How am I ever going to do this??

Have a look at the 'couch to 5k' plan

Go out at *your* pace and yours alone

It will be slow and you will walk a lot but you will get there

Persevere and enjoy it 

I'm in the exact same boat as you claretdebs. However, what i have found is the following.

For a week or so, just do 30 min-1 hour walks, varying your pace. Walk over rough terrain if possible such as woodland or fields.

After a week or so, start the couch to 5k program, but modify it. Instead of the 1 min jogs, then 90 sec walks, do 30 sec jog, 2 min walks. Do this until your endurance improves enough for you to start on the plan properly. It might take a week or two, it might take a month. All the while though, your endurance is improving and increasing.

While you are doing this, change your diet so you start losing weight purely through that.  From then on, things should slowly start falling in place.

Hi Clare

I'm am also just starting out (been doing this for just two weeks). My plan is to doing "Brisk Walking" for a couple more week, then if I feel ready I will start on the C25K program and work through that.

But I have already decided if I need to I will re-do every week of the plan so I don't over do things or push myself to fast.

Andy

as well as all the good advice above i would also recommend buying or borrowing (your library may have it) Bruce Tulloh's book 'running over forty' (don't worry if you are not, its suitable for all!) as it suggests a 2 - 4 week walking program before even thinking about running, then the walk/run program takes you really slowly into running.

time out on your feet is more important than actual running at this stage

DO NOT beat yourself up for not being able to do what you think you ought to do!

as M..eldy says go at your pace not anyone elses - you will get there - enjoy the journey and celebrate every little bit of improvement (e.g today i walked 5 mins more than last time!)

good luck on your journey

Most folk can't just go out and "run". It takes practise, and everyone is/ was at where you are now. There is excellent advice on this thread already, so I will try not to repeat it (but probably will!)

Do you run on your own? If so, try and get some one who can go out with you, it will help... it will motivate you too. Go at the slowest pace of the two of you.

Couch25k.... definitely. This will give you little goals to achieve each week. By the end of the programme, you will also be able to see how far you have come. Keep a record of what you have done each session, so you can look back and measure your success.

Balanced diet... yes... and use this in conjunction with the running. The latter does not mean you can eat what you want! Get the weight off in a sensible manner. Running + sensible diet will work!

Dont be worried about taking walking breaks, its all part and parcel of you learning to run. Once you get a lttle fitter, bit less weight, you will find that you can natually run for a longer period.

Above all, enjoy what you are doing. You have made the decision to run, and lose weight, just do it!, and glow in your successes!

I've lost 3 stone in 4 months by joining WeightWatchers online and running. Chose whatever method you find best but try to just eat sensibly have lots of fresh fruit around... 

Max's Mum wrote (see)

as well as all the good advice above i would also recommend buying or borrowing (your library may have it) Bruce Tulloh's book 'running over forty' (don't worry if you are not, its suitable for all!) as it suggests a 2 - 4 week walking program before even thinking about running, then the walk/run program takes you really slowly into running.

After reading this, have just picked up a 2nd hand copy on Amazon for the vast sum of 12pence plus £2.80 PnP.

Makes me one happy little (ok not so little) plodder

Andy

AlbeoLupus wrote (see)

 

After reading this, have just picked up a 2nd hand copy on Amazon for the vast sum of 12pence plus £2.80 PnP.

Makes me one happy little (ok not so little) plodder

Andy

Cool, its a good book! ol' brucey knows what he is talking about

Debbi - if it helps, I was exactly where you were six months ago. I started walking and swimming first - going from 10 laps gradually up to 50 laps in the pool of breaststroke, which really helped with my cardiovascular fitness. I did a 5k in 30:20 last weekend and a 5 mile run (slowly!) and have lost 18 lbs so far. It's totally doable, but I'd definitely recommend something a little lower impact that will give you a great workout before starting the C25k programme. I swam for about three months, with walking, before starting it and ended up finishing it in 6 weeks because my body had gotten used to exercise. I only swim once a fortnight or so now, running's definitely my main workout, but it really helped get me from A to running B (and is nice for recovery when I'm achy from doing a long run!) Good luck! If I can do it really - anyone can!! x

Hey Debbi - if you have a look through some of the other beginner threads on here, you'll see that some people couldn't even jog for 30 seconds to begin with! So yeah, going at whatever pace is right for you is perfectly fine. Agree with some of the others that a few weeks of brisk walking would be a good way to start, but if you're already jog/walking, well done! Understand why you want to do it alone, but I'd say if you've got a lovely son who's encouraging you and is happy to go running with his mum, he's obviously a total gem as loads of kids wouldn't be seen dead out running with their parents, so think about going out with him even once a week, so he can see how you're improving. Bet he'll give you loads of praise and encouragement to keep you motivated. Keep at it and you'll get there in the end...