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Morbidly obese - I want to walk up these steps...

337 replies

5foot418stone · 07/03/2021 21:29

This is a really long post, sorry, but I'd appreciate any advice/encouragement!

TL;DR: I want to walk up some steps without dying. How long to accomplish this?

4 years ago I was almost done with an 8 stone weightloss. Then stuff happened and I've gained it all back over the past 2-3yrs.

Rather than hating myself and resigning myself to living like this forever, slowly eating myself to death, I'm starting to try again. I've put my fitbit back on, got my streak going on MFP, etc. I know how to lose weight but I do struggle with motivation.

So I've set myself a goal.

There are some steps near to where I live and I want to walk up them without stopping and then dying at the top. They are utterly horrible, torturous steps and I want to conquer them. Currently I plod up them slowly and I have to stop 2-3 times. It's really quite embarrassing.

I won't be able to walk them everyday, maybe 3 times a week. I don't want to push myself too hard to start with because it's a surefire way to make me give up. Do you think I'd be able to accomplish this goal in 8 weeks? Or is that too lax?

It's these steps in Saltburn if anyone knows the area!

Morbidly obese - I want to walk up these steps...
OP posts:
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Zarinea · 07/03/2021 21:33

What an amazing challenge! Good luck!

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Kitkat151 · 07/03/2021 21:35

Amazing...I hope you do it....am rooting for you

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SparklingLime · 07/03/2021 21:36

If you can get up them now with breaks then I’d say you’ll be able to storm up them in 8 weeks (or less).

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RandomMess · 07/03/2021 21:37

Wow Saltburn Steps, not been there since I was a child.

Definitely a good goal!

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longhaulstress · 07/03/2021 21:39

Oh I climbed these last year and you're right they are absolutely tortuous!
The fact you can do them with 2/3 breaks is great. Even if you just aim to shorten the length of the breaks to get your breath back by a few seconds per time. I think 8 weeks is a good target. Best of luck!

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dementedma · 07/03/2021 21:39

Yes. You CAN do this. Go for it

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Atreus · 07/03/2021 21:39

I 100% know without any doubt you will get to the top of those steps without stopping in 8 weeks (even though they do look like total bastards)

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LifeInAHamsterWheel · 07/03/2021 21:40

Fair play to you! I think having a concrete goal like that is brilliant for motivation. You're not just saying "I want to get fit" or "I want to lose weight" this is something far more tangible I think. In 8 weeks you can definitely do it! Try the 3 times a week that you can get there, I'd say each time just try to go one more step before stopping. And the days in between, practice on your own stairs at home?

Best of luck and please update this thread if you can. I'm imagining you like Rocky in 8 weeks time!!

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PragmaticWench · 07/03/2021 21:41

You could absolutely walk up them now, just very slowly. Even if you did one step every ten seconds, wouldn't you feel privileged to be able to do that, when so many people physically can't walk? Be proud of what you can achieve, even if you need breaks, and keep going, you can do it.

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coronafiona · 07/03/2021 21:42

I'm rooting for you! Go for it xx

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fitzbilly · 07/03/2021 21:43

Very inspiring op!

I definitely think you could accomplish them in eight weeks of you do them three times a week! Go for it

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Alternista · 07/03/2021 21:43

I think you’re going to smash it Grin

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DinosaurDiana · 07/03/2021 21:44

Good for you ! It’s good to have a goal.

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Atreus · 07/03/2021 21:44

...and please keep us updated with how you're doing!

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SwedishEdith · 07/03/2021 21:46

I just looked and found this on TripAdvisor

"And without it, it's a long walk (183 or 177 steps, your choice of two paths) up to the town - pretty arduous for everyone, never mind elderly people."

For comparison, i looked up Covent Garden tube and that has 193 steps. I was knackered walking up them. I don't think stopping 2 or 3 times is that bad.

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TierFourTears · 07/03/2021 21:46

I think most people get to the top of those puffing a bit!

If I remember correctly, the steps at the other end of the seafront have some flat paths between the steps. Could you try and get up those one day a week, using the flat bit as a chance to recover a bit, so you keep going, but it's not solid steps.

Otherwise, just a bit further each time you go up them before you rest - and maybe a bit further once you've got to the top, so your overall distance travelled each time increases. The further you can go on tgd flat, the easier the steps will be.

It's a great challenge. Good luck.

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PinkBuffalo · 07/03/2021 21:46

@SparklingLime

If you can get up them now with breaks then I’d say you’ll be able to storm up them in 8 weeks (or less).

This! Well done op you can do this!
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jendifer · 07/03/2021 21:47

Totally! I would say the same as someone else- walk them a few times a week very very slowly. Or maybe walk the first 20 (or similar) and turn around and walk down. Then the next time I walk 25?

I would also recommend support for your relationship with food too, unless the weight re-gain is due to meds obv.

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RightOnTheEdge · 07/03/2021 21:49

I love Saltburn! The last time I went was along time ago before Covid and we went on the train.
The walk from the beach to the train station nearly killed me. So I can imagine how you feel!

You can definitely do this OP. Its a great challenge! Just try to go a little bit further every time. Good luck!

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Thisgirlcando · 07/03/2021 21:49

Start counting steps at the bottom and keep a note of how many you do before a rest. Do the same amount of steps 3 times in a week. The next week aim to add 5 more steps - so say you normally rest every 20 aim for 25. The week after that aim for 32, then 40.....45....60 and so on! Each time it won’t seem like that much more but all of a sudden you will find you’ve doubled what you could do!

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Greenandcabbagelooking · 07/03/2021 21:52

Could you walk up 50 and go back down for a few visits? Then 100, then 150 etc. It'll mean you accomplish climbing with no break, plus help you get fit to climb them all.

Good luck OP. I want to see a photo of you triumphantly stood at the top in 8 weeks!

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MrsTerryPratchett · 07/03/2021 21:54

Currently I plod up them slowly and I have to stop 2-3 times. It's really quite embarrassing.

I find plodding worse than quick bursts of running. A bit like how slow sit ups are worse than quick ones!

Covent Garden tube.

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HeadNorth · 07/03/2021 21:56

Good for you OP - it will be like the Rocky movie when you walk up those steps in a oner. It looks like a great goal.

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5foot418stone · 07/03/2021 21:57

Wow, thank you so much everyone! I really appreciate all of your comments and advice and encouragement!

4 years ago I used to zip up them with no problem on my way to work and I would love to be able to do that again eventually (as the weight comes off).

Once I've dropped my kids off at school tomorrow I'm going to do my first round. I'll time myself and then I can keep track that way too.

So if anyone local sees a short fat woman, beetroot red in the face and huffing and puffing up those steps please wait until you've passed me to laugh!

OP posts:
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WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 07/03/2021 21:57

They don't look that bad in your photo. But the Saltburn steps up from the beach are brutal!!

I used to be able to run up them, but just looking at the Google images (as they don't look much in your photo) has my knees crying!

Knees & hips are now very painful, unwilling and uncooperative. So I say DO IT WHILE YOU CAN!!

you sound quite young, make the most of it! If you do them 3x PE gir 8 weeks, you'll be running up them at the end of it.

Keep us posted!

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