What will happen to me if I run

[Idrewalineforyou]

I’m 45, have to lose around 3 stone, put weight on after years of infertility treatments, pregnancy and then long covid. Prior to this I was a gym goer and slim and fit, I never went running though…ever.
I want to start running, but can’t even imagine myself doing it, the thought just seems really silly, after long covid and some heart pain, im convinced I’ll have a heart attack
Do I do it or try something else? I’m desperate to lose weight, used to enjoy exercise and the will is there

Don't expect to lose weight as running is no good for that, uses up much less calories than you think and makes you starving hungry.

Running is fine. I'm 4 stone over the maximum healthy weight for my height and I run. Slowly. But still. I'm fitter for it. I feel better. I have to be careful to stretch first, but I'm 48 so that's to be expected.

It's totally up to you, but why running? Would you not prefer to go back to the gym?

I love weight-training and it's by far my preferred activity. I do do cardio, but prefer HIIT / long walks to slogging round 5/10k.

Absolutely no disrespect intended to those who do run and enjoy it, but I do feel the world is divided into those who lift / those who run and you're never going to make one side enjoy the other...

I’m 42, size 18, on week 2 of couch to 5K and am still alive to tell the tale! It’s a very gentle start - 60 seconds of running and I think 90 secs walking recovery time in between.

Would love to get into lifting but would struggle to fit regular gym trips in, plus the cost of the membership is an issue for me at the moment, whereas it’s easier to just nip out for 30 mins and have a good route on the doorstep

Running isn’t going to make you lose weight. Fat loss is pretty much all diet. You cannot out exercise a bad diet.
If you want fat loss then you need to be in a calorie deficit and I would focus on lifting weights for muscle growth and to improve your shape and some cardio for heart and lung health. If you want to run go for it. But if you enjoyed the gym previously I’d be asking why you don’t go back

Try weightlifting combined with a slight calorie deficit using macro-tracking. That way you can eat flexibly (allowing treats) and it’s going to help you get stronger and leaner. Not a quick fix by any means but I lost a stone since I started in May and am really loving the control it gives me while seeing my body composition change. Don’t get me wrong, it is a big commitment but I want to remain a functional human being for as long as I can and the stronger you are the better…

I put weight on in recent years and managed to lose about 2 stone doing intermittent fasting. I eat between 1-6pm and quickly started losing 1/2lbs a week. It has been a pretty painless way to lose weight.

As others have said get good trainers fitted at a running shop. My experience is that the staff are friendly and supportive of anyone starting out as a new runner. Then go for it slow and steady and build up. For me the advantage of running is that I have very few excuses not to do it. You need very little kit, you don't need a membership, you can do it in all weathers, you don't have to drive somewhere and faff about - just open the door and off you go. Get a pod cast to listen to or a good play list and go and explore your area with a gentle jog and walk and jog.
Any exercise added into your normal routine and diet will make a positive difference. You don't have to drastically change your normal life just little positive changes gradually and with consistency you'll feel and look different.
Don't let people put you off. You can do this!

I had a good running machine at home
I stopped using it when I could run for an hour & I set goals
I pulled a few muscles several times
It was incredibly boring

However, I can walk in the countryside for miles & miles & I enjoy nature

I have completed a few virtual & real long distance walks

Everyone is different

I have some experience with this. I'm very fit, I do hours of yoga. I'm flexible. I have visible abs etc. And I feel horrendous when I run.

I bought a treadmill, second hand and fairly inexpensive. I decided to buy one for home use as I sweat heaps when I run, feel grotty and didn't want to have an asthma attack in the street far from home.

Started fast walking for 20 minutes every day. Gradually increasing speed. I then started running in bursts similar to hiit training, so sprint for a minute then back to fast walking for 3 or 4 minutes to recover. It's taken ages but I now have some cardio health back and can hold a good pace for 30mins.
I'm not overweight and I can feel it in my knees though, and it also makes my hamstrings very tight so I'm less flexible when I do yoga and ballet etc.

Could you try swimming first? It's less hard on your joints, burns tons of calories and activates way more more muscles.

Another vote for couch to 5 k. Having never been a runner I started at age 70 following the slow jogging method. https://slowjogging.wordpress.com You start by alternating running and walking and the C25K method just works so well to get you going. Don’t worry about expensive kit, just comfortable trainers and any old leggings and tee-shirt. No-one else cares what you look like and you may well encourage others. Good luck.

There’s nothing like going from a non runner to completing the C25K!
its the best place to start .
I didn't lost any weight from running during this time but the mental health benefits were awesome .

I’m 4 stones overweight and have an obvious mum tum and started couch25K in May with 2 friends and we run on average 3 times a week and I haven’t lost any weight at all. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Unfortunately, unless you reduce your calorie intake significantly, you won’t lose weight but regular running will improve your fitness, so its worthwhile doing it for that reason.

https://www.liverpoolwomens.nhs.uk/media/3538/menopause-and-weight-gain-patient-information-leaflet.pdf
Fluctuating and falling hormone levels around menopause can affect the way we store fat. This is because our bodies want to store fat for later - a bit like "puppy fat" at puberty. We develop "insulin resistance" making our bodies store, rather than burn, calories.
How the body handles food also changes: For example, if you eat 1000 calories before menopause you will burn 700 and maybe store 300. After menopause you will store 700 and burn only 300.

You’re going to run once or twice and then not do it again.

You can try C25K which slowly builds you up but if you’re already doing lots of walking then I’d recommend doing a completely different exercise.

I think a stationary bike is perfect as you can go at your own pace and break it into 5 mins a couple of times a day.

I’d also do some body weight exercises like squats, push ups etc
You can use cans as weights too.

Or you can do workouts on YouTube.

If you do lots of walking already then I would focus on your diet.

There are a lot of myths around running. One of them is that it's really bad for your joints. Evidence has shown that people who run regularly have less risk of joint problems than people who don't.

As someone that's been doing it for 27 years the best advice I will give is go and get a gait analysed before you set out. Do a good warm up before you start (if you look on Runner's World there are a load of resources); start off with a brisk walk and take it to the point you can't go any faster without running. This is basically your slow run pace and the pace you want to maintain. If you start jogging when you get to this point you should be able to maintain it. There are lots of programmes for beginner runners but I think the accepted wisdom is not adding more than 1km per week.

The general rule is if it hurts, don't do it.

You won't lose weight. You will get great thighs. I started on c25k during covid, but I had been a regular spinner/ weight classes. 1 5k run is a glass of wine. I run about 15k a week and do 2 gym classes. I drink more in calories than I run off. But I like running.

When I’ve had to lose weight, and admittedly my weight is fairly stable so it’s never been a huge amount, I have always simply walked. Walking an hour a day, particularly on a treadmill with an incline, is all I have needed to lose weight in combination with dropping food intake.

I also do gentle yoga from YouTube exercises for over 40s to build core strength.

If you enjoy running then go for it!

BUT you don’t need to run to lose weight. There’s actually a lot of evidence that high intensity exercise like running spikes hunger. Meaning it’s harder to stick to a calorie deficit.

lifting heavy weights combined with low intensity steady state (LISS) cardio works for me.

weight loss is more about creating and maintaining a slight calorie deficit.

Start slowly. I've just had to stop running after running for twenty years (I am 42 now) as my feet have become so deformed and arthritic. I was a good runner and always slim and athletic, never ran on tarmac, but it does put a lot of impact through your joints.

Lifting weights and building muscle is much more effective for body transformation and metabolism change. If you want to run, interval training (sprints and recovery) is better than longer, slower runs. Good luck.

I have never been able to run but long covid exasibated my condition ten fold and made it worse. Given the worst case senario is death I'll pass on running.

I do yoga type strength training instead.

I introduced my father to parkrun https://www.parkrun.org.uk/ when he was 60. He had never run before and was v overweight. He began a couch to 5k program with the plan to do a parkrun as his first 5k. He smashed it and four years later he is a regular park runner most Saturdays, he also volunteers some days instead of running and he has made tons of friends with people there from doing the volunteering. His GP is delighted with him, he's lost a lot of weight, lowered his cholesterol and his heart health has improved. Obviously you should definitely check with your GP as other posters have said, but I just thought I would share his story :) (Oh, and to help keep injuries away make sure you stretch!) Good luck!

I did a 5k out the blue in 30 minutes. If you walk a lot, you'd probably be able to mix running and walking to catch your breath here and there!