Hi everyone
I am at the beginning of week 5 and while I am struggling through each week, I still find it hard to imagine myself running 5K because I get so tired and out of breath at the end of each run! I'm 21 years old and about 6 stone overweight. Has anybody else completed the program with a lot of weight to lose?
There is someone here who said recently she had a serious amount of weight to lose. If you go back through recent posts you should find it
I have lost four stones, and at just five foot three, it is very noticeable. I feel much better now that I don't have to lug that lot round with me any more
I am 56 but managed to do the programme, so you will be fine. There are folks here who are in their 70s doing the programme so it really is suitable for all
Just keep going! Combine your exercise with healthy eating and the weight will shift I promise you. Are you swimming, cycling, etc etc, as it all helps
I have about 7 stone to lose & have graduated
Hi,
I'm only on week 2 but in a similar situation. I'm 22, 5'5 and about 14.5 stone, which makes me about 4-5 stone overweight and asthmatic. I do struggle with the breathing but I can already see a difference as the very first time I went out I could barely run the first 30 seconds!
If you feel you are really struggling, I would advice to repeat weeks until you feel a little more comfortable doing those before moving on. I done week 1 five times. Am doing W2R3 tomorrow and might have to do a couple more times before I can move on.
That's the beauty about this programme, you can take it at your own pace, just because it's meant to be a 9 week plan it doesn't mean that you have to do it in that time. And whilst it's called couch to 5k, the main aim is to be able to run for 30 minutes, the 5k is something you can work on later.
Good advice Rainbow Pixie
I was obese when I started, and still am (though losing weight every week). As well as the good advice about progressing at your own pace, I'd add the obvious point about running at your own pace too. C25k is about endurance, not speed. Go as slow as you like to ensure you can do the time. Speed will come in time. The runs I nearly didn't finish were because I went too fast.
I ended up losing weight without dieting, just through the exercise, and four months after C25k I'm sitting next to three race medals - you could be too in six months. I'm not troubling any Olympic athletes, and I'm always going to be looking at the backs of most of the runners, but every finish line is a proud achievement.
Good luck, and keep at it!
Hi Hannah! Wow, brilliant that you're on WK5... You sound very determined....it's like a lot of us say, take things at your own pace....repeat weeks as and when etc. above all, be kind to yourself and enjoy the glow of satisfaction from each session...good luck...x
Like MissWobble, I'm mid 50's. I started C25k March 13 weighing in at over 15stone, I lost weight slowly up to September and then started 5:2 fasting regime as well and now, while still overweight (but not obese any more!) the weight is still slowly heading in the right direction and I've gone from a size 20 (getting tight...) to a size 14/16, which feels great. You have the advantage of age on your side, so stick to it! I wish I had done this running lark 30 years ago. I used to time my runs so that I went running before a meal (normally breakfast or evening meal). The buzz I got from completing the run and feeling healthy meant I ate less than I would have done had I eaten before I went out (not to mention that I cannot run on full). Just make sure that what you eat when you get in is what you would have been eating anyway (and not some fatty, unhealthy "reward"!). Completing the program will be lifechanging for you as it has for me (I was heading for diabetes and a life on medication, but now my health issues have all gone away) - and you should have a lot longer to enjoy the benefits.
Fantastic that you are doing so well 
I am still about 4 stone overweight, will never be fast or run long distances, but just wanted to weigh in (ha!) with a note of caution - just running won't lose weight, I think. Many people have done wonders by combining exercise with some sort of weight loss programme such as Slimming World, Weight Watchers etc. or their own form of plan. Having said that, C25K is a great incentive and I certainly find that when a few pounds come off I find the next run easier Stick at it, follow the plan, add in some more exercise, eat sensibly and you will do brilliantly, I'm sure. Good luck!
Hi Hannah - This is what worked for me: When I started C25K in January I was a size 18/20 and am only 5'4" (I still daren't get on the scales but I think that gives you an indication of how overweight I was). I followed Laura's instructions to the letter and I went at my own steady pace, focussing on completing the duration of the run and not how fast I was going. And like you I got tired and out of breath. I concentrated on the running and didn't 'diet' but tried to eat more healthily with the odd treat. However, the more I got into running, the more my desire for alcohol and chocolate etc diminshed and by about week 6 the weight started dropping off. Since graduating I've more or less maintained a programme of running for 30 minutes for 3 times a week - I still don't run very fast but even so, the benefits to my mental and physical health are amazing. I went clothes shopping at the weekend, took a load of size 18s into the fitting room, only to find they were too big and a size 16 was required!
I hope you stick with it - you'll find loads of good advice and support on this forum - good luck and let us know how you get on.
I am 31 and started this at least 5 stone over weight so far I am managing, only just but I am managing
I am American, i calculated my weight in stone and, well, somehow that number bothers me even more than my weight in pounds. Either way, i am almost twice what my healthy weight would be. I am plodding along. Sometimes i let running get disrupted, because damn, it is hard running with all this extra weight! I manage 3 runs, but then seem to take a week off due to 42 different reasons/excuses. I seem to be maintaining at my ability to run week 2, which IS an accomplishment at 17 stoneand 49 years.
You stick with it. Getting fit and the habit of fitness sooner rather than later is a Very Good Plan.
You are only 21 Hannah,, as misswobble said “There are folks here who are in their 70s doing the programme so it really is suitable for all” don’t worry about your weight at this moment just focus on one run at a time, the idea here is to get fit and build your stamina and endurance, once you have these you will notice the change. When I started I said to myself I don’t have to do the whole programme, if I could only run 10 minutes I would be the happiest person on earth, Here I’m running 30 minutes straight through, I don’t have a clue how I got here. Just take your time you will be with us in no time. By the way how many kgs is 1 stones
1 stone is just a little short of 6.5 kgs (6.35029 according to Mr Google)
It works - but as some wise people here have said it's not an overnight miracle. Just running won't necessarily shift the weight (it will shift some of it but it's not the cure-all). The great thing about this programme is that you can repeat weeks when and if you need to and you'll slowly build up fitness. Once you build fitness you'll feel more confident to run more and when you want to run more you'll find you want to more be sensible with what you eat - so you can run more... and then when you run more and you start to notice shape changes (lots of people have said they notice this first) and muscles building, you'll keep running and to keep running and losing weight you'll keep eating sensibly, so you can run some more.... (see where I'm going with this?)... The thing is the more you get out there the more you'll notice the benefits and you'll find your whole lifestyle might change... it's happened to many of us. Ex-smokers, overweight, never run a day in our lives types now all out 3 times a week running free and loving it... big, small, slow, fast, old, young... everyone just having fun! And keeping fit, keeping their hearts healthy, their minds de-stressed and their joints moving...
I think you've done fantastic work to start this programme and you should be proud of yourself for getting to week 5 - that's a HUGE milestone - well done you! Whether it takes you another 4 weeks or 40 weeks to get to a point of being able to run 30 minutes non-stop you'll find nothing but support here every step of the way...
My final piece of advice (this is very important) - do NOT fixate on 5K... that is NOT the goal... the goal is 30 minutes... full stop. You may just surprise yourself this week when you run 20 minutes.... trust in the programme and go as slowly as you need to... we're with you on this... go for it!
Hi - having lost a lot of weight myself before and during the programme, I have enormous respect for your achievements. I used to eat badly and exercise little. I find that running has introduced some lifestyle discipline to me that I was lacking before. The way I view it is that running allows me to have the odd luxury night out on the razz or a guilt-free choccie bar or a couple of pints. These are things I would do far too often before, but for me running is the great enabler. I eat good food now (by which I mean lower fat, lower salt fresh food with lots of salad to bulk things out) and the rarity of takeaways makes them a real luxury to look forward to when I do have them. And I do have them because a typical 5k burns about 450 calories. The difference being that I earn them now.
I think you can be justly proud of what you've done to date. I'd urge you to grasp the opportunity that you've made for yourself and push on. Take your time, but stick with it. Not only will you lose weight, you will change your life and your self-esteem will go through the roof.
Come on! Get in!
Oh and another thing..... A year after stating c25k and running 3 times each week, I am still tired and out of breath at the end of each run! The payoff is that you will find that your recovery time shortens as you get better. There's a perception that surely it must get easier. Well, it never gets easier, but it certainly gets better.
Embrace it, it's part of the 'fun'.
Great point!
7st overweight. I can do this... C25k
Week 7 run 3 🏃🏽♀️ done and best yet!! Have others confided in family and friends about C25k?
I've done it! C25K Graduation!
C25K Done! Whoop whoop! 
Run with other people - fail!
