I want to run... but I'm too fat

I was 210 when I started C25K. I was embarrassed to be out running but after a while I started to feel more confident. I teach in the neighbourhood I live (run) in so I see lots of people:(. I am on week 6 and I feel like everyone else just working out:). I go very slow and stop if I need to, maybe try the program and see how it feels or just start by trying to run 30 sec intervals. Good luck, you have come a long way, you are doing great

I think walking with your dog is a great way to get you BOTH in shape. I definitely think you should keep to walking for a while due to the impact stress on your joints from jogging at your weight. At least long enough to give your joints a chance to get introduced to the impact and long enough for you to be able to assess whether or not your joints can handle it yet. As for feeling self-conscious, I'd say don't worry too much about what other people think (Easier said than done, I know.). The people who will think poorly of you are vain *kitten*, and the rest of us are inspired by your determination and dedication. Seriously, when I see someone your size in the gym I feel inspired to keep pushing myself to get healthy and fit.

Also, you can use the elliptical to step up the intensity of your workouts if you feel like the pool just isn't doing it for you anymore. I hate running and I was really hard on my joints when I was younger so I avoid the treadmill at all costs. I love the elliptical because I feel like it really challenges my fitness without stressing out my joints. The fact it's not an impact activity also means that your fat won't jiggle quite as much so that might help with your self-consciousness. Either way, keep up the good work!

I think it's great that you really want to do it! You must be a born runner. I didn't know this about myself until I was 22. I just dreamed about it like you for a long time.

1. Talk to your doctor. Most folks are surprised to discover that they aren't too fat to run. They just need good equipment.
2. Join a gym and use the treadmill if safety is an issue. Or check your local Craigslist for a used one if you have the room in your home.
3. Get professionally fitted for shoes.
4. Get some good clothes. There's another thread somewhere about good sports bras for big boobies.
5. Pick out a great beginner's program. I started with one minute at a time. I'm sure you could start with even less if you needed to.
6. Don't worry about all the other body parts bouncing all over the dang place. Really, they're just having a good time and coming along for the ride. Some of them will get tired and disappear

First of all, congratulations on all you've achieved! You are an inspiration to everyone! Now about the running. But basically, you start with walking. Walk 30 minutes. Then you start to add running, one minute at a time. For instance, walk two minutes, run one, for the entire 30 minutes. Gradually, you add more running and less walking until you can run the entire 30 minutes. Once you can run that long, you just add distance/time to your run. Anyone who has accomplished what you have can certainly take on this challenge! Best of luck to you!

I think cycling or walking is fine. I know that running for me is just too painful. My knees don't like it. I suspect that depending on your weight, it's not considered good for you until you get the weight off. Even then, too much running can cause damage. I wouldn't worry about it.

There are tons of ways to exercise and have fun. Personally, I think biking is more enjoyable. The bouncing of running just bothers me and the pavement is way too hard.

OMG Kenda You are an inspiration !! I am also not runner either but what I do is after walking to warm up I jog to a distance I can see ( a mailbox) and after a while I was able to run just a little farther . I still cannot run far but I see little improvements. If you are concerned about your saftey when waliking and don't have a gym membership try to go to a local park or a school with a track. Good luck you are doing great and forget about mean people !!!

Kim Pein

Hi!

I was an obese kid my whole life. My biggest was 265+, and I always hated running with a passion. When I lost 80+ pounds, I did it with a lot of walking on the treadmill with an incline (that I kept increasing more and more), and the stationary bike and eventually the elliptical. After a few years of keeping the weight off (and still being 30 pounds over my max BMI but fit and healthy), I decided to take up running last year. I started out by increasing my workouts on the elliptical as this is the closest cardio machine to running, and eventually started jogging on the treadmill. I took it REALLY easy and slow. I did the following:

- 3 days per week on the treadmill at a slow jog - 1 min jogging, 1-2 minute walking: repeat for 30 minutes

After the first week or so, I started jogging for 1min 30sec and resting for 1 minute.

After a week or two of that, I was jogging for 2 minutes and resting for one.

After a week or two of that, I was jogging 3 minutes and resting for one.

My jogging speed started out at about a 5.5mph and I upped to to almost a 6 after many months.

Then jogging for 5 minutes resting for one, and after that I was able to push it to the full 30 minutes - which is the HARDEST workout I've ever done. And BY FAR the most rewarding - physically. I grew some great lean muscle, lost a lot of stomach weight and sculpted my *kitten* and legs amazingly.

The thing is this: I started this in March, and by August, I started getting a pain in my right hip on impact. At this point I was running every day for at least half an hour. I became obsessed with running, I LOVED it. I researched running pains and learned that many runners develop pain because one leg can be shorter than the other, or from just plain running wrong. Tight hamstrings can cause a big strain on the lower back and pull your spine out of alignment, aggravated by the high impact of running. At the point I was at physically last year, I was at my peak - even still, I was above my suggested BMI by more than 20 pounds, though I do have a lot of muscle for a female and I am what they call 'big boned'. No matter the reason for the added weight, running at 190 pounds is going to strain your body a lot more than if I were at 165 like I'm supposed to be.

Running is awesome, I love it, but I can't do it anymore. It taxes my body too much and I have permanent joint issues now. I developed osteoarthritis which was incredibly painful and debilitating (I am taking glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM for that now and it really helps, as well as exercising). Exercise is so critical for managing arthritis - the the RIGHT KIND of exercise. I give my all on the elliptical now - it is an intense, full body cardio workout that is also LOW IMPACT on my joints, which is perfect. I do everything BUT run. I have only recently been able to start including some plyometrics into my workouts (plyo being anything involving jumping) because I could still feel the pain on impact up until a month ago despite having improved drastically.

I guess what I'm trying to say, is TAKE YOUR TIME getting to where you want to be. Work your way up in small increments, don't just start full out running, especially with added weight. You are potentially just going to hurt yourself and then halt your progress and set yourself back. It's been a year now for me, and I'm still working my way back to where I was, and I think I'm almost there. But, will I run again? No, probably not. I actually have permanent damage that prevents me even being able to, thankfully it's not permanent pain. I honestly do miss running, and if I ever can [safely] run again, I will try, but it's not worth the risk if I feel I can't.

Be patient with yourself and your weight loss journey. Swimming is a great idea and if it's working for you, stick with it! You are doing your body a world of favours by keeping gravity from crushing your bones and joints and taxing your body more than the human body should be. Get some more weight off with what is working and maybe get into walking, and then maybe the treadmill with an incline and from there, the elliptical and if you master those and take some more weight off, then maybe starting a jog/walk interval regime might be a suitable course of action.

You have the rest of your life to find different ways to exercise and keep it interesting. Sometimes, less is more, so don't get ahead of yourself.

Great job so far. I have not started running yet. I am now 249lbs and am still walking. I plan on waiting until I loose 40 more pounds before I start. I feel the stress on my knee's and ankles would be too much. With walking I get my heart rate up and sustained. Walking in water is a great way to exercise and minimize the stress on your joints. If you want to run try what a lot of other people suggested walk then short run then walk again. Couch to 5 K is a great program. You do not have to finish it in 9 wks. Go at your own pace if needed.

Good shoes and sports bra are what I need too.

I feel the same way as your topic subject. I don't run yet, but tomorrow (Monday) I'm starting the C25K. I heard it's a really nice way to get into it.

I have been trying to run since about 280lbs, I have the C25K app and I repeat the weeks until I can do them without feeling like I am going to die and then I move on to the next one. it does not matter if you do a week once or 10 times, and you will find something you feel like you are going backwards, but stick with it, know that the smiles you get from the other runners are positive encouragement not them being smug, go for it and ENJOY RUNNING xx