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?

I agree @thecatsthecats, it's the days you don't give in to eating a frozen pizza and force yourself to cook the chicken in the fridge, the days you stumble through a jog in a half arsed manner. Because just following a routine when it's hard and you don't feel like it is a massive achievement. The runs you do at the beginning are the hardest, and I still fully believe going in a forward motion without stopping, on a regular basis, is worth way more than whether it is at jogging or walking pace. The important bit is putting your trainers on and getting out of the door.

3. I’ve got some serious chub rub going on (ouch!)

Body Glide! Not the american sex lube, the anti chafe stuff you can get in running shops. It lasts really well as it has a thick texture. Comes in a container like a deodrant stick.

It took me 9 years to finally get to the 5km bit of C25K 😂

I’ve always hated running and never thought I could ever be a “runner”. I managed the C25K but on the treadmill at the gym hating every second. I went to see a running coach person who took me on a jog and told me I needed to slow right down - literally just a trot above walking pace - and take walking breaks before I was gasping for breath. (Previously I’d always run as far as I could - maybe 1km - started gasping & then only managed a few short bursts before sloping home.)

After a while I managed to work my way up to 10km max on quite a hilly track. I actually enjoyed it and did it 3x a week. I ran a 12km event in late 2017 when 6 weeks pregnant.

Now I have to start from scratch h again after having DD last year - piles on weight with SPD & HG in pregnancy and have a good 2 stone to lose. But I’ve done it once and I know I can do it again!

You don’t need to run though - walking is great calorie burning exercise. The main thing is tracking you calories - suggest getting the MyFitnessPal app. If I’m not tracking calories I can easily blow through 2500+ on a not-even-very excessive day. A couple of milky coffees, a couple of chocolate biscuits and a couple of glasses of wine over the course of the day really adds up! I don’t ban anything but am just a bit more organised/selective about what I eat.

Body Glide! Not the american sex lube, the anti chafe stuff you can get in running shops. It lasts really well as it has a thick texture. Comes in a container like a deodrant stick.

I had absolutely no idea this was even a thing! Amazing discovery, thank you!

Well done you for deciding to do something. Please do not be so hard on yourself! You are not crap! Life just gets in the way sometimes.

Have you been exercising before now? Going straight into C25k maybe hard work if not. Can you walk briskly for half an hour already? If not maybe work up to that first. As others have suggested you can also start by doing very brisk walking during the running bits.

Also you can repeat weeks. Do not think you have to do week 2 now. Repeat week one until you are comfortable and then move on. You can make it your plan and do it in any way that suits you. I think it took me about 15 weeks to complete lol.

There is another 12 week plan you can search for which is called None to Run. It starts easier and moves a bit slower than C25K and has repeat weeks built in. It's aim isn't to run 5k but run for half an hour non stop. That may be more encouraging if you are slow like me and am never going to run a 5k in half an hour.

I think the point isn't to suffer but to do something you enjoy so you want to do it again and finish with a smile on your face. I lapsed from my running because of arthritis in my foot but am still happy to just do walk run intervals with no rules for twenty minutes with a 5 minute warm up and cool down walk just because it is a good workout. I feel good after not knackered and in pain and to me that is a win :)

Just done day 2 of the C25K, Monday was first day, and am managing to get over the embarrassment of being an overweight runner. It helps that I went the park at 6am before anyone else was out really - dog walkers only started appearing 20 mins later.
I watched this Ted talk yesterday - and found it inspiring - I like the advice of 20 mins everyday ( seems achievable to me), create the habit and exercise first thing when you have the most control over your day.
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ogie+shaw

'Winning the mental battle'

I second Body glide! Used it years ago when I did a 10km and it saved me ...

Ah none to run sounds good, I wish I’d known about that before! If I can’t realistically keep this up I might give that a go and come back to this. I’m so unfit it’s shocking!

Run 3 for me later today, I slept fairly well and don’t have to wait until late evening either so can go as soon as I’ve done all my bits and bobs this morning.

@hopeygoflightly well done for getting out again! Will check out that ted talk later, thanks for the link x

Have you thought about setting more specific goals? "Getting fit" is a tricky one, bruise what are you measuring?

I had to start again after birth injuries and nearly a year of physio. I decided to tackle the rowing machine. I wanted to be able to do 30mins a session. First session I could only do 5mins. I boosted it by 3-5mins per session, and after a month I was doing 30 mins. My goal now is to up the resistance, one notch at a time.

I was flying when I reached 30mins! Because I could really see an achievement.

Maybe commit to something specific like 3 runs a week. Getting out of the house twice a day etc.

And don't worry about starting at the beginning. I was mortified to have gone from someone reasonably fit and healthy, to being overweight And barely able to move. But I'm making steady progress now and it's excellent!

Well I didn’t manage run 3 as my little one got Ill so I did it today, so I suppose that means I’m repeating week one as technically this is Day 8. Good news is it was much easier today and I feel good after it!

@thecatsthecats you’re so right, I do suffer with anxiety and depression so those are the days it will be the most challenging, but I will try my absolute best to get out and keep to the program. If successful those will be the times I’m proud of. Days like today where I was raring to go and could have carried on if I didn’t have to be back home soon are easy, however they are fairly few and far between for me. I’m hopeful that the exercise will help with that too though.

@sar302 I have quite a few goals, not all measurable I must admit but my first one was to get through a good workout without giving up at some point.

I know getting fit is vague but I do want to be fitter so it’s in the list. I also know it’s not enough exercise to assist with weight loss but I’m aiming for a level of fitness that will lead to more intensive exercise later on to help with that.

Mostly I’m concentrating right now on getting out of the house (which has been a big problem for me the last 12 months or so), eating healthily but not too restrictively and to a calorie deficit so some weight comes off, and sticking to the couch to 5k program for now, so exercising three times a week x I considered making myself a chart so I can track progress in different areas but I’m a bit concerned it might become an unhealthy focus iyswim.

@sar302 also meant to say a huge congrats on the progress you’re making!

MonnieMoo I just read your thread and wanted to say well done! Small, gradual changes, just like you're making, is the best way forward as you are most likely to stick to them and it will become a way of life.

No point just putting in tonnes of effort, over-pushing yourself just to lose a bit of weight and then going back and carrying on as you were before. Keep at the plan as running does get easier with regular effort - I have been there!

Have you considered signing up for your local Parkrun? You don't have to run, lots of people walk, but it's a great community and very encouraging, It is also a good way to show progression as you can see how your time comes down week after week as you gradually start to run more of it...
As for diet, don't restrict yourself too much as restrictive diets usually mean falling off the wagon at some point. Just aim to eat healthier and cut out processed foods, white carbs, sugar etc and eat freshly prepared real food, good protein and fats etc. I know it sounds obvious but just learning to only eat when actually hungry and stop when full, makes a big difference.

Keep on keeping on, you are doing great!

Thanks @curlyLJ! A few people have mentioned Park runs and they sound great, but the local Park run is one a Saturday morning which I can’t do at the moment as OH works Saturdays, when he’s off on weekends in the autumn/winter I’ll give it a shot if they go all year :)

Well done for starting! Once you can get yourself in the exercise habit it becomes easier and easier.

I'm a huge fan of mixing up your exercise- less boring and less chance of injuries that way. I run once a week, do spin class once a week and hiit 1-2 times a week plus walk as much as I can fit into the week.

I started off after children with the 30 day shred, but I didn't do it every day! I aimed to do it 3-5 days a week, plus walking and sometimes a run. I do love Jillian's DVDs and they are great to have on hand if you can't get out to run for any reason. The 7 minute workout app is brilliant too- do 3 cycles of it with a brief warm up and cool down and you will start to notice you tone up. Incorporating strength exercises like this will improve your running and protect you from injuries.

I would echo suggestions to look at your diet. 5:2 works so well for me. As I lost weight the exercise gets easier and easier as there's less of me to haul around. And the evidence seems to show that with 5:2 you don't lose muscle mass. These days I've got pretty fit and I can run 5km in under 26 minutes- my first ones after DS2 were A LOT slower.