I have just walked 0.5 miles and I'm about to collapse

[LudoBear]

I weigh 16 stone. Do zero exercise. I am desperate to lose weight. I have just made myself go for a 10 minute walk. I walked 0.5 miles. I am breathing like an asthmatic heavy smoking whale, my back hips bum and feet are hurting and I'm sweating like a pig 🐖

Thank you everyone! I watched Obesity: The Postmortem earlier and it scared me. I'm "only" 33 but make 63 if I don't do something about my weight etc.

Do it - if you can just be consistent for a few weeks you can make it a habit and it will be hard not to do your walk. Well done on getting started.

You’ve made a really good start there OP! Keep on going, day by day, and it’ll soon feel easier.

I always find that listening to music makes exercise more bearable, get yourself some good comfortable trainers too. Asics, as already mentioned, are excellent.

That is brilliant!
Persistence, building up slowly, and you will learn to love it and enjoy the benefits for your mind and your body.

Excellent work, OP!

Second the ASICS gel trainers suggestion, and may I suggest a Fitbit?

Mine honestly changed my life. Turned the whole thing into a game and I’ve gone from barely cracking 3000 steps to running 15-20k a week.

Well done OP. I know it’s hard when you see others going further but the important thing is that you have started. . Try every day a little (but if you miss the odd day don’t let that stop you carrying on.)

Keep going! Go slower if you need to. Just keep going. Well done!

I think you are amazing! Seriously anyone who takes that first step towards a healthier future is incredible.
It would be so easy to just slide into doing nothing at all and eating everything you want, to actually take that first step is bloody brilliant!
And half a mile is nothing to sneeze at either! Just do the same for three days, then add a tiny bit on. You will be amazed how much easier it gets😁

Fantastic start, don't let it out you off!

Well done Op, go again tomorrow, it will get easier.

Well done OP. I recommend "Walk at Home" by Lesley Sansone (there's a paid programme you can do, but also masses of them are free on YouTube), which I started doing during the first lockdown. There are walks of all lengths and many combine HIIT and resistance training. But it's all low impact and safe. I'm in a rainy part of Scotland so during the Winter it was brilliant when I couldn't face going out or childcare meant I couldn't. I like that I can get up and shove a sports bra on and basically do a walk in my pyjamas before anyone gets up. I def agree with others about getting some decent trainers (I didn't to begin with - so don't do what I did!).

Well done! It is difficult at first. I was almost 18 stone at my heaviest and I remember how knackering any exercise was for the first few months. I used to be out of breath walking up the stairs though so walking any real distance always took it out of me. It does get easier, just stick with it.

Well done!

Second the recommendation for Fitbit or similar. You need to work out what motivates you, I know for me it’s achieving a tick on my app that I’ve reached step target

And start small, maybe 2000 steps a day, then next week 2,200 and so on. But commit to doing it every day, come what may, even if it means marching in front of the tv during the ad breaks.

You can do this!

Well done! Keep it up, it really does get easier and it will give you a great sense of achievement too.

Well done, that's a great start. Keep doing it every day. It does get easier.

Keep going OP! WELL DONE.

Amazing, you go girl!

You did well.
Susan Powter became a fitness guru in the 90's and she was very overweight, she started by walking down her street and back as she couldn't go any further. Each day trying to go a little more.
So all is possible.

Brilliant. Do you think you can manage the same every day this week? It will make such a difference if you can

You've made it through day one & that's always the hardest.

Also 10 minutes for half a mile is a great time for a first walk - I did 5 miles today with an average time of 10.5 minutes a half mile & I walk a lot

13 years ago I was 34 and weighed about 17.5 stone and walking half a mile had a similar impact... I now weigh 12 stone (and still aiming to lose the last stone that will make me a healthy BMI) and can walk 20miles+ at a rate of 4mph even when hills are involved. I started to exercise and trying to lose some weight because I was conscious of the health implications if I headed into my 40s as overweight and unfit as I was.

As I head towards 50 that seems even more important! I still make loads of bad choices (like eating my feelings) but I also make lots of good ones. You just need to keep trying to make at least some good decisions every week

One of the things that has helped me is the realisation of how much exercise and a healthy(ish) diet helps my mental health - there's a much more immediate correlation which then helps guide me back on track if I lose it completely.

Excellent! As everyone else has said, little and often and keep going and you’ll find your stamina improving 👍

Well done.

In November I decided to walk more - I am of an age where friends are starting to die too young, and I don't particularly want to join them. High BP, bit depressed, 6 stones overweight.

I aimed for 10k steps a day, and it took ages to get my head round "aching joints is not a problem" - it really put me off.

I got myself a spotify playlist of Songs I Like To Listen To. Totally changed everything, I really enjoyed the music and looked forward to my hour of moving.

I just finished C25K. I can't believe it.

My joints don't ache, I sleep better, my mood is transformed and I am changing shape. I don't weigh myself and I don't have goals to run an ultra marathon - but, if I can do an hour's run every other day I'll not die.

Would recommend.

Well done, OP. Go again tomorrow for sure.