Help please

[Penhas]

Just started another week of week 1 C25K and have to say I am really struggling. On top of still being full of cold, I'm doing the NHS Weight Loss plan too, so eating fewer calories, but am also trying to do the 150+ minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity required by the plan, and work into this the 10000 steps a day advised to make sure I burn more than 500 calories more than I eat. Am I trying to do too much?

[SarahFox Graduate]

Yes!! Keep it simple, it's more sustainable esp in the beginning. Stick to the eating plan and exercise because you enjoy it!!! Good luck x

[smurf1303 Graduate]

Firstly, well done you for making all these changes

Personally, I started off with trying to meet 10000 steps a day and improved eating, and then only started on the running when I could comfortably do the 15000 steps at a fair pace.

Day 1 took some practicing with that as the starting point, and I had to repeat a few times until I could do it, but boy did I feel good when I did

I started trying to do 30 seconds for the last run (on the basis I didn't need to conserve any energy for afterwards), then 45, then 60. Then I started trying to do the first run and the last one for 60 seconds and didn't worry too much about the others, and so on, in this way I eventually licked all 8.

My point is keep at it, and don't worry if you can't get all of day 1 in one go. I started 6 weeks ago and managed about 20 seconds per 60 seconds run, and now I can do 8 minutes continuously.

One other piece of advice someone gave me, keep a run journal that way you'll see you are having progress, even if you are not meeting a whole "day's" goals, you are improving.

Good luck and keep at it.

[Penhas in reply to smurf1303]

Thanks for this. These suggestions are really useful.

I was surprised how much improvement in each run I saw in my first attempt at week one, but this cold has set me back I feel. I'm still just about managing all 8 runs as 60 seconds but it's much harder than it was for the run I did mid last week before the cold hit. I'm running on different ground this week too as we're on holiday so the grass is slightly longer, the ground is softer and there's a very slight gradient. All of which seem to be sapping the strength in my legs.

I guess I shouldn't expect this to be easy - after all I've got a lot of bad habits to undo. Also if I can get to grips with the week one level on the new field over the next week and a half, it should be easy to move onto week 2 when I get home

[smurf1303 Graduate in reply to Penhas]

Ah yes, the peril of different surfaces!

On the plus side I reckon grass is the hardest so once you can do that, the other surfaces should be easier

[Penhas in reply to smurf1303]

I never realised that about grass! I usually run on grass but it's an area that is well used by dog walkers so very short grass and firm compacted ground. as opposed to the underused football pitch I'm currently using!!

[misswobble Graduate]

Are you counting your C25k steps into your get fit plan? If not, then you ought to as it counts as steps and aerobic activity. Have you got a fitbit or anything which will tell you how many cals you're burning. You might not be getting enough food if you are doing plenty of exercise. Some kind of monitor will help you with that

If you are counting your steps then C25k will amount for the 10,000 steps a day, or a good chunk thereof

Make sure you eat enough! If you are doing a lot of exercise you need good fuel. Make sure eat a really healthy diet of protein, veg (lots of) fruit and small amount of unsalted various nuts and seeds. You need to eat well to keep in tip top health, and you will lose weight that way. If you eat too little your body shuts up shop and doesn't burn calories.

It is a bit tricky early on into any plan but stick with it and you will find out what's best for you, and once you get into the habit of it, then it becomes easier. Healthy eating while you are dieting and running etc is very important and that should be uppermost in your mind

Have fun! C25k is a blast!

[Penhas in reply to misswobble]

Hi, yes, the C25K runs account for about 4200 of the steps every other day. I've found the only day I've been able to do over 10000 was on a Sunday when I walked the dogs for an hour in the morning and the same again in the evening. So I think I need to get more disciplined at making time to do two chunks of exercise a day. My job doesn't allow for many steps in the course of the day! Yesterday I did a fairly strenuous walk as we're away on hols, and was gutted to find it still didn't meet the 10000 steps target!! That said it was a much hillier walk than we usually do at home so I'm thinking 8.5k steps on that ground was worth 10k steps on a flat walk

I guess the calorie counting is what I'm struggling to get my head around - how to make sure I'm eating enough to avoid 'starvation' mode but not wasting the exercise effort by immediately eating the extra calories the exercise has earned!

[AdamB Graduate in reply to Penhas]

If your job doesn't give you much chance to manage more steps in the day, how about parking further away from work than you have done in the past. Parking a mile away from work would clock me up 4,000 steps every day walking there and back. I stride, so you would probably get more. I find the 20 minutes each way I get walking in and home something of a stress reliever on top.

[Vixchile Graduate]

Yes!! As Miss Wobble says you need to eat and needs to be good nutritional food. For me I really try to eat as much green food as possible and as (I think) JM says eat the rainbow. If you don't eat enough your body won't be able to cope and you can forget trying to do exercise. It will happen its a slow process and its about keep on making small little changes and gradually these all add up. Don't give up!! Your feeling run done because you have a cold. Your on the right roads with exercise and c25k, don't be too hard on yourself and just think ok i am doing more now than i did X weeks ago.

[Hidden]

Rather than worrying how many calories, and whether you're having enough, look at when and what you're eating. If you're running in the morning, make sure you're well hydrated, and plan a good solid breakfast for afterwards, e.g. porridge, eggs, etc. If you're running after work, make sure you have a mid-afternoon snack so you have the fuel. Bananas are great for this. Lastly, look at all the whole-wheat/brown versions of things, e.g. have brown rice, brown bread, brown pasta, sweet potatoes instead of normal potatoes. These will help you feel more full. Hope your cold passes soon, that will definitely be having an effect, so be easy on yourself until you're back to full health. Hope you can move onto week 2 soon, it's not too much of a leap from week 1

[the_tea_fairy Graduate]

Running with a head cold isn't advisable, I think. It's a virus and it does affect your whole system. Try sliced raw ginger, a little turmeric, a lemon wedge and (if you're on sugar) a spoonful of honey in hot water for the cold - always makes me feel like I'm looking after myself!

And it sounds like you've taken a lot on; celebrate each bit you do achieve and don't panic if it doesn't all come together at once. Sustainable change takes time.

[wannabeefast in reply to the_tea_fairy]

ginger and turmeric!!! A woman after my own heart <3

[the_tea_fairy Graduate in reply to wannabeefast]

It's a good one, isn't it? My husband and I refer to it as 'witches brew'. But in a good way.

[wannabeefast in reply to the_tea_fairy]

It's diamond stuff, we swear by it

[misswobble Graduate]

I seem to live on ginger, garlic and chilli! I had garlic steamed kale under my salmon for tea. Slurp

[Rlear Graduate]

And don't forget, as a runner you need fat and sugar in your diet. Don't go cutting these out completely like some diets do. Everything in moderation!