To ask for your get fit ‘journey’

[MonnieMoo]

First of all, sorry for the use of ‘journey’ I couldn’t think how else to word it.

So I’ve been feeling really rubbish about myself for a while. Im a stay at home mum of 4, 3 older kids and a tot. I do work but that’s from home too. I am really short but am also overweight by about 3 stone and suffer with depression and anxiety. I feel like a big useless slob and a burden to my OH. I know that really I’m not but I just feel a bit shit. Clothes look crappy on me and I always look such a state.

Anyway I’ve decided to try and combat things step by step to help make me feel better. I started off by cutting out booze a little while ago. I’m eating healthier and have been for a few weeks and now am trying to incorporate exercise. I’ve downloaded a couch to 5k app thinking it would be easier to exercise in bite size chunks but I’ve just done my first walk/jog thing and even though I managed it I’ve ended up feeling worse than I did before.

About halfway through I felt like I couldn’t keep going to the point where I actually felt like I’d wee myself if I carried on. There was a guy walking his dog and I felt so embarrassed huffing and puffing past with my face bright red that I just uturned and went back the way I came and then felt really stupid about it. Then I just came home and cried. I’ve got to do what I did today twice again in the next week and then next week the running sections are even longer. I feel defeated before I’ve even got going and I feel really stupid and conspicuous out there. Has anyone managed to do a couch to 5k or similar? I just want to know if it gets easier?

Well done OP, try again with walking as fast as you can during the running bits if needed.
I found the food doctor worked for me. I don't always like the recipes, so did amend some, but the nutritional science worked for my understanding and as annoying as it is, eating well really had a huge impact on my mental health and am losing steadily but feeling pretty happy about it. Am also doing TRX using YouTube and have bought a cheap Fitbit to get my step count up. I had been ignoring my weight creeping up but had my fat levels checked which scared the hell out me. I downloaded zombie run c25k as well as having zombies after me makes me run in a way that other ones didn't.

Well done OP! Are there any groups running C25k near you? Sportspound run several near me and it helps to have others on a similar journey.
There's also 'couch to a mile' if you feel you need to take it more slowly.
I've done it a couple of times, discovered Parkrun and a local running club and made some lovely friends. I am still 'slower than an asthmatic ant carrying heavy shopping' but I can run 10k without stopping. Every time I do a new event I worry it will be full of fast runners and they will laugh but it never happens, there are always plenty of plodders and everyone is very supportive. I think what I've discovered is I always feel awful for the first 10 minutes, my joints and muscles complain and it would be easy to give up, but if you keep plodding they suddenly go 'oh ok then' and then you can just keep going.

You've done the hard bit by getting out there in the first place, don't be so down on yourself!

This time last year I was 4 stone overweight (though had had my 2nd a few months before by section) I was so uncomfortable and unhappy in how I felt. Started eating better, drinking much less alcohol amd once my stomach muscles had come back together I started light exercise. January this year I started c25k, I had tried it once before but that first run really put me off so I gave up. I stuck with it this time and by the beginning of April I'd run for 42 minutes (5k) without stopping. I also do joe wicks hiit workouts on youtube 2 or 3 times a week to build up my strength and stamina (they're only 15 minutes so it feels like it's done quickly)

It is hard, you do have to push yourself, but it took a long time to put the weight on you need to give yourself ample time to shift it again. I'm now 2 stone down but this weekend I bought a dress 3 sizes smaller than I'd been buying last year, the inches are starting to go more than the lbs.

I never used to pay much attention to people jogging past me, but now I know the work that goes into it whenever I see people out I just think "go you, good for you!"

Focus on feeling strong, on being healthier and happier in your own skin (rebelfit on Facebook is a good one to help you appreciate your body). And most of all, don't compare your beginning with someone else's middle, this is your life you need to take ownership and do what makes you happy.

If I see someone clearly unfit or a bit overweight exercising I mentally cheer them on. Do not feel embarrassed, I bet you have a silent cheer squad 👏👏

@monniemoo As requested here's how I did. I ONLY BLOODY DID IT!. 20 mins slow running! Bring on week 6

@Doodlekitty that’s bloody brilliant, well done you! Your success today and the stories of all the posters in here will be spurring me on when I do run 2 tomorrow! I’m so glad I took the plunge and made this thread, I hope it’s of some help to others who may be considering doing the same thing too :)

@MonnieMoo There was a guy walking his dog and I felt so embarrassed huffing and puffing past with my face bright red that I just uturned and went back the way I came and then felt really stupid about it.

I heard Roger Black interviewed about this sort of thing years ago.

His answer to a question about seeing unfit people exercising was basically "I love seeing anyone trying to improve themselves and my immediate reaction is 'good for them!'"

So if professional athletes think you are worthy of praise, who cares what dog walker man thought (which was probably nothing at all; or the same as Roger Black!)

Do YOU mentally look down on people like that? Why assume others are?

@monniemoo The big game changers for me were

1. Proper running shoes. I went to New balance and got advice. Bye bye aching knees
2. Stopping carrying a water bottle, it was tensing me up too much
3. Slowing down and not caring how slow I was.

OP this was me last year. I took a plunge and got a PT but these are the most important things I've learnt since:

1. Mind over matter - that change in mindset was my turning point
2. Nutrition outweighs exercise - 80% nutrition, 20% exercise. If you eat well you will train better.
3. Be kind to yourself and focus on your long term well being rather than short term.
4. Do it for yourself and only yourself.

I've lost 3 stones. I was miserable, tired and didn't think I'd ever do it. I now love exercising and for me it's become a form of relaxation. Good luck!

I have recently joined the sports centre and booked onto a class most weekday morning, a mix- zumba, body conditioning (with weights) yoga, water aerobics (which is lots of fun) and swimming. I really don't like running myself, but found some thing I do enjoy. So makes it easier to do. Combining with this I am trying to only eat when hungry, kind of mindful eating, and choosing healthy stuff. Finding often don;t then eat till lunchtime on those days anyway. I'm just starting but feel this is something I can hope to stick at. Good luck.

Do YOU mentally look down on people like that? Why assume others are?

No I don’t, just as others have commented, if I notice anyone jogging or exercising I’m silently rooting for them too. I didn’t actually think the dog walker thought anything of me, I just felt stupid and self conscious myself and couldn’t bring myself to go past him. It was about how I felt about myself not how I thought he might view me and certainly not reflective of how I view others in the same position.

I do need good running shoes, I should look into that. I’ve already got sore spots and a blister on my little toe. I’ve got wide feet and really pants shoes, they’re very ill fitting for exercising!

feeling very inspired by this thread! Joined a gym for the first time in years and was surrounded by skinny fit looking people which I found really intimidating as I huffed and puffed my way around... but I'll stick with it.

Ah bless you. C25k works. Even for short overweight people. Get some trainers and keep going. If you need to repeat a week that's fine. But keep going. It works.

Get some trainers.

Stretch afterwards.

KEEP GOING IT WORKS

Well run 2 today went much better than the first! I didn’t think I was going to make it out as the baby had me up at 3.30am and I was pretty tired by mid afternoon. However, I knew I’d be disappointed if I didn’t so I had a skim through the thread (thanks again to everyone for your helpful, supportive posts and welcome to any newcomers!) to lift my motivation and it worked!

Today I tried doing some things a little bit differently. I’ve decided to document my progress here for anyone who is interested, maybe we can help each other along. Maybe the thread might need moving to an appropriate section of the forum if so? Anyhow here are my thoughts of Week 1, Run 2 -

Positives
1.Reading the thread for inspiration really helped motivate me to get out of the house.
2.I drank more water throughout the day and made sure to pee before leaving.
3.Had a little stretch before heading out.
4.I left eating tea until after I got back home instead of eating before hand.

Not so positives

1. I forgot to charge my headphones before I left and didn’t take a bag so had them clanging around my neck for the whole run.
2. I was starving.
3. I’ve got some serious chub rub going on (ouch!)

4.I was starving.

1. Remember sun cream next time.

I also def need to sort some decent shoes out. I found today a lot easier though, I didn’t walk any bits where I should have been running and I didn’t stop at all, kept going forward no matter how slowly. Overall feeling a lot better than I did on Saturday but still trepidatious about next week

Inspired by the thread I downloaded the app to day and did day one! Ran ( plodded) and walked at dawn and it was lovely!

I'm on week 1 of c25k too ! I am also short but 4 stone over weight... I'm planning on doing week 1 again next week and maybe again week after as knees hurt so much after run 1 I have done it walking this week to build up.

@Hopeygoflightly that’s great! How did you find it? You sound less traumatised than I felt after my first session 😂

@didiplanthis sorry about the bad knees, well done for starting though! Slow and steady wins the race :)

MonnieMoo - like I was running through treacle quite frankly but exhilarated afterwards... deffo need a new playlist though. I have 70 llbs to lose so am going to take it easy and jog along at my own pace so that I don't wreck a knee or a foot or whatever...

Don't be too hard on yourself and don't worry if it takes longer than others

It took me 6 months from starting C25K to run 5km and I did it incredibly slowly. Even now I find it easier to run 4km in 30 mins than doing 5km so I just do that.

Do what works for you but don't worry if you look ridiculous, are slower than others etc. I lost 2 stone in the 6 months it took me to be able to run! And none of it was easy. People talk about getting endorphins from running, I can safely say that's never happened to me!

Don't mind me, I'm just place marking!

I did c25k last year,only got to week 3 as It was bloody hard! Still managed to jog/fast walk race for life 5k though.Dont be hard on yourself.

I felt similar to you, OP. I was 1.5 stone overweight and probably 2 stone over my ideal weight. I have lost 10kg in 8 weeks and now "only" have 5kg to go plus the challenge of maintaining. To achieve the latter, change has to be part of a lifestyle change rather than short-term and punitive.

It probably has been said before on this thread but it's really down to diet rather than exercise.

Read the Michael Mosely books - Fast800 / 5:2/ Blood Sugar diet. In fact, you probably only need the Fast800 as it incoporates the others. If you stick to it, the weight will fall off and you will be able to maintain it as long as you don't revert to eating whatever you vices are.
The weight loss is fast and that in itself is motivating. The food is healthy and filling.

Exercise-wise, buy a HIIT video or find one on you-tube. these take 20-30min and you just need some hand weights (1-2kg) and a yoga mat if you don't have carpets. You can do it in your living room and is easy to fit into a busy lifestyle as there is no motivating yourself to go to the gym, feeling like a nonce in front of others, finding a spare 90 mins.

C25K is great but it won't burn the calories.

Good luck!

Just to add - there are several threads on the weightloss section of mumsnet on the fast800/BSD.

Every time you do something it’s a little victory.

This is so true.

I am 1 year and over 4st into my weightloss journey.

A few weeks ago, I was brimming with health. I did this amazing gym session, did my full PT set exercises then ran for an extra hour just because I wanted to, and went about carried home 10kg of compost just because I wanted too.

Am I proud of that? No. I felt great, had a huge buzz off it, and enjoyed myself. I am proud of the rubbish session I did last night, when I was halfway through a semi-panic attack, and just wanted to curl up at home.

It was feeble and half-arsed, but I got myself there, did my time, and cooked a decent dinner afterwards. Days like that are what's lost me the weight, not days where I felt great, had lots of time, and was enjoying it.

Good for you! Fitness is so so personal, everybody does it differently. The important thing is you've started! And always remember, no matter how slow you may think you are, you're always going faster than those still on the couch!
Power to your feet!