When you don’t exercise at all, and you want to get in better shape, or you want to lose fat, you need to start from nothing, and running is the best way to burn fat. The main reason most people who don’t succeed, fail is because they start too fast and their body tells them it’s too hard, they get discouraged and they quit.
To be successful, you need to start out in a way that gets you going and making small gains each time. You’ve all heard the phrase, you have to walk before you can run. This is literally true, you need to start walking and build up to jogging, then you can run.
You start out and you are motivated and you think that you can push yourself and do more and more. Then all of the sudden, you’re body says you can’t, and you get frustrated. You must get acclimated to where you are, before you go on to the next level. I’m going to show you how to start from nothing and how to properly work your way up to running. Getting there is still good exercise and you will start burning fat right now.
You only need between 1.5 and 2 hrs per week of cardio to get yourself fit. When you start going for longer than that, it is for reasons other than fitness. You do get a high from running, and it will make you feel good and you’ll like it. That is why most runners go for longer runs.
You can do your training by going for time, or going for distance, or a combination. I like to do a combination of both. I would pick a distance as your goal for the day for your total. Go out in your car, or on a bike and drive a route around your neighborhood, set up a few routes. Try to do circle routes, start from home and end up home without walking the same area. The advantage to this method is you can easily pick your route for the day, and you will never be very far from your house, if you have an issue and need to go home.
I have a 1 mile, a 1.5 mile, a 2 mile and a 2.5 mile route. As you get farther into your training and you want to go longer distances, just go past your house and start another route, you will still never be far from home.
I had an experience a few years ago that made me come up with this idea. I was about 3 miles from home and I got painful shin splints so bad that I could barely walk. It took me a long time and a lot of pain to walk home. If that ever happens to you, walking backwards will change the stress on your legs, it may look weird, but it feels much better, until that pain subsides.
The Workouts
If any of this is too difficult for you to do, just do what you can and build up to the workout goal and then go on from there.
Week 1
Pick on of your routes, probably the 1.5 mile, and walk at a brisk pace. Make sure it takes you 20 min at least. If you get done to quick, go to the 2 mile route for the second day of the week.
Do this 3 times during the week with a rest day between.
Week 2
Walk for 5 min briskly. Jog for 30 sec then walk for 2 min. Jog for 30 sec and walk for 2 min. Continue this pattern for the rest of the route and make sure you finish with a walking section. If you get back to your house and you haven’t made at least 20 min, go around again. Combine whatever distance you need to get your route.
Week 3
Walk briskly for 5 min. Increase your jog time by 15 or 30 sec and decrease your walk time by the same amount of time. Keep each cycle at 2.5 min.
Week 4
Brisk walk for 5 min. You want to be at about half running and half walking in the 2.5 min cycle now. Do that for the 3 workouts this week. Just keep combining the routes to get the time you need as you add running distance to be in the 30 min range.
Week 5
You should be in good enough shape now to push a bit harder. Walk the 5 min warm-up then jog for 2.5 min, walk for 30 sec. Do this cycle now for the 30 min workout for the 3 days this week.
Week 6
5 min warm-up walk. Jog for 4 min then walk for 30 sec. Do this cycle for the 30 to 40 min workout for the 3 days.
Week 7
5 min warm-up walk. Jog for 6 min, then walk for 30 sec. Do this cycle for the 30 to 40 min workout for 3 days.
Week 8
5 min warm-up walk. Jog for 8 min, then walk for 30 sec. Do this cycle for the 30 to 40 min workout for 3 days.
Week 9
5 min warm-up walk. Jog for 15 min, then walk for 30 sec. Do this cycle for the 30 to 40 min workout for 3 days.
Week 10
5 min warm-up walk. Jog for 20 min, then walk for 30 sec. Do this cycle for the 30 to 40 min workout for 3 days.
Week 11
5 min warm-up walk. Jog for 30 min, then walk for 30 sec. Do this cycle for the 30 to 40 min workout for 3 days.
In less than 3 months you have gone from no exercise to being a runner and being in good cardio shape. You can do it and you will burn up lots of fat in the process. You will get a lot of benefit from spending the same amount of time exercising as you would have spent watching just one movie over the period of an entire week. Get out there and do it and you will be so glad you did.
