Tarkwin says:

I'm Steve,

I live and work in Reading and have really gone to seed in the last few years. About a week ago I woke up one morning and decided I'd had enough and have since then walked and or walked/run several times a day - with the company of my parents dog.

I have joined a local gym and will be attending twice a week, with three aims, firstly lose weight and become more presentable, become fitter, more able to climb stairs without losing my breath, carry out simple everyday tasks without breaking into a sweat, and tone up/improve the muscle groups required for my other passion, archery. My aim is never to drive the 1.5 miles to the gym but to eventally run it, but small steps.

A new bike is being delivered soon (today I hope), this will give me the option of either walking or cycling to work daily rather than taking the bus.

I have press-ganged a friend into joining me on this regime, with the aim of mutual nagging.

My medium term goal is to get back to the size and weight I was when I got married 7 years ago (I was a little overweight then) and long term I would like to get back to the way i was in my mid-twenties. I am to do this through road running, cycling and gym visits oh and eating sensibly.

After only a week, I am feeling better, less easily winded and generally happier. It's a little early for weight loss, but that will come as I continue to burn more calories than i take in.

S.

 Jumile says:

And I'm the press-ganged friend, though I didn't take much convincing.

 Moleshome says:

Hi both,

I'm Stuart, I live in Wokingham and work in Frimley.

Much like you, when I got married 16 years ago I was a shadow of my current self, I had a 28" waist and weighed 65Kg. Back at the end of April I needed to buy some new trousers and only just managed to squeeze into a pair with a 36" waist, too many years of little or no exercise and too much beer and wine had taken their toll, my weight was just under 90Kg and I decided enough was enough.

I gave up drinking during the week and cut right back on the spuds and refined carbs. Much as I'd like to be doing more cycling for exercise it's impractical for work and, not unsurprisingly with 2 young children, my wife objects if I disappear for a day at weekends.

Somebody on another web forum I frequent was trying to get back to fitness through running and I thought I'd give it a go too. I started off with the couch to 5K training plan and thought I'd never manage a 5K run, I could barely manage 50 metres without having to go back to a walk. Some weeks I just didn't feel able to progress to the next weeks schedule so I repeated weeks but by the end of July I managed my first 5K continuous run and this week I managed my first ever 10K run.

The good news is I'm now back down to 80Kg and my 32" waist jeans are getting baggy so it's obviously doing some good and next year I intend doing a couple of 10K races.

Keep it up guys, I know I'd never have kept it up without the support of seeing my progress on this and the Nike website.

 Jumile says:

Hi Stuart,

Sorry for the delay... there are so many forum and posting areas on this site.

Glad to hear of your success, and that the Couch to 5K is working for you. I've just begun 'Week 2' of that plan, and - now that I've slowed myself down a little - I'm finding steady progress with it. I'm not seeing a great deal of weight change at the moment, but that could also be because I'm cross-training in the gym to build up the muscles I need to improve my archery.

Though in the 8 months prior to taking up running this year, I've lost 6kg which has seen me drop down to a 36" waist and everything I own is too baggy for me. Now I'm only 26kg off my 'perfect' weight - I was 47kg off it a few years back, so progress is progress.

I agree with the feedback you mention. I'm using this and the Nike+ site, along with the Polar Precision Performance software and Polar Personal Trainer website (also free). Although the Polar website is no better than the Polar software, it's sometimes useful to be able to access the data while away from home.

Thanks for sharing.

Matt