Can an Obese run?
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UmaMageswarymfp
Posts: 280 Member
Hiii, I’m a girl who weighs 110kg and I’m about 5’10 / 178cm . I’m considered obese but I’m quite active and I can move around cause since I’m tall it kinda balances out and doesn’t make me struggle so much when it comes to workout. My question is can I run with that weight . I heard from multiple coaches how running can be bad on my knees when I was around 130kg but does it still apply ? Can I try to run? I mean I do struggle when it comes to running but I wanna give it a try
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Replies
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sure you can...I personally couldn't and even now that I am normal weight, running for me is out of the question because it's too hard on my joints. I prefer biking or just fast pace walking.1
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I started running when I was obese, albeit on a treadmill, which is easier on the knees.
I would make sure to buy appropriate shoes (preferably get fitted in a specialized shop) and just pay attention to what your body says. If you don't feel pain in your joints from running, I don't see why you shouldn't give it a go
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Absolutely! I recommend the couch to 5 k program!1
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While I'm too old and broken in to run now, I still do a bit. Get good supportive running shoes or walk/run shoes. Start slow. Walk 5 minutes and jog or slog = slow jog for 1 minute. See how you feel and adjust the run / walk intervals to suit your capabilities.2
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When I used to run marathons and "halfs" a few years back, I had no PR per se but two goals:
* beat the ambulance trailing the race
* stay humble when all the diverse body types passed me by: shorter people, bigger people, and those darned redheads 😝
It's actually quite beautiful to see what the human body - at any size - can do.
So go for it if you want to. Every runner inspires someone, even if only themselves!6 -
I started running when I was obese. Ran my first half-marathon just under the obese BMI range and at the top of the overweight range. And there were plenty of runners there bigger than me.
My knees are fine.4 -
Look up Mirna Valerio, aka Fat Girl Running. She runs marathons and ultras, despite her size. There are a lot of large women on her FB group who are runners.
Running when you're heavy is more of a strain on your joints, so you need to build up slowly and pay attention to any pain you feel, but it is possible. Running on a TM or on trails has less impact, so you might try that as much as possible.2 -
I'll add as the possible warning alarm to some of the good advice I saw prior about shoes and training, ect.
Pay very close attention to the knees and other joints.
And back off immediately at first sign of pain or soreness that lasts through a normal recovery time.
I've known many that pushed through constantly because they saw other overweight doing fine - but joints and past body abuses are different between people. What some can do others may not.
And as they lost weight they discovered that their desire and now ability to run more was ruined with bad knees.
Now who knows, perhaps what they had was going to occur anyway, running merely brought it to the fore a tad earlier. But perhaps it could have been put off by.
Some people really do have joints that can handle a much bigger load, some don't. It's not like the tendons and joints and padding get appreciably bigger because rest of the body has. Muscles can, but ligaments and tendons not really the same.
Go slow and be careful if you haven't been active already with body ready to do it.4 -
https://www.runnersblueprint.com/the-overweight-beginners-guide-to-running/
Start small by walk/run and build up your endurance. You're already active so you can gauge what feet/knees/hips can manage.2 -
You can but depending how obese... I would try walking with a weighted vest first, and or hiking...
Running is difficult on your joints as it is1 -
Yes. Though you should practice good load management and run according to your ability.
Weight isn't the factor as much as adaptation to the task at hand.
Example. When I was 43 or so I decided to run out of the blue. Though I was a higher level athlete I never ran more than sprints for football in my 30s. Never more than a mile since my high school years.
I weighed about 109kg/240lbs at the time with a progressive joint disease that effected more notably my knees, hips, and feet relative to running. I was in pain 24/7 though with proper load management I was able to run well over a year every day in the range of 5-19 miles without a rest day with no issues. That was on top of weight training and playing catcher during baseball season.
Start of slow and following a program like C25K is a excellent way to begin.1 -
Do you currently walk much? I have seen on here that they recommend being able to walk 30-45 minutes (can’t remember the exact time mentioned) before starting C25K. I took it slow when I started, and even repeated some weeks. I was 25 lbs heavier when I started and it’s a noticeable difference now compared to then. I had to baby my ankles and knees when I started out - building up strength in time. I am very prone to shin splints and shoes can make or break it for me in a single run. Be sure to get fitted properly for running shoes. They seem pricey in that moment, but are worth it to keep your body healthy (and compared to so many other things we spend money one, in the grand scheme of things it’s not terrible).2
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Yes, excess weight can damage joints by running, jogging, or just walking.
Yes, a person can strengthen those joints so moving around isn't dangerous.
If Google is right, the quoted weight is about 300 lbs, so, consulting a doctor should be the first step.1 -
spiriteagle99 wrote: »Look up Mirna Valerio, aka Fat Girl Running. She runs marathons and ultras, despite her size. There are a lot of large women on her FB group who are runners.
Aka "The Mirnavator" on Instagram! I love her! I also follow "Tissyb1991", and she keeps it real. She runs HM, swims, just did a duathalon & is training now for a marathon. She shares her successes and failures. There is also "300poundsandrunning".
If you want to run, then run. Like others have said, start sow and steady, and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get fit for a GOOD pair of shoes. (This I know from personal experience.) Also, listen to your body. But the most important advice? Keep it fun!1 -
moonangel12 wrote: »Do you currently walk much? I have seen on here that they recommend being able to walk 30-45 minutes (can’t remember the exact time mentioned) before starting C25K. I took it slow when I started, and even repeated some weeks. I was 25 lbs heavier when I started and it’s a noticeable difference now compared to then. I had to baby my ankles and knees when I started out - building up strength in time. I am very prone to shin splints and shoes can make or break it for me in a single run. Be sure to get fitted properly for running shoes. They seem pricey in that moment, but are worth it to keep your body healthy (and compared to so many other things we spend money one, in the grand scheme of things it’s not terrible).
I can hit the 10k steps most of the days , so yeah I can walk much but I can’t go more than 5mins jogging non stop. It’s been awhile since I tried to jog tbh1 -
So if I can’t jog properly should I even attempt to run, I probably can’t even run for 1 min. Idek why but I feel like running. Not even jogging but straight run and go crazy 😂 am I losing my mind.. maybe1
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C25K will start you at a slow easy pace, 30 seconds at a time, with recovery in between... and even that was extremely difficult for me at first!UmaMageswarymfp wrote: »So if I can’t jog properly should I even attempt to run, I probably can’t even run for 1 min. Idek why but I feel like running. Not even jogging but straight run and go crazy 😂 am I losing my mind.. maybe
It took time, and some set backs along the way (a couple surgeries, one with a 12 week recovery), but I am to the point where I can run 40-45 minutes non stop with little issue (I can go longer, but have found my knees aren’t ready for the distance yet so I am slowly building up).
ETA: I also realized early on that my stride was terrible with a very jarring heel strike - a local running store did a gait analysis and gave me some tips (I also attended a free evening get together for further instruction)... it wasn’t easy, or fast, but it was a game changer for me and kept me running pain free!0 -
It shouldn't be your only exercise, though.1
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moonangel12 wrote: »
C25K will start you at a slow easy pace, 30 seconds at a time, with recovery in between... and even that was extremely difficult for me at first!UmaMageswarymfp wrote: »So if I can’t jog properly should I even attempt to run, I probably can’t even run for 1 min. Idek why but I feel like running. Not even jogging but straight run and go crazy 😂 am I losing my mind.. maybe
It took time, and some set backs along the way (a couple surgeries, one with a 12 week recovery), but I am to the point where I can run 40-45 minutes non stop with little issue (I can go longer, but have found my knees aren’t ready for the distance yet so I am slowly building up).
ETA: I also realized early on that my stride was terrible with a very jarring heel strike - a local running store did a gait analysis and gave me some tips (I also attended a free evening get together for further instruction)... it wasn’t easy, or fast, but it was a game changer for me and kept me running pain free!
Is CK sumn a program ?0 -
MostlyWater wrote: »It shouldn't be your only exercise, though.
Ofc not haha, I have a trainer for like strength training but I wanna do something additional0
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