Once upon a time I didn’t take very good care of myself. I’ve tried lots of diets, but always end up gaining the weight back. I didn’t care for regular exercise.
And then I got pregnant. Being an overweight, older mom-to-be, I had a couple of pregnancy problems I couldn’t ignore: high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. These things can become problems even after pregnancy.
With an energetic infant in the house, I soon realized that the way I used to be wasn’t going to work anymore. I needed to change my ways.
I started eating healthier and getting on a self-care schedule (hey, if it worked for the baby, it would work for me). Then I decided I needed to get serious about exercise.
I started taking the baby out for walks every day, usually about 30 minutes long. That was fun, and we both benefitted from the sunshine and fresh air, but then it started to get boring.
For my last birthday I decided to try Couch to 5K and add some running into my life. I haven’t run in nearly 3 decades, so it seemed like a Herculean task, but I figured I could at least try, and if it didn’t work out, it didn’t work out.
I downloaded a Couch to 5K app from ZenLabs on my phone and started out with the stroller on my birthday. I was nervous, but excited.
It turns out I really enjoy running! I did week 1 of the program twice, then moved on to week 2, and next week I am starting week 3. I feel strong and happy after my runs. I always thought I would feel exhausted and overwhelmed. Instead, I love it!
If you’re interested in Couch to 5K, here are some relevant links:
Couch to 5K running program (by Cool Running)
C25K Free (Android app)
Zombies, Run! 5K Training (Android app) – 5K training program with a Zombie theme. I haven’t used it but I’ve heard great things about it. This is not a free app, but the cost may be well worth it ($1.99 at the time of this post)
Follow my progress. I have a separate blog to log my progress in C25K.
If this overweight, out of shape, 41-year-old new mom can do it, anyone can.