There are many posts here about people running 5K's, etc, as though we are all some kind of experts that fell from the sky or something...

I just want to say that that is not, and has not, always been the case.....NOTHING can be further from the truth!

There was a time, 2 years ago to be exact, where I could not carry groceries into the house without becoming short of breath.

When with a group of people, I was the one that everyone had to stop and wait for, so I could catch up....

I was banded 2 years ago....I joined a gym a full year before being banded, and went regularly...but it was pure HELL! But I did it because I KNEW it was the right thing to do....

Forget the treadmill...too high impact for someone with all that excess weight. So I did the elliptical...but even then I could not go more than 15 minutes without killing myself.

My lungs would burn! I did all I could to get just 20 minutes in with minimal resistance. I did lift weights more than anything....I was one of those people who would carry my towel strategically in the locker room

to try to hide my naked body....

Not sure it did anything, and even though I could not feel any difference I'm sure it had to have some benefit. But I never felt it...just aching muscles and joints...

It was only after being banded, when the weight began to come off, that I felt my exercising began to improve also...it went hand in hand.

The more I lost, the better my workouts became.....I steadily increased my workouts on the elliptical, longer times and higher resistance...

It was only last march, after I reached my goal weight wise, I felt I was not getting any more benefit from the elliptical....that I moved onto the treadmill.

Walking at first, then slowly increasing to running.

I started wearing a heart monitor and concentrated on aerobic workouts (and still do) I began the C to 5k program, a 12 week course that took me 20 weeks to get through.

I then went on to the C to 10K program and breezed through that....1/2 of it was a repeat.

Today, I get on the treadmill and run 5 miles, 5 days a week....but like I said, it took over 2 years to get there, and 100 lbs lighter.....

Long story short...everyone has to start somewhere...the important thing is to start...and since you have been banded, it will go hand in hand and after a period of time

you will not believe you are the same person!

But you have to start!

BTW, did I mention I'm 61 years old? And had one Heart attack resulting in Cardiac Surgery? So it is never too late, or early for that matter, to start! If I can do it, ANYONE can!

Just remember many (myself) have been where you are, and eventually turned it around......so it can and does work!

And all of what I just said is a lesson on CONFIDENCE building....but I will save that one for another time. each step of the way I learned something new about confidence, perhaps the reason I was fat and failed at loosing weight in the first place.....

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Amazing story and a great inspiration!

Thanks for sharing. I am doing 30-45 on the elliptical and my knee kills me, but I do have an old injury so I am not sure that pain will ever go away.

Wow I really love your posts!!

Now I don't feel too bad that I cant run on the treadmill, only the elliptical as of now.

Congrats on how far you've come!

B52 is so accurate about the exercising and weight. I too was one of those people whos weight was too much to carry around, walk, exercise, really moving around all together was a struggle. I started little by little moving, I got out my old edge gazelle and was only able to do 10 minutes, and believe me this is not a hard machine to do. The more weight I lost the more I was able to increase my activity. Today, I am at 45 minutes (non-stop) on my gazelle and 10 more extra minutes focusing on my upper body by stretching with an elastic stretch band, and lifting 2 lb weights.

Its still work in progress, but beleive me its a whole lot better than where I came from....

Nice post B52!

Very encouraging B-52! Amazing inspiration!

Thanks for this encouraging post and congratulations on your success!

Great story !!! I am following a similar path, but still waiting to get closer to my goal so I can be a stronger runner. I transitioned from elliptical to incline treadmill and lots of hiking. That first summer I trained for and climbed Mt St Helens! And that was at about 220 lbs. I then picked up the C25k, skipped the bridge trained for and completing a 1/2 marathon this last summer. And that was at around 190! Still 40-50 lbs to goal. I'm not sure what I'll try next!

Maybe start backpacking, and climbing Mtn Adams, which is an overnighterer!

As a result, I am the biggest cheerleader for exercise of any and all kinds! It's vital to success and overall wellness!