Get a heart rate monitor and try to run/walk 30 minutes a day while keeping your heartrate in zone 2 (or maybe zone 3 at the finish). Do that for awhile until run/walking turns to just running. Gradually increase the time you do this each day. Eat cleaner too so you're hitting both sides of the "calories in/calories out" equation.
Get a heart rate monitor and try to run/walk 30 minutes a day while keeping your heartrate in zone 2 (or maybe zone 3 at the finish). Do that for awhile until run/walking turns to just running. Gradually increase the time you do this each day. Eat cleaner too so you're hitting both sides of the "calories in/calories out" equation.
I would go with this, but don’t worry about a heart rate monitor at first if you don’t want to. Just run/walk to your heart‘s content and maybe give yourself little challenges like “I’ll keep running until I get to that corner up there”. Don’t worry about how much running or walking it is at first, and don’t push yourself too much and risk injury by running too much too soon.
If you live nearby a park or something similar, having nice trails to do this on is especially motivating. If you don’t, having plenty of music and/or podcasts to listen to allows you to connect it to another routine you’ll enjoy.
Good for you. As others have already noted, parks/trails/athletic fields have less impact, avoid cars, and are (usually) nicer environments. Some people enjoy listening to music or podcasts or chatting with other people -- do what works for you. Learning more about how to train and the sport's history may be helpful too. Consider aiming for a 5K this spring; having a variety of goals can be motivating. The fitter you get/more you run, the more fun it'll be. Talk walk breaks. Don't try to run too fast (98% of time); go as slowly as necessary to comfortable finish your day's goal. Mix in some strength and mobility work. Consistency is key; train this week so you can train next week. Track your progress. Good luck!
Start with the most basic/important things: eating and sleeping. Do those two properly and you will already be on the path towards solid fitness.
Your diet is so important because you can't run enough to burn off a junk-food diet. It is just not possible unless you have some kind of freakish metabolism. Remember one mile of running is only worth 100 calories of eating, so running five more miles only earns you 1/2 a burger... Eating better is key to losing the weight.
Once you have done that, build up the five layers of running in this order:
Consistency: for a lot of us, running isn't a choice we have to make each day. It is just something we do every day like showering and going to work; get that into your routine.
Volume: you can just do 2 and 3 miles. Once you have consistency, start building some decent mileage
Variety: you can do your neighborhood loop only so many times. Eventually you have to build in hills, trails, dirt roads, tracks, more hills, etc. Mixing it up adds a positive variety of training responses. You will get better.
Intensity: you have to push yourself at some point. Running has to be more than jogging or doing moderate mileage. Learn how to do intervals and fartleks and pyramids and progression runs and tempos.
Racing: once you have done the above four things, you should try to race and see if the mental side of the sport also clicks. The pressure of a real competition can be a great way to really become a "runner" and get the most from our sport.
1. Don't get into running to lose weight. It isn't a good motivator. You need to run because you love it, otherwise you'll toss it in as soon as it gets hard/inconvenient/dispiriting.
2. Don't do dumb things.
3. Learn how to train properly as quickly as possible (you'll save yourself a whole lot of pain and disappointment).
Just take it one day at a time. Don't try to become an overnight success.
Just try to improve from week to week. Track small improvements. And then this time next year you can come back to this post, and soak in all of the big changes you've made for yourself.
I am 5-9 and weigh about 205 pounds. I am of the human male species and primarly want to lose weight. What would be a fun way to begin?
Don’t forget your passport on your journey.
The message randomist gives here to me seems "random." That is unless you are talking about reading the Bible, doing more good deeds, and praying for more grace. Those things are good.
But if getting into better shape is you goal I think to start or start all over again, you need to add activities to what you are already doing. Just running is not going to be enough until you get good at it again. We tend to do what we are good at. So what are you good at?
Table Tennis, Playing a game of catch or even football if you are young enough or find the right group, any kind of racquet sport including pickleball, walk with a friend, do housework, volunteer, get a job you would enjoy, walk someone's dog, and etcetera.