[boogitas]

I just started using my treadmill the other day, (its pretty dusty) what is the best way to start out? I am about 240-250 and 30 years old, I have been walking 30 min a day. A was going to increase 5 to 10 minutes per week. I am keeping a chart as week. Will this do anything for me?? There is so much information out there I am not sure where to start. Last year my Dr. told me not to bother walking I need to jog an hour a day. I could not jog for 30 seconds. I would love to work up to that but right now I want to focus on getting my body moving. Anyone have any advise on what worked for them??

[rysmommy]

I can't really give any advice for success becouse i just started doing it myself! But i am about 241 and I do 30 minutes every night after my daughter goes to bed I start slow and work up to a slight jog then i slow down and put the treadmill at a incline and go a little faster then i start jogging and wind down towards the end it works for me i can handle it now and i am just going an extra minute every night! I also would love any tips ect.. this is just what im doing right now sorry to hog your post! I know walking is good for you though!!

[kykaree]

At your weight, I wouldn't want to jog especially if I was fairly new to exercise. Your joints would not like it. Can you incline your treadmill? Walking briskly on an incline is as good as jogging, if not better, as you are more likely to avoid injury. As you get stronger and fitter, you can start adding intervals. If you do a search for "couch to 5k" on Google, you will get an interval programme to help you work up to jogging/running.

Work up your minutes as you feel ready. You might say you will up it in a week, but then feel ready earlier or later. Learning to listen to your body is the first step to enjoying exercise and not getting frustrated.

I started out being a walker, now I do loads of different things. Good luck!

[srmb60]

My advice is MUSIC or books on tape. The time will just fly by.

[Tani]

I can't believe any doctor would tell you "not to bother walking" Grrr. That just makes me crazy. Walking will do lots for you. I lost my first 50 lbs with walking as my only exercise.

Increasing 5-10 minutes a week sounds perfectly peachy to me. Like Kykaree said, play with the incline if your treadmill has one. It's nice to simulate hills and such.

[boogitas]

Thanks for the tips, I did my 30 min. today with a little incline. my # one goal is to be consistant.

[mam43711]

For me, when I started I started out slow, and basically added speed and then Time...You will see yourself getting stronger and your endurance will be longer!
I can now run in bursts of 5.5-6.0 miles per hr...for a few min...

I mostly power walk at a 4.5 mile pace at my fastest....

Its amazing to see yourself getting stronger and quicker....It will happen!

[boarderchick]

Walk on!! As long as your heart rate is within training range (ask your MD for a number) you'll get tremendous benefits from walking. Two small things-work up slowly to avoid injury, and get really *really* good walking shoes designed specifically for that sport. That'll go a long way toward keeping on the road to health and fitness. Good luck and way to go!!!

[kathyhegg]

I suggest that for a while, rather than working on the length of time, ie, increasing time from half an hour, increase the intensity, so either speed up every few days by part of a mile, or the others said, increase the incline.

Now to make that half hour go faster watch a favourite tv show while walking. One day I did this in front of a movie and "accidentally" walked for 75 minutes.

Kathy

[Ilene]

Boogitas -- Start slow but start... but don't start running an hour/day, like that doctor said, good grief , where did that comment come from... Anyways, go at it slow have fun... Walk outside for a change of pace too...

As the other ladies said, increase by doing more incline or faster walking... You can try high intensity interval training (HIIT)... You do HIIT by warming up for 5 mins... walk fast or do an incline for 1 minute, recuperate for 1 minute, walk faster or higher incline for 1 minute, the recuperate for 1 minute, do this for 20 minutes, then cool down for 5... Guaranteed you'll have a good workout...

Keep us posted on how it goes...