i'm 6 months post op. have lost 157 lbs with 48 bmi. i have been doing Water aerobics 3x per week. i went to(and finished!)my first "land" zumba class of 60 mins. i have also just started on an elliptical(very hard!) i can do 10 mins on level 1/incline 1. i don't have a phone i can download apps on. i'm looking toward spring and the possibility that i will be ABLE to enter a race is mind bending. PLEASE, tips for training.

@@DavidOso I asked the same question recently and got some good feedback from @OKCPirate here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/356960-couch-to-5k/

I have not started the couch to 5k program yet... but I'm still walking daily. Every now and then I try and jog for 30 seconds while walking... for whatever reason I have it in my mind that I want to be below 300lbs when I start.

The Couch to 5K program is a good one, and I plan to use it to boost myself from walking to jogging to eventually running.

Background ... I am almost 8 months post-op. At just over 1 month post-op I walked my first ever 5K race. I have been trying to do 1 a month since then. I still walk, but my time has improved from 56 minutes on the first one to 45:06 on the last one in Dec. I am at the point where I feel I can't improve any more unless I start jogging, however I have really bad knees from previous injuries and running has never suited me well. A family member used the Couch to 5K program a couple of years ago after having her 4th child and she was very successful with it. Think that is the direction I am headed in.

Good Luck! I'd Love to hear how you do when you start your 5K's!!

@@DavidOso

Good to see you are another workout junkie

Here are some websites to give you information. You will not need an app for the links I have posted.

5K training for beginners

http://running.competitor.com/2014/03/training/a-5k-training-plan-for-beginners_37775

http://www.runnersworld.com/

strength training for runners.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/strength-training-for-runners-how-to-do-it-right.html

This one is a news feed. Fitness, training, health trends and more

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health

Bodybuilding.com Worlds largest fitness site

http://www.bodybuilding.com/

Do you have a running club in the area? They would be a great bet.

@@DavidOso - Good luck with it. I tried C25K at 290 pounds and in week two had an injury that crippled me for nearly two weeks. Much easier at 220. So my advise is to lay a great foundation, use ellipticals and other non-stress/jarring aerobic exercise as long as possible. I'm not trying to dash your dream but your ticker says you are still in the 3's and even at 6' that seems like too much.

When you start teach yourself a shuffling stride so you don't pound your knees and hips. Since you are starting at ground zero read http://www.chirunning.com/what-is-chirunning/beginning-runners/

Listen to your body, your knees will thank you down the road.

If there is a fleet feet store or other running store they often have training programs. Fleet feet has an intro to 5k program called No Boundaries that is tailored to intro people into running. I've done it and really enjoyed it. It helped me to have a group to train with and a coach to guide us and keep us motivated. https://www.fleetfeetsports.com/training-programs/beginners

thanks to everyone for the wonderful input. very helpful. slow, but steady, will get me there. 3 lbs till HALF this morning! yeah me!

updated ticker