100+ lbs to lose w/ dreams of being a runner

FeraFilia
FeraFilia Posts: 4,664 Member
edited November 13 in Motivation and Support
Something I've always wanted to do was complete a 5k run. It's been on my bucket list for years.

My weight and endurance have always been my biggest (no pun intended) obstacles, and every time I've managed to lose weight, I've moved (literally, half way across the country multiple times) gotten super stressed, and ate all my bad feelings and went up past the weight where I'd started to begin with. Life was not settled, and I was more interested in trying to make the bad feelings go away than trying to get healthy. Not smart, and 100% my own fault, but it happened. So, here I am. Life has finally settled down. I am married, with a great kid, in a great location, and in a place mentally where I can feel comfortable focusing on me for a while.

I have maintained a 40 pound loss (then got pregnant, gained it back, and lost it within 2 weeks of getting home from the hospital), but I still have lots to go. I have managed to go from being barely able to walk a mile to being able to walk 3 miles. I can do low impact aerobics for an hour without feeling like I'm going to die. Things are getting better, but running still eludes me.

I have tried the couch-to-5k type programs before, but I am still not quite up to the beginning level yet (sad, I know, but I'm working on it!).

If you have managed to lose a ton of weight and go from couch potato to runner (or other such athlete), I'd love to hear your stories. Hopefully they will give me the spark I need to keep myself going toward this goal.

Thanks for your time!
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Replies

  • FeraFilia
    FeraFilia Posts: 4,664 Member
    Nobody? Really? :(
  • LilacLion
    LilacLion Posts: 579 Member
    edited December 2016
    Me too. I loved to run and dream of doing it again! I'm not on a program to run yet just following suggestions from my NP who follows the same food plan I'm on and runs. I'm walking everyday with just a little bit of trotting. I'm mainly trying to increase my stamina and endurance right now. Even though we are into hard winter, I looking forward to my time outside.
  • katdum1978
    katdum1978 Posts: 15 Member
    I don't have the same story, but I did start running (many years ago). I started out going for fifteen minutes at a slow pace. No particular pace, just at my own pace. I then moved to twenty minutes (10 minutes there and then back). Eventually 15 minutes out and then see how far back I got. Having a regular, enjoyable route helped. Also going before work was good for me then. I started running again in the summer and I did it the same way.
  • FeraFilia
    FeraFilia Posts: 4,664 Member
    katdum1978 wrote: »
    I don't have the same story, but I did start running (many years ago). I started out going for fifteen minutes at a slow pace. No particular pace, just at my own pace. I then moved to twenty minutes (10 minutes there and then back). Eventually 15 minutes out and then see how far back I got. Having a regular, enjoyable route helped. Also going before work was good for me then. I started running again in the summer and I did it the same way.

    Having a lovely route won't be difficult. The road I live on is way out in the sticks and full of fields and barns and lovely old farm houses.

    Thank you for sharing. :)
  • ridiculous59
    ridiculous59 Posts: 2,910 Member
    Congratulations for making the decision!!! I've lost 86 pounds and ran my first 5k in October. It was on my bucket list too :)

    I've always been fairly active and even when I was big, I still walked just about every day. I did a lot of low impact stuff while I was losing.....deep water running classes at the pool, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, paddling, and of course the walking. I didnt start the couch to 5k program until I was about 20 pounds from my goal weight. It was hard work, but I had success. I think it was because I had built up muscle and my cardio doing the other exercises so it was just a matter of transferring the effort to running.

    For me, doing low impact was just so much easier on my joints when I was heavy. And it got me to that point where I could actually run. What a great feeling it was to cross that finish line with a bib pinned to my chest. It took me 39 minutes but I felt like a gold medal winner lol. Next year I plan to improve my time.

    Good luck :)
  • FeraFilia
    FeraFilia Posts: 4,664 Member
    @ridiculous59 Thank you for sharing. I've worked hard to be able to do the lower impact exercise for an hour. I'm hoping I can just keep increasing the intensity of those workouts to build up my endurance before trying to run. I'm hoping to start doing running intervals in the spring, after some weight comes off. :)
  • brianneb304
    brianneb304 Posts: 14 Member
    I started with 100+ to lose, I'm no athlete but ive lost 40 lbs and ran my first 5k in october, it was not pretty but I finished!
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    I can relate. I have lost 30 pounds and have at least another 100 to go. This is my third winter doing C25K. I'm currently on week 4. It's okay if week one is too tough. Just keep repeating any week you can't finish. You will get it eventually. Also, don't be concerned about running fast. I'm currently running about a 15 minute mile and have been though the program twice before. The first time I actually ran slower than I walked.
  • FeraFilia
    FeraFilia Posts: 4,664 Member
    @brianneb304 - Ha! I can imagine that it will not be pretty when I finally finish the first one, too. But you did it, and that's awesome. Congrats!

    @jennybearlv - Good to know! When it warms up enough for me to run outside (I'm not hard core enough to run in sub freezing temps!) I will be out there trudging along, just to say I did it.
  • ashcky
    ashcky Posts: 393 Member
    Well I started with 100 to lose, I'm almost to 50 lbs gone. I have never ran before I started couch to 5k. I started walking the beginning of August and then around the beginning of September I began c25k. I completed my first 5k in November. I ran the whole thing in 45 minutes. It was a huge accomplishment for me. Sometimes running is a mental thing. I started walking because I never believed I would run. I always used my asthma and extra weight as an excuse. Then one day I just said "what the heck", gave it a try and fell in love.
  • PeachesNcreamgal
    PeachesNcreamgal Posts: 357 Member
    I started jogging slowly at 82 kgs(I'm 5'3") that was last year in August 2015. I started and completed c25k and also attempted c210k last year. I weigh 77 kgs now on my digital scale and 74 on the doctor's scale. So I think you should start real slow, pace yourself. Believe me if I could do it at my heaviest then you can too!!! All the best!
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
    I think you'll have better luck running once you lose weight and get closer to your ideal/goal weight. Even at only 20/25 pounds overweight there was no way I could run for any prolonged amount of time. Now I'm about 10/15 pounds overweight and running is much easier but still I'm only comfortable jogging or running for short distances with walking in between.

    It's not for lack of stamina either, it's more to do with the excess fat jostling about- it physically hurts- and the extra weight makes it hard too. Maybe start with lower impact stuff like elliptical machine, rowing machine, walking, hiking, walking on an incline, weight lifting, body weight exercises, etc and being in a caloric deficit until you drop a good amount of weight, then start jogging and work your way up to running.
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    Start getting into the c25k schedule now. By that I mean the days a week going out and walking for twenty minutes/half an hour. I think there may be 'pre' c25k routines out there to get you to the beginning phase, but if not, just doing a regular walk will start getting the heart and lungs used to the movements. Remember, speed comes later.
  • ashcky
    ashcky Posts: 393 Member
    edited December 2016
    Forgot to say that I started around 190 lbs when running and I'm now down to 167.6 at 5'1 My starting weight was actually 215 so it took me a bit to feel confident that I could run. I still run slow!
  • Dalceridae
    Dalceridae Posts: 81 Member
    I used to run and would love to get back into it. I have already done enough damage to my joints by being so overweight, so I'll wait until I lose more before I try to start. It's good motivation though - every time I see someone running, I imagine how good it must feel to be able to move so freely.
  • FeraFilia
    FeraFilia Posts: 4,664 Member
    Dalceridae wrote: »
    I used to run and would love to get back into it. I have already done enough damage to my joints by being so overweight, so I'll wait until I lose more before I try to start. It's good motivation though - every time I see someone running, I imagine how good it must feel to be able to move so freely.

    YES. I crave that freedom of movement. I've been overweight or obese the whole of my adult life. I was even a chunky kid. I have never run a mile. I have run like, a lap, then walked the rest. I am so tired of feeling like the hippo in a herd of gazelles.
  • schwest76
    schwest76 Posts: 77 Member
    That's an awesome goal! I was around 265 when I decided to get healthy and set a goal to run a 5k as motivation to stay active. So, at 265 I started the couch to 5k and completed the 5k in May. I picked the Moonlight Bootlegger's run...you run on a trail in the dark and get two glasses of moonshine when you're done! Totally motivated me!
  • schwest76
    schwest76 Posts: 77 Member
    Here's the program I used..it seemed the most realistic... http://www.everydayhealth.com/infographics/run-your-first-5k/
  • FeraFilia
    FeraFilia Posts: 4,664 Member
    @schwest76 - Thank you for the link! I have an app on my phone (Simple c25k) that I've been planning on using, but I just can't do that first day yet. It's so discouraging... But I'm gonna keep plugging away. I try again every 10 pounds gone. Heh.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    Well, I am not a runner, but I did lose 140 pounds so far (I will probably stay on maintenance through spring, and maybe try for the last 15ish pounds then). Hiking is my thing. I'm preparing now to do one of my long-awaited dreams - I am going to take time off in February and hike Kilimanjaro.

    It was a slow process to go from 320 to 180. I think for me the trick was finding changes I could stick to long-term. I didn't aim to overhaul everything, I aimed to make the smallest changes that would still get me to my goals. My main strategy is pre-planning my meals & using a kitchen scale to weigh out the food I eat, and logging my weight each morning.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    courtneyfabulous wrote: »
    I think you'll have better luck running once you lose weight and get closer to your ideal/goal weight. Even at only 20/25 pounds overweight there was no way I could run for any prolonged amount of time. Now I'm about 10/15 pounds overweight and running is much easier but still I'm only comfortable jogging or running for short distances with walking in between.

    It's not for lack of stamina either, it's more to do with the excess fat jostling about- it physically hurts- and the extra weight makes it hard too. Maybe start with lower impact stuff like elliptical machine, rowing machine, walking, hiking, walking on an incline, weight lifting, body weight exercises, etc and being in a caloric deficit until you drop a good amount of weight, then start jogging and work your way up to running.

    Compression pants are a big girl's best friend. They are like a sports bra for your *kitten* and if you get them with a high-rise waist they hold in the gut too.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    I started with 150 to lose and barely able to walk 1/4 mile, 2 1/2 years ago. Last spring something posessed me to do c25k and in Aug I ran all of a 5k, at 61 yo. I was nearly at my maintenance range. In between I walked, and walked, and walked. And did strength training. first, work on getting you walking distance up to 3 miles, or more. Try to walk some 5k and 10k events. Do c25k but do a fast walk during the run intervals. The next time through, either walk faster or start SLOW running. Really slow. Repeat each week as many times as needed until you reach your runninf goals. Keep working on your weight loss per guidelines here on MFP. When you get within 25-50 of your goal weight, running will come a lot easier. Have fun!
  • Dalceridae
    Dalceridae Posts: 81 Member
    @rankinsect and @lorrpb - such inspiring stories :) my goal is so far away that often I worry I will never get there and never be able to do things like running
  • becca_rup23
    becca_rup23 Posts: 396 Member
    I started with just over 100 I lose, and I've always been somewhat athletic so I would run/swim every now and then, about a year in now and I'm down 65 lbs and I can do a mile in under 10 minutes! You can definitely do it, just try to stick to a schedule and not overeat when you do run (always been my issue with exercise!). Good luck!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Dalceridae wrote: »
    @rankinsect and @lorrpb - such inspiring stories :) my goal is so far away that often I worry I will never get there and never be able to do things like running

    Just focus on completing the next step well. One of my favorite quotes, that I remind myself of daily:
    Small daily improvements are the key to stunning long term results. (Roin Sharma)
  • FeraFilia
    FeraFilia Posts: 4,664 Member
    @becca_rup23 By overeat do you mean devour your exercise calories, or are you talking "don't have a full belly or you'll puke while you run"??

    I'm trying to take it a day at a time, but I'm very much an 'instant gratification' type person, and have very little patience when I'm trying to get something done. I *hate* waiting for results. I'm trying to curb that, though.
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
    FeraFilia wrote: »
    @becca_rup23 By overeat do you mean devour your exercise calories, or are you talking "don't have a full belly or you'll puke while you run"??

    I'm trying to take it a day at a time, but I'm very much an 'instant gratification' type person, and have very little patience when I'm trying to get something done. I *hate* waiting for results. I'm trying to curb that, though.

    It's good you're trying to work on this because weight loss is all about the long game & patience. With 100+ lbs to lose you're looking at 1.5 to 2 years minimum before you get to goal weight. Also learning a new skill like running takes time and lots of practice. I've been doing weight lifting for over a year and I'm still considered a "newbie". It's taken me over 3 months just to lose 10 pounds. You must have patience and put in the time and effort to earn the things you want. Try to enjoy the process so you don't get overwhelmed with how long it's going to take. The journey is just as valuable as the ultimate goal.
  • becca_rup23
    becca_rup23 Posts: 396 Member
    @FeraFilia I mean thinking "oh, I ran today i get to eat way more than normal!" its really easy to do lol then it's like you totally cancel out the workout
  • FeraFilia
    FeraFilia Posts: 4,664 Member
    @courtneyfabulous - I know it. I've had patience enough in the past to lose 50 pounds, then paid the price because I gave up and gained it back. Twice. I'd be almost at goal now if I hadn't given up because life got hard and weight loss wasn't going like I wanted it to for a couple weeks.

    In order to make it a little easier, I'm just focusing on the next 10 pounds. And according to my scale that starts today.
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