Too Fat To Run: 5 Tips For Heavy Runners To Make Running Easier

Last Updated: November 14th, 2021

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Oh! you cannot run, you are too fat…do you think it would make any difference? Oh! don’t bother, you are not going to reduce…It will be difficult for you to run…don’t try…Are you pestered by such comments from your friends and family?

Are you doubting yourself that you cannot run? Do you think you are too fat to run? Well if so, here are some tips that will make your running easier…Also, we have answered some very popular questions and provided some guidelines for heavy runners to get started…

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5 Tips For Heavy Runners To Make Running Easier

Start small

This is probably the most loosely given advice when it comes to running. Everyone will say, oh! start small…and then they will say, run 1 mile nonstop and then take a breather.

But you are just starting out, and many of us who are running for some time have forgotten our starting days. If you are just starting out, then start by taking baby steps, and by that, I mean real baby steps.

First of all, don’t start running right away, but gradually build up to it…

Instead, start by walking. Walking is one of the most natural movements of your body and it is pretty much used to the mechanics…Also, it is not very impactful on your joints and you need not focus too much on the form as your body instinctively knows that.

For the first couple of weeks start by walking some distance…Do anything that is comfortable for you…

To understand your threshold, go walking for three consecutive days…and walk till you feel like you need to catch a breath…

Take an average of that and for the following sessions stick with that…

This way you will be stretching your limits but not too much that you will give up…Also, aim at going for a walk for at least 3 days…

Use a comfortable shoe

This may seem obvious, but you will be surprised that many beginners skip this essential step.

If you don’t want to spend a bunch of money as you are not sure about continuing, go for a running shoe for heavy runners.

These shoes will support your weight properly and will also, provide you with great impact absorption. Also, they will not fall apart easily and leave you high and dry…

You need not spend any money on any other gear, but a good running shoe is a must. This will make sure that your joints are protected and you don’t end up getting plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis or a bad knee.

This obviously comes down to, how much it will cost?

To be honest, I’ll not go for something below $40. The materials used to construct such budget shoes are not good and sometimes may be harmful to your body.

But if you are getting a discount on some great shoes, you may want to grab that…The quality will be good and it will be lighter on the pocket…

Strengthen your glutes, hips, and legs

Let’s face it…if you are on the heavier side of the scale, you are more prone to injuries related to running…

Why?

Mainly because your knees and your lower body have to deal with your extra weight. Plus, through years of no exercise, the muscles of your legs, glutes, and hips have weakened and these are the muscles, that will protect you from your injuries.

So, include exercises to strengthen these muscles…If you include 2 days of training along with your walking/running, you will be able to see significant improvement in a short span of time.

But what exercises should you do?

If you are just starting to run, you may not know where to start from…here are some articles that will help you to create your own strengthening routine.

The 13 Best Hamstring And Glute Strengthening Exercises For Runners

20-minute Bodyweight Workout For Runners

Not only the hips, glutes, and legs, I’ve included some core exercises in the above list as well. This will help you to take a more holistic approach to exercises.

If you cannot decide what to after reading the above article, just go with the 20-min workout routine provided above. That is great for beginners and will help you to get started.

Stick to a particular time

There is something magical about this…

If you go out for a walk or run, do it at a particular time. For example, if you go out at 5:30 AM, stick to that for a couple of weeks. Just know that I’m not advocating morning running…what I’m saying is to stick to any time that is convenient to you.

This will make you anticipate the session and will you will want to do it. This is what I learned by sticking with a scheduled time for yoga. This one habit kept me regularly during that time and somehow it has been embedded in me.

Now I find it much easier to get started during that time and love the anticipation. I tried to run in the morning in the past and still do, but my workout sessions are almost always scheduled in the evening at around 5:30 PM. I don’t know, but that magical stop keeps ticking, and getting started at that time makes me happy.

You can also, try this at a time that suits you well…It will help you to form the habit more easily.

Focus only on one session at a time

If you want to get into a running habit, you have to be consistent. But when you are a beginner, it may seem a daunting task to build up to 30 min of non-stop running.

So what shall you do?

Remember…baby steps…Just focus on today. And just keep going. Rather than focusing on top of the mountain, just focus on today’s training. This will automatically build your endurance over time. Even if you don’t focus on 30 min, you will reach there sooner than later.

So, keep going and happy running…

References

Advising the Obese Patient on Starting a Running Program

Bertelsen, Michael Leibach, et al. “The START-TO-RUN distance and RUNNING-RELATED injury among obese novice runners: a randomized trial.” International journal of sports physical therapy 13.6 (2018): 943.

Janney, C.A. and Jakicic, J.M., 2010. The influence of exercise and BMI on injuries and illnesses in overweight and obese individuals: a randomized control trial. International journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 7(1), pp.1-11.

Alahmadi, M. A. (2014). High-intensity interval training and obesity. J Nov Physiother, 4(3), 211.

Umamaheswari, K., Y. Dhanalakshmi, S. Karthik, Nitin Ashok John, and Rehena Sultana. “Effect of exercise intensity on body composition in overweight and obese individuals.” J Physiol Pharmacol (2017): 58-64.

Lee, Duck-chul, Angelique G. Brellenthin, Paul D. Thompson, Xuemei Sui, I-Min Lee, and Carl J. Lavie. “Running as a key lifestyle medicine for longevity.” Progress in cardiovascular diseases 60, no. 1 (2017): 45-55.

Heden, T.D., Liu, Y., Park, Y., Dellsperger, K.C. and Kanaley, J.A., 2013. Acute aerobic exercise differentially alters acylated ghrelin and perceived fullness in normal-weight and obese individuals. Journal of Applied Physiology, 115(5), pp.680-687.

Başkılıç, Halil Rahman, et al. “Effects of Exercise on Body Composition and Life Quality in Obese Individuals.” European Journal of Physical Education and Sport Science (2017).

Wang, Yong-Xu, Chun-Li Zhang, T. Yu Ruth, Helen K. Cho, Michael C. Nelson, Corinne R. Bayuga-Ocampo, Jungyeob Ham, Heonjoong Kang, and Ronald M. Evans. “Regulation of muscle fiber type and running endurance by PPARδ.” PLoS Biol 2, no. 10 (2004): e294.

Madhusree Basu

Author, Admin

Blogger and a fitness enthusiast. She loves running and Yoga and everything in between. She started running to manage her weight and to eat to her heart’s content. A true foodie at heart she shares whatever knowledge she has gained throughout the years about weight management and fitness.