Week 4 Run 1 and 32 pounds lighter

[dgriggan]

Back on 31 Mar 12, I weighed in at 224 lbs and I sported a plump 40" waste. I had recently been diagnosed with Level I hypertension and I knew that I was obese. I was tired of sucking in my gut everytime I had a photograph taken of me. Enough was enough. I watched Joe Cross's video "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead," and was inspired by his story. Things really changed after that. I began walking about 5 miles, three-four days each week. I started juicing for some of my meals and began eating a raw food diet. By the end of May, I had lost 20 lbs. I knew that if I were to keep loosing weight, I'd need to step up my exercise routine. I heard about the Couch to 5K program while listening to the Podcacher Podcast. Sonny and Sandi, from Sunny San Diego, CA had recently completed the C25K program and were singing its praises on their show. So naturally I had to check it out. I downloaded the app to my android smartphone and I was off and running (pun intended). Yesterday, I completed week 4, run 1 and must admit that I was really struggling by the time I got to the end. I'm thinking right now that I'm going to have to repeat this one before moving on. My main problem is my breathing. I simply get short of breath and I have to start walking before I'm given the command. I know that I'll get better if I stick with it. I'm hoping to complete the program by middle of Autumn so that I can run in a 5K during one of SW Ohio's many fall festivals. I would love to know if there are any other participants in SW Ohio. BTW, my blood pressure is now averaging 115/72 and I'm wearing some of my size 36 pants since I dropped the weight and started exercising more.

[happierswimming Graduate]

congratulations on all your hard work. Lovely to hear things are going well for you. Practise the breathing method during your walking intervals and during your daily walks and you will soon master it. Breathe in by pushing out your stomach to drop the diaphragm and expand the lungs, breathe out by pulling in the stomach to raise the diaphragm and squeeze the lungs. Most people breathe in by pulling in the stomach and raising their shoulders and then relax to breathe out, but this won't help when runing so really try to master "belly breathing" which will improve stamina and ensure you are using your lungs to their full capacity. Another way to improve stamina so you can cope with the longer runs is to make your walking as fast as you can (just a little less than breaking into a trot) then your run does not have to be much faster than that. Go as slowly as you need to complete the run sections- the biggest reason for having to stop is because of trying it at too high a speed. Good luck and keep blogging