Body changes/no Laura

[tazmania]

Just wondered what changes you have noticed in your body since embarking on C25K, whether good or bad? I'm just curious.

Set out for last run of W1 this morning. Got to the end of my warm-up (which again I did three times to get somewhere quiet) and halfway through my first run, iPhone died!! No Laura, absolute disaster. Tried my own run-walk interval training to no avail, had no idea how long I had been running or walking for, I have no idea how long I was even out for in total. Also my leggings are definitely now too big and I had to hold onto them with one hand for most of the way. Totally annoying start to the day. I am going to do W1 again since the last two runs have been a bit of a shambles! Will aim to use this repeat week as a chance to get into good habits of post-run stretches. Poo

[useitorloseit Graduate]

Don't think of it as a setback - it will all help you as you go onwards and upwards! The app is notorious for stopping. Have you got access to an old ipod? Then you can download Laura and her cheesy music (which will get in your head and stay there forever!) and she never fails!

I'm still waiting for significant changes to my body shape, but then I haven't dieted at all as I am an ok weight. I took some photos of my cellulite on my bum and thighs in September and vowed not to look again until I do a new photo in March, after six months. I did notice (pre Christmas obviously) that my jeans were too loose. No problem with that after 3 weeks of continuous feasting!!! I will be good from tomorrow. Finished up the Quality Street last night, last half a bottle of wine tonight and my Chocolate Snowman, then back on sensible eating and drinking from tomorrow when school recommences. Much spinach and beetroot will be consumed!

Taking the decs down now

[Hidden]

I have lost wieght, my waist line has shrunk and my tummy is somewhat flatter I have adjusted my diet also , nothing to fanatical cut out sugar and now i find myself putting fruit and fresh veg in my shopping trolley ,how did that happen lol

legs are definitely more toned and i can bound up stairs with out the need for oxygen halfway

[Hidden]

You definitely need leggings with a drawstring LOL!! I have lost 5kg since I started in October and feel so much fitter. It is terrible when you lose Laura isn't it, happened to me a couple of times but just keep going and you will get there in the end. I deliberately didn't take a watch with me so I won't kep looking at the time but I put my phone in my pocket in case Laura deserted me and I could keep track. Hope the rest of your runs go more smoothly. Keep it up xxx

[Hidden]

I have lost just over a stone since starting C25K, but I have been watching what I eat along with it (or more precisely eating the same stuff, just calorie counting with MyFitnessPal.). Definitely noticed big changes in my waist and hip areas but not so much above the waist (still got bingo wings) so need to do something to address that.

Don't worry about repeating a couple of runs if you want to. I did in the early days after pulling a hamstring , so went back to the start of that week before moving on.

I must be the odd one out as I've never lost Laura since I decided to switch from the podcasts to the app. Perhaps the park where I run has good satellite "vision".

Good luck with the rest of the plan and happy running x

[Kerry82 Graduate]

I've took done pic if my body so that I can see any changes to my shape, for me really do that I can see the changes myself

[tazmania]

Good to hear that you have been noticing changes! I've lost a stone pre-C25K through eating better, and would like to lose another over this coming year. Hopefully running will assist with this not the only reason I'm doing it though. As for Laura, it was not her fault today that I lost her - I just forgot to charge my iPhone and the battery went! I've not tried the app yet because I get on with the podcasts just fine xxx

[the_tea_fairy Graduate]

TK Maxx is great for good-but-not-bank-breaking running leggings if you're in a fix - sounds like you're ready for a size or 2 down!

Bad changes: cronky left hip (mostly fine now, better if I don't run on tarmac), temporarily buggered right ankle (am resting, and hence tetchy and neurotic...oh yes, that: relying on regular runs for sanity!), slightly horrible toenails, occasionally encouraging friends to poke my thighs and see how hard they are (I think this is probably poor behaviour)

Good changes: defined abs (run hills, and through long grass and bracken so you have to pick your feet up. Magic), rock-solid thighs, an actual bottom for the first time in my life, no longer skipping meals when I'm stressed (a girl can't run without fuel), drinking more water, calmer, saner, less stressed, more confident, feel slightly more like a capable human being.

It is the single best thing I've done (besides marrying someone excellent) for my emotional wellbeing. And grinning when I catch my rear view in the mirror is nice too...

Keep going!!

[Hidden]

I've not changed my diet at all, as I have had issues with restrictive and then binge eating. So just been doing the c25k programme and have been taking a full body length picture in my running stuff at the start of each week. And I can see a massive difference from the start- tummy looks flatter, chest is more toned, getting thighs of steel (like the tea fairy I've been a bit bad and kept on making people poke them as I'm just so proud!)

Downsides are that I've had blisters and my toe nails have looked better. Also lost weight from the boobage area which I think makes my tummy look bigger.

But ho hum! The most important bits for me are those I can't see, like lower blood pressure, lower heart rate and better heart recovery time and having more energy, better concentration and not being as easily frustrated by wee things

Definitely sounds like you need new bottoms! and good idea for getting into the routine of stretches, they will help beyond belief xxx

[the_tea_fairy Graduate]

Haha, I wonder how many of us have started with the thigh-poking!

[ju-ju- Graduate]

I hate it when that happens....but well done on your progress....In terms of body changes...yes huge. I now have a firm bum, thighs, tummy ( mostly!!!), calves are bulgy and I have never eaten this much food in my life...its all worth it, oh and you feel great too

[rmnsuk Graduate]

lost 52 pounds but much of that was before c25k. In fact starting exercise/c25k caused a plateau, but I'm losing nicely again now. In terms of changes I've lost fat everywhere, especially round my tummy. I seem to be getting good legs too. knees and hips feel much better, but that may be more the three stone I lost.

[misswobble Graduate]

Bingo wings needs some Jillian Michaels type exercise! My bingo wings have gone and I'm an old biddy! If I can get rid of em then anyone can. The exercise to get rid of them features on No More Trouble Zones DVD. That entire DVD is just the thing for us runners to get fit by

Running causes your boobs and ar*e to vanish. Pity about the boobs but there we are. Maybe if you are well endowed to start with then the loss won't be quite as dramatic. LOL The running causes us to lose fat so the fattest bits of our bodies shrink first, eg boobs and bum. The belly will go too as it gets a really good work out from running as everything stems from our middle

Good luck and happy running!

[the_tea_fairy Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Not strictly true. I'm pancake-chested but was before, and have gone from flat-bottomed to the owner of a seriously pert and round little bum. Guess it's just another example of bodies' inability to be consistent.

[Zev1963 Graduate]

I started C25K at the beggining of September, and graduated at the beggining of November. I was 67Kg (1.71m) when I started, and am still 67Kg.

I was hoping to loose a little weight, and hopefully as my distances increase that may still happen.

The biggest visible change to me is leg muscles, particularly calf muscles. Legs are definately much stronger. Stomach has reduced a little too

Christmas day morning I did my first 10km run around Dratcote water, I certainly wasnt expecting to be able to do that. I can remember running 5km around Draycote Water in November and thinking I would acheive one complete circuit in 2015, one complete circuit is 7km!. So progress has been more rapid than expected.

I'm now thinking about when I might be able to run to work (about 9km). Whilst running on Sunday morning I was considering when I might be able to run to work in the morning, and then run home in the evening. 3 months ago I would have considered the idea impossible, now it's just a case of when !

Since graduating I have been adding 3mins to my runs each week, and running every other day. (For C25K I ran 3 days par week).

Next week I will reach 1 hour runs. I will stick at one hour for my week day runs and continue to add 3mins for my weeekend run until I reach 2 hours.

I think the biigest change since starting running is my expectations of what is possible, and the fact that where before I thouught that I hated running, now I love it and may be addicted to it

[Hidden]

Waist, hips, thighs all much smaller, a big surprise as I've always been fit and done some form of exercise, nothing else has touched the below the waist bits. I've gone down 2 holes on my belt and my trousers are twisting around and baggy, a bit of a shame really as I bought 3 pairs of them a while ago because they were such a good fit - £45 each from Fat Face. Now I'll have to cough up for some more!

Blood pressure and resting pulse rate all improved. Appetite under control, unlike swimming which makes me eat anything in sight. I don't feel the cold any more, I think that was another thing about swimming, probably chilling my core lol