you could get a girdle...like i leotard...that would keep everything tight.

Good job, btw.

that is awesome! Keep up the good work and I am going to keep checking in on you to see how your progress goes!

That is super! Good for you! And I agree with you... have to do it whether it is hot, cold, rainy, whatever I get... and regardless of how I "feel" about it! I am so proud of you for getting "enough" of being overweight... sounds as if you have the determination to go for it and succeed! Hope you keep posting as that too really helps to have an encouraging support group.

^___^ I love this website, and I love the people here. Thank you everyone. Everything is going okay, I am having an issue with... I think they are called: Shin splits. My shins hurt terribly towards the end and after I run, they'll hurt for several hours, and if I push too hard they just kill. I don't want to be slowed down, but I don't want to hurt myself, does anyone know how to stop it from happening or stretch your shins? I can't seem to find a shin strech anywhere. LoL.

You're going to have to find an alternate form of cardio for a while. Shin splints is an overuse injury, and the treatment is rest. In the meantime, go to a running store and get some serious cushioning shoes.

Here is a website with information and stretches to help prevent shin splints:
http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/shin.html

I used to get shin splints in a bad way - until someone pointed out that I was landing on almost the tips of my toes when I was jogging! I had always thought that heel-to-toe was bad and would cause injuries. But I learned the right way to "roll" my foot from back to front when it lands, and my shin splints calmed way down.

I also noticed that if I don't do some really good stretches before I jog, or if I don't stretch AFTER I jog, that my shins will hurt for a good long while as well. Not so much during the jog but afterward.

I don't know if you stretch or land on your feet correctly - have you ever looked into either possible cause?

You're doing fantastic! One of the biggest ways to help with shin splints is to stretch your calf muscles - they tend to be strong than those in the front of your leg, and so pull your foot back a bit, putting strain on the muscles in front. Try making sure you're stretching your calves really well. Also, try running on something other than sidewalk/pavement. I find it a little easier to run on the sidewalk, because there's less resistence, but it's far harder on your legs than running on dirt - maybe just run on the grass beside the sidewalk for now!
And don't get too discouraged - taking it slowly, and building up your body's strength over time is definitely healthier than throwing your body into something it hasn't done for a long time and isn't physically prepared for. If you go slow and build up your time steadily, you'll be jogging the whole way home in no time!

Two exercises to help with shin splints:

1: Stand on one foot on a stair/step, facing upstairs. Hold on to the stair rail for balance. Let the heel of the foot you're standing on hang below the edge of the step, so that the heel is lower than your toes. Now lift yourself, still on the one foot, onto tiptoes. Then lower yourself back down to starting position.

2. Tap your toes-- heel on the floor, front of the foot goes up and down.

Also, you really should be wearing proper running shoes. Running in shoes without enough support or cushioning could be contributing to your shin splints. (Actually, running in inadequate shoes can cause shin splints even without muscle imbalance issues.)

As for the belly jiggle, you might like compression shorts. They're the ones that look like what bicyclists wear, and they keep jiggly parts from jiggling as much.

(BTW, I love your username. Richard Thompson?)