Who's with me for couch to 5k?!

[Badgoushk]

I'm going to start Couch to 5k when my new trainers arrive (today/tomorrow/weekend) and wondered if anyone wants to start too and we can have a little support group going?

I'm 39, 2 stone overweight, haven't done any running for over 10 years and even then I couldn't run 5k without walking. I have 2 young children and want to shape up. I currently swim twice a week and walk a lot (9,000 steps a day). But I'm still pretty unfit. I need to get my heart rate up!

So who is going to join me?! You need to be able to commit to 3 runs a week (30 minutes) for 9 weeks. Have a google of couch to 5k to see what it involves if you're not sure. I'll be using an app on my phone.

Who's in?!

Badgoushk I can still remember the shock of looking at the app in my phone when it said I had to run for 20mins - I really didn't believe I could do it.

Starting week 8 tomorrow; it's only a 3 minute increase in time from week 7. Must get to grips with Strava. Have managed to get some music on my phone so it makes it easier.

Have now lost the 2lbs I gained on holiday. But going out for a Booz you lunch tomorrow with friends so that may undo all my good work. Will run either tomorrow or Sunday morning.

Am 11st 4lb & 5'1" - need to get below 11st - have used 5:2 before & found it suited me well.

Well done Bagoushk Brilliant to keep it up on holiday, I hope I can do the same.

Beepbeep good to get it done when you don't feel like it . Calorie counting works pretty well for me.

Your holiday weight was quickly sorted Prosecco, well done.

Need to do another run this weekend, feel a bit less tired now. Lost 1.25lb this week so have made it to 5 stone.

Can I join? I've got at least 1stone to lose. Dd2 was born 6 months ago, bfing meant I didn't 'snap back' like I did with dd1. I've finished bfing now but the weight is proving difficult to lose. I've just got back from my holiday and the photos of me are shocking. I didn't realise how big I'd got. I'm 5ft6 and I think about 11st4lb. Infact, I'm going to bite the bullet, weigh myself and report back. I want to be 10stone.

Okay. I'm 11st1lb. App downloaded and first run tonight. How many calories per day do people stick too?

Welcome Watserusername I think My Fitness Pal calculates a calorie amount for you. I'm a lot heavier than you so mine is a bit different. My advice though is with a stone to lose don't go too low taking your activity into account, it saps your energy.

MFP has set my calories ar 1200. I need to make smarter calorie choices and go for energy amd protein filled foods. First run tonight. I just have to figure out how to get music on my phone now!

How many pounds a week loss have you set it too and what level of activity? I'd be keeling over on that but weigh a lot more so not fair comparison.

Music vital for me or my legs don't work! We have Amazon Prime so use that for it.

2lb per week. If i exercise it says I can eat more so there is my motivation. I was eating 1600 per day and getting nowhere before my holiday so it's probably more realistic for me. I go back to work in 5 weeks and I want to be as close to goal as possible.

I guess give it a go wit eating back some of your exercise calories. I find my Fitbit is quite helpful with this as give an idea of what I'm burning. Having to take my new one with heart rate monitor with a bit of a pinch of salt but it is starting to sort itself out a bit after a week.

Don't forget to move your arms everyone - friend has had a PB 2 weeks in a row at Parkrun since an arm conversation!!

I'm 12.5 stone and have over a stone to lose to be normal BMI. I set MFP to 1800 kcal a day but I'm still bf and I exercise about 550 kcal a day including walking my 10,000 steps. I started on 2300 kcal a day when I was 16st 6.

I lose 2-3 pounds a week normally which is a bit too fast.

I think my calories are about right then. It's going to be tough but I can't face another holiday feeling like crap about myself.

I could never survive on 1200 a day but I find exercise suppreses my appetite. I would always rather eat 1800-2000 kcal a day and do plenty of exercise!

Just got home from my holiday and did a sneaky weigh in! I usually weigh myself first thing in the morning when I weigh the least! Before the holiday I was 12st 8, this afternoon I am 12st 5.5 but I think I'll be more like 12st 3 in the morning. I'm really pleased!!! At least I didn't gain anything!

Plus I'm ovulating so always weight more then!

That Badgoushk is a total result, a huge well done !!!!

W8R3 done. As I'm doing Zenlabs there is no week 9 so we graduated this morning ! Not 5k in 30 mins but we did 3.7k which was completely unthinkable in April.

The challenge is now to keep going. I think we will have a shot at a Parkrun but mostly do 30 mins and gradually try to improve pace.

Amazing!!! Congratulations MirabelleTree, you should be really proud of yourself!!

My cramp lasted for a good 3-4 days. It only resolved with baths and tonic water !!! Im going at it again today run 3 week one but am going to go easy. Plus trying to watch weight. Ye are all doing great. Anyone else have terrible cramps ?

Oh well done indeed MirabelleTree that's fantastic. What an achievement. I hope you're going to treat yourself to a little reward today.

Congratulations everyone! This thread is really inspiring. I didn't get out last night in the end, ended up dealing with a poorly baby so I'm going out tonight instead.

Thank you all ! I bought some new shower gel yesterday so am going to luxuriate in the shower with that. I know everyone says it but I really am the most unlikely person to be doing it and I hope that anyone struggling at the start of the program who sees this thread and how well we are All doing is encouraged to keep going. Trust the program, go really slowly and repeat as much as you need to.

I haven't had cramp for ages Radyward so not sure, sorry. Hope your baby is better Whatsername and good luck later.

I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of you graduate and thanks to Badgoushk for starting this. Feel a slight fraud for not having a week 9 to be honest but planning to do 3 x 30 mins next week anyway. I've heard it is easy to lose focus when you graduate so maybe we could keep this going to support each other longterm?

MirabelleTree yes let's definitely keep this going! I'd like to gradually improve on my time/distance and still go out three times a week but perhaps incorporate interval training into one of the runs, hill training into another, and a normal run for the third. And eventually I'd like to consider moving up to 10k. But I don't have any desire to do a half or full marathon!

Great That sounds like a sensible plan. I was eying up a hill in the woods today thinking if I ever can run up that it will seem like a miracle. But I didn't think I could run 30 mins so who knows!

Hi Mirabelle, I really ache today! Last night I did W6R2 and it was my first one on the flat for 2 weeks. It was so much easier that I really went for it and am paying for it today! But I'm all excited about running. I found myself running to the beat of one of my songs (Blondie's Maria) and it turns out it's 160BPM which would give me a 28-29 minute 5K. I can't imagine going that fast all the way around but it gives me something to aim for. I'm going to download a set of 160 bpm songs when I get paid so I have a playlist to keep me up to speed! This is all new to me but I'm really enjoying it. And weigh in this morning was 12st 3! I'm really pleased.