New and scared!

[Granpam]

Hi. I'm almost 55, and 5 stone overweight! I am scared to start this as can hardly run up stairs never mind 5k! My back aches, along with lots of other bits!! Mainly, I'm sure to being so overweight. If I'm honest, I'm worried about looking stupid being so big and trying to run. Have other people started when fat, or have you lost weight then started?

[Becca169]

Just give it a go - everyone has to start somewhere and even walking for 20 mins is better for you than sitting on the sofa eating crisps...! I think you’ll surprise yourself 😀

[oldwheezer69 Graduate]

48, was 5 stone overweight, asthmatic, and breathless walking up stairs, totally lacking energy, aching when getting out of bed in the morning and comfort eating big time. That was 7 weeks ago. I bought a Fitbit, did 10,000 steps a day for 2 weeks (that was hard!!) then started C25K. The first run almost killed me, running for 60 seconds eight times! I was a purple, wheezing mess by the end yelling at my husband to run a hot bath NOW as I would never be able to walk again otherwise!! 🤣 .... Fast forward to today, just back from my week 5 20-minute run, went out at 6am, got back and had a healthy breakfast, one stone lighter now and feeling on top of the world with so much more energy 😁😁😁..... DO IT!!!

I promise after the first tough couple of weeks you won't look back. Keep us posted, this is the most supportive forum you will ever come across and we will be here cheering you on! 😁😁😁

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum.

If you can run up stairs at all then you are doing better than many when they started here. Read the guide to the plan healthunlocked.com/couchto5... for plenty of tips and give it a go. You have nothing to lose (well maybe a few pounds) and everything to gain.

All your fears are quite common but will soon be forgotten. As for losing weight........ C25K alone will not make you lose weight, but it will tone you up and make you feel better about yourself, so you will be less likely to eat a bad diet.

We have had largish ladies lose weight and become svelte marathon running athletes..........the sky is the limit.

[Caro71]

Hi I'm am on week 1 run 2 tonight. I have got my head into not the run distance but the run time. If I can run for 1 minute great and at the moment it's more of a shuffle. Each of the individual runs is an achievement. I ran 7 individual minutes fabulous. Distance unknown and really who cares. It's moving forward that's not walking. Heart rate up breathing up but running slow. All the very best

[LookNannyruns Graduate]

Please please don’t worry about your appearance, don a big ‘this girl can’ tee shirt and get out there. I’ve seen so many shapes and sizes out there since I started this and my only reaction has been admiration . I do wish you luck and determination, as many have said before think of your running journey as a fitness journey not a weight loss programme. I’m sure that you’ll find the by product is weight loss simply because you feel so good about yourself that food seems less important.

Congratulations on your first steps, you may not get less red faced but you will have run longer and further each week....

[M4ggi Graduate]

Yes I agree don’t worry - just go for it. I’m 61 and about 4 stone overweight. I felt and still feel a bit self conscious but just think as least I’m doing it! AND I do feel better for it. There’s lots of encouragement on this forum and it’s great to read how others have progressed. My best advice is to take it as slow as possible with decent running shoes which give good support and absorb impact. I had a problem with my knees after 2 weeks and now have good shoes which really help.

Take it slow at whatever pace works for you.

[misswobble Graduate]

Yup. Plenty have done it and are still out there running, much slimmer and healthier than before.

Doctors and WW are pushing this nhs programme as being the best thing since sliced bread, which it is. It was designed by a chap for his mother to get fit. The rest is history. Many hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of peeps have successfully completed it

I was like you - a few years older in fact - overweight and unhealthy. Bad, painful joints and feeling like shite. Joined WW then started C 25k when a lass there set me up with the podcasts. I borrowed a dog too 😁

I was worried about donning Lycra but I got some good Nike tights and was quite pleased how they hauled everything in so I wasn’t the lumpy sack of spuds i had envisaged. I took myself off to the country park and did the runs there, out of the way of my old man who,I knew would take the pee

I had never run in my life til Couch but now I can’t stop. My life is just so different. I am fit, healthy and slim and didn't need the new hip I was told I needed 💪😃👍🏃‍♀️

Start today! 👍

[Jhill66]

Yep I’m overweight too by about 4stone! Not run since cross country at school. I’m now in my fifties and am running w4r3 tonight! I get a bit self conscious as I’ve had a negative comment or two from stupid people (strangers too!) so I run early morning or later in the evening. Less a***holes about! But one day I’ll be running 5k three times a week(probably really slow 5 ks) and my future health prospects will sky rocket so get out there and go for it! This programme really is amazing and we all root for each other!

[Wobblewobble]

Hello granpam, i signed up last night and am thinking up all sorts of reasons why i cant start tonight with the first run.

Im 62 and nearly 5 stone overweight, even if i have to walk it i know i must do it!

I will if you will