C25K: Week 2 meant progression.: To begin, this... - Couch to 5K

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C25K: Week 2 meant progression.

PaulC profile image
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To begin, this week I made sure that I wasn't spending a good period of time trying to fix my earphones so I bought a pair of new earphones which fit round my ear really nicely and it has made running that little bit easier.

My ultimate goal when I started C25K was to achieve a flat stomach and so far combining my diet along with the daily morning run, I've lost weight. I've limited myself to 1300 calories per day and although I sometimes crave junk-food, I can usually manage to get myself into a mental state where I don't need to eat crap and I can settle on a piece of fruit.

Most importantly, I'm enjoying the programme because it's giving me something to work towards and by the end of it I hope I'll feel a great sense of achievement. I run every single day without fail and in less than 21 days, I hope to be running for 30 minutes without a break.

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PaulC profile image
PaulC
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greenlegs profile image
greenlegsGraduate

You sound as though you have a really positive attitude, but... You're worrying me! Do take care - that seems a very low calorie intake?

"sedentary teenage boys ages 14 to 18 require about 2,000 to 2,400 calories each day... teenage athletes may require 2,000 to 5,000 calories per day"

I know you are trying to lose weight, but 1300? I suspect that a health professional would suggest taking things more gradually, to avoid injury. You don't want to end up collapsing in a heap!

Rest days are in the plan for a reason! Maybe reconsider them if you start getting twinges?

Old fogey will now go off for a lie down... Sorry for nagging.

(Maybe I should look at some different ear thingies - mine kept falling out today, though partly because I only use one of them, so I can hear birds and things, and the other one gets tangled up with the other wires. Maybe I should just chop it off!)

WepreRunner profile image
WepreRunnerGraduate

I have to agree with Greenlegs on this one. The rest days on C25k are there for a reason. I know it can be hard to rest, when you feel like going running, but it is beneficial in the long term.

With such a low calorie intake, your body will go into starvation mode and will try harder to store any food you eat. Rather than getting rid of that pesky fat, it will start by consuming your muscles - not good when you are also training. As soon as you start eating a sensible amount again, it will store more than it used to, meaning all the weight plus more will go back on.

I know it seems like a good idea, especially if you don't really suffer hunger pangs and can cope with cravings and the weight is falling off, but long-term it is much, much better to follow a sensible eating and exercise plan. People don't get fat and unfit in 21 days, so you can't really turn it around in that time either. If you're anything like me, you will ignore advice and believe your body is somehow different, but after starting and completing c25k, running a half marathon and losing 2 stone in the first 5 months of last year, I'm now having to start from scratch again, after gaining 3 stone and losing all my fitness.

If you want to see long term gains, follow the plan, plus a sensible eating plan and I promise it'll be worth it. Just dedicate 3 months to getting fit, rather than 3 weeks and the results will last a lot longer.

Good luck!

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