First time Jogger at 270 lbs

When it comes to motivation....cheat yourself....well, kind of...

I found that my running/jogging was way more enjoyable and I did more when I ran outdoors - and a clear factor in that is that you are 'forced' to cover a certain distance in order to get back to your start point. To begin with I would run to a local park and do laps there, increasing the distance over time, and then run home - it's about 1km between my house and the park. But then I started running along the riverbank which is far more interesting in terms of variety of scenery, but also has the challenge that once I start my run along the river I need to go at least as far as the next bridge if I am going to be able to cross it and get home. I now have a 10k route which crosses back at one bridge and a 15k route which takes the next bridge.

You may be surprised how quickly your cardiovascular system adapts to regular running - I came back to it in January after a gap of bingeing and found I was struggling to keep jogging for 5k and it was taking me around 45mins....I'm now doing 10k in close to 45mins.

I recently started doing Bikram yoga and would recommend it as a great way to keep your muscles supple and the aches away. My experience at the local studio has been that you are equally welcomed regardless of fitness level or size...everyone gets out of it what they put in and no-one is judging.

Good luck!

I kept this document that another MFPer posted. I take no credit for it but I wanted to keep it on hand for myself!

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PROGRAMME

Week 1: ONLY WALK

Week 2: Walk 4 minutes, jog/run 1 minute (W4;R1). In that order. Repeat for total duration of exercise. Stay with this pattern for at least 2 weeks, or as many weeks until is starts feeling easiER (not easy).

Next stage (maybe week 4, maybe later): walk 3 minutes, run 2 (W3;R2). This is the hardest jump to make, as you're effectively doubling your running time. Don't lose heart at this point. As above, do this stage for at least 2 weeks, but more than likely, more than 2 weeks.

Next stage: W2, R3 - now you're running more than walking, but by this point your body has been conditioned for running and your fitness will be much improved, so while daunting on paper, it's probably easier than W3, R2. As above, stay in this pattern for at least 2 weeks, probably more, until it feels noticeably easiER (not easy).

Penultimate stage: W1, R4 - you should be quite fit by this stage, at least relative to where you started. You need to do this, as with all stages, for at least 2 weeks, but likely much longer. You'll know you're ready to move on to just running when the 1 minute of walking is actually beginning to annoy you, and it feels more like a break in your rhythm than a relief. This will come at a different time for every person. It's a leap of faith, and only you'll know when it's time to ditch the walking entirely.

TIPS
- moving onto the next stage is not only about your fitness, but your body conditioning. While your lungs and heart may be ready to move on, your joints and muscles may not be, and moving on too soon increases your risk of injury;

- to help your joints and shins in the early stages (shin splints are almost guaranteed in the early stages), fill some polystyrene cups with water and freeze them. Once frozen, peel away the polystyrene and ice your joints, shins and muscles with them every day after your workout.

- breathe through your mouth and nose when running

- to minimise lower back problems, keep your core engaged while running / walking

- keep your shoulders down and your hands loose. Keep your head down looking in front of you about 10 - 15 metres
- vary your running route

- get out on the roads - a treadmill is great cardio, but it is not actually running. If you view someone on the treadmill in slow motion, the action is closer to jumping (i.e. jumping to keep from falling off) than true running.

- until you can comfortably run for an hour (comfortably means the ability to talk to someone while doing it), SPEED AND DISTANCE ARE IRRELEVANT. Do not worry about running faster or further. Focus on the time. If your run is a mere shuffle or slow jog, it doesn't matter, as long as you're able to do it for an hour. There is plenty of time later for worrying about speed.

- incorporate cross training to work other muscle groups (e.g. swimming) or strength training. Squats and lunges will do your hamstrings and quads a world of good and minimise the incidence of injury.

Good luck
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Thank you so much for this brilliant advice . Printed and in my gym bag