From Obsese to Marathon runner

YNWA1981

Member
Hello all,

I have tried many diets, activities and fads in order to lose weight. Some have worked for a short amount of time but I always put the weight back on with interest.

I have realised that the one thing I have never tried is to actually talk about my journey with other people who are in a similar situation. So here I am! I hope you will join me and together we can get where we want to be (how corny does that sound!)

Being a bloke the words don't always come as easy as they might and I have never done this before so if you want to know more please ask.

So my journey starts tomorrow morning,
I set off at 05:30 on my first training run weighing 316lbs.

My first goal is to run the Belfast Marathon on 02.05.2011 but my main goal is to be at 216lb by next Christmas. I am not sure how I am going to get there but I do know that I will.

This time it feels different, final almost and I am more determined than ever to shift this weight for good! Wish me luck and I will let you know how it goes.

So off to bed now because I have an early start! :)
 
Good Luck! You certainly sound quite determined to do it this time, don't you wish we could bottle the new diet motivation for the darker days? Well this isn't quite a bottle but hopefully by sharing and writing down it will have a similar effect.

Take care :)
 
Thanks for your kind wishes. I really wish you could bottle it up and use it in emergencies!

The first run is complete 4k in 32.28 and it was a hard slog in the cold and rain. I console myself with the fact it should never be that hard again. The weather wil get better and if I can keep it up the running won't be so hard too!

It is my first day back at work after paternity leave today..........just one thing on my mind........stay away from the cakes! :character00148:
 
4k in just over half an hour is spot on YNWA, especially for somebody just starting out.

I'm just starting out on my own diet, 1 week in. (Started Tues 18th @ 308lbs and today, 1 week later im down 11lbs to 297lbs) If you don't mind, id like to ask you a few questions, which will hopefully help each other out?

1/ How do you find exercise, do you feel yourself sluggish and struggle to motivate yourself and hope just eating better will be enough?

2/ What do you eat? I used to eat snacks and coke all the time, but now that ive stopped that i find myself wanting to eat, and instead find myself eating apples or drinking water - however at meal times, its a bit of an issue because i actually dont like veg (any!) or salads or anything like that, so really my diet is chicken, potatoes and fruit. Washed down with water. How are you coping, food wise?

3/ Have you got yourself a gym membership, or home gym equipment like an exercise bike or anything like that?

4/ Do you have a support network helping you out, and do you keep a diary of what you eat, of what you weigh?

Regards,
 
Heya, as someone who struggles to run for a bus without collapsing into a whimpering puddle of goo, I'd dead impressed with your run, well done.
Keep going and you'll see great results in no time :)
Best wishes.
 
Epulum, thanks for your message. It sounds like you have got off to a great start!

1. I struggle with the thought of exercise but when I am actually doing it i get some real enjoyment from it. I have a busy job and any time I have at home with the family is precious so I have hidden beyhind the too busy to fit it in excuse. I have now found a way of building the exercise back in and although it means some early starts I am confident after a month or so it will feel like a natural part of my routine.

2. Food is always my downfall, I love it in all shapes and forms. I am with you on the coke issue too, no matter what I seem to do I always crave it! With my new routine I have thought about what is realistic for me rather than what a book or structured diet tells me I should eat. So I start the day with a bowl of porridge, lunch is a jacket p with Salad and cottage cheese and then for dinner it is normally meat and veg, I also fit in an apple and a banana in for my snacks. I won't deviate from this much but at the weekend I will have a bacon sandwich for breakfast or a homemade pizza for dinner. I have gone hardcore before and completley deprived myself but the crash off the wagon was hard! If I can crack the exercise then the odd high calorie meal won't hurt.

3. I do have a gym membership but my morning runs will take place down on the seafront. Because I am planning to run the marathon I think that the majority of my training will be outside from now. I have never been motivated enough to stick to training at home, there are always too many distractions!

4. I am lucky that I have a family who have never made me feel pressured to lose weight but I know they want me to. My sister is particularly supportive because she is struggling with her weight at the minute too. In saying that I struggle to talk really openly with them about my weight so I quite like the annimity this site offers.
I am weighing myself weekly, I have a weight loss goal per week and I track it on a spreadsheet which is easy to use and update.

It seems like we are on a similar journey, good luck and please keep in touch so we can track each others.
 
Yeah man, cheers for the reply.

I've done 1/2 days before of having the diet thing going round in my mind but then i've never got round to doing it; i really struggle with exercise though, im buying an exercise bike and cross trainer tomorrow from a friend so hopefully half an hour on each, every day, along with the low-calorie diet will really help - the fact i lost 11lbs in 7 days has spurred me on so much!

I did have quite a lacklustre job, working for a bank but in an office, so just sat around all day, using the lift between floors etc but ive got an interview for a new job tomorrow where no buses go (i dont drive!) so id have to walk or bike there (approx 2mile) which would be really handy, horrible in rain/snow whatever but still every little bit of exercise helps.

Im struggling with the meal times, but mainly because i dont like any veg or salad, im really picky with foods, and over the years this is obviously what has caused me to be so heavy/fat/big.

Over the past week my diet has been:
Breakfast - Bacon (w/fat cut off), poached egg(s) with 1/2 slices of brown low-calorie bread and low-fat spread OR coco pops with semi skimmed milk OR fruit (apple & a banana)
Snack - cereal bar OR fruit
Dinner - Fruit smoothie with a yoghurt
Snack - cereal bar OR fruit
Tea - chicken, potatoes, pasta
Only drinking water and making sure that i go up and down the stairs at least 20 times a day...Sometimes just going up and down at home for no reason whatsoever. I've also taken to walking a familiar 1.5mile route around my local estate, just walking to get my body used to the exercise - i've done a few jogs at similiar distance but because im still just starting out i find doing the odd walk in between, or on the odd day, helps break it up, whilst keeping me active and out the house moving about.

I know 11lbs in one week was MASSIVE, im just hoping that the second week isnt a disappointment because to see 11lbs come off really pushed me on, and whilst i know that isnt going to happen every week, its going to be a killer when i dont lose that next week.

Keep in touch and feel free to post on my thread.

Regards,
E
 
E,

It must be working for banks that has done this to us! I am an assistant manager in a smallish branch so I spend lots of my day behind a desk too!

It seems like you have a really decent plan and fingers crossed for your interview. That 4 mile round trip every day will help shift a few lbs!

I trained as a chef (hence my love of food) and the best advice I can give on the veg is to have meals where you don't even realise you are eating eat. e.g soups, stir frys, home made pasta bakes etc. There are some good websites out there to help you mix things up if you get bored.

I have always found the second week much harder and I think the body has a dip in week 2 (according to those on the biggest loser). So don't worry to much if you don't lose as much as you hope in week 2, we are both in this for the long haul!

I will check out your thread too!
 
5km run completed this morning, 43mins which was slower per km than yesterday but I have to admit that I really ached today. Rest day tomorrow so maybe I will have a nice lie in...well until I have to get up for work!

Weigh in on Friday so do I weigh myself before or after the run???
 
5km in 43mins, that's gotta of lost a few calories! Do you find it difficult, like needing to stop and walk, rest, or is it constant? Do you sprint any of it - apparently going for a walk/jog and putting some sprints in the middle, between long rest periods, is good for you?

I usually weigh myself first thing on a morning - which is when i'll be doing my exercise too, then im not just burning off food ive eaten that day (Although any food that day makes the morning exercise pointless, but i've heard that exercise in the morning is better and works...)

Is your first weigh day tomorrow? Be sure to post up, im interested how you get on and here's hoping its worth it and it pushes you to carry on.
 
I have got into a bit of a rhythm with jogging 300m then a brisk walk for 200m. That gives me enough time to recover and although it makes you work hard it doesn't want to give up. When I have been at my fittest I was able to jog for 800m then walk for 200m but I always do this at intervals.

I was planning to weigh in today but I have only been on plan since Tuesday and I think it would be best to leave it for at least a week so that I have a fair reaction to whatever the result is. Friday will be my normal weigh in day so i will post my result on the 4th of Feb!

I had a tough day yesterday. My daughter had me up from 3 in the morning and after a hard day work I didn't get any exercise in. The worst bit is that I fell into an old habit and bought a bottle of coke in the afternoon! Looking at it after the event helps me put the pieces together, I react in that way to food or drink when I am tired or under stress. It's good that I can see it and aknowledge that now but I need to learn how to control it much better. It was only one bottle and a tiny blip in the scheme of things but I want to be as open and honest as I can be or there is no point in writing this blog.

After an early night and a great night sleep I was up and out on the running today again. 4km in 32mins complete and back on track!
 
As you say, the coke was only a tiny blip, and you've been doing so well with the running that I'm sure it'll cancell it all out.
Really well done on the running though, that takes dedication to go even when you're aching.
Keep it up, hope you see the results you want next friday :)
 
I started on Tues 18th, so weighed myself on Tues 25th and found i'd lost 11lbs but i want my weigh day to be a Friday morning, because we usually have family over on a Friday and get a pizza etc so Friday is treat/cheat night so if Friday morning is weigh day, treat myself that night and then i've a full week to get myself back on track.
 
My next weigh day is the 4th Feb too, and it will have been 10 days since my last weigh-in so im hoping for a less of at least 2lbs - i know the 11lb loss isnt going to happen every week (or ever again!) so i'll settle for between 2-4lbs every week. I'll post how i get on straight away or on the evening when i get home from work if the PC isnt on in the morning.
 
I'm going to have a treat night tonight, but with me getting the new exercise gear i'll make sure i have half hour on the bike and half hour on the Xtrainer too, that'll work me up an appetite for my pizza & my metabolism will be going mad so best time to cheat, so i'm told!?!?!
 
Coke, nevermind mate, we're only human aren't we? Can't help it sometimes when things get on top of you - I almost demolished the big chocolate cake from the fridge earlier, got it out, looked at it, and then cut some off for my little lad to have a bit and put the rest in the bin and had myself two clementine oranges! hmmm! Don't let it get you down, and as it's been mentioned, you've done really well with the running so that coke is pretty irrelevant - just dont let yourself think "well im running, so i'll have a coke" and get into bad habits.
 
All the best mate, Hope you have a good weekend
 
Great going so far!
 
Sorry for the silence, it has been a busy few days with my sisters birthday and my little ladies keeping me busy.

The eating is on track at the moment but I know I am not taking in enough water! I think I am going to have to attach a drip.

The running has been hard work and I took a break today to avoid burn out. I will be back in the grove tomorrow and fighting for a double digit loss on Friday!
 
I struggle drinking water, well i usually have 1 500ml bottle a day, but i dont really drink much of anything - i used to drink between 1-2L of coke/sprint per day, EASY, but not now, i only ever drink water, or a sugar free cordial or pure orange juice, but rarely have a drink at meal times to be honest.

I've struggled with motivation for exercise, im going to the football tonight so here's hoping the Boro score a few goals to get me on my feet!

I'll make sure i do my 1km jog round the block when i get home from the match & ill have to have half hour on the Xtrainer and bike aswell, Weigh day is Friday, and it will have been 10 days since last weigh-in, so i;ll be disappointed if i haven't lost 3/4lbs at least.
 
Maybe try squash? Most of them are only 3 or 5 cals per glass.

Hope you have a good loss :)
 
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