So, here goes...! I’m a 30 something year old mum of one and by far over my ideal weight. My daughter-in-law suggested this as something to start off with. I barely walk anywhere, let alone run...! But enough is enough and I want to be a good role model for my daughter who is also not very active.
I thought about bike rides but I can’t afford all the gear that goes with it. There are so many parks around and the cheapest but hardest thing for me to get going is running. I’m hoping that this will give me the motivation to gain and achieve a healthier lifestyle. I also smoke and I’m desperate to give up but I’m just finding myself hung onto the fridge door...!
Wish me luck..!
Written by
Hill85
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Yes good luck. As a woman in my 50s I found the hardest bit is what people think you look like! I'm on week 5 now, I still look exactly the same as week 1 but I no longer worry about it. You go for it! It feels great as week by week you succeed!
Good luck. I was in the same boat as you 3 years ago. I tried C25K many times and failed after 3 or 4 weeks. Then finally 3 years ago I tried again. This time I was committed. I stuck at it and in 10 weeks I had finished the C25K plan. I then found parkrun and started going most Saturday mornings.
I’m still running. I’ve knocked 3 stone off myself due to eating a healthy diet and regular exercise. I knocked 15 minutes off my 5K time. Running has changed my life. I have met loads of lovely people and made friends along the way. I’m healthier and happier now at 45 than I was at 25. My 10 year old Son runs at parkrun every week with me too.
So my advice is to stick with it. Take it nice and easy, run at a pace which is just a little faster than your fastest walking pace. And keep posting here and reading other people’s messages. You’ll learn a lot and it will keep you motivated. Enjoy and good luck.
Wishing you much luck with this adventure, and well done for taking the plunge 😁
I stopped smoking 2 years ago after pneumonia, with the assistance of vaping. Some find it controversial, but it helped me and I don’t do it a lot. It’s definitely safer than smoking, by 95% according to Public Health England - just a thought....
Keep posting your updates here so we know how you're doing.
These guys on here are a brilliant bunch and will do everything they can to help you through it.
You'll have good runs, you'll have bad runs and you might even have practice runs (we dont do failed runs here!). But this lot will be here to support you all the way.
Take it slow. The secret is to finishing each day. Sometimes I had to feel proud of myself for just putting my running shoes on. If you feel it necessary repeat each days run or each weeks run as many times as you feel you need to. You don’t have to go at the pace of the programme If that is too much for you. If you repeat the runs , you will find that they get easier and the great feeling of having persevered and succeeded at what never speed you progress is the motivator. After a few weeks you will realise how far you have come . Stick to a flat route . Good luck.
Keep going it really does get easier and the results may not be dropping a dress size but it will be a healthier mind - whilst you train you are doing something for you just you a break away from being a mum just for a small part of the day can give you chance to set the reset button - the smoking is a tough one I smoked until I was 40 (now 50) but although it took me 4 attempts it is singularly the best thing I have ever done for myself - you will get there keep running and think positives about you good luck
You can do it!! Start with small changes, and doing C25k is enough. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to do everything at once.
Keep a track of how many cigarettes you smoke a day and what time, then try to reduce it by 1 or 2 a day. Calculate how much £££ you would save per month if you cut down smoking by half. It may motivate you to reduce. Fill your fridge with fruit and veg. I would love to eat bags of crisps every evening, that’s why I don’t buy them - got apples instead. Small changes, over time make big differences.
And remember - we all fail, it’s part of the process. As long as you don’t give up - you are winning!!
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