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 🐖

I'm 15st 3 and started the virtual lands end to john o groats challenge in January. 1 yr to walk 874 miles. I hit my 300 today. I've gone from walking five minutes to the shop for chocolate to today. It's got easier. Increase by a little bit each day. Find where you're comfortable ( 3 and a bit miles for me) and do it everyday so it becomes a thing.
I've done 6 miles each the last two days, could have done more and loving it

I'm desperate for the swimming pools to open again - I used to go to the odd aquafit classes which was great fun and really low impact but amazing for strengthening tummy muscles and keeping my paunch in check. I would recommend them to everyone! Can't wait to get back to that, once or twice a week if I can. I am inspired!

Great! Keep going!!!

I was going to recommend walk at home with lesley as well. Loads on youtube. Well done OP

Podcasts are a great idea too - I like to listen to Neil Oliver’s podcast when I’m running. I get so enthralled that I forget what I’m doing. Or Louis Theroux, although I’m running out of episodes of that one.

Well done.

Not overweight but serious heart condition/heart failure here.

Two years ago I couldn’t walk from my kitchen to my lounge without getting out of breath because of my condition. Some intervention later and a course of cardiac rehab and my stamina began to return which took some doing after 4 years of inactivity. And then lockdown hit and I’ve had to shield. Added to which I am visually impaired so social distancing is a significant difficulty when out and about, so I’ve been at home, literally, for the past year.

I was afraid I would lose any ground I had built so I started walking around the house, when on the phone, listening to podcasts, just looking at my phone. Everyone told me I was mad, how boring it must be to just walk around the house and how they could never do it.

My DP bought me an Apple Watch for Christmas and I’ve been using that to chart my activity, count steps, do indoor walks and core training workouts with my exercise hoop.

I am now averaging approx 9300 steps a day.

Three weeks ago I was seen at the transplant clinic where the cardiologist was so impressed by the effort I have put in he made a note of it on the letter he sent to my own cardiologist back here. Last week I had an ICD check and I am only pacing at 1% meaning my heart is beating on its own.

I am of course on medication and there will come a point when things may change, and I do struggle with more vigorous workouts, but I have been left in no doubt by the professionals that it is the effort I have put in myself which has contributed to the fact I am still doing wel while I have the chance.

And I compete with my mum and DP on the Apple Watch and waste no time in tellling them when I (almost always) win that they are losing to someone in heart failure . All lighthearted of course. :)

Fantastic well done

Well done. Every day add one more minute and you will see improvement in your health immediately. Build into your daily routine and enjoy the bird song and spring sunshine while you're out!

Well done that’s amazing, like everyone has said you will be surprised how quickly you get fit. We moved house from the bottom of the hill to the top, when we first moved I couldn’t get up the hill without lots of stopping. I can now March up the hill with a baby strapped to me, and shopping on my back.

@AlternativePerspective That's just amazing!

Well done OP you have got to start somewhere, keep going!

And and and, you’ve just given me a foot up the arse to do the same. 💐

@AlternativePerspective Wow! I’m so proud of you too!!!

In a year's time you'll be so glad you started today. Congrats! Post again tomorrow

a couple of years ago I did couch to 5 km.
Honestly I couldn't run for more than 10 seconds at the start.

When I finished I then did ParkRun on a Saturday morning.
I came in one of the last, but ran every single step and as I came in one of the organisers said, brilliant, don't worry about time, you have just run 5km further than everyone who stayed in bed this morning!

I love that.

So, you have just walked 0.5miles further than all the people who put it off til tomorrw, and 0.5 miles further than you did yesterday.

First few days are the hardest. Just make it a no option. I HAVE to go for the walk. After first few days, you will feel and see the difference.

Great start OP.
Extend the distances and if possible walk in a changeable environment to admire nature.
Make it a routine.

It does get better and when I see positive changes, it's a great incentive.

Through limiting food portions I lost 15kg last year and increased walking, my recent walking record is 26 miles (basically a marathon distance) in just under 10 hours.

Keep walking

Well done OP! You can always do some steps in the house, to music or in front of the TV. This let's you do a few hundred at a time, throughout the day and you can build up gradually.

Well done! Dont think about what you can't do, think about what you have achieved. I was 15st 5 in October last year and have lost 2 stone since but I am also exercising a lot more. The hardest thing is starting anything honestly. You did a walk so you win.

One tip I have is listen to a podcast or music, something to distract your head from negative thoughts of how you can't do it. I am enjoying the Joe Marler podcast at the moment as it makes me laugh. I also love my fitbit and checking stats but I am a geek.

Alternative perspective - amazing. That's some great motivation there.

StrudelSoup I found Lesley Sansome on YouTube last year and used her videos to help me build strength when recovering from Covid. I went from someone that was a hardcore hillwalker, most I have ever walked in a day was 21 miles to someone that couldn’t even walk round the block. She is very upbeat And helped me at a very dark time of my life. I am now recovered enough to manage an hours walk no problem and have managed two hours a few times.

Well done op, I would recommend some gentle stretching as well as well as some decent footwear, maybe some memory foam inner soles.

Well that’s brilliant to read, it’s a great start 🏅
Every journey starts with one step.
Exercise has so many benefits, I have to remind myself of this often as I’m one to dodge it if the weather looks “like it might rain”, you know, when there’s one cloud in a sky of blue
Keep going OP, you’re doing it for the right reasons, your physical health will thank you for it in years to come if you can stick to getting out and about. It’s great to push yourself a little.

I’ve found this thread to be really inspiring.

Thank you for your honesty @LudoBear. It’s not easy to admit to people how unfit you are. There’s so much ‘fat shaming’ about nowadays it makes you feel really vulnerable to admit such things. Everyone’s positive responses have blown me away too 😭.

I’ve ordered myself some comfy trainers and I’ve taken myself out for a walk today and managed 3.5km. I was exhausted by the end of it but it felt good.

How are you doing today?

Fantastic, well done! I’ve started walking more and it’s amazing how much fitter you get in quite a short time.

That was me 6 weeks ago.o had to keep stopping
Now I'm doing my 10,000 steps without stopping.
Do it slowly you don't want to give yourself a excuse to stop.
Keep going you're doing brill.

You’ve lapped everyone sitting in the sofa though!! Keep going - it gets easier if you do it regularly I promise!