I went with my partner J to visit some friends last weekend for an evening of board games. They are both very supportive, friendly, and fit. When they heard that J and I had started running, they suggested we run the 10K to their house instead of driving - which I hope was meant as a joke, although one of them ran a marathon two years ago.... We drove anyways.
Being able to run at all, even for a few seconds, is a triumph for me. Over the past 6 months, I lost 43 pounds (~20 kg). I only just started running (week 2 podcast, although it is my 3rd week since starting). Our hostess made much of my weight loss so far, and I felt good about what I have accomplished, even though I still have another 40-60 lbs (18-27 kg) to lose before I will really be at a healthy long-term weight. These days I am starting to reap the benefits of better health, and am able to do things I couldn't consider before, including running.
At the end of the evening, their adorable 7-year-old daughter came over to give me a very enthusiastic hug. She wanted to be held, so I picked her up and held her on my hip. After a few minutes, my friends were concerned that she was too heavy to carry for long. They said she weighed 43 pounds.
I tried bending my knees a bit and walking around, and it was indeed very hard.
"No wonder I couldn't run before! (I could barely walk actually, and needed a cane at one point.) I can't believe I was carrying so much weight around!" said I, a little in awe of the change I have undergone so far.
"Wow. It's true. You've lost a 7-year-old," joked my friend.