Never exercised before and need advice...

[ThePrincessBride]

I've decided to do something to get fit... mainly because my 5 year old keeps saying 'I love to cuddle your fat tummy mummy'! Also, 18 months to 40, so decided to mark the occassion by being fit and healthy. I started walking three evenings a week and can't quite graduate to running. I've started to eat healthily (while allowing myself the odd treat).

My problem is I'm not sure I'm doing enough. After my walks (about an hour) I feel absolutely knackered... but I keep seeing loads of quite overweight people jogging confidently. If jogging isn't working for them, how will walking work for me?!!

I would really like to graduate to jogging, but right now, 3 weeks into the walking routine, I still feel too unfit to jog. Have tried it for short stretches, but my shins / knees hurt so much and I get so breathless that I feel I might vomit or collapse in the street! So I know I'm definitely not ready for that yet.

So I need advice.

Should I continue with the fast walking until I feel it's making a differnece?

Should I push myself to jog, ignoring the feeling that I'll pass out?

What's the best way to get into jogging? I see people jogging in so many styles that I can't tell what's the best, most pain-free technique.

Will I ever see any results from just sticking with one hour's walk, three times a week?

I know some of you must be the super fit peolpe who power past me each evening (I'm the fat one in the grey tracksuit walking and singing to myself). I would reallly appreciate some good advice from those in the know. I don't need diet advice, because I've read up on everything... lean meats, fruit, veg, cut out cakes, chocolate and sugar (except when really needed!) and drinking 8 glasses of water a day. No caffeine. 3 balanced meals a day.

Please help.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Heavens woman - get a large cappuccino and chill out.

Failing that - stick to the walking for now until you are fitter.

[Mick Mac]

I'm very unfit too. Started running on treadmill 3 years ago and could only do 5 mins - over a few months got up to 25mins one day and nearly died of exhaustion. Stopped and have not been back since.

Would suggest little and often when starting, but yes you need to do something - walking is a good start. Good luck.

[sophiesofa]

Well done for getting started. 3 weeks isn't that long so I wouldn't worry about not being able to jog yet. Have you tried increasing the lengths of your walks or incoprporating hills into your route? Also try speeding up your walking and if you get puffed out slow down for a bit.

I have no idea why I'm giving advice I'm incredibly unfit (although planning on changing that soon). Good luck and don't feel disheartened it sounds like you're doing really well and these things just take time.

[Jah Lush]

There's no rush. Build up your walking slowly but surely, keep to your diet and it will all become a lot easier and soon you'll be jogging, if that's is what you want.

Also, you could join a local gym where they could give you excellent advice and put you on a personal training programmne to achieve the goals you set yourself. Good luck.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

A stonking hill to try (I could only do it in stages the first time) is the footpath by the side of Nunhead Cemetery. Start the Linden Grove side. Walking around the cemetery itself, makes the activity slightly more interesting.

Have you thought of getting a dog - then you have to walk several times a day whether you feel like it or not?

[HAL9000]

Keep walking - the pain will eventually go. Carry on walking a little farther each week until you can walk five miles without feeling any pain or getting overly tired. As you get into it, find a route with a gradient, such as Grove Lane - Dog Kennel Hill or Camberwell Grove, for example.

If you try jogging too soon you may injure your joints, especially if you are overweight.

Last summer I managed to lose 20Kg over four months by walking five miles twice a week in conjunction with a low-carb diet.

Unfortunately, I've put some of it back on since then and haven't had time to walk so much this year.

[Jeremy]

> can't quite graduate to running.

Not being funny... but what happens when you try?

[matthew123]

You say your knees hurt.. well it may be you haven't got the muscle mass to take the load off the knees. I'd say see a physio before anymore jogging / fast walking - as it might be necessary to do a leg muscle strengthening program (at home) for a few weeks otherwise you risk injury and thus jacking in this whole fitness idea.

[Keef]

Try jogging on the grass around the park, much kinder to the legs. I used to run every day when I lived near devil's punchbowl, but I hate road running, and I too am very unfit these days.

[bigbadwolf]

Hello MyFamilyDoula.

I have a physically demanding job so I'm quite fit, but I'm also alot younger than you.

Walking is a great suggestion to kick things of and if you do it daily (I recommend you aim for 2 hours rather than 1) then you wont really need to jog. If you really want to challenge yourself at a comfortable pace then try walking with a weighted backpack, nothing drastic though.

Another tip I'll give you is to eat a tuna fish sandwich (if you like tuna) because it's a light and enegetic snack to offer you a bit of 'oomph' to your stride.

The above info is what the doctors advised to my brother after he came out of hospital to gently build up his general fitness after spending a few months on his arse.

Good luck.

[ThePrincessBride]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Didn't join gym because of cost (walking is free!) and, I guess, a bit conscious of everyone watching... I know they won't be, but still paranoid and has led to loads of excuses over the years.

I'm walking in the evenings, so a bit worried about cemetry walks, and parks generally shut. I'm just walking up and down roads I'm familiar with, incorporating some gentle hills... but really, I'm so unfit that a speed bump would pose a challenge!

One last question... coz it's evening and generally hungry after long day at work... is it best to have a light supper first, wait about an hour before going for walk OR don't eat and have light supper when I get back? Does it make a difference?

I am asking for family to pay for personal trainer for Xmas presnet, so can get more advice and proper training programme going. But I just wanted to staart something for myself now, so that I'm already motivated and at some level of fitness, before getting the trainer for a few sessions.

Again, thanks! Some really useful tips from everyone!

[annaj]

If you've really never exercised before and you're overweight, you're absolutely right to start slowly and carefully to avoid damaging your joints or getting frustrated and giving up.

BBW's 2 hours a day is way more than you need to do to start with and unrealistic to fit around a busy life. I would also be very cautious about the idea of carrying a weighted rucksack as it might just put unnecessary pressure on your back.

My advice, if you're just starting out, would be to get some professional help. Liz, who posts on the forum as Goodliz, does running courses and personal training at very reasonable rates. I've met her socially and she's lovely and although I've never trained with her, I do know someone who has and the results (fitter, slimmer, more confident, happier) are amazing. Have a look at this thread and see what you think.

[bluntlaser]

Hello

As others have posted walking is a great place to start and build up your fitness. I've been doing the same, as I'm also trying to improve my fitness and lose weight for my wedding next year.

On the recommedation of a friend I recently bought the Running Made Easy book (have a look on amazon - the reviews give you a good background to it) and it's a great resource for the beginner. It has a great beginners walking to running programme which is very easy to follow and it's quite amazing how quickly you can get jogging. It also offers great advice on how you might be feeling when you start (wobbly legs and feeling sick - I've been there!), what to eat before/after a run etc and most importantly it tells you to go gentle!

Hope the advice helps and well done you!!!

[Applespider]

Google for 'Couch to 5K' - it's an 8 week program to take you from not being very fit to being able to run 3 miles. It starts with you not running any longer than 60 seconds - even when you think you could carry on.

Is there any chance you could do a 30 minute faster walk every day (or say 5-6 times a week)? My Mum lost a stone earlier this year by walking most nights for 30-45 minutes so it is do-able. Finding routes which have hills are good and getting your technique right - in terms of posture, arms etc. Here's a guide that I sent Mum that she found useful.

It's also worth checking that you've got decent shoes on that are supporting your feet - particularly if you start running. Shin splints and sore knees can be down to shoes that just aren't right for your feet - the Up and Running shop on Grove Vale can give you some advice on what would work for you.

Lastly, having some more muscle is also a good thing - you look more toned and it will raise your BMR. Trying to do some resistance training will help too. You don't need expensive weights - it can just be body-weight exercises (squats, lunges, pushups) - or get a set of resistance bands and use those.

Good luck - it will be achievable. The hardest thing is getting the willpower to stick at it (speaking from experience!)

[HAL9000]

MyFamilyDoula Wrote:

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It's all very well everyone giving you tips and advice but we don't know you or your specific circumstances. If you've never exercised and dieted at the same time before, I would strongly recommend that you see your GP before starting a new regime. Mine checked my heart, lungs and blood pressure and carried out various tests for things like diabetes, liver and kidney function, etc. etc., and sent me to a nutritionist - this is important because you must learn to control your daily calorie intake accurately otherwise you won't lose any weight regardless of how much exercise you do.

> is it best to have a light supper first, wait about an

> hour before going for walk OR don't eat and have

> light supper when I get back?

This worked for me, but that doesn't mean it'll be suitable for you. I lost 20Kg by walking on an empty stomach (i.e. plain water only) and eating the main (and only) meal of the day an hour or two after the walk. I tried eating before the walk but didn't lose any weight.

(In my case, I wanted to lose some weight because I had joined an expedition to climb an 8,000-metre plus peak in the Himalayas later that year. That?s also why I had to get a full medical check up.)

[PT Phil]

Hi!

I am a Personal Trainer in the area and run a class at Hilly Fields in Brockley, which is aimed at ALL levels of fitness and is very laid back and informal (quite the opposite of British Military Fitness if you have heard of them?) The class is called Open Gym (www.opengym.co.uk) and runs Mon 7:30 - 8:30pm, Weds 7:30 -8:30pm and Sat 10-11am and is a great way to either get back into fitness, improve your fitness, or just an excuse to get out, meet some new people and have some fun! Open Gym is also backed by Cancer Research Uk so all proceed go the charity.

If you are interested (or maybe interested in individual private sessions) please drop me a message or have a look on the website. I know it is a bit of a trek from ED but thought I would mention it. I may think about setting up a class more locally if people are interested?

Phil

[Carrie]

Hi

You do not need to jog to lose weight - walking will do just fine - I lost loads of weight by walking (and cutting out a few calories of course). You could try Joanna Hall's Walkactive site - www.walkactive.co.uk she runs walking courses but if you join you can get lots of support help and motivation from the site. I have tried jogging in the past but I just did not enjoy it enough to persevere and it wrecked my feet - walking is much kinder to your joints.

Another good hill if you want one is to walk down past Dulwich College past the tollgate and then there is a stonker of a hill running up from Sydenham Hill station to the Dulwich Woodhouse pub.

[Izodia]

Liz (aka Goodliz) also does Power Walking courses. I've done both her running courses and can really recommend her.

[Goodliz]

Annaj and Izodia, thank you very much for your recommendations. That is really kind of you.

MyFamilyDoula, if you would like to have a look at my website for details of the Power Walking and Beginner Running Courses it is www.asfitas.co.uk new courses will be starting towards the end of October. I have not put the details up yet. Please let me know if you would lie me to send them to you when I've typed them up.

The Power Walking course may be a better option as you are unsure about the running. It is a really nice sociable group with a variety of fitness levels. From beginners through to those that I cannot keep up with. I do a Tuesday morning session and a Saturday session. It is more demanding than brisk walking. We go over the techniques and over the weeks do hill work sessions, speed sessions and also walks through the woods and park.

Please let me know if you would like to find out more. In any case, I wish you all the best with your new exercise routine. I hope you feel much better for it.

P..S I've sent you a PM answering each of your original questions.

[SCSB79]

Was just about to post about GoodLiz... beaten to it!!

p.s she is very good.

[Goodliz]

Thank you SCSB79.

[taper]

One of those fat people you see running might well be me! I went from one mile to a marathon in eleven months, all at 16 plus stone; so it can be done.

You won't lose much weight exercising (running one mile uses up about 150 calories): food intake is all important. But you will get a lot fitter and feel a lot better. Walk/run is the way to go. Intersperse your walks with one minute or so of running (downhill will be a lot easier). And technique wise, try to focus on going at a very steady pace, and keep your steps short - so no big strides like a 400m runner. You will find eventually that your knees and hips get stropnger and that you'll be running up to 5 minutes in no time. Then gradually increase your longest run by about 10% each week. Try and do this at least three times a week. And try doing it with a friend if you feel a bit self conscious.