Anyone else started running when overweight?

[Kryptik]

I weigh 11st and have just started running. I'm on week 3 of a running programme and I'm really enjoying it.

I am doing this as I need to lose weight and get fitter.

Has anyone else done this?
Did you lose lots of weight and did you manage to lose the baby belly through running alone?

Springtime - gotta love it, running in warm sunshine. magic!

Anybody got any favourite running music ideas to share,...? I was flagging up hills today and I got a massive happy from:

OMD - Walking on the Milky Way and
Neil Diamond - Baby loves me
Dainbow - Since you've been gone

(Yeah, yeah,...eclectic I know!)

C'mon team...Pushka needs to know what tracks get you out of the dead zone?

Battykoda - best of luck on your weight loss for your wedding, I am sure you will do it. A wedding, especially your own, is a great motivator. I lost quite a bit of weight in the final 2 week run up to my wedding, just couldn't eat was so excited it just fell off! (unfortunately put it all back on and more again)

Littlepushka - yes the glorious weather certainly helps. Mananged a run on Sat, went for a long walk with family and dog down canal for about 2 hrs yesterday and long walk on beach today, although blooming freezing! My DH idea that we drive the hour to the beach as thought it would be warm ! Hoping the cold helped burn off more calories.

Kryptik - how you feeling after your brisk walk?

MissWW - hope you and your brood are all better now, have a fab holiday am envious would love a bit of sun....

Simmo - still smiling at the thought of your dog snuffling about your face! I cannot do sit ups, even with a dog or two to fend off. I was told about a great exercise instead of sit ups for core strength.... it goes sort of like this

..lie on the floor as if you were abour to do a push up. Instead of pushing up from your hands, push up from your elbows. ie your elbows and forearms and palms are flat on the floor, elbows close to your body and directly below your shoulder above. Do not let your bum/hips sagto the floor - and you just hold it there for as long as possible. hard to describe but you it looks like you make a sort of right andle triangle shape:your toes and elbows/forearms touch the ground and your legs/back head form the hypotenuse. have a go and see if you get it from the description. TRy and hold it for a minute (or as long as you can)each day and after a week try adding 2 seconds each time you do it. So much easier on your back than sit ups. But the key is to not let your hips drop,...keep your hypotenuse straight IYSWIM!

Not for me, I personally think it's not good for the body or a natural activity. Damages joints, too much impact, especially if running on hard ground. I think it's better to brisk walk and do various compound, functional exercise. Swimming is a great cardio workout, tones as well.

LittlePushka - what you are describing is "The Plank" - a great Pilates move.

Just found this link with ictures which describes some of the basic Pilates exercises. Great for toning and strengthening the core. I've found a great class (and have been to a few not great ones) and in 6 weeks, I feel it's really working. The key things to remember are to do the movements slowly, keep your head, neck and shoulders relaxed, find "neutral" with your pelvis, lift your pelvic floor and draw your abs towards your spine.

Thanks Littlepushka and DiedreB, will give these moves a try. I used to go to a pilates class once a week many years ago and really enjoyed it. I am going to look into joining a local class soon (just want to lose a little bit more weight first).

Craving sweet things today, trying hard to avoid the cupboard with all the sweets in. Think I will grab a bag of chocolate coated raspberries in a minute......(its ok they are allowed! )

Tomorrow is the one month anniversary of this thread. Who's doing the couch to 5K program and how are you getting on?

I'm a bit of an imposter as have been running for a while, but this thread has inspired me to go longer and faster. Still only getting out once a week but nearly broke the 10K barrier last night - fingers crossed for next Monday!! Looking for 10 minute mile pace - same as 5K in 30 minute pace.

Still flabby but Pilates helping!! Weight loss going well but had a 5lb blip from eating birthday cake for three days (with help, not the whole cake - how could that possibly result in 5lbs?!?) Shows that keeping weight down will be a real challenge when I stop breastfeeding and no longer have to exclude sugar, dairy and wheat!!

DeirdreB - chuffed you recognised my effort to describe the move - shall just say "Do a plank" from now on!!

Impressed at 10k effort - (especially as I cannot convert miles to Km AT all) also LOL at excuse of three day birthday cake binge and 5lbs - !

Im doing about 4 miles in 50 mins in really hilly terrain so my pace varies throughout my runs from snail pace to er,..elite snail pace! Not really worried about pace though - I just need to get time really for GNR in Sept.

Kryptik - you running yet girl?

Simmo - come out of the treat cupboard...c'mon,...!

Did Davina DVD tonight, she does the plank move on it for 30 seconds, I mananged nearly 10 (ok 7). I am going to rename it the plonk, as they is what my belly did when it hit the floor Ha! Ha!

Yes I did - when 3 stone overweight. Ran 3x per week between 3-5 miles on each occasion. Seriously buggered my back ...I think the jolting / jarring effect of running can have more severe consequences when you are carrying additional weight. Not saying don't do it - just be aware

Hi everyone.
Glad to see that you're all doing well
I'm still not running yet
I can still feel a slight twinge in my leg and I want to try to be 100% recovered so I don't cause any further damage.

I've been walking and doing sit ups. That plank move sounds good. I'm going to do that and try some of the exercise from that link. Thanks. Lol Simmo at your plonk. I'm sure thats what I'll be doing too.

Diet is going well. I've manged to stay strict as I've not needed the extra cals for running.

Fingers crossed for running next week!!!

Just checking in...hey, - i think it REALLY helps when you do the plonk if you pop your cream cake on the floor under your belly - simmo, you'll double your time no problem!

Tell me about the Davina DVD someone...!

LOL - must Plonk this PM.

LittleP - I am doing the Davina power of 3 DVD. It is split into sections, warm up, legs & bums, upper body (arms), abdominals, and cool down. It you do all the way through takes just over an hour. Or you can do warm up, 1 section and cool down. Trying to do as much as possible plus sits ups every night. DH said it is starting to show already...
Ha! Ha! Like the cake idea, think I would just flop to the side and scoff it :0
Weight in tomorrow morning, hoping its good. Got a feeling it won't be as good as last week, will see...

Hells teeth simmo! - if you lose weight at the rate of last week you will be gone by the start of the summer!

Not so good this week , 3 lb off. But I am not complaining as long as it still coming off. In fact this is my lowest weekly loss since I started GoLower. My counsellor rang me today to see how i was getting on, which I thought was quite good. She was very motivating and gave me lots of tips and ideas and I came off the phone feeling very positive.
Done Davina DVD again tonight, got some proper hand weights that are 2 lb each, boy I felt the difference compared to the tins of bakes beans I was using. Much, much harder and my arms were bright red when I finished the upper body section. The sits up are getting easier too, have had 2 C sections and have now finally got a little bit of strength back in my lower tummy to do them.
Have a good weekend everyone, prob won't post tomorrow as going to a school renuion, that will be interesting! Am driving so won't be tempted to drink....

3lbs off is great!! Well done!! Enjoy the school reunion as a lighter fitter you!!

Reunion was a crazy night, pleased there was quite a good turn out and remembered more people than I thought. I wasn't really big at school, but lots of people recognised me and no one was rude enough to comment on how much larger I am so that was a relief as it was on my mind a bit.
There were a couple of other women there who were talking about diets and one of them is going to give GoLower a try after hearing how well it is going for me. I am pleased as can get her 10% off as a referal.
Confession time - haven't been out for a run for a few days! Been such crap weather here didn't want to get soaked.

How did everyone else get on this weekend?

I used the term "Plonk" in my Pilates class today at an appropriate moment and everyone thought I was very witty!!!

Ha! Ha! Good one :0

Feel bloated today, going to do Davina in a minute, just letting dinner go down, had 2 hours ago but still feel really full tonight don't know why. Probably haven't drunk enough water today....

How was your weekend DeirdreB?

Not too bad thank you - I like that the weather was better, nice to get out in the garden! Weekly run last night was hilly and hard - fast but again shorter than I'd hoped - was shattered afterwards!!

How is everyone getting on? Has been glorious sunshine the last couple of days has anyone been out for a run?

Hello everyone
I've been lurking for a few weeks now
I'm 5ft 8 and weigh 13 st 3 lbs. I used to be v sporty at school but 15yrs later and 2 kids later the weight has piled on.
I am combining exercise with diet (have lost a stone already through healthy eating however loss has ground to a halt so going to try proper diet now.
Started running begin of Feb and couldn't jog and walk more than 12 mins (1km) however I am now being able to do 4-5 km a time. I basically run til I can't and then will walk for 30 seconds and then run again. Normally can run for about 6 mins at a time.

The prob I am finding is bizarrely I feel my lungs could allow me to run for longer but it's my legs that are knackered. I've been doing swats and lunges in front of tv for a few weeks but hasn't improved things. Any suggestions of how to improve this?

The trick I have found is to run when the only other option is looking after the kids. I'm a sahm so am never away from them so at weekends I always tell myself have a run or look after kids and it's amazing how quickly I'm motivated!!!

Good luck everyone and keep it up

Hi Pebbles, well done on your stone loss, which diet are you now trying? I have also been running but not so much the past week. I find that if I don't go regularly I can't get to any sort of fitness level. I am finding doing my Davina DVD better for me at the moment.
Not too sure what to suggest to improve on leg stamina, I guess you just need to build muscle strength...

Hi Simmo39. I'm doing atkins. So far working well but i'm keen not to go too far with no carbs cos worried it'll just come back on just as quickly. I've done ww before which i really liked but was v v slow (which i know is good) but as i needed a kick start thought i would stay with atkins and then kind of mix and match - if that makes sense.

Have you heard of British Military Fitness? I've actually started doing it twice a week. You go to local park where there are some ex army guys who take you through your paces - groups of anything between 10-40 i suppose. No giving up, absolutely totally and utterly kills me but i know when i run on my own i give up far too easily so i know that twice a week i do as much as i physically can.

Am going to buy a dvd tomorrow i htink Ido you recommend davina - which one?. I always have such good intentions when i put kids down for lunchtime nap but i end up lying on sofa so am going to attempt to do it while kids are around me playing (ds 2 1/2 yrs and dd 6 months) - not holding out much hope but worth a try.

Hows everyone else going with their running and fitness?