Any out of shape, overweight moms start jogging?

[Ottakee]

I have been walking with a friend.  We usually walk about 3mph and do 2-3 1/2 miles a day.  I know it is good for me but hasn't really helped with any toning or weight loss.

 

Today she did more jogging and I did a few short bursts----very short.  I would jog 10 steps, walk 10, then jog 20 steps, and walk 20.....up to 40 and then back down.  It was just a baby step but doable.  I have had tendonitis in my Achilles tendon and have bone spurs so I need to make sure not to aggravate that.

 

I am a size 18 or so and would really like to tone up my heavy thighs.  Walking alone doesn't seem to be doing anything for them.  Any other lower impact exercises that might help?  I don't mind walking as we walk and talk and talk and walk so it is more of a social outing but I really hate exercise.  I am active with horse back riding and doing all of the chores for the horses twice a day but again that doesn't seem to be any toning/weight loss help.

[Cakes]

I was not overweight but I was certainly out of shape! 

 

I started walking, and while I had always despised running my husband convinced me to start in just small bursts, eventually building up to about 20 miles per week. I have few little pieces of advice that will hopefully help you in your transformation.

 

Get to a good running store and have your gait and feet evaluated. If you have a Road Runner near by they do a great job. This simple act *could* help keep you Achilies issues at bay.

 

Run slowly. As you begin to run more, focus on going really slowly. Build distance and speed will come, don't push it.

 

If weight loss and toning are your goal be careful that you don't start adding in extra calories. Gatorade etc can be such an empty caloric waste!

 

Best of luck!

[hornblower]

It's really really hard to exercise weight off. Weight loss happens in the kitchen. It's easier to not eat a 100 cals than to burn a 100 cals.

 

it is important to exercise for fitness though! Good for you!

 

If you google the 7 minute workout, maybe you can add that in? It would help build muscle and it targets all major muscle groups. There are apps you can run on a phone or laptop which count the time for the exercise and tell you when to switch to the next exercise.

[Muttichen]

Yes! I could never run AT ALL and I started this summer.  I run about three miles every day.  I've lost about ten pounds and I feel great.

[Critterfixer]

I guess, let's see, it will be about two years now that I've been running. I got up to eight miles once, but I was very heavy when I started, over 200. I'm down around 190 now, and just started back in running after about eight months of having to leave off for foot problems. I was wearing good shoes (Mizuno Alchemy) and all, but I've got some hip issues too, and probably had to compensate with my stride, which likely strained my foot. Or maybe it just happened!

Anyway, the take away was to go slow and be careful. I'm up to about two miles two days in a row, then I must take a break. It's better if I run one day, rest and walk the next, run, rest and walk...

 

I did lose weight when running. However, I have to be up around a four mile long run, and two to three miles four times a week for me to really start seeing weight loss. That's a lot of running with joint issues! Hornblower is, unfortunately correct. Weight loss happens in the kitchen.

[Sandragood1]

You certainly can! It can be great for weightloss and fitness. But with the extra weight you are REALLY pounding your body. Have good running shoes. Avoid concrete. Try to run on dirt or grass. Check your running form. I find "barefoot" running style to be less jarring but I do wear shoes with lots of cushion but little heel rise.

 

Stop running if you feel pain.

 

I suggest also doing ab work to support your back while running.

 

Have fun with it!

[Desert Strawberry]

Check out Couch to 5K.

 

I downloaded a couple of apps, never made it past week two because of arthritis, injuries(normal for me because of a joint condition), and life happenings like illness. I just worked the program when I could, and started over after breaks. I slimmed down quite a bit, and it was always fun and relatively easy. I felt amazing.

 

Even if you never finish the program, it's great interval training. I know a lot women who used it to launch into more active lifestyles. Many are now avid runners, and very fit.

[PeachyDoodle]

I have never been a runner. In middle school, when we had to run the mile, I came in last. Every time.

 

Did I mention I'm not a runner?

 

But last spring, dh and I did a fitness program at the Y. Part of the deal was that we had a do a 5K on the last weekend of the program. We did not do any training specifically for that, but we did have group workouts with our trainers twice a week, where we tried a variety of different things, from kettlebells classes to cycling. At our last class before the 5K, our trainer took us to the track. Despite being in much better shape from the other workouts, I could jog only a half to three-quarters of a lap (not mile -- LAP) before feeling like I was going to collapse, even with my trainer urging me on. We did the 5K, I walked a great deal of it, and I decided that I would work on improving before we repeated the program this fall (we're halfway through now).

 

I went for a run last weekend and did 3 miles with only a couple of short breaks to walk. That is HUGE for me.

 

Early on, I used the Couch to 5K app to help me increase distance. It tells you when to walk and when to run and helps you work up to running for longer stretches. Sometimes I had to repeat a workout several times before I could complete it. That's okay -- I was working at my own pace.

 

Cross-training has been important for me, but I have been heavily focused on weight loss and improving overall fitness. I need a good combination of cardio and weight training. To date, I have lost almost 60 pounds. I usually run 1 or 2 times per week, with a mix of cardio and weights on other days. I'm not sure I would have seen the improvement in my running without the cross-training. But I'm no expert, by any means. YMMV.

 

I say go for it! It feels SO good to do something you didn't think you could do. That feeling is a bit addictive -- and you might find that you start to actually like exercise! Good luck!!

[Perry]

You aren't likely to lose any weight that way, and you are likely to injure yourself.  I agree with hornblower.  To lose weight, you really have to change what you eat.  Exercise is great for fitness, but overweight people really damage their knees and backs when they run.  Swimming or bike riding is much better. 

[Laurie4b]

I would ask an orthopedic doctor about your Achilles and a podiatrist about your bone spurs. (I assume someone  diagnosed those. ) This is because my #1 rule for exercise is: don't get hurt (because that will take you out of exercising at all for long stretches of time and it's hard to get back.)

 

If jogging gets the all-clear from your doctors, then what you are doing is perfect. It's a bit of interval training: push yourself for a brief period, then rest. This is more effective at building cardio fitness and more effective at getting rid of fat than steady exercise. You don't need to do it as long. So if you did the interval stuff for 10 =20 min during your walk and got your social time/steps in the rest of the time, that would be awesome!

 

Total steps is another way to build your health. If you have a Fitbit or something, that can help, but isn't necessary. Just get up once an hour and move around for 5 min or so. You can do housework, but just move.

 

To tone your thighs, you need to do resistance training. Lunges, squats, and burpess (those are hard but good if you can do them) are great for the lower body. Do them twice a week, with at least one day in between. First get the form right (practice in front of a mirror or get a friend to watch you), You may need to do this a few days before you have the muscle memory down. Once you have the form, then do enough till you can feel it. 2 days gets the same results as 3.

 

And as others said, exercise doesn't have much direct effect on weight. Check out what you're eating. However, I find that because I feel so good from exercising, I tend to eat less.

[TianXiaXueXiao]

I agree with pp recommending you not run until some weight comes off. I'm a former runner until my joint condition reared its head some 15 or more years ago. You can get a lot of toning from pilates and keep walking for cardio. Swimming and biking are much gentler than running. When you do start running, please consult with a coach to teach you proper form, breathing, and stride. You can do it!

[Mom22ns]

You can up the intensity of your walks by upping the pace. When walking for exercise, a 4 mph pace is a good goal. 

 

Yes, it is possible for an overweight person to start running.

Yes, it is possible you will end up with more injuries because the impact is greater.

Yes, it is true that without diet changes, exercise alone will not fix your weight problem.

 

I would start by increasing the walk speed and working on the diet. When you can walk the same time you are now, but at a 4 mph pace, then add in some jogging. You don't need to add impact to add intensity yet.

 

Have fun and best of luck!

[Cafdog]

Love Galloway's Couch to 5K!  I am NOT a runner, but I have now done two 5Ks with it to boost my walking (which I love).  I'm the same size as you.  It ain't pretty, but it's doable.  Running on a treadmill or non-concrete surface helps, of course.  Sadly, I GAINED weight while running exclusively.  Is it because I stopped weight training during that time?  Or eating more?  Who knows!  I wish I was thinner, but I'm healthy as a horse and active.  It's the best I can do.

 

Best of luck!  You've got this!

[Joyofsixreboot]

Yep. I just up and started one day. I run about 25-30 miles/week now. Trust me I am not a gifted athlete so if I can anyone can. I didn't realize it but I was doing run/walk when I started and so are you. Check out Jeff Galloway's stuff. If you have had foot tendon and muscle problems it couldn't hurt and might really help to have your gait analyzed. I'd like to do that one day. Take it slow and don't push too hard. All that said running really dropped my weight when good nutrition alone wasn't getting the job done. You also probably should consider some resistance training. I came late to that though.

[melmichigan]

I'm working on the 5K Runner app, which is a lot like Couch to 5K.  Starting slow and honoring the rest days has been really important for me.  I also do the strength days of the Bikini Body Mommy Challenge on the days I run to help try to tone things up a bit.  It's to early to tell if it will help with weight loss, but it's a faster way for me to burn calories.  

[JenneinCA]

I tried. My knees hated me. Now I ride my bike and do a lot of walking.

[Miss Peregrine]

Just a caution if you do start running. When I did Couch to 5K, my butt/ thighs got bigger first and then they started slimming down.

 

I lost quite a bit of weight with running. My diet followed because I was feeling so awesome I didn't want to eat bad fuel .

[JumpyTheFrog]

Whatever you decide to do, I would focus on building the exercise habit rather than setting a specific goal. James Clear has some excellent articles about this. He writes about how people workout for a month or two then stop because they got sick/schedule change/etc. He suggests working on small exercise habits you never miss because over time, they lead to bigger gains than big goals you are constantly starting over on. http://jamesclear.com/exercise-habit

[Cakes]

You have gotten great advice and lots of suggestions. Biking and swimming are great exercise if the running doesn't work well.

 

I wanted to address weight loss and diet. It IS true that you will need to adjust your diet if you are looking to lose weight, but contrary to what has been voice several times here, running WILL help you to lose weight. It will increase your metabolism and build muscle...allowing you to burn more calories on a daily basis, even days that you do not run (assuming you run 3-4 times per week). 

 

Diet and exercise do need to go hand in hand for weight loss success. Primarily weight loss occurs in the kitchen, however exercise is a critical component that can boost weight loss and your energy levels. Not to mention it is good for your heart and it is considered a weight bearing exercise so it is good for your bone health. But the bottom line is that you need to find something that you enjoy enough to do several times per week!

[Cammie]

Yup!  I used the Couch to 5K app and a treadmill.  I did get up to running a 5K.  But I never really enjoyed running.  I enjoyed listening to my podcasts and running was the only time I let myself listed.

 

Just about to get back and restart the Couch to 5K program again. 

 

Best of luck to you!

[Ottakee]

I do have the expensive shoes from the running store fit to my feet/gait and the $$$ custom inserts.  With those 2 things along with some physical therapy I went from hardly hobbling around to walking 3-4 miles pain free.

 

I do walk 5-6 days a week for 2-3 miles most days at about a 3mph pace.......not really fast but not a slow stroll either.  Sometimes we include trails, hills,etc. but most of the time it is dirt roads for us.

[PeachyDoodle]

I walked for a couple of years with my neighbor. Had no effect for either of us.  We eventually figured out we needed to pick up the pace and get the heart rate up,  and increase the time.  I can lose nothing unless I put two hours into it daily 5x/week, or I give up eating more than 1000 cals per day which isn't advisable as one can't get ones nutrients in. My neighbor did the treadmill and lost everything over the winter once she started counting calories and getting her walking time/speed in the correct zone.

 

This was true for me too. Walking -- and even swimming -- did relatively little to help me lose any weight. Once I started to push myself into activities that I had thought were too hard for me to do, I began to see results. A year ago, I would have fallen over dead if you'd told me I'd be running, or taking spin classes every week, or God forbid doing our Y's version of CrossFit (that one I wouldn't have believed three months ago, but now I'm addicted)! Walking and swimming first did help me to make that transition because I was a couch potato in the extreme, but the real weight loss didn't start until I began to exert myself physically in ways I'd never tried.

 

Of course, injury prevention is extremely important, and you should definitely take precautions, learn correct form, talk to your doctor, etc. But I know that FOR ME (not speaking for anybody else here), it was easy to take advice like "don't do anything high-impact while you're overweight or you risk injury" and use it as an excuse not to exert myself.

 

My point is, you know your body. If you feel like you're ready to step it up, go for it. Use common sense, but don't let fear hold you back.

 

I also agree with a pp that, while diet is crucial, exercise has been the key to keeping me on track nutrition-wise. When I wasn't really exerting myself, it was next to impossible for me to fight off the cravings. Now I feel so good, I actually crave healthier foods. And when I do want something junky on occasion, I can have it, and it doesn't affect me because I'm so active. What I love now is getting into the gym and seeing what I can do today that I couldn't do yesterday.

[Kim in Appalachia]

I'll third (4th, 5th,??) Galloway's program.  And you can lose weight with running.  It does help.  Yes, 75% of weight lose happens in the kitchen, but that 25% counts too. And getting moving helps improve your overall metabolism.  And, I want to add, running is best for losing that thigh weight.  I love all types of exercise, but running will trim you.  It can take a while to see the effects of running.  You have to get to the point where your body is working hard enough, long enough, and enough times a week to start to make a visible difference in the scale, but don't give up.  If you keep pushing yourself, slowly, you will get there. 

 

As for your Achillies, I'm going to recommend you start doing eclectic heel drops.  You stand on stairs, on the balls of your feet.  Raise up, and then slowly, very slowly lower down below the steps (like you are stretching your ankles just a little, not to deeply).  Do 3 sets up ten, and work up to doing 3 sets of 10 on each foot alone (standing on one foot).  This is the best way to strengthen the area and prevent problems. You may be able to find a picture or video of this exercise on Runner's World's site. 

 

Do get good shoes, really good shoes.  There are shoes with extra cushioning for bigger runners.  Get those.  

 

Do move everyday.  Don't run everyday, but walk on the days you don't run. Don't keep running if your Achillies starts really hurting.  Slow down and walk.  

 

I'm also going to add, because I think it's important for your overall health, to start doing either weight bearing exercises or resistance or weights.  There are some routines on Runner's World's site, but there is stuff all over the web.  Push-ups, squats, lunges, pull-ups, planks, etc...., all of these will help with overall fitness, and increasing muscle mass which also affects metabolism.

 

 

[samba]

I didn't lose weight running but I did trim my thighs.  They have always been one of my (ahem) larger parts.  I don't remember when I started to see a difference but it was noticeable to me and to dh.  Running has been great for toning problem areas.  Strength training would be very helpful.  I don't love it but I know it's important and it works.  I like Jillian's No More Trouble Zones.  It's easy to choose circuits that target your areas.  I always skip anything that looks or feels like a lunge.  My knees can't take it but, even with skipping certain circuits or exercises, I've seen results...and you can do it with weights or only body weight.  

 

Disclaimer:  I know that if I had been a little stricter with diet, running would have enhanced my results.  I'm working on the food side of things now and it does help.

[6packofun]

I still run a bit even though I'm plagued with plantar fasciitis.  But you know what tends to make my legs really lean?  (And I'm a thunder thighs gal by genetics...)

 

Spinning.  Take a spinning class.  If you don't absolutely hate it, keep it up and you'll see results as long as you don't pig out afterwards and continue to watch what you eat (which is important no matter what exercise you're doing).

 

For whatever reason, running tones my butt and spinning (or intense or long-distance biking) tones my legs better.  But both are awesome in my book.