391-breathing-jogging/

thatTOPSlady

thanks! Great advice!

kristin1125

Thanks for posting this question - I was having the same issues.