How did you start your exercise journey? I used to run cross country in high school but it's not the same after being almost 300 pounds for 4 years. How do you get back in shape? How do you train? I'd love to one day be able to do a Tri-Athlon or 1/2 marathon or even a marathon!

Check out couch to 5k an app for smart phones. Makes running "doable" for all fitness levels. But the thing for me is consistency I don't allow myself to miss I workout. Good luck.

Start by walking and then speed walking. Muscle has memory so the more weight you lose your muscle will remember your old routine. It will just take some time. My knees were killing me at 257 and I never thought I would be able to walk but I pushed myself and I walk over 2 1/2 miles in about 25 to 30 mins tops, no more knee pain. And I agree, consistency is the key, once you see the scale get lower it gets easier to stick with it. Best Wishes

Always been an exerciser, even at my heaviest. To answer your question, little-by-little. Deciding to go a little farther every week and then doing so. Your body adapts so that eventually, going further and faster will be the next logical step. "Breaks" should be taken wisely and I wouldn't advise going more than 48 hours without training. Since you ran cross country, I'm sure you know how to do it and it will be easier once the weight comes off but I'd start on it now if I were you.

I started out this year at 5'6" and 373 pounds. Got my sleeve June 5 and have dropped to 253.

3 weeks ago, I walk/ran the first 5k of my life at 49 min 20 seconds.

I started out walking to the corner and back a couple times a day, then around the block, then worked up to 2.5 miles at a time. After a few weeks at that distance walking, I walked the same rt walk 5 min. Run 30 seconds until I finished the rt.

I then set up a playlist on my iPod. It started out with 3 slow tempo songs then all fast beat songs until I had an hour long playlist. On 5k day, I played the playlist. During the slow songs, I walked. During the fast songs, I walked during the verses and ran during the choruses. Finished at 49:20 I was very pleased with that.

Good luck, you'll do great!

@theoldmusicbox that's awesome! Congrats! Thanks for the info

How did you start your exercise journey? I used to run cross country in high school but it's not the same after being almost 300 pounds for 4 years. How do you get back in shape? How do you train? I'd love to one day be able to do a Tri-Athlon or 1/2 marathon or even a marathon!

You just start walking!! When you feel you can, jog for 15 seconds. then walk again. As time goes on, you'll be able to run for a longer time or more frequently. Couch to 5k is a great start- as well, look into Jeff Galloways method. I use it all the time! My start weight was 240ish. I ran my first half marathon this past February- exactly 1 year post op. Since then I have run 5 half marathons, with my first full marathon next month. I'm not fast by any means, but I'm getting out there and doing it- I finish middle of the pack generally. My advice? Don't think just do it!!

It begins one step at a time. Pick some goals and give yourself some time. I just finished an Ironman 70.3 two weeks ago and came back this last weekend and PR'd with my best half marathon time after being 427 pounds 18 months ago. Now I'm 180 on my 6'4" frame, which isn't bad for being in my upper 50s. Left foot, right foot Nutrition will be you real key to being successful. If you ran before, you'll remember the highs (and the agony too). Keep us up to date!

Thanks for all the tips! I have to really get the motivation to be consistent

I want to run, too!! I still feel way too heavy to put that much repetitive force on my joints, but I'm walking at 3.0mph for 50 minutes now and still feel good and energetic afterwards. In another 20-25lbs I want to start doing walk/run and work my way into a bit more every week.

I want to run, too!! I still feel way too heavy to put that much repetitive force on my joints, but I'm walking at 3.0mph for 50 minutes now and still feel good and energetic afterwards. In another 20-25lbs I want to start doing walk/run and work my way into a bit more every week.

I started jogging when I was 305 doing the C25K program. I could barely jog 45 seconds at a time without being completely out of breath. Now, 9 weeks later, I'm 266 and last night I ran 20 minutes without stopping and felt great. Never thought I'd do anything like that.

^{Also took it very slow at the beginning. Would run for 1 min then walk for 3 mins and continue doing this for 1 mile. Did this 3x/week and gradually increased the running time and decreased walking time: 2nd week ran 90 secs, walked for 2.5 mins, 3rd week ran for 2 mins and walked for 2 mins, etc. Just kept increasing the running time and decreasing walking time, but I really listened to my body because I did not want to injure myself. Took about 10 weeks until I was able to run a mile and once I reached that target, I began the slow increase to 2 miles (1mile running, 1/4 mile walk, 1/4 mile run, 1/4 walk) until I got to 2 miles.}

^{As the weight comes off,it gets a lot easier. Put together a good play list, force yourself into a pattern, but watch for injuries and make sure you allow yourself to rest. I never ran 2 days in a row and even now that I can run a 5k without too much trouble, I try to alternate running/biking/rowing to ward off injuries.}

I started with the Couch to 5K app (also known as C25K) and have worked my way up to 6 mile jogs. I'm training for a 1/2 marathon and have been running for 4 months now. I was about 190-200 when I started and today am at 155. The running app actually does what all others have given you as advice (running/walking with gradual increases). I would like to add that if I didn't feel comfortable moving to the next weeks set of runs, I just repeated the current week until I knew I would be able to accomplish the goals set in the app. for the following week. It's a 10 week program and I think it took me 16 weeks to complete. Good luck and like the others have said-one step at a time!

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I will say that feeling of finishing your first 5k or 10k is the most amazing accomplishment. I am 279 now but I ran my first half marathon back in 2010 and it was the longest day of my life it felt like. If you are a person that doesn't excercise often I would simply start with a walk around the block. Once your body is use to that, find a hill by your house and add that in to your routine. There is a few website out there that will have play lists that talk to you. Run for 1minute walk for 30 seconds. Let me know if you want to know more. I can send you the links. Best of luck with getting out there.

For the 2 weeks before my VSG I started going to a personal trainer. I'm not 1 week out since I had surgery, and I'm actually itching to get back in the gym. (I NEVER thought I would say that) After reading about the C25K app I downloaded it, and I have set up a good heavy metal/hard rock playlist set up. I'm really hoping that I can get started training with running, so by Thanksgiving I can do the local Turkey Trot 5K in my town. I know I won't be able to run the entire thing, but it will be a major change from my usual Thanksgiving (waking up late, eating, eating, and more eating, then bed).

I just have to keep telling myself: It doesn't matter how fast you run, you're still running laps around everyone on the couch.

That is one of my ultimate goals. I want to run! I'm only a week post-op. As soon as I'm cleared to exercise, I am going to do C25K. I've started it a few times in the past, but was too overweight & out of shape to do it.