Yes, you did jump down her throat..and it wasn't necessary.

Before I lost my weight and was still 100 lbs more than my poor body needed to carry, just walking was painful for me. Really painful!! feet, knees, hips, back...all suffered as my walking job was killing me...running? HA!! That would've been a huge joke to me back at that high weight.

It truly is a YMMV kind of thing.....but for a newbie starting out, I would not be pushing running....and thats my NSHO.

But not everyone is like that, JudyNYC. When I weighed almost 300 lbs I never hurt, could walk for miles, took dance classes, etc. Nobody wants to run if it's horrible, but if somebody does, they can use encouragement, not the same old platitudes about moderation, balance, short walks. None of us got to low carb buying the moderation and balance line, so why should we push it when it comes to running? There are guys finishing marathons and ultramarathons and ironman triathlons who are as big as any of us were "before". It's just a matter of attitude and physical capacity - some people are just not as bothered by extra weight as other people. There are tons of skinny people in pain, too, who can't imagine running for the bus. I am living proof that someone can be fit enough to start running even if they are big. I started running at 240 pounds and ran a mile my first time out and ran a 5K three weeks after I started with no problem. I only got injured when I was at my lowest weight (180). In fact, I started running because my thigh muscles were too weak and my knees hurt if I sat too long. Running cured that and plane rides are no longer torture for me.

I don't think I'm special - there are thousands of people running who look just like me (now and how I used to look and even bigger). I just ran a race on Saturday and beat a woman who weighed 125 at most.

I truly believe anyone - no matter where they start - can train to complete a race. Humans are born to be active and in movement.

I don't think anyone in this thread is pushing others to run but only trying to encourage those who want to try. I also don't think anyone in this thread was actively trying to discourage people from running.

The original poster asked for support/advice as she was going to start to run. I think us runners who replied gave her some pretty balanced advice, specifically in that at least two of us told her not to expect running to shed weight off of her which is why a lot of people start to exercise in the first place.

My experience with running has been fantastic. Most of my current 'pain' or problems come not from running but from tennis. What makes me smile is that most people won't tell you not to go and play tennis (unless they are actually tennis players or ex-players because they know) but they will tell you not to run. Interestingly, my physiotherapist, my chiropractor and my yoga massage therapist have all told me that the running is helping me, not hurting me. I need to mitigate the tennis strains and pains in several ways (strengthening and stretching and icing)...I love playing tennis so I am willing to commit to all the things I need to do to continue to play and stay healthy.
Conversely, when I run, all my aches and pains go away and it is actually therapuetic for me.

My yoga instructor is in amazing shape and was a semi-pro figure skater when she was younger, and she can't imagine running down the block....and I can't imagine getting into some of the poses she can get into. Different strokes...


I started at just under 230 if I remember correctly...I didn't start out with the bang that you did but now at just under 200lbs (still carrying at least 40lbs of extra weight on me) I can easily run 10k+.


I don't know where you are running but maybe you could send some of those bigger people up here to Montreal to run with me as I don't see them here

"I don't know where you are running but maybe you could send some of those bigger people up here to Montreal to run with me as I don't see them here "

In Philly - everyone is heavy here! It's good to watch videos about endurance events that focus on the whole field, not just the elites. Spirit of the Marathon comes to mind (although I don't particularly think it's a good example of pleasant running!) and the Kona Ironman DVD's. You can't hide from the Ironman and be superskinny - you have to have something in the tank LOL.

Well good for you Janine and Darlene!!

If you can find running easy at those high weights, then more power to you. I could not.
I wonder what you would find to be challenging though other than running? Maybe something that works your upper body?

I think that its good for newbies to know that its OK if they can't run either as I managed to actually make it to my goal weight without running.

"I think that its good for newbies to know that its OK if they can't run either as I managed to actually make it to my goal weight without running. "

I think you got to your goal weight BECAUSE you didn't run It's notoriously hard to lose weight when running regularly for alot of people (me, included!) Running is a hobby; it's not a necessity!

I wouldn't say it was "easy" even though I used that word -- building up to being able to run what I can now run was very hard and took a lot of discipline and hard work. Running 10k at a pace of about 6:45/km is easy now for me, but if I try to run faster the difficulty starts all over again....that is what I find challenging about running, there is always room for improvement in speed or distance.

And I agree, the less weight on your frame the better for running since you need to not only move that weight forward, but come down on it on 1 leg/foot. I can't wait to get these last 40lbs or so off.

Challenging is relative, isn't it. Right now my backhand sucks and I am finding it really challenging to get it to the level of my forehand! Wanna come up here and coach me?

But I guess you mean more like really physically challenging....running FASTER right now for me is a huge physical challenge. I also do yoga and weight training, the yoga I find challenging because I am terribly inflexible.

If anything, running can severely stall the progression to goal weight, like JSchwab, I'm pretty upfront about that one as well. My 100lb weight loss "success" is due to Atkins, not running, but with those 100lbs comes a lot of excess energy. Since my job and my consulting work involves sitting a computer all the time programming, I get really stressed out if I can't burn the energy off, which is I think the secondary reason I love running so much as when I don't run, the excess energy feels like stress.

I just want to just say one more thing. Anybody can run. I think it's about interest and attitude. I know this great lady who has never walked a race faster than 17 minutes per mile, and she started out really out of shape and carrying alot of extra weight. But she likes running, loves the running community and plans to run eventually and will let nothing get in her way. No matter where you start, running is open to you if you want to do it - some people just have a more circuitous route. It doesn't mean it's the sport or activity for everyone, but nobody should say "never".

Yes...I agree....and it was most important to me to do that...to get to my goal and stay there.