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Zero to hero running...

2,787 Views | 33 Replies | Last: 8 days ago by CC09LawAg
Ag_of_08
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AG
Y'all have always been nice about answering questions, hoping there night be some input here.

I have a goal that, by next spring(13 months) i can put a 16:38 1.5mi run down, and complete the pushup/situp goals for a police academy. It may never happen, but im teying to get my life together.

Im diabetic, and was given mounjaro to control it.... it's lit anxiety off in me so badly I can't do it anymore, but it helped me get things under control and I have gone from 315 to 269 in about 2 months. Ive been backing off of it for the last two weeks, and aside from a post workout bout of hunger, im doing ok controlling that aspect. That's a willpower and "me" thing.

I plan to continue the very low carb, low food consumption diet. Lots of cabbage soup, bone broth, salad etc. I'm working on balancing the food noise that has come screaming back with some sensibility.

If you made it this far:

What i really need input on is the running, and progressing from here. Pre 2 weeks ago I was a slug. I've been, with the exception of being sick last week, walking for the last two weeks about 1.5 miles at minimum a day, just trying to get my core and legs built up. The last two days I've added about an 1/8th mile of jogging in to it. What kind of rest interval do I need to worry about? I see people saying regularly that you shouldn't run daily to cur the abuse down on your knees... would walking on days i don't run be a good idea?

I also have no idea what to focus on to start with my core and arms. I don't really have the cash for weights right now....I've been doing things like inclined push-ups in sets of five.

Help, feedback, heckling...all are welcome
Sweating BulletS
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Check out David Goggins on youtube. Everytime I used to take up running after long layoffs I would start at 1/4 mile at a time, running. This didn't include the warm up jogs before and after the run. Body weight is enough to start with. Diamond and decline pushup are good. Marketplace and Craigslist are good options for free weights, they usually sell for a dollar a pound. But the best thing is just start. Good luck and conquer diabetes.
AggieOO
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Goggins can be great, but he's not for everyone.

As for your mentioned diet. If it's working for you great, but be careful. You will absolutely not have cabbage soup for the rest of your life, so at some point, start finding something that works for you long term. If you don't, you will pack the weight back on.

As for running daily, it's absolutely fine if you are conditioned. In your position, I'd go no more often that every other day. Then, as you build, you can go longer and more consecutive days.
Dr. Not Yet Dr. Ag
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I know there are many that are fans of him here, but I would stay far away from Goggins, unless you feel like injuring yourself. He has a very unhealthy relationship with physical activity.

You got 13 months, that is easily doable for what you are wanting to do. Most important thing for running is just to slowly build a base. Start off running 2-3 times a week. Maybe just try to run/walk a mile each time. Keep your running pace relatively slow when you are starting out. The goal is just to build up your aerobic base. Get to a point where you aren't having to walk to complete a full mile, then start slowly increasing distance. I'd say working your way up to running a 5k should be your goal, although you can certainly work past that if you'd like.

When you are able to maintain running for longer than a mile without having to take walking breaks, start focusing on speed. So maybe once every week do a run where your only focus is maintaining a pace that will get you to comfortably pass the time requirement (like a 10:00 min/mi pace). Start with some intervals, maybe 3 intervals for 200 meters at that pace, with walking in between, and then just continue to increase distance and number of intervals.

There are also "couch to 5k" programs you can follow that will likely get you to where you want to be.

Some continued weight loss is really going to help with endurance and injury prevention, as well, so keep at it.

As for weight training, you can sometimes find cheap weight sets on Facebook marketplace, but weight sets aren't 100% necessary for resistance training. Focus on progressive overload with resistance training, meaning continued increase in either resistance or reps each set. For example, if currently you can only do 5 push-ups for 3 sets, your goal for your next workout session is to do 6 push-ups x3. Once you can do 6, do 7, and so on. Do the same thing for sit-ups and every other workout indefinitely.

Your workouts are going to be a bit limited due to lack of free weights, but not impossible, you can look on places like Reddit for additional ideas. Exercises like bodyweight tricep bench dips, body weight squats, lunges, planks, bodyweight row, various sit up and push up variations, can be done, but as your fitness improves, you will start to get limited on your gains unless you are able to incorporate free weights or gym equipment.

As for diet, don't forget the importance of adequate protein intake. If you are wanting to put on some muscle, optimal protein intake is going to be 1.2-1.6g of protein/kg bodyweight. Also, you don't need to demonize carbs, but recognize that carb heavy foods are typically less satiating. There are going to be varying opinions on how to appropriately lose weight via diet. I've seen a lot of push back, online at least, with calorie counting due to the risks of developing disordered eating from calorie counting obsession, but IMO, some form of calorie counting is going to be the only way to reliably and reproducibly lose weight if not on GLP-1 agonists.

The first step with calorie counting is finding out what your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and BMR (basal metabolic rate) are. TDEE is going to be your total estimated number of calories burned on average per day, so it's important you answer honestly and maybe even slightly underestimate your daily activity when calculating on these online calculators. Your BMR is going to be the amount of calories you burned if you did nothing all day. There are plenty of online calculators to give you a rough estimate of each. 1 lb of fat loss requires roughly a 3500 calorie deficit. That means if you want to lose 1lb a week, you need to average 500 cal deficit per day. Make sure to be honest with yourself when evaluating serving sizes when adding up your calories, and again, I tend to round up slightly so that I am always ever so slightly overestimating my calorie consumption when in weight loss mode. As you lose weight, you will need to recalculate your TDEE and BMR if you are wanting to continue to lose weight.

Good luck on your journey!
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
fredfredunderscorefred
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AG
If you decide to do a couch to 5k type program, "watch to 5k" is out there. You can listen to music from Apple Watch (or phone I presume) and then the watch to 5k program will interrupt the music and tell you to walk or run. The intervals are somewhat as described above.
Week 1 run 1 for example is:

5 min warm up. Then 1 min run, 1:30 min walk. 7x. Then 1min run and 5min cool down. 3 runs a week with gradual increase.

I did a couple of the runs more than once if they seemed tough. Had a slight detour from staying on the program but looking forward to starting it again.

Good luck!
Ag_of_08
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AG
Would walking only on days i don't run be enough rest, or should I completely stop every other day? Right bownim not "running" much, I made it always through a quarter mile lap the other day and that was about it.
bert harbinson
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AG
Agree on the Couch to 5k. Get through that and you're in great shape. Heck, you may be motivated to keep going well beyond your goal, and like a proper diet, that can be life changing.

Rest days are important, don't try to push through an injury, don't worry about pace early on, build miles slowly, and on walk days, find some hills for strength.
Rigid adherence to a plan can lead to burnout, so make changes as needed, and don't worry if you skip or have a bad day.

Maybe join a running club or find a group for motivation and accountability. Meeting more runners will lead to more running opportunities. Good luck!
Ag_of_08
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AG
I knowni have not been getting nearly "enough" calories for about a month. The mounjaro absolutely murdered my ability or want to eat. I think that's why I've lost so much weight so quickly, but im thinking it has NOT been good for me.

Today: i had a small breakfast, a couple bowls of cabbage soup for lunch, and am having a big subway salad tonight. Im kind of struggling to make myself eat the calories, and I'm trying to find a balance.

The online calculator I found said my bmr should be around 3100cal...that seems like a great deal of food for trying to lose weight.
Dr. Not Yet Dr. Ag
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If you're using 269 lbs, 3100 calories sounds inaccurate for a BMR. Maybe you calculated your TDEE, instead?

Your BMR is probably around 2200 at that weight.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Ag_of_08
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AG
Also... how in the world am I supposed to make it to 150g or more of protein a day without waaaaaay over eating?

Myfitnesspal is how im tracking calories( which isn't great but..), and they're reccominding 150g of protein. I'd basically have to eat at whole chicken to come close to that! I guess i could do protein supplements, but..

Example: i pretty much chomped down on everything I wanted and then some today. I made it to 1400 calories and 81g of protein, and am so full atm I feel ill.


Thank yall so much btw.
Jbob04
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AG
Eggs and meat. You've got to get more protein in your diet or it will be tough to achieve your goals. Protein is key to weight loss and staying satiated.
htxag09
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AG
I started with couch 2 5k over 8 years ago and now run pretty much daily and have done multiple marathons. It is a really good program for people who just don't know where to start to build enough endurance to run even a mile.
Agzonfire
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This is just my opinion, and I'm far from an expert.
First off, props to you for getting out there and making changes. To me, it seems like you are overextending yourself with the running. I'd be careful of injury and/or burnout.
I went from 275 to 235 this year and am just now starting to add running in. At my higher weight the running would have destroyed my knees and ligaments. I truly think the one exercise that's most critical, and gets overlooked is walking. It's not hard, everyone can do it and if you stick with it you'll absolutely see results.

And like someone else said, you've got 13 months so pace yourself and don't over do it.

Good luck with your journey, be sure to keep everyone posted on how it's going!
Sweep4-2
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Great to hear that you're training! So please don't chase me off this thread.....I'm a runner and will happily tell anyone to try running and to follow a recommended plan.

But running doesn't build core strength or flexibility, and it can only be done 3-4 days a week max. May want to consider mixing in another sport to have a more complete fitness routine.

A lot of folks have had success mixing in running/cardio with martial arts (boxing/kickboxing, wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) as a way to lose weight, build strength, increase flexibility and have a different kind of fun.

So no intent to derail....I hope the running goes well. Just offering up that sometimes running plus another sport can lead to overall better conditioning (for both) than just one sport alone.
Consistency: It's only a virtue if you're not a screw-up.
ecoag80
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AG
I did couch to 10k, then couch to half….ran half marathon twice…lost 30 lbs..sometime later tore a knee up which has stopped my running….miss it a lot and weight is sneaking back…I downloaded both programs to the phone and it provided "coaching" on earbuds on each run. The scheduled runs are doable and now is a great time of year to begin depending on where you live…you got this…
CC09LawAg
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150g of protein - you can knock out 1/3 of that with a half pound of ground beef as an afternoon snack.

If you're working out and pushing yourself, you'll be hungry enough to eat it and want it.

ETA: A lot of protein powders now will run about 20-25g of protein for 100 calories. I wouldn't try to do more than 1 or 2 a day, but it's a good start if your appetite isn't where it needs to be. You can usually mix with about 6-8 oz of water and it isn't too filling.
CC09LawAg
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As you lose weight, I would invest in a weight vest and load the vest with however much weight you've lost.

So if you start at 300, and get down to 290, do walks with the extra 10 pounds on your "off" days. I'd go for a 30 minute walk everyday.

I would keep that up until the weight is 10-20% of your total bodyweight and then use that as your goal for walking - so if you get down to 250, walk with 25-50 pounds in the vest depending on your comfort and fitness level.
CC09LawAg
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Ag_of_08 said:

I also have no idea what to focus on to start with my core and arms. I don't really have the cash for weights right now....I've been doing things like inclined push-ups in sets of five.
Easy things to do would be planks, incline push ups, and consider buying a set of rings or something that will allow you to do modified pull ups/rows so you can knock out your back as well with bodyweight exercises.

Look into the different arm positionings for pushups and how they change the muscle groups you're working.

Another cheap alternative could be looking into the BODi app - tons of different fitness videos that don't require equipment for all different levels of fitness.
spike427
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AG
There are yoga videos on YouTube that can be good for core strength/balance. Get a resistance band for side steps, do walking lunges, do squats (cinder block is cheap but heavy for a weight to hold), find a playground with a bar suitable for pull-ups...all free or low cost ways to build some strength! Keep up the great work making changes!
Ag_of_08
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AG
Thanks to all of you who've offered input and to help!

Still struggling to put the calories down, sitting about 1300-1600 a day before exercise, but I'm doing ok on the protein intake. Some of what i reas reccomended not upping my intake too fast after only eating 800-1000 on the mounjaro to avoid a yoyo effect. Today was the most carbs I've eaten in weeks at around 45-50, but it was an abnormality because I went to a birthday dinner and had some corn. Fiber has been a struggle.

Have been walking basically every day, just setting a 35 minute timer and going. It was kind of rough today, but getting there.

The soreness is above my knees, I believe it may be muscles waking up, but we shall see. I've dealt with some lower back pain/sciatica on and off over the years, I'm hoping it's not a bulging disc... the more weight I've lost, the better things have been, im hoping it's the weight compressing my spine. I've also been doing some air squats and inclined push-ups, I think that's what is aggravating my neck/back muscles. Trying to pace myself on those a bit, just a few a day


I'm pretty discouraged with all the aches and pains, and the potential back issues( which will destroy my dreams/plans), but I'm going to keep walking, keep exercising some, and reevaluate in a month. All I can do is keep trying to stay positive.
Ag_of_08
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AG
This is what scares me, that I'll tear my knees to shreds before the real training starts.
Ag_of_08
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AG
The only thing I'd consider a derail on this topic is if you started making fun of me or encouraging me to give up! "Help im fat and sore" could have been a good title for this thread.
JeremiahJohnson
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AG
Just keep moving. Run slow or walk. Keep it consistent Don't eat bread or drink alcohol. Meat and veggies. It will come.

If you are heavy learn to shuffle. You won't tear up your knees if you have a fast cadence and your feet land under you. Long strides and jarring will get you injured. Fast choppy steps you stay pretty safe.

Ride a bike. You can gain a ton of fitness cycling without the jarring.
Whitetail
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AG
If you're diabetic, a very low carb diet seems like a very good idea. Keep it up.

Losing the weight will go a long way in hitting your running goals.
CC09LawAg
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When I was at ground zero like you are now, yoga really helped my back pain. Just simple, beginner level stuff. 10-15 minute routine a few days a week.

Back pain is something very personal and subjective and IMO it takes quite a bit of time and experimenting to determine what helps, hurts, etc. If you are worried, find a chiropractor you trust in your area and get checked out.

I worry about mine all the time because I'll tweak it on deadlifts or squats and I'm paranoid I'm going to mess it up but it always end up just being muscle related vs spine related (so far anyways).
CC09LawAg
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Also, not sure why I didn't mention this before, a sled can be your best friend for a good mix of strength and cardio.
Ag_of_08
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AG
I've been keeping it up every day, but im having a problem that's really worrying me.

Im have a pain coming up that feels like it's not so much my chest, but the muscle right behind my left nipple, every time I walk. I don't know if its the anxiety, or just acid reflux, or something more serious. It goes away after a while, and it has been helped with antacids at least some of the time.

Im just...concerned.
DannyDuberstein
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AG
Never a bad idea to get a physical before cranking up this type of activity. I'd get that checked
jopatura
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AG
Were you working with a doctor with mounjaro? I would check in with a doctor in person in regards to the anxiety, chest pain, and tapering off mounjaro if you were using an online program.

As far as exercise, I wouldn't do anything right now past walking 1.5 to 2 miles every other day. Try to make each day faster than the next, even if it's just a second. On the off days, find a stretching/yoga program you can do at home. Get regular massages as that will help soreness and inflammation. You may even want to incorporate some ibuprofen to keep inflammation down.

I would not start running yet and I would not start a heavy weight routine yet.
Ag_of_08
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AG
I was with a dr. We're still not sure if it was my diet or the medicine that caused the issues tbh. I've been off it for a month, and am still struggling with feeling pretty miserable if I do not intake enough calories.

CC09LawAg
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Ag_of_08 said:

still struggling with feeling pretty miserable if I do not intake enough calories.
First, glad you keep coming back and checking in - keep doing that.

But man, you just need to eat more. I know you're trying to lose weight, but if you're in this for the long haul and for a lifestyle change, you need to find something you can stick with.

It's a red flag to me when you're concerned about being able to eat the very low amount of protein you've calculated that you need to eat daily. If I was 250+ pounds, I would have no problem putting away 300g of protein in a day. You should be able to get half of that pretty easily.

And if you think it's a side effect of the medication, you need to discuss that with your doctor and figure out how to get your appetite up.

I tried starving myself when I first got back into lifting, and it worked for a little bit. But a couple of months in, I couldn't work out with being light headed. It's counter productive and unsustainable.
aggiespartan
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AG
I agree with CC09. Low calorie running isn't sustainable. We all struggle with our runs if we don't eat enough.
DannyDuberstein
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AG
Yeah, seems like you may need to target more like 1900-2000+ calories. That would likely keep you losing 1-2 lbs per week but more energy to do the exercise. At 2000 calories, you would lose about a pound a week with minimal exercise.
CC09LawAg
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Yep.

Plus, as we all have experienced, moving from a mostly sedentary lifestyle to an active lifestyle leads to so many body composition changes and muscle --> fat conversions that the number on the scale is largely useless past a certain point. It's a data point, but it's not the most important one IMO.

If you feel good, start looking good, and the fat is disappearing from the waistline and starting to show up as muscle elsewhere, who cares what the scale says.
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