Tips for Running @ 250lbs+?

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Femmekid
Femmekid Posts: 424 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I really want to try running out but I've heard a lot of horror stories about large women running and causing their bodies harm. I would think running form and shoes are definitely two very important factors to preventing injury.

I currently weigh 272lbs and could really use some tips on how to run safely - shoe & form recommendations & more are welcome!

I also bought the Zombies, Run! app for my iPhone that I'm excited to try out. :smile:
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Replies

  • paine016
    paine016 Posts: 77 Member
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    When I started running a few things helped.

    I've got skin and fat, and I didn't want it flopping around getting in the way (and also, I'm self-conscious, sadly), so I found that tighter compression/workout pants were great to hold my belly in place.

    Also the importance of a good, supportive bra cannot be understated. I wore an ill-fitting bra my first time and had to constantly pull the straps back in place, not to mention I was jiggling everywhere.

    I'd also say watch how you step, and take pains not to roll on your ankle. But maybe I just walk funny.

    Mostly, know that everyone is rooting for you. I refused to run for so long because I thought that someone at my weight shouldn't even try it. I was ashamed of how I would look. Turns out, no one was looking at all. Those that do are only cheering you on.
  • Brad805
    Brad805 Posts: 289 Member
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    Good pair of shoes, and listen to your body. Great things will come with patience and persistence.

    Good luck.
  • Runhard13
    Runhard13 Posts: 138 Member
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    Definately a good pair of shoes..and start with small goals...id hit a local track since you can use that to set east goals ..and never feel bad if say you run half then walk half..your stamina will increase faster then you think
  • DanaHerro
    DanaHerro Posts: 186 Member
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    Well I didn't start at 250, but I started running at 216, so pretty close

    SHOES SHOES SHOES are the #1 thing. I cannot even stress this enough. Get fitted by a professional.

    Also - take it SLOW. When I first started, my running pace was the SAME as my walking pace - about a 15 minute mile. I just jogged rather than walked so it got my heart rate up a lot more. I took it super super slowly. I also did a LOT of intervals.. I would walk for 1:30 then jog for 30 seconds and repeat that for 30 minutes. Then I went 1 min/1 min, then 1:30/1:30 etc....

    35 lbs later, I'm still not fast, I'm running 12-12:30 miles but that's still a big increase in pace. It's taken me about 5 months so it gets there slowly but surely. I have about 30 more to go and would love to be able to run a 10 min/mile someday! :) I recently did a 5 miler in 62 miles and when I started I could barely run 1/2 mile so there's progress for sure!

    Good luck!!!
  • joanthemom8
    joanthemom8 Posts: 375 Member
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    Avoid running downhill for as long as you can! It's hard on the joints - no matter what your weight is.
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
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    I'm 256 pounds and I'm TRYING to start running. I'm doing the c25k program but I have to spend significantly longer on each week because obviously it's a lot harder on my fat old body than some slightly out of shape 20something couch potato.... but anyway.. I got fitted for good running shoes at the newbalance store and I went to goodformrunning.com. The way they show you how to run is designed to reduce impact on your body. It does not feel natural at first to use a midfoot strike instead of a heel strike, but with careful practice you start to get used to it.
  • Turnaround2012
    Turnaround2012 Posts: 362 Member
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    I swallowed my pride and started by walking then running. I would walk 300 steps and run 200 steps. After a few weeks of doing this I could run more and walk less.

    Also am trying to learn how to burn calories by not running:

    Kettlebell exercises. Weight complexes. Rowing. Elliptical.

    It changes things up and gives my screaming knees a break!

    Hope that this helps.

    Here is something that I wrote about HRM

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1025382-hr-increase-burns-more-calores-cardio-and-weights
  • Momwa6
    Momwa6 Posts: 37 Member
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    Why not try lifting heavy instead of running. For one you burn more calories after the wotkout is over and you get to eat more without starving. It's a group call eat more to weigh less that will help you.
  • Femmekid
    Femmekid Posts: 424 Member
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    Thanks for the tips so far! I will have to see what we have in the mall closest to us in Portland and get fitted for shoes.

    I want to run... if I wanted advice on lifting weights I would have made an entirely different topic.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,835 Member
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    my tip would be to do some sort of exercise than is less harmful on the joints.

    Running is like doing an alternating hop for 1000's of reps. How about if you had to do all of the hops on the right leg first, then the left? Ridiculous right? Well you are putting your body through the same amount of impact with running.

    i would walk, cross train, swim, kettlebells or some other lower impact exercise.

    And I was over 200lbs and did a lot of running. Knees do not like me running anymore.
  • fitnessphil53
    fitnessphil53 Posts: 2 Member
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    Start by walking, 5000 steps a day... then work up to 10,000 steps a day... all at one time... a few here, a few there does not count... it takes about an hour to walk 10,000... after 6 months, with eating right, you should be able to start running slowly... ON GRASS... and yes do get proper shoes, clothing and KEEP HYDRATED... :smile: (the only reason I say walk first and when you do run it is on grass, is because your knees will take a beating)
  • Crazy4Healthy
    Crazy4Healthy Posts: 626 Member
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    Good shoes first and foremost and I would recommend that you start with walking. I found that while walking, I would throw in short stints of running and then back to walking. I believe the C25K does something similar to this (I didn't use it, so not sure), but I would definitely recommend that you start with walking. Increase your walking pace as you go and as you are comfortable, start with a slow job. Listen to your body, try to push yourself a little more each time and you will find you are eventually running and then running for longer periods of time. Just don't try to do too much too soon or you may get injured and be out all together.

    If you can, visit a running store and have them assist in fitting you in a shoe. They can help by getting you on a treadmill and watching you run to ensure you have a shoe that will most benefit your style (over-pronation, under-pronation, etc).

    Best of luck to you. :)
  • Tiffa0909
    Tiffa0909 Posts: 191 Member
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    Are you use to walking long distance?

    I want to run too , but I'm clumsy . So it would be a recipe for disaster ,what I did was I started walking about 3.1 miles per day and that includes one mile uphill .

    I plan to interval my walking with jogging soon , but I'm not trying to push my body to do thing is not ready to do. I prefer one week of walking , to one day of running and two week of recovery from injuries .
  • shalleland
    shalleland Posts: 7 Member
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    I absolutely love this question and the responses are very insightful. I started running at 270lbs and here are the things that were tremendously helpful to me:

    1. Wearing 2 sports bras
    2. Having amazing tunes with a higher bpm. I can't hear new music wiout evalutating the beats per minute and determining if it is a good one for my fast walk/slower jog
    3. Compression pants
    4. Professionally fitted shoes (I suggest someplace for you like Porland Running Company. They evaluate your walk and get you the right fit - this is crucial!)
    5. Socks... the right socks are important. I like padded bottoms, thin tops and moisture wicking.
    6. 5ks - look into registering a race that you can walk or run in. Work your butt off to get ready for it. Celebrate your success of completing it. Schedule another one in the future and try to beat that time. Rinse and repeat.

    These are just some of my ideas. Couch to 5k is a good program, but like someone already mentioned, it takes us longer to accomplish it than the program is tailored for.

    Most of all - have fun! If you get pleasure from being outdoors - do it there. If you prefer the treadmill (like me, it's more controlled and I can get lost in my head) then go with that.
  • wbandel
    wbandel Posts: 530 Member
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    Scrolled through real quick, so not sure if already addressed. Using an app that eases you into a routine is helpful. Those C25K apps can be great because you go back and forth from walking and jogging.

    It's okay to jog slower than you walk. This was totally me at first. I have long legs so when I walk I can go fast, and when I first started jogging I looked like I was barely shuffling along. It'll all get easier the more you lose and the more muscle you gain.

    Drink lots of water the night before and an hour or two before you jog. That'll help your body get hydrated. I always hydrate last minute because I forget, and I always do worse on those days then on days where I really prepare myself.

    I started jogging at 247lbs and it was tough, but I got used to it pretty quickly. Biggest thing was getting a handle on my breathing. Push through it, your lungs will adapt. Also people say to wear a HRM. I think this is a good idea, but I don't wear one. I know that if I'm jogging and it starts beeping and telling me my heart rate is too high that I'll freak out and wimp out. So I just try to listen to my body's signals.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
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    I agree with some of the comments on here regarding other methods of exercise. This is a comment by Strength and Conditioning coach Phil Learney. Note that while I enjoy running, I do not think it is for everyone and there are other, more effective methods of training that are more optimal for fat loss:

    Any trainer out there adopting running as a method of weight loss needs to THINK about what actually happens to your client:

    During each foot strike the body is exposed to repeated impact forces estimated to be two to three times the body weight of the runner. Applying this fact to a 150-pound runner, who has an average of 400 foot-strikes per foot per mile, during a one-mile run each foot would endure between 60 and 90 tons of force. Typical runners training from 40 to 80 miles per week could expect to expose their bodies to approximately 16,000 to 32,000 impacts per leg per week, equivalent to about 2400 to 7200 tons of force. This is an astounding amount of stress to the lower extremities that increases the likelihood of injury.

    Impact Forces at the Knee Joint – A Comparative Study on Running Styles
    Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
    May 2001

    The thought that weight training in children could bend bones is just plain stupid when impact sports, gymnastics, dance and running are perfectly acceptable and very rarely malform bones yet forces FAR exceed what could be generated in a weights room. Studies have even shown that these kind of forces are beneficial for development.

    Resistance training reinforces good mechanical awareness and ensures good structural balance around joints. Activities such as gymnastics create great motor control.

    If your trainer is telling you to run to lose weight I would question their methodology.
  • WDEvy
    WDEvy Posts: 814 Member
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    Go get fitted for shoes and start running! ( follow a program like c25k and the likes)

    You can do it!
  • nonoark
    nonoark Posts: 153 Member
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    bump
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
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    Tips for running: don't. Lift weights, if you want to do cardio you should swim because it's low impact and you can choose your intensity level.
  • WDEvy
    WDEvy Posts: 814 Member
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    Tips for running: don't. Lift weights, if you want to do cardio you should swim because it's low impact and you can choose your intensity level.

    Tips: Don't listen to that guy.....

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