I have always wanted to be a runner, be in shape, and have a healthier lifestyle. I know C25K is very popular, but my fear is it's not personalized. I have never been physically fit at all, so I am like a beginner's beginner. I want to create my own regimen. I just started walking in the mornings and I want to take baby steps to becoming a runner, but not be so lenient on myself at the same time. Is there anyone who is a runner and can relate? I am very heavy. At 510 I am 347 lbs, but I am not waiting to be slim and fit to run many miles.

start with alternating walking and jogging is my advice. walk for 5-10 minutes then jog until your out of breath and then walk until you recover and repeat.
Iain G is an avid runner so i hope he sees this and can give you real advice.

Ha ha! Running is great. There are lots of ways to start. I used to be an avid walker and that was a good start. But to get running, I just put on a pair of running shoes one day and tried to run a half mile or as far as I could go. I did it. And I was a sweaty mess and it nearly killed me! But I kept going. I just tried to keep running every day, trying to go the same distance or a little further. Some days my body would (and still does) say "no" and I would take a rest.

But I found it really accelerated my weight loss, and the more I ran the better I got at it. I now run 5 miles most days a week and will do a half marathon next weekend.

A few tips:

1) Running does help you lose weight if your diet is good, but losing weight really helps running. So take it easy to start with. As you run more and lose more weight, it gets much much easier.

2) Good running shoes help a lot. Research online those for "heavy set runners"

3) Dress as light as you can for the temperatures and get a sweat band or several sweat bands. Feeling too hot and sweaty as a runner is nasty but a necessary evil so cope with it as best you can.

4) Be consistent. Practice makes perfect.

5) Running is easier on an empty, or near empty, stomach. Time your running with your meals. Don't use running as an excuse to break your diet. Keep your eating clean.

6) Listening to music or running with friends is an excellent distraction.

7) Find other reasons to run. I run mostly now because it helps me deal with stress and makes me feel nice. And it's a nice chance to socialize too.

Good luck!

Run on a treadmill or outside. It makes little difference.

This sounds like good advice! OP, I actually want to start running, too. IanG, those tips sound very helpful!

IanG, how long did it take you start to really enjoy running?

IanG's points offer a lot!

2) Agreed! I was shocked when I finally tried the right shoes for me

4) Yup. You talked about C25K not being personalised enough, but it's really just a guide. Schedule your time and do your best that day

5) Running - lots of cardio I guess - affects my hunger levels, which means I have to keep an eye on my diet and sugar cravings. My runs have better performance in the evening. I lack energy in the morning for a performance run, so I need to time my eating before hand (to avoid cramps) and to eat the right kind of food to have the right energy level. Pay attention to your body, try different approaches and you see what you enjoy.

6) Music Pumps you up, keeps you going!

7) The best advice


I recommend making sure you run on soft surfaces - a gym with a rubbery track, or on grass. This lessens the impact on your knees. I avoid concrete.
A good speed walk has a lot of the same benefits too!

Like souvenirdarling said, avoid hard surfaces. Running can be brutal on the knees and ankles even if at a modest or lean weight. If you can't find a running track near you then at least start off on a treadmill which will provide some cushion. Grass is also nice but is affected easily by the weather and you never know if there is an acorn lurking in there which can twist an ankle. Concrete and asphalt are too harsh.

Good luck and if you don't end up liking it don't worry, there are billions of cardio options out there. Find your zen!

Everything that has been said so far is great advice (especially the hard surface point). I will just add though that I found when I started running that I could do more than I thought I could. Something like C25k is a good program for this very reason. It starts off pretty manageable (running for 60 second intervals) and builds up. There is a pretty big jump somewhere in the middle in intensity (I think week 5 or 6?). When I got there I did not feel ready for it so I spent a few weeks on the week before that before attempting. While it is not customized, you can customize C25k yourself by repeating days/weeks. I don't know that I would have ever felt "ready" for running none stop for 20mins or more unless the app forced me to give it a try.

From Day 1. Otherwise I would not have kept with it! Sure, it made me feel like a mess while doing it, but afterwards I felt quite nice and the scale went down quicker. What's not to like about that? I rarely - as in never - stick with stuff I don't like. Note, that doesn't mean I have to like it a lot - at least to start with - but if it's not bad, then I give things another go and so on. That's intuitive exercising, I suppose. And how I got into boxing and - it now seems - dancing.

But I have had a few fails. Tennis I never got good at. Squash I never really got to like. So I tried them a few times and ditched 'em.

Thank you for all your advice everyone! I really appreciate it and encouraged by it. Some months ago I did buy some running shoes, not for the purpose of running at that time, but they are the most comfortable shoes I ever had. They provide arch and ankle support. This morning I started to do some jogging, without even thinking about it. The pain and fear of being out of breath still worry me, but I want to push myself through this.

So awesome that you are already getting started! Why do you think you are so worried about pain and being out of breath? Both of those things are manageable - you are in charge! If you feel pain, stop. If you're getting out of breath, stop. Simple as that Eventually you will find the fear washes away and soon enough you'll be running more than you ever expected.

C25K can be a bit demanding for some people at first, so I recommended just adding some jogs into your walks for a while. Once you feel comfortable, start the C25K program. Remember that you can repeat workouts or even entire weeks if you don't feel prepared, and there is no shame in not finishing a workout. Personalize it for yourself and just keep trying!

I remember in week 5 when I had my first C25K workout without any walking involved...20 minutes straight of running . I was terrified. BUT I DID IT! I didn't think I could, but I did! From that moment on, I was completely hooked and I was so proud of myself.

That's inspiring

Take it slowly. My cousin overdone it and hurt herself. Now she has to rest a few weeks before she can start again.

This is great advice! I also want to start running! I just need to have more mental toughness when my head tells me to quit!!

If you're looking for a way to make running more fun, I would seriously recommend Zombies 5k. It's an app for your phone that is similar to couch to 5k in that it's a walking/running plan that has you start off with only a little running and increases it until you can run for 30 minutes straight. It has a story in which you are a newcomer to a group of people living in a zombie apocalypse and you're being trained to run to get supplies. It's very lighthearted and gentle, for the most part, and it tries to build up your self-esteem by having characters talk about how much you've improved or how much you're helping the base out, which is kind of a nice touch in my opinion. It also has "free form runs" at the end of every session, which lets you adjust it to your ability level- if you get to the freeform run and you're too tired to do it, you can just walk. It starts out with only 15 seconds of running at a time. There is a fairly big jump in the last few workouts which I haven't been able to get past, but otherwise it seems smooth enough.

Try to start with fast walking or jogging. Do not exercise too intensive. At beginning you can easily get some injuries. Take it slowly, step by step