How to get started? Running(Exercise)

[commiedic]

So, I was naive as I think most of us are at a young age. I thought wow I can eat all this junk food and drink all this coke and not gain weight without working out. Well back then I weighed about 170lbs and now I weigh at 215lbs. I am only 5'10" and I am starting to get fed up with being fat. Sure I am not huge, but it still bothers me.

Though I lack motivation to start working out. When I was in foot ball in high school I never ran. All I did was lift weights. Then in the military I only ran enough to barley pass the bi yearly physical tests. Then now that I am out of the military I count walking anywhere as exercise compared to my normal daily agenda.

I want to start running and getting into shape. I am not that big on being cut and muscular. Just more toned. I think at my peak which was after boot camp I was at 12% body fat and I would like to get back to that.

So my question is, how do I get started with running? What are some good steps to prepare myself. I want to start running 5 days a week M-F and if anyone knows of a good guide to starting I would appreciate it.

 

[Evidencebased]

So, I was naive as I think most of us are at a young age. I thought wow I can eat all this junk food and drink all this coke and not gain weight without working out. Well back then I weighed about 170lbs and now I weigh at 215lbs. I am only 5'10" and I am starting to get fed up with being fat. Sure I am not huge, but it still bothers me.

Though I lack motivation to start working out. When I was in foot ball in high school I never ran. All I did was lift weights. Then in the military I only ran enough to barley pass the bi yearly physical tests. Then now that I am out of the military I count walking anywhere as exercise compared to my normal daily agenda.

I want to start running and getting into shape. I am not that big on being cut and muscular. Just more toned. I think at my peak which was after boot camp I was at 12% body fat and I would like to get back to that.

So my question is, how do I get started with running? What are some good steps to prepare myself. I want to start running 5 days a week M-F and if anyone knows of a good guide to starting I would appreciate it.

I'm not much of an athlete myself, but I can say what works for me:

I try to go to the gym with a friend (to motivate me) and run on the treadmill. That lets me track my speed and time, etc, which is fun to see improving as I get in better shape. Personally I like to put on some good music and just zone out while I jog/run. I also started small and didn't worry about being awesome the first time -- honestly I started out walking, and worked my way up to a faster pace as my endurance improved. Similarly I wouldn't stress about trying to do 5 days a week if you've previously been doing zero; you can start with 2-3 times a week and work up to more frequent exercise depending on how you feel (don't make yourself so miserable the first week that you never run again from hatred of it! )

I've heard that doing intervals is also really good -- 1 minute at a fast speed (near your max speed) and then 2 minutes at a slower speed (like a jog) -- and this can help you burn calories/build stamina more efficiently. I haven't tried this myself, but my sister the college athlete swears by them.

There might be a jogging/running group in your area that meets up every day or week, so you could try joining them if you don't like running alone. For all I know there might even be a group specific to people who are trying to lose weight or are trying to get back in shape; you can check out Meetup.com for stuff like that.

But that's all I got for ya. Hope any of this helps!

 

[Evidencebased]

Oh, I'd also recommend setting fitness goals rather than weight loss goals, if I were you. Saying something like "by the end of this month I will run the mile 1 minute faster" is probably more motivating than saying "by the end of the month I'll lose 10 pounds" because fat cells are stubborn assholes and will screw with your brain. Better to focus on how healthy and energetic (and sexy!) working out will make you feel, rather than worrying about your weight. When I work out I'm like "hah, in your face heart disease!" and try not to step on the scale at all because it makes it a more positive experience.