I wrote this sometime in 2015 and published it on HubPages. Checked again recently and it’s not there anymore, so here is a repost.
Since writing this, I’ve done 2 more marathons, 2 more half marathons, 3 Half Ironman distance triathlons, gone on multi-day multi state rides and last year, climbed Mount Kinabalu.
I hope you enjoy this article. TL;DR: Start slow so you don’t burn out. Being consistent builds a habit.
I’ve had an epiphany. I think I’ve figured out why it is so difficult for normally sedentary people to lose weight and get fit.
I was in this position some years ago when I quit smoking and started to eat and balloon. I’m here to tell you: its not your fault! Human as we are, we still need someone, or something to blame. Let’s put the blame on… the Internet! That’s where you go when you want some guidance on how to lose weight. You are a busy person right? And like all of us, the path of least resistance is the best. Consider these workout titles I found online:
- Lose belly fat in 4 days!
- The 7 minute workout
- Rock hard abs in 7 days!
- M-100s — Insane Home Cardio Workout For Ninjas
- My 2 week weight loss body transformation!
- How to lose 10 pounds in 3 days!
.. and various other combinations, often in FULLCAPS and/or with multiple exclamation marks.
Tell me you’ve tried these before. Have you given up? I have. These are stressful and mind-numbingly difficult. They sometimes leave you choking, heaving and lying defeated in a pool of your own sweat, following by utterances of “Never again”, or “I’m going to throw up”.
And here’s why we give up. The super fit guys and gals on these Youtube videos make it look incredibly easy and fun. I wasn’t having any fun. This must mean I’m not built for this… OK, let’s revert to what we were doing before we had this horrible idea of shaping up. Life is difficult enough without having to go through this.
I was forced to take it slowly. I was horribly out of shape, and suffered from asthma. I enjoyed walking… it was something I could do without too much exertion. 10 minute walks soon became 30 minutes, then an hour. If I picked up the pace, I could do 7km (4.3 miles) in 1 hour. I went walking after the kids went to bed, 2 or 3 times a week. After several months, I could mix it up a little, by running short distances across a road, for example (stay safe!).
As time passed, the fitness grew. I wasn’t seeing any weight loss, but i felt better about myself and the clothes fit better. By walking and not running, I was keeping my heart at the fat burning zone, or 50-70% of your max heart rate. I didn’t know this until I got a GPS watch with a heart rate monitor, but you really don’t need it until later when you’re running and the thumping in your chest makes you think you’re going to have a cardiac arrest right there and then.
3 months after I started, I walked a 10k race. A month later, I did a half marathon. Six months after I started, I participated in a full marathon – walking the whole way. My timing was a dismal 7hrs 18mins but that’s another story altogether!
Sign up for some races in your area, and commit to train for them. This builds a habit. The race is not the destination, but part of the journey. After the marathon, I could manage running 2-3km. It was another year before I could run 10k.
A word about nutrition and hydration. Yes. Our muscles hold enough energy for an hour of hard activity. If you’re going more than 10k, have some nutrition with you. It doesn’t have to be a sport specific gel. I also used to have to lug around a hydration backpack with one liter of water for every planned hour. The amount of water I needed during exercise decreased as time passed. Yes, you’re trying to lose weight, but starving yourself while doing physical activity isn’t the way to go.
Take aways:
- Start off easy. Take walks.
- Go by effort. Go as fast as you can without being to hold a conversation.
- Slowly increase the time you’re spending on the road.
- You won’t see appreciable weight loss. The fat melting off is being replaced by muscle.
- You don’t need fancy equipment and GPS tracking watches.
- Sign up for a race, commit to train for it. This builds a habit.
- Remember to eat and drink.
And with that, you’re well on the way to a healthier you. You can stay where you are, or it can take it up as many levels as you want.
Have fun!
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