Week One

[Traceylizzy]

Hi folks this first weeks gone good I haven't cut everything out of my diet just rubbish like crisps and alcohol for the first week I figure it will be easier if I do things slowly then I don't feel deprived. The exercise is the hardest the pain is really bad sometimes it's too painful to even sit so I end up standing, leaning on something to relieve the pain. I'm still positive about the future and know that I must keep going I'm just hoping that stressful situations don't pull me off track as I comfort eat and drink when things get tough. Thanks to everyone who has offered support it means a lot, here's to week 2 😊

[vivh61 Graduate]

Hi Traceylizzie - well done you! You're doing really well. It's a good idea to cut things out gradually than trying to cut everything you like out all at once. The exercise takes a bit of getting used to if you haven't done any for a long time, but, I promise, it will get easier, and as you get slimmer the pressure on your joints will decrease. Just remember to take it slowly, like you are with your diet, don't feel you have to complete each week's runs in a week if you're in real pain, and if necessary repeat until you feel comfortable with them. I didn't complete in 9 weeks, so don't feel you have to, and if a run doesn't go well, then don't beat yourself up about it - being out there and trying is so much better than staying on the couch. And give yourself a big pat on the back for getting this far.

All the best for week 2!

[RunningForBroke Graduate]

Congrats on finishing week 1! One thing that helped me was to try and keep my legs under me a bit more. I keep an easy circular stride and try not to overstretch each step. That reduces impact. 😊

[gary_bart]

+1 What vivh61 said. I did Week 2 several times. I also did so with Week 5. When your body tells you to ease off a bit, do so. (And when you're starting to wonder whether you should take on the next challenge, just try it. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work, Sun rises in the East again tomorrow morning, babies still have no teeth, the world stays intact.)

Well done for gutsing it out. There are times when that's exactly what you have to do. However, don't just suffer your way through this. There's some kind of balance between accepting some pain as part of life, and of sensibly sparing yourself from actual harm that you have to find, yourself, for your own body.

[Fibrojules]

Hi Traceylizzie, You are doing so well and you should keep up the good work. I wish I could be as strong willed as you are. Good luck with week 2. Julia xx

[agedsnailspace Graduate]

Hi and well done for starting!

2 things if the runs are causing you so much pain

1) Slow down! It doesn't matter at this stage if you are running slower than you are walking - it's the action that's important not the speed.

2)take smaller steps. I always associated running with striding out before I started this program. It isn't and taking too big a stride will mean you are putting stress on your joints. Ideally, when your foot hits the floor, it should be underneath your body.

I understand your concerns about comfort eating when things get tough, been there, done that! Next time you are tempted, go for a run. It's a brilliant stress relief AND you come back feeling really virtuous! It really is a win-win.

Keep going and don' t worry if you feel you need to repeat a run. You are succeeding just by getting out there.

[mfamilias Graduate]

Well done for taking the first step! Your tactic is good - small, manageable goals are the key to success. If you give everything up at the same time, it's a) miserable and b) unrealistic. I went for small goals, one at a time, starting a new one when the first was done & dusted. Like you, I started by stopping the alcohol and crisps during Dry January, adding a daily 5K walk for good measure (funnily enough, if you're feeling tempted to reach for a packet of crisps, a brisk walk and a glass of water afterwards gets that temptation out of the way). Then in February I upgraded the walk to C25K, and improved my diet more. On graduating, I decided to keep on running three times a week... Now I'm trying to work up to 10k.The weight has been slowly dropping off the whole time, and I've lost almost 2 stone now and feel fabulous. So take one day at a time, listen to your body, but ignore the gremlins. You've got this!