This is so hard! I'm 5 stone overweight and an ex-smoker. I'm determined to do this along with a healthier diet but it doesn't feel good. I'm only on my second run but having read so many posts where people say it's easy I'm feeling more than a little deflated. Anyone else feel like this and does it get any easier?
It's really hard!: This is so hard! I'm 5 stone... - Couch to 5K
It's really hard!
Written by
CharlieK9
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61 Replies
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agirlinwinterGraduate
I’ve just started (did my second run today). I am not finding it easy. I’m in my 40s and horrendously unfit. It’s not just you! I’m just taking it one run at a time and hoping for the best. If I finish the program I will be astounded.
I'm 41 and a knackered mum and haven't exercised in years so I knew it would be tough but it is really challenging. I'm hugely self-conscious as well so that doesn't help running in the village park where there are many dog walkers. It's good to have someone in a similar position. We can cheer each other on!
Nearly 50 very overweight and asthmatic. I did it ! I graduated in December and have done 3 5ks And a 6k including Park run. I’m slow but who cares 😂. I promise you that you can do it. Follow the plan it works! Some runs are harder others easier but if you stick to the plan and rest days in between you will get through. When you struggle slow right down because your pace doesn’t matter what matters is you’re moving forward. We are here for support and encouragement when you need it 🙂
I did my first run today. Harder than I expected but I am very unfit. I’m determined to keep going though. Keep up the good work. X
You too!
We all start from where we start from. Being overweight and an ex smoker (well done for that btw!) means that this will be harder than for an active skinny 25 year old, for example. I was quite fit in terms of being a regular walker but I am in my mid fifties and wouldn't say I found any of the runs 'easy'. However I found them 'doable'. It's great to achieve something that is tough and challenging. Go slow and repeat runs if necessary. This programme is great for the more experienced among the population 
I 'run' regularly now and have got up to 10 miles (only once but hey )
Good luck. Keep plugging away and remember that you are only in competition with one person- yourself!
CharlieK9• in reply to
Thank you! I think all the lovely comments and positivity on here will help no end.
Vintage61Graduate
It might be easy for some but not all. It’s your own journey, I know that sounds really cheesy but don’t compare yourself. You’re out there doing it for you and that’s what it’s all about. I found the program worked and sine runs were ok and some were a nightmare. But the benefits are so worth it! You’ve got this 🙌🏻👊🏻
Thank you, you are so right and I think having low self-esteem and being very self-conscious adds to the difficulty but I really want and need to change so I will persevere.
Brilliant. I have similar issues and all I can say is I’ve always had very positive response from other runners. And the boost to my mental health has been more positive than any medication. In the summer I go out early and run, and part of that is so that I didn’t want to meet too many people. And remember if you go past someone out of breath, they don’t know if you’ve done 10 yards or 10 miles!! 😋👍🏻
I am hugely self conscious when running too, and the early weeks with all the stopping and starting especially made me feel daft. Then I found sunglasses. Probably sounds utterly bonkers but if I've got my sunglasses, woolly hat on and music blasting I'm in my own little bubble. Can't run without them, but with them no one's going to stop me. And it really does get easier 😉
Jell6Graduate
I don't have your issues, and although I used to smoke that was 20 years ago.
I didn't find it easy, and still don't .
Some runs are less hard. The recovery is definitely faster, as is the pace.
I invariably enjoy the after run though!.
Each run prepares you for the next run, and the programme is building you up.
If after you complete the the programme and try week 1 again, then you will see how far you have come🤩🤩
Stick with it, honestly I thought week one would be the end of me😶
I am also overweight (almost 4 stone) and an ex smoker! It is hard at first, no two ways about it. It does get easier, slowly and you have good and bad runs, but when you get a good one it feels great! I have just completed w5 and ran for 20 minutes!! (Barely more than a walk speed wise but it doesn’t matter!) by the end I was absolutely knackered, but was buzzing that I did it! You can do this, it’s hard at first, but giving up smoking is harder! I can recommend on run days planning some healthy meals, it makes you feel incredibly virtuous lol! Good luck!
RunningMigsterGraduate
OMG.... I came home from my very first run and looked for a week 0.5
I found it so, so hard. Run 2 was a little better in the end but was a really tough start. I wondered if i was going to make it.
Run 3 i really struggled towards the end and was a bit worried about moving to week 2.
I graduated just before Christmas. I'm now running for 30 minutes 3 times a week and I'm really enjoying it (mostly 😄).
My advice to you would be to constantly remind yourself why you want to do this. You ain't gonna achieve your goal if you stop, but the reason for starting will still be there.
And as has already been said, do it for you. Dont compare yourself to others as you really dont know who you are comparing yourself too.
And the two standard but so important bits of advice, if you're struggling, go slower. Even if you thing you cant, you really can. And keep hydrated. Even on rest days, drink plenty of fluids.
You can do this. We're all here for you to help you along.
Mig
Thank you so much! I found today's run harder than the first one. I didn't stop though and I know I should be proud for even attempting this. Hearing from people like you is inspiring.
On the contrary, it was seeing people like you, jogging along the street that shamed me into getting off my butt and doing something about my increasingly unhealthy lifestyle.
You are the inspiration!
ButtercupKidGraduate
It’s not easy for everyone, so don’t let it get you down. I carry an extra person in fat - I call her Ethel - and I was so unfit the first time around I took nine weeks to meet the requirements of week 1 and five months to graduate. Then I slumped for a while, because even after all that time I still find running hard work and well amongst my least favourite things to do ! I’m back because I miss the fitter version of me I had in April and I’m determined to boot Ethel out. You won’t find better support anywhere than on this forum. So try to be glad for those who succeed quickly, but don’t let it knock your pride in your own achievements. They may have speed but you have courage x
That is lovely, thank you. My car is called Ethel and she's cost me £600 in the garage today so (no offence to any Ethel's that read this!) I think all Ethel's are a burden to bear! I may have to repeat some weeks but hearing from others is inspiring. I will check in on here when I'm struggling as it has helped no end today.
Typical Ethel behaviour, if you ask me ! Never worry about repeats: they’re just your body’s way of asking for a bit more patience, and great for building stamina. Just remember the First Rule of C25k: The only run you fail is the run you don’t go for ! 😄
WenderwooGraduate
Many, including myself, didn’t find it easy in the beginning, but it does get easier.....but never easy in my opinion. But I think that just makes the sense of achievement greater when you manage to do it, and you will! If you need to repeat some runs until you feel ready to move on, or take additional rest days, then do so. I still haven’t completed yet, but got to W7 and got injured. I would never have believed I could do that. Keep at it, you will get great support and encouragement here 👍😁
SueAppleRunGraduate
Hey if it’s too hard slow down, breathe deep and pour yourself a glass of water every time you enter the kitchen, then drink it
This really isn’t easy, it takes courage and determination, our first run nearly killed us.... and now we can run steadily for 40 minutes and more
We puff a bit we ache a bit but it is exhilarating
Be very proud of yourself do a few stretches on your rest day and one day i promise you will enjoy running
Being overweight you really need to take it slow and listen to your body don’t push too far, or too fast
I wish you luck and hope to see you post your progress
Oh and get a tape measure, write down things like waist hips and chest put it away for a month and if you keep running measure again in a month, i lost 3 inches off my waist by graduation and haven’t lost much weight look better feel better too
That's a great idea, thank you so much. I can't wait to feel proud at the end of my run rather than as if I'm about to keel over!
Oh there’s nothing like it when you get to the end of your run and grin and grin and punch the air and shout “i did it!!!”
I look forward to reading your progress
mrrunGraduate
It's all about what you want to achieve. Results are doable but many parts of the journey are difficult. The point is, once you reach the target it all becomes clear and you see the point. I've run a marathon but my first ever run was torture. No air in my lungs, no strength in my legs. I was an embarrassing shambles. A few years later l could cover 42 kilometres without once fighting for breath. Easy? No man. Satisfying (mentally and fitness-wise)? You bet. Go, do your thing!
Speedy60Graduate
Good for you for going for it. You've made a great decision! Three things that might help:
A 'week' on the programme is really just a stage. You can repeat each one as often as you feel you need to.
Look up Japanese slow running on YouTube, it's the way forward.
Never forget, you're doing a whole lot better than those still on their couch.
Good luck and keep us all posted. 👏
Maz1234Graduate
I don’t think many people find it easy I think it just gets easier the further you progress through the program. I didn’t find it easy I think the 1st couple of weeks are the hardest. And the hardest part is starting. Good luck
Just keep going and repeat weeks if you have to. When I started I felt like everyone was judging and now I think to myself I'm out here doing my best and you lazy lot are in your cars! It will get easier promise. Good luck.
That's true! Thank you!
If you're referring to your diet (rather than the running) : if it doesn't feel good, it's almost certainly not healthy. When you switch to a genuine healthy diet, you'll feel your body breathe a metaphorical sigh of relief: "Finally", it'll tell you, "some proper food I can work with!".
There are a lot of silly ideas about what's healthy and what isn't. A lot of these ideas have been inserted into the public consciousness by a food industry keen to make money from cheap, supposedly-healthy ingredients that can be massively marked-up.
What are you eating in a typical day?
As for the running: it probably doesn't feel good because you're overweight. I would seriously suggest you don't try until you've taken some mass off your knees: if you get your diet right, this could be in as little as six months, when the weather will be much more conducive anyway! Attempting to run at this stage of the game could well result in you doing enough damage to ensure you can never run again. A brisk walk should be fine. But don't run.
Oh! Thank you! I am having overnight oats and a green smoothie for breakfast. A seeded bread sandwich and salad at lunch and meat or fish with lots of veg in the evening followed by a yoghurt and fruit. Is that ok?
No idea. Your body will tell you. That's how you figure out things, trial & error. Eventually, if persistent, you get there. Good luck! 👍
Salad, meat, fish, veg, yoghurt ... all good. I particularly recommend Greek yoghurt - it's great stuff, in terms of both nutrition and taste. However I would dump the oats, the bread, and the smoothie, at least for the time being, and have (say) a cheese omelette instead with some salad on the side. Liquidized vegetables are not better than whole vegetables And go easy on the fruit. Half a banana chopped into your yoghurt is OK. Two apples is not.
What you're doing with those foods is giving your body a massive hit of glucose, which will prevent you burning fat effectively. Once you've got down to a normal weight, you'll be able to eat those things in modest quantities without any issues ... but not now.
Instead of the stodge, fill up your plate with more of the other things (whatever suits your taste). Eat until you are full. If you're hungry, eat more. Under no circumstances attempt to artificially limit your "calorie intake" ... and never, ever buy anything that says "low fat" on it! Feel free to use butter, cheese, and cuts of meat with the skin/fat on them. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but give it a try for a few weeks and see what happens. You'll not only lose weight, you'll feel a lot happier with your meals.
Oh ... well done for giving up the smoking! You'll be amazed what a difference it makes. Over time your body will actually heal most of the damage and you have about the same prospects of a fit, healthy life as someone who never smoked.
Sar9Graduate
Stick at it... Everyone is different so try not to compare yourself to others.
It’s a challenge, and if running wasn’t a challenge then there wouldn’t be a programme like this, because everyone would just be able to go out and run 5k without thinking about it.
But of course it will get easier as your fitness improves, so keep at it and you will feel great for it soon enough!
If you get to a run that you aren’t able to complete at first, just repeat it until you can.
Find yourself some good podcasts that get you laughing and engaged, keep telling yourself you love running as you go (like the app says) - honestly I find this really helps distract you from the task at hand and makes it fly by, plus leaves you feeling great even if the run was tough!
Good luck!
Easy? Whoever said that was probably already fit! I'm nearly 70 and haven't run since I left school. I plan to finish week 1 today, having taken three attempts to complete run 1. I admire you for giving up smoking. If you can do that you must surely have the determination needed for this. Just follow the great advice you get on here and do it at your own pace. 👍
Hey you can do this. The hardest part is to start so take it at your pace. Well done and keep going....
Certainly, I sympathise that I did not find this easy. Had loads of support here and for me, I needed the forum to get through.
But-if it wasn’t a challenge then after each run, good and bad, there wouldn’t be the sense of achievement.
Slow it right down. There is no competition. Good luck, you can do this 👍
Thank you. Yes I will try to pace myself better and you're right of course, if it was easy I wouldn't need to do it.
MilajayneGraduate
I’m 45 and a knackered mum too. I found every run a challenge, but the plan is such that each run prepares you for the next. And if you don’t succeed, try again! I think it took me 13 weeks to complete the couch 2 5k last year. Positive vibes your way.
IannodaTruffeMentor
Welcome to the forum and well done
on getting started.
This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
and includes advice on pacing.
It may be that you need to get your brisk walking fitness up before you start.......you should be able to walk briskly for thirty minutes before you attempt running.
Enjoy your journey.
Thank you. Yes I think you could be right, I'll read that link too.
sTrongFuseGraduate
I'm a lot like you. I started C25K in March last year and I absolutely detested W1; so many repetitions and the final one always seemed to be one more away.
As the weeks went by and the repetitions fewer (albeit running for longer) I enjoyed it more. Graduated in May, ran my first 10k in July and my first (and so far only) HM in November.
So yeah, I think it gets easier; it's simply a case of learning a new skill, too get better with practice.
Wow! That's amazing!
ArthurJGGraduate
I don’t think many people find it ‘easy’. Most people find it POSSIBLE though, and that’s what matters. If you finish a run and think it was hard, what matters is that you finished it, not that it was hard. If you ever don’t finish one, don’t fret, call it practice, take your rest day the next day and do the run again. It doesn’t stop you completing the programme, it just changed the finish date a couple of days and that doesn’t matter. If it takes ten, eleven or twelve weeks instead of nine, that doesn’t matter either. You’re still lapping everybody in the couch.
Do it for you, no one else, don't listen to everyone saying how easy something is cos they are different to you. I was 5 stone over weight last year I lost 2 stone on ww, and I've just done my 1st run do I'm 3 stone over weight pushing 40 with 2 little kids with a stinking cold that won't bloody go, but I went out in the dark just and I started this for me, however easy or however hard it's my journey.
If I told u pushing out a baby was easy would u believe me?
If I told u breaking your femur was a walk in the park wouldn't believe me?
Nerp!
Be in it for you, walk it it u have to, carrying extra weight it's hard your off the couch well done xxx
BeccymGraduate
I think your perception is that is everyone says it's easy. There are probably more posts or equal posts saying it is hard. The thing is with running you should only measure against yourself. I am not fast and some runs I hate. The important thing is that you're doing something.
Walking is good too
It’s so hard.
I have been running on the treadmill on and off these past few years so am no beginner.
I completed week 1 run 1 today and have to say I did not find it easy.
You don’t realise how long a minute is until you have to run it!
The only consolation is that it does get easier with each run...
P.S. Walking for more of the time and running for less might make it less daunting and you will still be making progress!
Don’t give up
Xx
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