C25K success stories? I want to see your pictures!

I started C25K when I started my lifestyle change towards the end of March weighing 303lbs. Because of my size I took the programme very slowly, only running once a week (on the treadmill at the gym). The rest of the week I used the elliptical trainer or swam or did weights. It took until the the middle of week 4 before it felt like I wasn't going to die. The week 5 session 2 something really weird happened - I found that I enjoyed it!

On the day I planned on doing wk7 session 2 I woke up early and it was a gorgeous morning so I decided to actually venture outside. (I reckoned it was early & quiet enough I could avoid the shouted fat abuse from moronic teenagers if I'm honest) And I loved it! Running outside was so much nicer and as I'm lucky & live in the countryside there was plenty to look at that meant I wasn't thinking about my breathing or what hurt and fell into a natural rhythm. It wasn't fast or pretty but I completed it and felt good. At that point I decided to ditch the rest of the programme and just run at my own pace either at the gym before work or early in a morning at a weekend. The last couple of weekends I've run 7km (inc 5mins warm up walk & cool down walk) but basically ran, without stopping or walking for about 55mins. I improved my speed this weekend by 35s/mile. I'm still slow but getting quicker, it still hammers my knees but I ice them when I get back. And I found something that I've always hated (even when young & fit and playing a lot of sport) is actually really enjoyable.

One motivator for me was I promised myself that if I didn't complete a session properly then I would have to redo it. It was a great incentive to manage that last minute or 2 so as to avoid going through it all again! No photos yet as I'm only about a 1/3rd of the way through my weight loss journey but my advise is to stay with the C25K programme it does work and does get easier. Mix it in with other cardio & weights so you keep things interesting and go for it!

C25k definitely works if you stick with it. I finished the program in february of this year. Just yesterday I completed my first Quarter Marathon (6.55 miles) in 1:11:23. My training continues for a half marathon this October. I've definitely been bitten by the running bug.

The trick to running distance is to go slow, slow enough that you can maintain for the full length of time.

I only seem to lose weight while running when I mix in weight training.

I have a similar success story with C25K. I started in June of this year and thought I would never be able to run longer than 30 seconds at a time. I have never been a runner and am easily winded. I was also doing the 30 day Shred program at the same time.

But I stuck with it, and kept progressing and actually graduated at the beginning of August. I have never felt so accomplished before. Running for a full 3.2 miles...amazed myself.

I enjoy running so much now that I have signed up for my first official 5K - set for September 8th and I am beginning the 10K training. I am having an issue with shin splints currently, which I can only imagine came from increasing intensitiy and running duration.


A couple of tips:

- Running is mostly mental - talk yourself into it - keep an "I can do this" attitude and you are already there
- If you start to feel pain/injury STOP - REST. Don't push thru it or it will make it worse
- Good fitted running shoes/insoles make the world of difference
- Have fun - switch up your route/music - whatever keeps you going

Best of luck!!!

Yes it worked for me. Similar to your situation when I completed week one I looked ahead and thought no way in the world can I be running 20 minutes straight in a few weeks. However, following the program..............when the time came I tried to attempt it with an open heart and open mind and shockingly I was able to do it.

Now it didn't end up working exactly the way it is written. I am a big dude and I needed to run pretty darn slow. (when I started I was about 290 pounds.) By the time I completed the schedule I could run the 30 minutes but not nearly a 5K. The official one I ran was about 47 minutes. The thing is I have stuck with the running and 5 weeks past the program ending I can now comfortably run a 5K and brought my time down to a still slow 43 minutes but that slow time is something I am extremely proud of bahahahahahaha.

I would suggest sticking with it. You will surprise yourself and it will feel great. My profile is just after completing my 5K.

Good luck too you!

Bump to read at home

I just started week 4. The first week, I struggled. I couldn't even make it the, what? 45 seconds of jogging at a time. i would have to slow to a walk after 30 seconds. Yesterday I was able to go 5 minutes jogging without stopping. I have lost 10 pounds so far.

I did the couch25k last year and it was the best decision I made! I never ever though I'd be able to run a full 5k!! Now I can easily run over an hr... Stick with the program and remember to repeat weeks if you're not ready to move onto the next level.. I repeated so many weeks and I got through it! Best decision ever!! It was challenging at first and the I remember the thought of running 20 minutes straight was terryfying for me, but this program really does work. And best of all it's free!! Best of luck!! OTHER RUNNERS FEEL FREE TO ADD ME xxx I run every other day 5-10k

It will get easier just slow your running pace down. Focus on time and not distance. I remember 60 seconds being really hard, looking back it seems funny. I finished C25K and am continuing with 10K Trainer and now on week 12 which has 3 18 minute sessions of running. I still do not do average a 10 minute mile but can go 5 miles on a slow day.

I didn't do C25K but I know what you're going through. For years I've been battling 50lbs of weight gain since college. Like you, I did eliptical for 30min or more, followed by weight training and mixed things up many times with no results. On Jan 2nd of this year, I started a new approach by counting calories (something I've never done before). I started at 242lbs. I'm 39, 6'2" male. FT job, married with two young kids.

For one, I was shocked how quick the calories racked up. My initial goal was to be under 2000 calories per day and found this challenging but I thought of the app as a game. If I hit my cal goal for the day, I would get a point that I could throw into a cheat meal (only one per 5 days). The first two week were hellishly difficult. I had zero energy and could barely walk up one flight of stairs but by the end of the month, I was able to integrate the gym. I was able to lose 30 lbs in three months then I kind of stopped for some reason. From April to June, I very loosely followed my plan but made no progress in those three months and then decided I needed to get back on the program. Since then, I've restricted my calories to 1500 and have lost an additional 17 lbs and went from a starting waist size of 38-40 to a solid 34. I'm currently 195 and nearly at my goal. 1500 calories my not sound like a lot (and it isn't for someone my size) but I'm able to maintain a high level of energy throughout my day and last week I upped my workout to 2 per day 6 days a week (all cardio AM and weights only PM) and feel great. Conincidentally, I ran into a old co-worker whom I haven't seen in about a year and he's lost 75lbs (from 275 to 200) using myfitnesspal app only with no exercise. He said eats fast food almost daily but counts calories religiously and takes in only 1000 to 1200 cal per day. He says if it's fits his calorie budget he'll have it. He's 5'10" for reference.

This is what he typically eats:
Breakfast: Trader Joe's Instant Oatmeal 150 Cal
Lunch: 400 Cal of Whatever
Dinner: 500 Cal of Whatever
Snack: Microwave popcorn single serving 100 cal
Lots of Water.

For me, my typical day is:
Breakfast: Trader Joe's Instant Oatmeal 150 Cal
Snack: Trader Joe's Go Raw Trail Mix 150 cal
Lunch: Big Salad with grilled protein of some kind w/ Light dressing. 400-500cal
Snack: Bag of raw almonds 200 cal
Dinner: Grilled Protein and sauteed vegables in olive oil sald and pepper 400-500cal
Snack: Raw vegtalbes with a spinach and kale dip (low cal) 100 cal
Lots of Water. About 100oz per day.

A word of advice: Focus on the end result. Focus so much that a switch turns on in your brain where your desire for fitness overcomes your desire to eat unhealthily and or overeat. Once that happens, it's easy. One more thing... How long have you been unhappy with the way you look or feel? If you're like me and so many others, it's been years. Well, the good news is that it'll take less than one year of hard work to reverse everything. That's not a bad return on your investment. Good luck!

When I first started running I could maybe run a block before I had to stop and walk.
It's been a year and I'm still improving all the time. I can run 3k now with a couple of stops to catch my breath. I don't walk but I just stop until I'm ready again.
So don't feel like you should be an amazing runner, because who is when they first start, especially if you've previously been sedentary (like I was).
So just persist, get some good shoes, and enjoy it. Do want you can do, and not what a program tells you that you should be able to do and when you should be able to do it.

I try to stick to 1200-1400 cal. per day. No soda, no junk food, only a bag of popcorn here and there. When I exercise, sometimes, I do eat back some of my calories, sometimes, I don't.

If you're doing the MFP method (which it sounds like you are) make sure you eat back your calories! You should net 1200 at a minimum.

This is a great idea. I am only on W4D2 but I was wondering how I might work on speed...thanks!

Stick with it! It absolutely gets better with time. I started last March, and since then I have done 21 races including 4 triathlons and I'm set to do my first half marathon in the beginning of October. You really have to trust the process and don't be afraid to repeat days and slow it down if you need to. You can see by my ticker that I have lost weight as well!

And some photos, 'cause you asked:

My main goal is to lose all of my extra weight (around 60 lbs) before I go for a one month vacation in Europe, in May 2014. I When I feel like I can't do it and feel like I want to give up, I remember my upcoming trip and it gives me the boost to continue.

You can TOTALLY do that.

I'm not far into C25K, my goal is to run a 3km portion of a charity relay, and my colleagues are mostly doing it in 13mins!!! I couldn't run more than 1min straight at first, but up to now I've been doing HIIT intervals, so I've been used to running fast for 30 secs. Once I slowed it down, I could do 90 secs. Now I'm building it up!

I would like to add that you should keep up strength training, cardio isn't picky about whether you burn fat or muscle, so it's important to supplement with good strength training. You'll look better too, and improve your metabolism.

Good luck!