WEEK 9 FINISHED!!!! VERY DETAILED UPDATE OF MY JOURNEY

[Kudzi]

I have decided to give a detailed update of my journey in the hope of helping some of you guys out there. I NEVER EVER thought i would be able to run for 30mins but here Iam grinning ear to ear.

I am a 21 year old female in my last year of University. My starting weight was 80kg (12.6 stone) and my height is 162cm (5.3ft). I was getting really depressed about my weight. Starting University I weighed about 10.5 stone and in three years i gained just over 2 stone. Everyone around me was telling me how big I looked.

I found Couch to 5K when i was searching around the internet for things to do to loose weight. I decided to give it a go. I have never been a runner (always avoided it). I couldnt even run for more than 1 min without feeling like i was about to DIE!!!

I Started Couch to 5k on the 14th of March last month in the gym. I was so desperate to loose weight that on rest days i would still go to the gym.. sometimes i was bad and i would do my runs back to back. I did that in week 3 and into week 4. This was a bad idea because my last run of week 4 was BAD.. i kept on running but mentally it was really difficult. I felt like giving up and I blogged about it. I literary could not see my self doing week 5 AT ALL. But you guys encouraged me! (Thank you)

I took a day's rest and started week 5 and all went well. I started running every other day. Easter break started so I went back to my mum's house in London and decided to continue by running outside. At this point I also started using MyFitnessPal to track how many calories I am eating. I also did INSANITY for a week, but it is very hardcore exercise. Doing INSANITY as well as running left me tired and I coudnt revise, so I gave up on INSANITY. (Really need to get a good degree result in my finals!)

After Easter, I came back to Uni, and started running in the gym again. It was hard to go back to running in the gym because it just does not compare to running outside. Outside is amazing!

I was naughty again though because it week 8 i kept running for up to 40mins and then I did back to back runs of week 9. BIG MISTAKE!! because my last week 9 run went terrible .. I started walking after 20mins... my legs could not take it.

I gave myself 2 days rest and last night I tried Week 9 run 3 again AND guess what??? Ive graduated!!!

My weight as of today is 73 kg (11.5 Stone). I have lost a full 1 stone (7kg). I still have a long way to go because my target weight is 65KG ( about 10stone).

Bare in mind that on my rest days I still go to the gym and I make it a point to not go for more than 2 days without doing any type of exercise.

I hope someone will find my blog useful or motivating in some way..

Im off to revise now. Happy runnings everyone... Im still gona keep up with running at least 30mins 3x a week.

Just gona collect my badge first

P.S Im also going to work on running faster cz I am nowhere near doing 5k in 30mins. Any tips of how other gradutes are doing this would be appriciated. I told myslef that i will not start Bridge to 10K until i can do the 5k in 30mins.

[Tapira Graduate]

Well done you! I think lots of people graduate not running anywhere near 5k in 30 minutes but it doesn't matter you can just build up to that. Lots of people put on weight at uni - but you have done something about it and just keep going you should be proud of yourself. All the best for your finals too

[Kudzi Graduate in reply to Tapira]

Thank you !!!!

[sfb350 Graduate]

Very well done ! I use MyFitnessPal too, I find it very helpful.

You've been very determined so far, keep it up. I'm going to try running intervals once a week (try using the Week 1 Podcast but jogging/running instead of walking/jogging) to try and build up speed. Today I just did a 5km run followed by a walk/run/dance/climb home through woodland and I'll probably fit in a 30min attempt at 5k this week too.

[Kudzi Graduate]

LOL@ your walk/run/dance/climb home. I wanna do one of those! Thank you doe.. am definetly gona give the jogging/running a go tomorrow.

[TJFlute]

Congratulations! Hope your journey to 5k is fun

[Kudzi Graduate in reply to TJFlute]

Thank you

[blueboots Graduate]

Congratulations Kudzi, and well done on the weight loss. The 5K will eventually come. Good luck with your continued exercise regime and make sure you get that work done for your degree.

[Kudzi Graduate in reply to blueboots]

Thankyou and yh i will make sure i work hard

[mair99 Graduate]

Well done kudzi, what a journey it has been for you so far! I often did back to back runs throughout the program. I ran 4 or 5 times a week and did martial arts training twice a week. I found it ok however I was extremely determined and often had to juggle family and commitments just to get out the door. Nowadays I'm doing longer runs, three times a week and mostly have a day of rest (I laugh at that term as I have 3 kids and work full time teaching, do tae Kwon do and a couple of pump classes a week) between each run. However some weekends the early morning mist calls and i get out to run Saturday and sunday mornings. I also lost 20kg in the process...

[Kudzi Graduate in reply to mair99]

Woow very impressive.. I really hope i continue to be as committed as you are with the exersise!

[mair99 Graduate in reply to Kudzi]

Thanks Kudzi, i guess you just have to want something enough...

By the way what is INSANITY? I live is Oz and have never heard of it... except the ususal insanity at 6 o'clock when you are tired and the kids are hungry and the battles start over homework and tv... lol.

[Kudzi Graduate in reply to mair99]

LOL well...INSANITY Workout is a 60-day cardio-based total-body conditioning program. Its been said that it is the most intense workout ever put on DVD. You basically follow the workouts for 2months and you have to do them everyday with one rest day each week. I have to say when i did it, in that 1 week I actually saw a change in my body shape. It was too intense for me though, i think i will try it again after my exams.