Hi there, I am a newbie to this forum and wanted to say "Hi" and that I have really enjoyed reading the posts and feel incredibly motivated by seeing so many people graduating from the programme and continuing to run do thank you!
I have just completed W3R1 and cannot believe I could run for 3minutes, I was nervous starting it but felt surprisingly comfortable ( and enjoyed the bobbing head over the hedge advice!!)
My question is that I started this programme to get fitter and lose weight. Havin done no real exercise for a number of years I have definitely noticed an improvement in my fitness levels already but the weight is not moving at all. I eat clean and don't skip meals so I would hope to have seen a bit of weight loss by now. Any thoughts? Am I being impatient?!
Thanks!
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Cazzzarooo
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I would say it is early to be seeing any weight loss, and for lots of people it seems the pounds only start go drop after you're running for 30 mins several times a week.
So just keep at it for a few more weeks, and you'll get there. There are so many other benefits to running too, being off the couch at all is an achievement in itself. Let us know how you get on!
Thank you so much for replying! That's really helpful to know as I guess I just need to manage my expectations!! I agree with you and absolutely feel like I'm achieving something by doing this and, more surprisingly, I am looking forward to W3R2 today too!
I would suggest combining it with doing something like Myfitness pal to lose weight, your body will change shape but it's unlikely you will lose much without that.... But you will feel so much better either way!!!
Thanks for the tip, I will look into that now! I must say, even though I'm only on W3 I already feel so much better and have noticed a small change in my legs..more a knee gap then a thigh gap!
You will... My body has completely changed and it's always a shock when I feel the backs of my thighs.... Used to be so wobbly but now completely firm! I'm no lighter ( I'm also on MFP to lose a bit) but I am a dress size smaller too.... Good luck x
I don't believe that we lose much weight while doing C25K - certainly I have lost inches round my waist -- BUT only a few Kgs in weight really. It is surprising just how far we have to run to burn off that piece of chocolate or glass of wine -- it is quite dispiriting to see how many calories there are in a glass of wine ( much less half a bottle!!) and how many calories are burnt in 30 minutes of slow running!!
Indeed that is dispiriting! However it is motivating to hear that inches will be lost and on the way to becoming more toned so perhaps I need to change my expectations of what I will achieve! I'm not quite ready to give up the wine just yet 😀
Sadly you are unlikely to lose weight by running. There is no getting away from it, you need to diet as well. I recommend myfitnesspal, set it to what you want to lose and stick to it. Running will help you to maintain your weight but you need to burn off more calories than you consume. You'll be surprised how few calories you are able to consume in a day of course this depends on your age and a few other factors.
I'm a chap so slightly different but I have seen a shape change rather than a weight loss. The tummy has lessened slightly and calves and thighs are definitely changing.
I remember some posts from before saying how unfair it was that the calorie burn vs. the effort expended. Loads of effort, few calories. Yuk.
The other comment I often hear is, it didn't go on overnight so it won't go overnight either.
The good feeling I get from running permeates through though, I find I am naturally eating better. I don't want to spoil the good efforts I am making on some silly empty calories. (Can't believe I am saying that, I am a chocolate fiend.)
Exercising 3 times a week must be having some effect though. I bet family and friends are noticing a subtle difference.
Thank you Hussainboltz and Idolitorus for your replies.
I have downloaded the myfitnesspal app so hope this helps keeping the calorie intake in check and the running helps with the rest!
I agree too that by starting this programme, I am much more aware of what I am eating and have made a number of changes to my diet too. I just want to be healthier and fitter overall and I guess that dropping a dress size makes up for the scales not moving, it's just a different mindset for me from years of yo-yo dieting and following faddy diets. Turns out healthy eating and exercise are the way forward!!
Just for the record, I lost 58 lb with strict use of it, I still use it today in fact today is day 518 of continuous use of it. I use it still to make sure I don't put the weight back on. I still had 3 pints of Guinness last night and a big block of whole nut chocolate, now that's when the running comes in, but I did do 12 miles in total yesterday so did earn it. myfitnesspal works if you stick with it and don't cheat yourself, be honest with what you eat and exercise, I always knock a few calories off what it says I have earn t through exercise. I was 16st 8lb in March last year, I have been 12 st 6lb for almost 12 months now.
I found the biggest difference was in terms of waist measurement rather than weight. I lost 3lb over the 9 weeks of doing c25k, but my waist measurement changed drastically. So measure and weigh before and after the 9 weeks to see the full effect. As I wanted to lose more than 3lb I then followed c25k with the NHS 12 week weight loss plan and finally I'm seeing a bigger change. I saw learning to run as giving myself another tool to help me lose weight, along with portion control, shifting to a healthier diet, reducing alcohol intake, etc, etc. We all know these things work in theory, but if you put them all into practice over a long enough period it will all work. I also use myfitnesspal as mentioned above. Good luck!
Thank you ruth_canal_runner! That is a great tip, I'm going to do that now! 😀
I agree that the running is a tool to help towards the overall goal and I will check out the NHS weight loss plan once I completed my 9 weeks..one step at a time!
Yep definitely. That's how I felt. I liked the one step at a time approach to learning to run so much I got drawn into the week by week process of the NHS 12 week plan which introduces a different thing to focus on each week. It also encourages you to do 150 mins of aerobic exercise a week, so running for 3x30mins a week already gives you a headstart. I haven't kept it up myself, but ideally if you can accompany c25k with core exercises e.g. the strength and flex podcasts then that will help too. Good luck for the rest of week 3 and for managing your expectations over the weeks ahead
Hi Cazz great to hear you're enjoying c25k
I have been combining c25k with slimming world and so far lost 5lbs. I'm just about to start w6, so roughly lost a lb a week. For me I've noticed a real loss on the back of my thighs, so putting that down to the running!
Thanks Mimsickle and well done to you! It's great to hear all of the positive impacts that running is having, I can't believe I haven't done this sooner!! Cx
Think of it all as a process rather than a destination. You are doing c25k to increase your exercise levels. And that's an amazing thing already. The benefits you gain from that will be so great. It will longer term help you in any weight loss and will help maintain any losses you do achieve. So no more yoyo dieting. But its calories in and out ( however you choose to achieve that) that help with losing 'weight' alone.. What you WILL see ( as many have said) is body shape change.. Interestingly a lot around your waist ( which is the most dangerous type of body fat longer term - visceral fat- around your organs ) WILL reduce ... Whatever your 'weight' says shorter term...
But you are also more aware of healthy eating etc which, in time, will help you achieve your targets... But you WANT long term sustainable change to lifestyle not quick term 'fix' and that takes... You've guessed it TIME...
Good for you 😊 in what you've achieved so far though!!!
As everyone has said, running alone won't give you much weight loss. It's not possible to avoid the need to slightly undereat for at least a while.
We need to put "weight" in inverted commas too, because all your weight is, is a very rough guide to how fat or famished you are. If you run, you're going to put on weight, because your biggest muscles are going to grow. Muscle is dense/ "heavy". This means that the scale becomes a less accurate index of body fat than it would be if you achieved weight loss simply by starving yourself (and inducing your body to consume all available muscle tissue before starting on the precious treasure of fat it has stored away - seen through the lens of one's paleolithic body, which can't be convinced that there will be no mammoth to eat next week).
If you're fitting into smaller dresses, oh yes you ARE losing "weight". In every sense of that term that actually matters to you, you're losing "weight" - even if your scale tells you you're getting heavier. Dress size is a far better index of "weight" than the scale.
I once read that you should use the "inch of pinch" as your measure. If you've become cuddlier than is completely necessary (don't beat yourself up over it; it just greys out the goodness of life) then you can pinch up a nice lump of thriving fat from your belly (well I certainly can). The size of that pinch is a reasonably good index of how well you're doing at saving the fat reserves until the next mammoth hunt (which is not an entirely bad thing, even; it shows you're healthy). If you must measure more finely than by eye, get a ruler and check out how many inches of pinch you have achieved. (Positive, positive, positive. Just get rid of it; don't hate it - especially on other people).
Thanks for this. I've actually put on a little "weight" since I started, but I know my shape has changed, my "love handles" have almost disappeared. So I've decided I don't need to check the scales at all.
For two years I've followed the 5:2 & now fast on my inbetween days. (It was following it that I lost my excess weight & didn't find it hard to follow.)
Wow Hussainboltz, that's fantastic, well done!! Very motivating to hear as well!
Thank you also to gary_bart and anaverageman, you guys have really given me some great advise on this whole process and I agree that "weight" alone is not the be all when achieving everything else! Everyone is so helpful on this site, I love it!!! Cxx
On it's own the running won't make much difference to your weight, but it does help generate the right mind set to make other changes. It WILL make a massive change to your shape, so measure your waist, bust and thighs now, just so you can see how much of a change it is.
I found going out for a run just before a meal helped. I felt so virtuous, that I couldn't bring myself to eat too much or to eat my normal junk, so that meant a small healthy portion (which again helped). In the end I started following the 5:2 fasting plan and I'm sticking with that. I've gone from just over 15 stone to just over 10 and a half - but it's taken me a couple of years. More motivational for me was that I went from a size 20 to a size 16 by the end of the program (with very little weight loss!).
Stick to the program - it will make you feel better about yourself and that will help you stick to whatever weight loss program you choose to follow. Just remember, you are in this for the long term, you won't see overnight results.
Hi agedsnailspace! Thank you for sharing your achievements with me and WOW- well done!!
It is great to hear how successful everyone has been by starting off with this programme. I think the most helpful thing that I've learnt today from everyone is that it's not what the scales say that is important after all! Being fitter and healthier will lead to being more confident in myself and hopefully dropping a couple of dress sizes too - plus no one sees my scales anyway! 😀 xx
I have lost around a stone since I started C25k in January. I am now running twice a week, swimming serious lengths 3 times a week, doing some weights / resistance work and more activity generally, but I have not made any changes to diet nor do I calorie count. I didn't think I really had a problem with my diet, it was more that the weight gain that had slowly occurred during adulthood accelerated after menopause to the point where I was heading into obese BMI territory and I generally felt sluggish. I started C25k as a method of improving my health feeling any weight loss would be a bonus.
I suspect the swimming has had more impact in weight loss terms than the running. I have also noticed changes in my shape as well as reductions in bust, waist, hips. Clothes that no longer fitted fit again. More recently purchased clothes hang off me, etc.
Hi Codfish, thank you for replying and well done to you for making those lifestyle changes, I think that is the crux of it really. I love swimming too and like the idea of combining the two as well. I've also just started going to a powerhoop class- I'm highly uncoordinated currently but it's fun and I hope to improve with practice!! cx
I didn't notice any difference with my weight until week 5 or 6. I would say however take your measurements and use them as a guide rather than your weight, you tone up a bit quicker than loosing weight.
Have you noticed a change in your shape? You may not loose weight as you don't lose many calories running for less than 30 munites but the cardiovascular and muscles should start burning when you are not running. You should start to see some shape changes
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1st run done - what a sense of achievement!
Question from a newbie :)
Newbie introduction 
new to this blog, feeling very chuffed with myself
W1R1 complete and a question
