I'm embarrassed to run...

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  • JoeCWV
    JoeCWV Posts: 213 Member
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    The only people who would ever laugh at an obese runner are those who wolf down pizza and beer while sitting on the couch. No real runner, or person who works out on a regular basis, will ever laugh/make fun of another individual who is out there working out. When I started running I still needed to lose about 50 pounds and could only run a short distance. I didn't give a rat's behind what anyone thought. I was only in competition with myself. As a trim fit runner I am still only in competition with myself. Get out there and do it you will thank yourself.
  • Docbanana2002
    Docbanana2002 Posts: 357 Member
    edited December 2016
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    Runners are a pretty supportive group who are all about reaching our personal best and promoting the sport, not too worried about what you weigh or what pace you are running. If I see a fellow runner on the street or trail, I just see a fellow traveler who shares a hobby with me. We are all growing in a positive direction at different paces, with different goals, different starting points, etc. It is okay to be where you are right now! The important thing is to be striving for a healthy life. Sounds like you are on that journey so why would I feel anything but admiration if I see you out there?

    As for non runners, many will admire what you do and wish they would get off the couch and do the same. They will be thinking about themselves and how they should exercise more.

    Others aren't into running but have their own sport that they pursue like cycling or hiking or weight training or whatever... they recognize you as a fellow member of the larger fitness/sport community.

    And then there are busy people who don't give a hoot and barely notice you. You won't have much problem from them unless you want to be on the street while they are driving. Watch out, they are clueless and will be oblivious and mow you down!!

    And the losers who don't have much going for them in terms of fitness or character, they just want to tear others down. They are a small percentage. I rarely encounter one, and when I do I really don't value their opinion of me...
  • madperson42
    madperson42 Posts: 9 Member
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    I felt very self conscious when I started running, but I found having a really good music playlist, or something interesting too listen to helped me distract myself from any anxiety. I Also found 2 different scenarios help:
    1. Do a route where you are unlikely to see many people.
    2. The opposite, find somewhere lots of runners go. Thats way you'll just be another runner, and no one will care.
    As usual, it's also helpful to remember that most people are wrapped up in their own lives and won't notice you. Hope it goes well.
  • drawaimfire
    drawaimfire Posts: 83 Member
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    Hi,

    There will be some who laugh, some who taunt and some who admire. You have zero control over it.

    There's a freedom in knowing things are not in your control, embrace it.

    I've had change thrown at me, while they yelled 'give up and buy a burger!' I was about 20 pounds overweight when it happened, I kept jogging until they were out of sight and then silently cried my whole walk home. Did I ever run again? No. Did I find something else to do that was less public? Yes. Archery and hiking became my salvation.

    I have always wished I hadn't let that change me.

    Good Luck, and enjoy your journey, you can do anything you put your mind to!
  • juliet3455
    juliet3455 Posts: 3,015 Member
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    @madxwolf One of the Best Endorsements for the C25K concept ( or Zombie ) as posted by a fellow MFP in another forum.
    Briantime wrote: »
    1. You get to surprise yourself every week!
    2. Many other people have taken the exact same journey and you can look to their experiences for motivation and advice.
    3. It's a simple, goal oriented program with many ways to follow it from apps to podcasts.
    4. Outside of getting some good, properly fit shoes all you have to do is go and do it. No gyms to join and no others required.
    5. When you finish, you will be a runner!

    I finished C25K about three weeks ago and have continued running and building since. I am running 5Ks 3 times a week now and getting faster and fitter with the goal of signing up for a Disney 10K (Maybe half marathon) in 2017. Ok, so maybe the Disney goal is because my family loves Disney and it's an excuse for a trip, but hey!

    I have never been a runner. I was the kid in gym class in high school who was last in the 12 minute run...every time. I started my weight loss journey 115 days ago with MFP and started walking as my main form of exercise. After losing about 30 pounds, I wanted to kick it up a notch and decided to try C25K. EVERY week I thought I could go no further. That despite every post I could find online saying that anyone can do it, maybe I was the exception. Seeing that next jump in time spent running as the program progressed literally caused me to lose sleep the night before but every week I tried and every week I succeeded. I'm now down 45 pounds as of this morning and wanted to share with anyone on the fence or in the process that C25K can be life changing.

    Stick with the program. Slow down. Believe in the process and enjoy the results!
  • bcchast
    bcchast Posts: 26 Member
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    madxwolf wrote: »
    I'm 265lbs but I've always dreamed about being a runner. I need to get my weight significantly down for a surgery I'm having in about a year. I know running will be a huge help to weight loss but... I'm embarrassed to run while being over weight. I feel like people will laugh at me on the street for being "that fat guy running". Does anyone have advice on how I can get over my anxiety?

    I was significantly over weight when I started running, I couldn't make it a half mile without stopping to walk. I was in pain, I was the fat guy. I wore baggy clothes so you couldn't see my stomach bouncing. I even wore a hoodie for the longest time. BUT!!!! I put my headphones in, stretched really well before and after to help with the pain, kept my eyes focused ahead of me and went in head first. I ran in a private neighborhood so not much traffic, decided that I was my worst enemy and I kept at it. Very quickly I started dropping weight, after a couple months the pain got significantly less and I ran farther and faster. I slowly stopped wearing my hoodies and baggy shirts. I ran the bottoms off of my running shoes in 2 months, I never looked back. I ran in the rain, I ran in the cold. It has changed my life forever. I don't know where you live, but maybe try a small road with less traffic or a high school track after hours. I love running the tracks because they're almost all padded. People will laugh at you, people will shake their heads and you may even get pointed at (all of which happened to me) but when you show up a year from now for your surgery, they will congratulate you and ask to run with you and say how did you do it. You must face your own fear first, the first week is the hardest. Get a good pair of shoes, preferably from a running store or somewhere they can watch your form, a lot of my early pains were a mix of bad shoes and lack of proper stretching, I will tell you that expensive shoes doesn't necessarily mean good shoes. Good luck
  • johnnylloyd0618
    johnnylloyd0618 Posts: 303 Member
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    lets make this real real simple. What is more embarrassing, being overweight and running or being overweight and not running and knowing YOU could have done something about it? One foot in front of the other, that is all it takes. Good luck and run on brother. I think you will find the only one making fun of you are the ones who also should be running and are not. Other runners will comment you and always help you!
  • RespectTheKitty
    RespectTheKitty Posts: 1,667 Member
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    Whenever I see an overweight person running, I think to myself, "GOOD FOR THEM!"

    I started running when I was about 230 pounds (I'm 5'6"). I, too, was embarrassed to run outside for fear of looking like a fool, so I started by running on a treadmill at the gym. At least there, people knew I was trying to better myself and they were too focused on their own workouts to care about what I was doing. After I lost about 30 more pounds, I started taking it outside. By then, I had developed such a love for running that I didn't care what people thought anymore, I just wanted to RUN!

    My guess is, once you start running and really get into it, you'll stop giving a *kitten* about what other people think. Running is awesome.
  • RespectTheKitty
    RespectTheKitty Posts: 1,667 Member
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    epr3996 wrote: »

    I started running at age 56 and I was over 200lbs What I used was the C25K app I went early in the morning because I didn't want anyone to see me. then I noticed that no one really cared if I was running. I did my first 5k after 7 months the C25K app really works!

    I second the C25k app. That's what I used to get into running as well. I started it back in April, and by the end of May/beginning of June I was able to run 5k. Fast forward to now and I'm running 10k regularly. It really does work.
  • orange_hoodie
    orange_hoodie Posts: 65 Member
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    madxwolf wrote: »
    I'm 265lbs but I've always dreamed about being a runner. I need to get my weight significantly down for a surgery I'm having in about a year. I know running will be a huge help to weight loss but... I'm embarrassed to run while being over weight. I feel like people will laugh at me on the street for being "that fat guy running". Does anyone have advice on how I can get over my anxiety?

    Thank you for posting this question and starting this thread. I've really enjoyed reading about other people's experiences and learning from their advice.

    I don't have specific advice regarding the anxiety, other than in my experience it doesn't disappear over night. The anxiety decreases as the confidence becomes stronger.

    As someone who started running around the neighborhood in jeans over 70lbs ago (I didn't have any athletic gear), these are my big tips:
    1. If you are going to run at night, walk the route, preferably during the day, first. Look for cracks and changes in terrain that could literally trip you up.
    2. If you are going to run at night, always wear something reflective or something like bike lights. Seriously, safety first. No matter what time you run, be aware of your environment (in my experience I can get a little caught up in my head while I exercise).
    3. The importance of good shoes is real! Other people on this thread have offered great advice about getting good shoes. Don't let them wear out before getting new ones. You are worth the investment!
    4. Enjoy! Celebrate your victories!

    You might enjoy this article, I found it helpful/inspiring: http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/03/24/after-losing-180-pounds-san-jose-brewer-jake-mccluskey-is-ready-for-a-100-mile-run/
  • Ruffianxx
    Ruffianxx Posts: 10 Member
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    Easier said then done of course, but I wouldn't even worry about it. Whenever I see someone running (regardless of weight) I salute them. I am always happy to someone putting effort and passion into the sport I love so dearly. I think you'll find that the running community is very welcoming and that runners come in all shapes and sizes.
  • Thehardmakesitworthit
    Thehardmakesitworthit Posts: 838 Member
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    I can 1000 percent relate. I HAD the double doom when I started running: I was old and fat. LOL. Soooo many great responses here that all ring true but I would add..... run to your heart's content. GAH! The first time I ran in the daylight I was so sure people were watching me run that it actually made me focus more on my form and I would run farther before stopping to make sure that the cars that were around when I started, were gone out of sight. RIDICULOUS but oddly effective! Forward 6 months and I run like a mad woman and when I am at stop light I act ridiculous....good song on my headset? I give em good show with some booty rockin. LOL. Have fun! OMG! you might just make someones day by showing your hoodspa!!!!!! (if thats a word).
  • Yourkindagirl
    Yourkindagirl Posts: 100 Member
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    Think about what you want to be. I was that fat girl running. Now, I'm the skinny girl running. I have finally gotten to a place where someone calls me skinny. Besides, you don't know "those" people anyway. Who cares what a bunch of people you don't know think?
  • Sassia
    Sassia Posts: 460 Member
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    Pick a time when it's pretty quiet, 6am is good and just get out there and do it. I have an awful run so always feel self conscious. i plug myself into the zombies run app and go from being the slowest runner ever (seriously, old people can out walk me...) to shrieking my head off and running like a Thunderbirds puppet with cut strings when a pack of zombies chases me. If people are going to laugh at me i should at least give them something proper to laugh at!
  • Madux1818
    Madux1818 Posts: 307 Member
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    We all have to start somewhere. Put on your hat,,headphones, soon you'll be lost in music you won't care who's looking at you. Running community is awesome.
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
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    Not sure if the OP is still around, but I thought I'd pop in to say I love that this thread is still going. The amount of love and support from the MFP community in this thread is really great! Carry on... :)
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
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    I am super impressed and motivated when I see someone who is overweight or obese doing tings to improve their health.
  • sbellina
    sbellina Posts: 1 Member
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    When I feel insecure about running (or any other exercise) I like to wear a sweatshirt with a hoodie to disconnect with the outside world. However, whatever you think others are thinking about you is 1000 times worse than what they really think (if they even do so at all). But you're really referring to the voice inside your head, not the voice of others. I call it "internal dialogue", you know that constant conversation we all have with ourselves. Consider that the voice is just "conversation"... it's not "truth". We can tell it to "shut up" when it keeps us from winning the game of life — which, in this case, is to get into shape and lose the weight. So my advice to you is to recognize when your inner voice is taking over and keeping you on the sidelines, then do the opposite. You'll find that true transformation begins in the awareness.
  • Ryokat
    Ryokat Posts: 168 Member
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    I was embarrassed about running in public too and so instead ran at home on my treadmill. However, that can get boring, so I run outside when it's dark (which is most of the time anyway).

    I haven't been made fun of yet...I'm not overweight but I had a stroke in May so I have a gimpy gait and you can hear me clomping from a half block away, lol.

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