Anyone lost weight doing Couch to 5K?

mandypizzle
mandypizzle Posts: 633 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I just started yesterday and feel like it was a wonderful workout!!! I am sore EVERYWHERE today! Crazy! So, I'm just curious, who has done this and did you lose weight? Did you just do the recommended 3 days a week?
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Replies

  • larsonp
    larsonp Posts: 55 Member
    Lots of people have lost weight doing that, or any other number of activities. :-)

    But mostly, I wanted to comment on the goals in your signature. I'm always intrigued by what people will do to celebrate each milestone. I noticed that at 60 pounds you want to buy new clothes. Let me tell you... as someone who has lost 60 pounds in the last two years, you're going to need new clothes long before 60 pounds. I think after 30, I decided I needed some new clothes, so I wouldn't look like I was swimming in my shirt+pants at work.
    I had to go out and buy new clothes again after 60 pounds. I'm basically at my target weight, so I figured I'd be safe to buy new clothes, without worrying about being undersized for my clothes again in 3 months. :-)
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
    I started the c25k Jan 16th finished it last week.
    I start MFP on 01/01. since then I have lost 20.4 lbs. I alternated the treadmill and my wii. I now do my treadmill and 30day shred. I have been doing the 30 shred on top of my treadmill.
  • Chiquita_Banana
    Chiquita_Banana Posts: 500
    i did it for a month innovember, then it go too cold so i stopped but i started yesterday again how funny lol... i lost weight doing it, but i also did other exercises like pilates and aerobic dance... but by the end of the month n a half or so i ran 1/2 a mile straight!
  • BrunetteWife
    BrunetteWife Posts: 2,108 Member
    Iarted it last summer and lost 15lbs in 9weeks and yes, do it 3 days a week :) It was a great experience .

    Just pace yourself, you can always work on speed later, which is what I'm doing now :)
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
    i loved the couch to 5k program! i am doing a 15k in new york city for colon cancer in eleven days and have signed up for a half-marathon in june because of this program. i have started my kids on it this week to ease them into a 2k in april. :)

    however, i did NOT lose any weight while i was doing it. i lost inches in my calves, thighs and rear, but my weight stayed exactly the same until i finished it and stopped running for a while. then i dropped several pounds without trying. many of my running friends have said that is very common.

    don't let that scare you away from doing it!
  • DanOhh
    DanOhh Posts: 1,806 Member
    Yes, and I'm still running ever since doing it.
  • spicegeek
    spicegeek Posts: 325 Member
    The Couch to 5K is designed to introduce your body slowly to the stresses of running -it is not intended as a weight loss tool nor is it going to much for your fitness as the work outs are a bit on the short side. To that end - no do not do more that 3 times a week - running is hard on your body

    The works outs do not burn much in the way of calories - in your last week you the max you run is 3 miles - about 300 - 400 cals depending on your weight - most new runners don`t make 3 miles in 30 mins so it can be less that 300 cals - if you want to get into running it`s a great start.
  • mandypizzle
    mandypizzle Posts: 633 Member
    Thanks for the advice! New clothes at the half way mark would be a great reward so I think I will change that! I didn't really think of that. :) Congrats on your weight loss! That is so awesome! I hope I can get to my goal!
    Lots of people have lost weight doing that, or any other number of activities. :-)

    But mostly, I wanted to comment on the goals in your signature. I'm always intrigued by what people will do to celebrate each milestone. I noticed that at 60 pounds you want to buy new clothes. Let me tell you... as someone who has lost 60 pounds in the last two years, you're going to need new clothes long before 60 pounds. I think after 30, I decided I needed some new clothes, so I wouldn't look like I was swimming in my shirt+pants at work.
    I had to go out and buy new clothes again after 60 pounds. I'm basically at my target weight, so I figured I'd be safe to buy new clothes, without worrying about being undersized for my clothes again in 3 months. :-)
  • sillygoose1977
    sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
    I did it for a while last fall and it seemed like the pounds just easily came off every week. It makes me wonder why the hell I stopped doing it. I would definitely stick to the 3 days a week schedule because your body needs the rest from the impact. I usually did the elliptical on my days off.
  • mandypizzle
    mandypizzle Posts: 633 Member
    Wow! That's great! I am doing the 30 Day Shred as well as Cto5K. I did the 30 Day Shred alone in Jan and lost 16 lbs... then fell off the wagon. :/
    I started the c25k Jan 16th finished it last week.
    I start MFP on 01/01. since then I have lost 20.4 lbs. I alternated the treadmill and my wii. I now do my treadmill and 30day shred. I have been doing the 30 shred on top of my treadmill.
  • mandypizzle
    mandypizzle Posts: 633 Member
    I love that you are having your kids do it! lol! How fun! Inches are more important than weight so that's cool too!
    i loved the couch to 5k program! i am doing a 15k in new york city for colon cancer in eleven days and have signed up for a half-marathon in june because of this program. i have started my kids on it this week to ease them into a 2k in april. :)

    however, i did NOT lose any weight while i was doing it. i lost inches in my calves, thighs and rear, but my weight stayed exactly the same until i finished it and stopped running for a while. then i dropped several pounds without trying. many of my running friends have said that is very common.

    don't let that scare you away from doing it!
  • mandypizzle
    mandypizzle Posts: 633 Member
    That makes sense. I love running and haven't done it since before my last pregnancy a year and a half ago so really, I want to get back into running but I have so much weight to lose now too so I am hoping this will help in my weight loss. I am doing other workouts on non running days and possibly also on running days as I have time to.
    The Couch to 5K is designed to introduce your body slowly to the stresses of running -it is not intended as a weight loss tool nor is it going to much for your fitness as the work outs are a bit on the short side. To that end - no do not do more that 3 times a week - running is hard on your body

    The works outs do not burn much in the way of calories - in your last week you the max you run is 3 miles - about 300 - 400 cals depending on your weight - most new runners don`t make 3 miles in 30 mins so it can be less that 300 cals - if you want to get into running it`s a great start.
  • mandypizzle
    mandypizzle Posts: 633 Member
    LOL Get back on it silly goose! haha! It's so easy to fall off the wagon. ugh!
    I did it for a while last fall and it seemed like the pounds just easily came off every week. It makes me wonder why the hell I stopped doing it. I would definitely stick to the 3 days a week schedule because your body needs the rest from the impact. I usually did the elliptical on my days.
  • sillygoose1977
    sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
    LOL Get back on it silly goose! haha! It's so easy to fall off the wagon. ugh!
    I did it for a while last fall and it seemed like the pounds just easily came off every week. It makes me wonder why the hell I stopped doing it. I would definitely stick to the 3 days a week schedule because your body needs the rest from the impact. I usually did the elliptical on my days.

    I'm using the interval running some, but I am training for bicycle and hiking season right now. My legs are killing me from stairs!
  • TiffanyW1014
    TiffanyW1014 Posts: 614 Member
    I hear about this all the time.. Where can I find this work out. Is it a DVD or a plan?? Help me find it please. As the weather gets better around here I hope to start running!!
  • stenochick
    stenochick Posts: 142 Member
    Hi! I'm doing the C25K program. I'm at week 8. I really haven't lost too much weight since January -- maybe 4 lbs? But holy moly have I lost inches. I measured myself at the 6 week mark (about 2 weeks ago) and I had lost 3 inches on each thigh, three inches on my stomach, two inches off my bust. I'll be meauring myself in a week and half when I am done to see the final results. But I LOVE the program and I am really beginning to love running.
  • stenochick
    stenochick Posts: 142 Member
    I hear about this all the time.. Where can I find this work out. Is it a DVD or a plan?? Help me find it please. As the weather gets better around here I hope to start running!!

    You can find the program at coolrunning.com and Runner's World has their version of the C25K
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
    That makes sense. I love running and haven't done it since before my last pregnancy a year and a half ago so really, I want to get back into running but I have so much weight to lose now too so I am hoping this will help in my weight loss. I am doing other workouts on non running days and possibly also on running days as I have time to.
    The Couch to 5K is designed to introduce your body slowly to the stresses of running -it is not intended as a weight loss tool nor is it going to much for your fitness as the work outs are a bit on the short side. To that end - no do not do more that 3 times a week - running is hard on your body

    The works outs do not burn much in the way of calories - in your last week you the max you run is 3 miles - about 300 - 400 cals depending on your weight - most new runners don`t make 3 miles in 30 mins so it can be less that 300 cals - if you want to get into running it`s a great start.
    Agree

    I do have to say when I did run the 5k, I didn't come close to the 30 min. What I did do to add more calories to make it a workout was, I kept going beyond the cool down and adding incline increments on my treadmill. I walked at 3 miles and incresed the incline to 4 for a minute or two, then down for a minute then I went up to 6 for a minute or two, then down and repeated until I got to 45 minutes. It added to the workout and the calorie burn. It took me 46:15 to run the 5k.
    I have never run before in my life so to me it was a great way to learn to run and lose weight in the process.

    Best wishes to you.
  • daddyratty
    daddyratty Posts: 305 Member
    The Couch to 5K is designed to introduce your body slowly to the stresses of running -it is not intended as a weight loss tool nor is it going to much for your fitness as the work outs are a bit on the short side. To that end - no do not do more that 3 times a week - running is hard on your body

    The works outs do not burn much in the way of calories - in your last week you the max you run is 3 miles - about 300 - 400 cals depending on your weight - most new runners don`t make 3 miles in 30 mins so it can be less that 300 cals - if you want to get into running it`s a great start.

    I weigh 264 pounds and burn about 650 calories running 3 miles. As I lose weight I plan to have my times increase which can actually keep the calorie burn rate pretty constant.
  • daddyratty
    daddyratty Posts: 305 Member
    But to answer the OP, I started running about 3 weeks before finding/joining MFP. I saw no weight change. In the first 4 weeks of MFP, though (still running), I'd lost 19 pounds.

    I analyze and track all my runs, and even have a formula that lets me know about what pace my current effort will yield in mile times when I'm 69 pounds lighter. Anyway, I have gone 52 miles on foot (mostly running, but there was some walking in the early stages) in the last 2 months. This has burned 10,742 calories (about 3.1 pounds). So the other 16 or so have come from just watching what I'm eating.

    Whatever you do, though, make sure you follow a plan. C25K is good, but it's not a long term plan. I found an enjoyment of running through this, but I'm running 9 miles this week, and my weekly totals will be up to about 15 by the end of April.

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