Let’s talk a little about running. Some people love it, while others hate it. If you’re fighting with some extra pounds, then you’re probably part of the second category because your weight is holding you back. It may not be something you enjoy, especially in public spaces where people can see your struggle. When you have some extra weight, running is painful because every inch of your body hurts. Your skin hurts, your joints hurt, and your legs burn. You run out of oxygen during the warm-up. While for some, it’s an enjoyable experience, for you, it’s daunting. You hate the people who say that a morning run clears their mind and helps them start a good day. How does someone voluntarily take part in this? It’s torture!

But this post isn’t for the ones who give up. It’s for the ones who want to fight their fears and achieve their goals. If you’re dealing with extra pounds, running is what you need to shed them off and keep them off for good. That being said, here is how you can engage in a running routine when you’re not in your best shape. 

Ready? Here we go…

A little step today a big one tomorrow

Visit your doctor to get the green light to engage in physical activities. When overweight, it’s wise to see your physician to assess your health state. 

Are you ready? Great, now you can get into your sweatpants. But because you cannot remember the last time you run, you first need to walk. And we’re not speaking about walking from your house to the local store to grab some popcorn. We’re talking about hitting the local park and walking for around an hour daily. 

Walking is a low impact exercise that gets your body ready for the next step. It builds strength and endurance; you need for a more intense workout. 

Walking also reveals underlying issues you may experience. For example, if you fell out of breath when you go for short walks, you should take it up with your physician. 

How to get it started

The first week, walk three or four times, in sessions lasting from 60 to 80 minutes. You’ll know you’re ready for running when you can complete the following session without feeling exhausted. 

• A 5-minute slow walk for warm-up.
• 30 minutes of walk at a brisk pace.
• A 5-minute of slow walk. 

Don’t hurry up to get into running. Stay at this stage for as long as you feel comfortable. 

Add some running intervals to your walking sessions

Have you ever heard of Jeff Galloway? He is a legendary running coach everyone would want to train with. He came up with the run-walk method; people dealing with extra-weight can use to get into a better shape. This method entails alternating between low-intensity running and walking intervals. 

How to do it?

Start with a 10-minute brisk walk to help your body get into the right state for exercising. Once your heart rate speeds up, and the blood flows through your muscles, you can start jogging. Have a 20-30 seconds slow and controlled jog, and alternate it with 20 seconds of a slow walk. Repeat the cycle for 20 minutes and wrap it up with a 5-minute slow walk. 

When you’re comfortable with jogging for 1 minute, you can increase the time to 2 minutes, and so on. 

Do you hate numbers and 30 seconds feel like an hour? You’re not alone. If you don’t want to wrap your head around counting seconds, you can jog slowly for half of the block and then walk the other half. When you feel comfortable running a whole block, you can increase the jog to two blocks and so on. 

Don’t expect to run like Bolt from day one. Your goal is to have gradual progress. 

Wear the right gear

You may hate shopping for clothes, but equipment can make or break your jogging. Look for technical gear that feels comfortable and lets your skin breathe. If you’re overweight use compression gear because it’s made from a lightweight fabric that removes moisture from your skin. 

Compression gear is excellent for people dealing with extra weight because it offers support, prevents swelling of the legs and arms, and reduces muscle soreness. 

Before getting out of the house, make sure you have a pair of tight spandex pants and a compression shirt. This way, you prevent your thighs from rubbing together, and your chest from bouncing. 

To speed up the results, you can pair jogging with a keto diet and leptitox, which is a weight-loss support supplement made from natural ingredients. Your lifestyle and diet profoundly influence your results. If you want to achieve your goals, eat healthily, stay hydrated, and take the right supplements to boost your energy levels. 

Don’t you dare to skip leg day

Everyone hates leg day. Johnny Bravo did, and everyone makes fun at him, with his perfect hairstyle, shredded upper body, and baby legs. Do you want to be Johnny Bravo? No one wants to be Johnny Bravo! So, work those legs of yours because they support your body while jogging. 

An essential part of any weight loss regimen is to include resistance training. Many people have the misconception that cardio does the trick, but if you start lifting weights, you’ll achieve your goals faster. Strengthening your muscles is crucial when you want to improve your running abilities. If you don’t know what exercises to perform, hire a trainer or see a physical therapist and they can help you determine the right training for you. 

A strong body propels you and helps you run faster and for longer distances. If now, your legs get tired after 5 minutes of jogging, after 3 months of a leg workout, you’ll run for 30 minutes without your body killing you. 

The bottom line: if it were to uncover the secret to how people with extra weight can get into jogging, I would say weight training and determination. You can do it!