how to ease back into running when you are fat?

Some running, some lifting, some swimming or biking. Play it like you feel it. If your knees and ankles are hurting, hit the pool or bike. Those things and swear off refined sugar for a while. The important thing is to make working out a habit. It takes about three weeks to develop a routine that you can stick to.

Don't be afraid to mix running and walking. Seriously. With an extra 40 pounds on you, running will be pretty hard on your feet, knees, hips, back, etc. Jog a bit, walk a bit. Repeat. Take way more time building things up than you think you need.

Walking is under rated for fitness and weight loss. It's just time consuming, but it's not too tiring so you burn the extra calories without the extra hunger pangs.

Cut back your portions and eliminate junk calories (pop, alcohol, empty sugar calories) to see significant weight loss. You can probably lose the first 20 at the rate of ~2lbs/week. The second 20 maybe at ~1lb/week and you might have trouble getting the last 5-7lbs off at all. Do this while jogging 2 miles 3 x week. You'll know when you're ready to run more.

You have to take a long hard look at your diet. Once you are no longer that 20something year old runner it's darned difficult to out run a bad diet.

While some are here are really fanatics about anything to do with diet, I'll say when I was getting back into running in my mid30's what helped me was some pretty easy stuff- no brainer kinda stuff. I cut out soft drinks, cut back on beer, and stopped eating lunch out with co-workers. (I just started bringing mine from home.)

As far as working out. I'd start off very very very easy and run 2-3 days of jogging mixed with walking. Plenty of gyms around that offer cheap memberships, getting in some lifting really helps.

Good luck

What's your weight? Perhaps like a lot of runners you were malnourished and gained a good deal of muscle.

justsomeguyontheinternet wrote:

Don't be afraid to mix running and walking. Seriously. With an extra 40 pounds on you, running will be pretty hard on your feet, knees, hips, back, etc. Jog a bit, walk a bit. Repeat. Take way more time building things up than you think you need.

Yes, this post. Best advice.

I have the same problem. I had an Achilles injury which took over a year to heal and I couldn't run around the block. I gained at least 30 pounds, but I really didn't cut back on calories, especially alcohol.

I eliminated alcohol and empty calories and now am running and walking to regain my running fitness. I figure it will take me another year to lose the weight and be back in running form.

Good advice above.

Another thought: some people drink more calories than they realize. You might examine that as a possible reduction in the calories you consume.

Drainthefecesswamp wrote:

Good advice above.

Another thought: some people drink more calories than they realize. You might examine that as a possible reduction in the calories you consume.

gonna be honest, its been drinking every night (4-5 beers) for about 4 years. in combo with no exercise. so i'm sure eating healthier and stopping the empty calories from beer will make most of the weight fall off. maybe i should do that for a few weeks before I start any running. and just do bike

After I gained about that much weight, I'd try to get back into running every few years and have to stop after 2-3 weeks because my knees were killing me. What finally worked was losing weight (see the excellent suggestions above) and starting back VERY slowly and gradually. Take the advice to do lots of walking seriously.

start here wrote:

After I gained about that much weight, I'd try to get back into running every few years and have to stop after 2-3 weeks because my knees were killing me. What finally worked was losing weight (see the excellent suggestions above) and starting back VERY slowly and gradually. Take the advice to do lots of walking seriously.

appreciate the advice. thank you to everyone. :-)

I would cycle, walk or swim and shed some weight before taking up running and when you get say 25-30lbs lighter, you will most likely be able to jog without any discomfort. Take it from there and build up slowly.

You're probably not going to be able to run the weight off. I tried and failed to do that many times over five injury plagued years.

You're going to have to start eating less. I dropped 40 pounds last summer. That's what did it for me.

Donny, I know this is you.