Want to Start Running, But Overweight and Feel Embarrassed :(

Congrats on losing weight!! Way to go!!! I started about a couple months ago wanting to just walk. I have a gym that I go to and they have a track that is upstairs from the actual gym, but there are usually two or three people on it too. I felt embarrassed at first so I walked everyday for about two weeks then I decided to try to jog. I started to jog and would go as long as I could. Now this was only about 1/4 of the length of the track I use, but it was a start. Now I have gotten up to doing one lap jogging and one lap walking. At first I wouldn't go for a couple days and would end up back where I started but now I try to be as consistent as I can with this. Now that I have been going to the gym for a couple months, I don't know how to explain it, but I just stopped caring what other people thought. If they don't like what they saw when I'm jogging they could leave. I actually had a person come up to me in the gym and told me that they had noticed that I was there a lot and said to keep up the good job I was doing. That was such an awesome feeling; to know that someone I didn't know noticed I was busting my butt. Hopefully this helped you!! Again congratulations and way to go on your weight loss so far!!

If you lived here, you could come watch me. I am still overweight and I am doing the C25K...although I wouldn't call what I'm doing "running." It's pretend running. More of a slow slog than a jog, really.

I can walk faster than some of the "running" I do. But it's still a workout. Just going through the motions of running - even slowly - is so different than walking.

I hope you try it. Don't worry about how you look. Remind yourself that this is going to make you look better and every day, you'll be healthier and look better, so this day is as bad as it will get. If you can get through this day, it'll be better every day after.

My last weigh in was at 231. I am now ready for Week 2 Day 2 of the Couch 2 5K. I am doing the treadmill version because I don't want to be out in the cold and snow. I also don't have anything I can load the app on to do it outdoors at the moment and be happy tracking my timings.

I am loving it. Don't know how many weeks past the 9 weeks it will take me, but I'm doing it. I could care less what others think when they see me. This is for me, not for them.

There is a C25K group on here that has some excellent posts. Best advice...slow pace. Speed will come later. I only walk a 3.3-3.5 and only jog a 4.7-4.8. It's enough for me!

Go for it!

I'm a pretty new runner - about a year - and what I've found reading stuff online and passing other runners out on the road is we are a very inclusive group. So if you are red faced, jiggly, wheezy, plodding along sloowly running any runner you see is mentally (or sometimes verbally) cheering you on, thinking "I've been there! Keep at it - it's worth it! Good for you!" And as for non runners - well as they say no matter how fast you run you're lappin everyone on the couch! Be proud get some light fleece layers or a treadmill and shake it!

Take it slow & just remind yourself everyone has to start somewhere
As time goes by you will feel better & better with more confidence each time
Hope this helps

I'm a gym girl... can't deal with the cold so well! I bared it one winter while training for a marathon (I lost a lot of weight that way!... put it back on after though ) So, make your choice of gym or outdoor but don't accept the excuse of cold to stop you exercising!

Also... feeling embarrassed I understand because I once felt that too. Trusth is, after exercising, more and more, you realise that noone else cares about what you look like. You'll get judgey people thinking of your size sure (I get it-there's always one with 'that' look), but they'd think that whether you're exercising or not... at least you are working on your health!

Also... you're not going to make a change if you don't start somewhere!

Never wait. There will always be a reason to NOT run. I might not have the overweight runner cred to tell you how you should feel, but when I see overweight runners, I see someone who is busting their *kitten* harder than I do. I can't imagine the mental and physical challenges overweight runners have to overcome. Being embarrassed is the last thing you should care about. Real runners will be supportive and admire you for getting out there. Go to a running store, get fitted for shoes, and sign up for a 101 class. You won't be the most overweight person there, I guarantee it.

^ pa-jorg (nice rollins reference, btw) nailed it: "don't be embarrassed at all"

easier said than done of course. but it's so awesome you're doing this. there are so many positives going on here that you're starting and doing it.

It's a great shot of awesome with a side of "this is so cool".

(I'm not a runner and don't any constructive advice what to do. anything I'd say would be "build up to air squats below parallel. walking lunges. work up to planks" or some such and besides the point. Instead, I just want to cheer you on)

The first time I started c25k, I was outside and overweight. For the most part, I was so focused on my audiobook and listening for cues that if anyone commented or gave me a sideways glance, I never noticed. All the people I talked to in the running community were incredibly supportive. So I'd say go for it.

Now I'm doing it on a treadmill. I know when I transition to outdoor running again it will be different than treadmill running, but I decided doing what I could now (gym has childcare) was better than waiting for the day where outdoor running was more feasible than treadmill running is now. And it all counts towards my goals of getting healthier and modeling good habits for my daughter which is awesome.

My point... Once you are running you won't focus on anything but the run and what you are listening to. It is the most amazing feeling of freedom that I have ever felt.

I live where it doesn't get too cold, but if you can't access a treadmill then you may like Leslie sansone's videos while you wait for better weather. She does walking focused DVDs that I'd think would be great for preparing for c25k. I checked them out from the library when I used them because I wasnt hoping to need them too long. But they were a good bridge between inactive and getting active. I never ran in place indoors.

Good luck.

pa_jorg wrote: »

I don't think you should be embarrassed at all! Maybe an odd tip, but I started running on the paved paths in a cemetery that was on my street. Definitely a quiet spot to start without anyone paying attention to you...

I actually run at the small cemetery behind my house. You are right. I rarely see anybody else there except for a very nice older couple walking their dog, with whom I have now bonded A plus is also that there are some decent hills there as well.

lsgibbs83 wrote: »

pa_jorg wrote: »

I don't think you should be embarrassed at all! Maybe an odd tip, but I started running on the paved paths in a cemetery that was on my street. Definitely a quiet spot to start without anyone paying attention to you...

I actually run at the small cemetery behind my house. You are right. I rarely see anybody else there except for a very nice older couple walking their dog, with whom I have now bonded A plus is also that there are some decent hills there as well.

We can be fined up to $100 for taking our pets into the cemetery. So, yeah a pretty quite place to go around here.