I’ve gotten a lot of questions about running. How I started and what I currently do so I’ll get into that on this post. I just wanted to make it clear that cardio, yes cardio, is how I lost all my weight. That’s cool if you want to lose weight by weight lifting. Like I’ve stated I concentrate on running because that’s where I feel most comfortable. Although I am going to branch out next week and join a new gym to start cross training (which is just as important).
I started out at 240 pounds. That was almost three years ago and I am now down about 80 pounds. I don’t really keep track of pounds anymore though. I feel that I became too obsessed with seeing the scale and I currently am trying to stay away from it. I also wanted to warn you one again, do not become too entangled trying to lose weight. Think of it more as training your body to be the best it can be. I understand most of the people that read this are here to lose weight. However it’s slow and I know that people tend to give up if they don’t see results. You will see weeks maybe even a month that you might only lose a pound. Hang in there seriously. I encourage you to set goals that you want to accomplish, running a race, losing 10 pounds, whatever it is… let me or someone else you know what they are. Hell you want to run a 5k? I’ll be more than happy to run one with you. Just make yourself accountable. The only person that you’re cheating is yourself when you don’t stick to something. When you have goals to reach it makes it easier to lose the weight. I will remind you that this is for people that are down to run as a way to lose weight.
The Gear:
Thing things you need aren’t expensive or at least don’t have to be since you won’t be running competitively for a while or if ever depending on your choices. First off I went with a Fitbit (not everyone has one I understand). Personally, I recommend the Fitbit flex. It’s the cheapest at about $50 depending on where you can find it and easiest to use (currently I’m waiting on a Garmin 220, which ranges $150-200). If you can’t afford a Fitbit look up an app on your phone for a pedometer. I did NOT start out running at all, if you’re a bit heavier it can be hurtful to your joints. If you want to run, try a fish oil supplement to help with those achy knees and sore feet. This is actually one of my dailies. The biggest purchase you need to make is SHOES! These will be your most expensive investment into running. With that being said however you don’t need to go dropping $100 on a new pair. If you can run in Nikes, great! Whatever you do just make sure your foot is comfortable. I actually made the mistake of running in a pair of Nikes and really hurt myself for a few months. I never knew what it was like to run without pain. Be careful and weary of what you run in, but most of all GET WHAT WORKS FOR YOU!
Still on the getting started area, you might be asking “Okay, so if I can’t run in Nikes…what should I be looking for?” I’m usually not a name dropper but I can’t get enough of my Mizuno’s. Running shoes don’t have to be the name brands you know. I looked at a variety that I had never heard of before running. Mizunos, Asics, Brooks, and Altra. There’s a handful of others but that’s just a small list for you to sort of look at. Amazon, Zappos, and a few other places have sales on them regularly but I recommend at least going to get fitted…which brings me to where you should go!
I just want to make a quick paragraph supporting a small local business near me. Athens Running Company is seriously amazing! Stop by and check out their new location (I actually haven’t had a chance to yet) and see what they offer. Get fitted for shoes while you’re there and ask any questions you have. These guys are SERIOUSLY knowledgeable and really fairly priced. They stick you on a treadmill with a camera point at your feet and ask you to walk…than run. Don’t worry about looking silly, it’s worth it. They the will measure degrees at which your foot tilts and your arch. Then match you with some shoes. I included a few pictures below, those are the Mizunos in the last picture I settled on and others I tried on. 
The Plan:
The next part of this section is going to be the plan. You have your gear now or maybe you don’t want to purchase anything (which is totally fine), now you need to know what to do. I’ll say this and I say this as gently as possibly can, really TRY. I’m not saying you can even get a 15 minute mile, but by hell you should be really trying. I started out with a 18 minute mile (a fast walk), now almost six months later I’m down to a 9 minute mile that I can easily do for more than two. Your goal right now is to reach 10,000 steps daily 4-5 days weekly. Get up and move around. Sitting on your ass is not going to make the weight come off. I’m not saying run five miles. I did 3 miles daily power walking as fast as I could on the treadmill and then housework or errands. YES, I STARTED OFF WALKING. If I didn’t have my goal in by night you bet I was on that treadmill finishing up. I mean don’t get me wrong and I will warn you now…YOU WILL HAVE DAYS YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO IT. I repeat, there will be days. Don’t beat yourself up and also don’t try to play catch up the next day. Aim for every other day reaching that 10,000 step/5 mile goal. Start slow. If you can’t do 4 days, do 3, or whatever else you think you can do, even if it’s one day a week and then after three weeks you go to 2 days…do it. Go to the track, get to the gym, hell even go hiking, just get the steps in. My next part in running will be what you should do after you’re comfortable with walking and getting in miles. It’s recommended by someone, somewhere, to get 10,000 steps in daily. I think that’s a bit extreme. After you’ve worked your way up to at least every other day hitting that goal, you’re ready to run. Which I will post the next step I took within a few days or Part: II.
Within a month you should notice you’ve dropped a few pounds, if you’re eating the right things…which brings me to my next and last section.
What to Eat:
I touched on this in my previous post but I’ll make it more clear now. You’re going to be a lot more hungry. You’re up and moving and hopefully you’re choosing the right things. A typical day for me looks like this:
Breakfast: I usually have a bowl of honey nut cheerios with almond milk (I’m not a dairy person really), and a banana. Sometimes I’ll have a Larabar, Quest Bar, or even just some blueberries. If I’m hiking it’s usually a bar of some sort. Sometimes it’s oatmeal. I also have a kickass recipe for sweet potato hash. I’ll post it soon. Focus on more whole grains. Whole grain oatmeal and bread is what you should look for.
Lunch: Usually some type of chicken. Grilled, pan seared with olive oil, or baked. I throw it in a spinach wrap or salad. Sometimes that’s not the case and I’ll end up having some greek yogurt and fruit. Occasionally an almond butter and fruit spread sandwich on whole grain toast with a fruit or veggie.
Snacks: I tend to snack a lot. I love watermelon, apples, cucumbers, blueberries, tomatoes. You name the fruit or vegetable, I’ll eat it. Even asparagus in olive oil. Sometimes Halo Top Ice Cream. I’ll do a favorite product post soon to show you more.
Dinner: I tend to eat whatever is made or whatever I make. I’ll have to post recipes but if my mom cooks or we eat out, I tend to stick to lighter portions and A LOT of veggies. I’m a huge sucker for baked potatoes…and hell yeah I eat them. With sour cream. A lot of it. There’s just some things I can’t pass up.
I just want to stress to eat enough vegetables and fruits. ALSO CARBS! YES you can have carbs. In moderation. Eat the healthy shit and you’ll be fine. Focus on less sauces that add empty calories and more spices. I also want to emphasize to make sure you’re eating enough. Check out my orginal post for a calorie calculator and follow it. NEVER cut more than 200-300 calories. You’ll be a lot more active and a lot more hungry. Just make the right choices. I tend to load up on veggies, then protein, then carbs. Vegetables should always take up the biggest space, then your protein, then carbs. Also don’t forget to splurge a little bit. The weekends I tend to be more relaxed on myself. I’ll have a slice or two of pizza after a 7 & 1/2 mile hike or a plate of nachos. Just don’t make it a habit. Adjust your daily calories to your intake of calories. If you decide to be more active eat more. ALSO WATER WATER WATER. Drink as much water as you can or if you’re thirsty. No sodas.
The next Running Part will be where to start running and how much. I also have a nifty fitness printable. I might set up an etsy shop to sell (no more than about 1.00 or 2) who knows I might just give it for free. Shoot me an email or Facebook message if you start your plan or have questions. Good luck!
Fitness for the Fat Girl 