[lorib64]

I found the website and directions, but I don't know how to start. I don't have a smart phone or a watch. I could get an inexpensive watch with a timer if that would work. How do you determine the time or distance?

Is this really for people who have been sedentary ? I can't imagine me running.

I want to start some sort of exercise and I think I might stick with this because it is scheduled. Do I need to get running shoes? I have some but they aren't great. They are worn.

Should I show it to my doctor and ask if it is something I could do?

[tea2]

It's a bit hard to do without some kind of timer unless you find a retail place or something near you with a big clock and run up and down the street in front of it, lol. Even just a handheld digital timer would be fine. My BF used not to have a watch so he timed it by song length on his ipod at one time.

You can vary the intervals a bit--the one I read started with 30 seconds running and I think 3 mins walking and then 60 seconds running and 2.5 mins walking the next week or something like that. As long as you are increasing the running intervals each week and decreasing the walking, you should be fine. Do it at your own pace. If you can't do a week, repeat the last one until you can move up.

Just start the watch when you start running, keep an eye on it for however many seconds/minutes, and then walk for however many further minutes and start running again. You don't have to stop and start the watch and it doesn't have to be super precise. Stop for that day when your watch hits 20 mins or whatever. People say just to worry about time at the beginning. Eventually, you can go to somewhere like map my run online and map out your route. It will give you the distance.

They say you should check with a doctor before starting any exercise program, esp. if you have health problems, but you're not all that overweight as these things go, though obviously the extra pounds put more pressure on your legs. If you get too achy, take some days off. I started at a bit more than you are and I just had one stretch where I had to stop for a couple of weeks.

My tip is not to go at a pace that feels that it's so much work that it takes the joy out of it. Working is good, slogging and hating every minute isn't. I was all ready for it to feel like highschool phys ed or something, but as long as I went at my own pace, it was great!

You should probably get some running shoes at some point, depending on how your feet feel, but find out if you like it first.

I would have said people were crazy if they told me I'd be a runner. I'm still slow, but I do 5 and 10ks quite a lot and love it. I haven't got my weight down as much as I'd like, but I still love the running. I started in the dark of winter running 30 seconds in a knitted sweater and sweat pants. I didn't want anyone to see me.

And if you dont' like it? No biggie. We're all different in the things we like.

[lorib64]

Thank you

[Palestrina]

I would say to talk to your doctor if you've had health issues or you're older and have been sedentary for a long time.

If you haven't gotten a pedometer you should. And honestly if you have been sedentary I would start off by walking first. Walk a couple of miles per day and see how your body feels. Even walking can affect your muscles/joints if you haven't done any exercise in a long time. Have you tried walking?

I don't know what to tell you about the phone thing, I'm at a complete loss without my smart phone. But you can get a stopwatch I suppose.

[lorib64]

I think you are right. Sometimes just walking consistently wears me out and I get really sore. Are there certain pedometers that are better than others? Where do you buy them?

[Palestrina]

Originally Posted by lorib64

I think you are right. Sometimes just walking consistently wears me out and I get really sore. Are there certain pedometers that are better than others? Where do you buy them?

Walking is great exercise, especially if you're new to exercise. And there's a lot you can do with it, you can vary your pace or alternate between fast and slower, you can walk on inclines and hills or go to the local track or just walk around your neighborhood. If it's a little bit challenging to you to walk and you feel like it gets your heart pumping and you feel a little tired afterwards then stick with it for a while before you go into a running program.

There are some that are simple and mine is fancy, I wear the Fitbit One. It's a little high tech in that it needs to be charged through a USB port and it connects to an app on a smart phone. But I love it, it tells me how many steps I take, the distance I walk, the calorie I burn, and it calculates how many flights of stairs I walk based on the inclines. It sends you a weekly progress email and you can chart your progress over the course of weeks or months or years.

[lorib64]

Thank you.