I want to start the couch to 5K program , does anyone want to start it with me on Monday or Tuesday ? I would like to even double it up , so I can finish it in 4 weeks? But I'll see how it goes at first?

If anyone wants to start it with me please let me know

Thanks

Mindy

hi huggie bear!

do you stretch good before/after you walk or run? i have a tendency to have some shin pain when i do run & it always comes back to that i didn't stretch "After" a workout. another suggestion (came from my trainer) was to add more potassium to my diet & before each workout with him, i have a half of banana w/protein drink.

then again - a GOOD soak in hot tub or bath does the trick to:)

hhhmmmm its funny u meantioned the bananna... I went to training for work for "handle with care" and we are up and down off the floor ALOT and use leg muscles more then usual and everyone did the banana thing before we started for the day!!!

I am not one for stretching at all honestly... just start at a slow pace and make sure I do a cool down walk... it could just be that easy :welldoneclap:

I am going to stretch out tonite and take a hot bath though ... my shins are still tight and all day at work today on my feet didn't really help that to much....

thanx for the input will let ya know how it goes :Banane53:

Kim

Well ugh I guess I am not going to try the banana thing???

Starting myself of the high protein diet today and looked up nutrition information for a banana and boy are they full of carbs and sugars

I am going to do a protein drink right before I go to the park and am going to stretch today before I start...

I walk an hour so I am going to try walking the first half hour and if the shins feel good I'll do session 3 of week one on the way back to the car!!!

Hoping and praying it goes well!!

I would like to be to week 3 by my surgery I figure the more progress I can make the easier recovery will be and the easier it will be when I get back into it post band....

I really dont want to just give up until after the band because that is reinforcing an old habit :argh:

Kim

Well ugh I guess I am not going to try the banana thing???

Starting myself of the high protein diet today and looked up nutrition information for a banana and boy are they full of carbs and sugars :biggrin:

yeah they are pretty high on the carb side (didn't mention that - sorry). i normally only eat half at a time for that reason, but i'm also increasing my calories - trying to get over 1200 a day & the banana seems to help.

with working out 5 days a wk, i'm burning a lot of calories (average 700+ cal burned) & keeping my calories at around 900-1000 a day, didn't work for me. i was really lathergic / dizzy when with my trainer & the weight stalled some....so slowly i've been upping the count.

hope your run/walk went well today!!

Well today ended up being just a walk day...

It was cold and misting and I didn't realize how windy until I turned around to come back and my car was 2 miles away :wink2:

so I made better time coming back then going down

My shin did start to act up but I just kept my pace steady and it worked itself out and felt pretty good by the time I was done.

So I guess I will just listen to my body and just keep to the every day aspect of it

Hi fellow Couch to 5Kers!

I finished week one, but I'm really wondering if I'm ready to move on to week two.

Has anyone stayed on week one for two weeks? Or should I just try to push this to the next level?

Today (my last session of week one) went fine, but it was still a real challenge. It's not so much the cardio part of it, it's my body -- which just feels very heavy and sluggish when I'm running.........

Thanks for any advice/suggestions :wink2:!

We repeat weeks all of the time....go at your own pace. Don't let the 9 weeks be your guide--let your body guide you.

Fran...you could do week 2 no pronlem!!

I got full confidence in you!

Anyone know what I can do to get my shins to catch up with my progress???

Or what I can do different to get them to not start hurting ??:confused2:

So, if I repeat anything that you already know, I'm sorry.

The problem with your shins is called shin splints. It's actually really common. I have them really bad myself, and have read alot about them and have even talk to my doc about them.

A lesson in anatomy and physiology: muscles always come in pairs. The way a muscle works is that it contracts up. When one contracts, it pulls another into an expanded position. Then when that one contracts, it expands the other one.

Your calf and shin muscles work together to move the front of your foot up and down. If your calf muscles are tight, then your shin muscles have to work extra hard to contract up because they are also expanding the calf muscles, which are tight and don't want to be expanded. This is what causes shin splints. The pain in your shin is your shin muscle screaming out every time it has to move because it's already completely pooped from pulling against your calf.

To combat this, there are several things you can do. First and foremost, YOU HAVE TO STRETCH YOUR CALVES! You should really do this daily whether you work out or not, especially if you have problems sometimes when you're just walking (I do). Of course, if you don't do it daily, which most people probably won't, including me, then make sure you stretch them extra good before exercising. The best calf stretch is to stand on something like a stair or curb and drop your heal down off of it. Hold it for about 15 seconds on each side, and do it at least twice for each leg. Then stretch out the rest of your legs too, hamstrings and quads. All of your muscles are working together, so the looser your legs are in general, the better. Also, make sure to stretch them out again when you finish up, especially your calves. It really only takes about 2 minutes to stretch your legs well, and it will really help to stop the shin splints and prevent other injuries.

The second thing you can do if you are determined to end the pain is to work on strengthening your shins with some exercises. One easy one is to put your toes under the edge of the couch and try to lift it with your toes (by pulling the front of your foot up, not by lifting your leg). Do this 10 times on each side.

If you do this and your shins still keep hurting, don't rule out the possibility of a stress fracture, especially if the pain is bad and stretching doesn't help. Go to the doc if the pain keeps up.

Well ugh I guess I am not going to try the banana thing???

Starting myself of the high protein diet today and looked up nutrition information for a banana and boy are they full of carbs and sugars :thumbdown:

I am going to do a protein drink right before I go to the park

So, I know that everyone likes the high protein/low carb thing. And maybe you are doing it from doc's orders before your surgery. But one thing that you need to keep in mind is that your muscles need carbs to have energy. yes, your body can convert protein into carbs, but it's not an easy process and it's much better to just give it some carbs, particularly if you are about to ask it to work out.

If you eat that banana, or have a cup of juice 15 minutes before you start a workout, you'll have more energy during that workout, which means you'll be more inclined to run further or faster and to push yourself. and any carbs that you take in are going to be burned up during your work out. then, AFTER your workout, you should have some protein to help build more muscle.

I'm not slamming low carb, but i do think that if you are heavy, and you're going to ask your body to run, you should give it what it needs to do it efficiently. this will only be to your benefit. if your run really kicks your ass because you don't have any energy, then you are probably less likely to run again. but if you have energy, and you get a really good workout, then you'll be stoked to do it again.

Hey Tracy I see your in San Marcos !!! Im in BUDA !!!

Mindy

Also if your going to be increasing your work out levels ( as we are obviously) you need to increase your calorie intake or you will put yourself in Ketosis.

And energy level wise you need it as well. My doc says no LESS Than 1000cals a day and that's PUSHING it he would like 1200 . So you might want to check with your doc on his/her recommendations. And the banana comment : Yes its high in Sugars but its "good" sugars and good carbs.

If your going to eat the banana BEFORE you run , your going to run off those calories. So eat the banana LOL

HTH

Mindy

Wow thanx guyz... hope you give me hope :thumbdown:

I have not yet walked today... I am going to do my slimfast high protein and blend that banana right in with it!!!

Then I am going to go to the park and I am going to STRETCH and walk!!!

It's really cool timing cause I got got my new blender delivered by fed ex!!

yay.... ok so here is to improvements and positive thinking!!!

and the muscle stuff makes so much sense it is like duh :/

I can actually pull up on the edge of my desk while I am typing this!!

so this should be easy to incorporate... and if it works believe me I will stick with it... anything to make my shins feel like they are not going to blow up!!!

Thanx again guyz!!

Kim

Fran...you could do week 2 no pronlem!!

I got full confidence in you!

Thanks Coach!

I at least need to give it a try, right? And the running track is right next door to the hospital.....

You are off the graph with the exercise and weight loss, Daddy!

Congratulations!!!!:thumbdown::thumbup::w00t:

We repeat weeks all of the time....go at your own pace. Don't let the 9 weeks be your guide--let your body guide you.

Thanks for the feedback Bigbaby -- it's good to know that this is an option as well.

I say push yourself too, Franji. I just REstarted the whole program after already completing it once, and week one was hard for me as well. Especially because it's really getting HOT in Texas! I was nervous about week 2, but really it's only 30 more seconds. It's not going to get easier until you MAKE it get easier and you can't make it get easier without pushing your body to extend your limits. I'm not saying to do anything drastic or hurt yourself, but this program is GOOD and ATTAINABLE. If you're anything like me, you might actually be shocked and amazed at how much you are capable of.

I've said this several times throughout this thread, but I will say it again: I'm a big proponent of the podcasts, because with that guy's voice on there, you can take the "choice" out of it. You just follow the program and do what the man on the headphones tells you to do. You walk when he says walk and run when he says run. If you don't quit unless you ABSOLUTELY can't go on, you will find that as the weeks go by, the longer run is not a frightening brick wall, but an exciting new challenge.

Just tell yourself you can stop whenever you want, but just DO WHAT THE MAN TELLS YOU and you'll be FINE!!!!!