You see them everywhere: joggers who run through parks, forests, meadows and city centers as if there were nothing to it. You have so far only enviously watched them? No problem, because with our beginner’s plan you’ll be one of them in just two weeks. We explain the basics about equipment, running style as well as the right nutrition and get your fitness going day by day. Sports fans don’t have to worry: We’ve also thought of enough breaks and relaxation besides running and jogging.
Day 1: Run six times for three minutes, with a one-minute walk break in between each time.
Before you get started with the fitness plan, you should have your family doctor check you out again. Especially if you haven’t exercised in a long time, are overweight, suffer from heart problems, smoke heavily or have orthopedic problems. However, as soon as the doctor gives the green light, nothing will stand in the way of your running career.
Day 2: Run eight times for three minutes, with a one-minute walk break in between each time.
Get out your calendar and go over the next two weeks. For each day, think about when you can set aside a good half hour to walk. Whether it’s getting up a little earlier in the morning, or skipping your favorite soap in the evening, a half hour a day to jog should be in there for your fitness and health.
Day 3: Running break
Today you deserve some rest. Time to think about your diet. Do you want to lose some weight, it is not done with sports alone. A small consolation: with the movement automatically increases the desire to eat healthier. For the duration of the training plan, eliminate sugar and extremely fatty foods from your diet.
Eat honey instead of sugar without exception, whole-grain bread instead of white bread, fruit instead of sweets and low-calorie food instead of hearty meals. Try a few new, easy recipes and notice how you feel closer and closer to the lean, healthy runners out of the park – thanks in part to healthy eating.
Day 4: Run for five minutes six times, with a one-minute walk break in between each time.
So far, you’ve been running in the old sneakers you bought five years ago for that aerobics class? High time for new running shoes (jogging shoes). Get professional advice at a specialty store today. A good pair of running shoes can cost up to 100 euros – your joints will thank you. Enjoy the good feeling of having invested in your fitness and health. Surely you can hardly wait to start running tomorrow with perfectly insulated, fitting, chic new jogging shoes.
Day 5: Run five times for six minutes, with a two-minute walk break in between each time.
Now your feet are perfectly equipped, but baggy sweatpants and a T-shirt that you usually only wear to sleep are baggy over them? Instead, try tight-fitting, breathable materials as far as clothing is concerned. Only when the clothing lies directly on the skin can it absorb moisture and wick it away to the outside.
In addition, you should not dress too warmly. You may still shiver for the first five minutes, but after that you should feel warm. If you are unsure, take the precaution of putting on a light running jacket that you can quickly take off and tie around your hips.
Day 6: Running break
Allow yourself some rest today. Use the half hour you would have otherwise gone running to relax. Mix yourself a wellness drink made from fresh strawberries and buttermilk, for example, treat your stressed feet to a massage or let your muscles regenerate with a relaxing bath.
Day 7: Run four times for eight minutes, with a two-minute walk break in between each time.
The easiest way to find out the optimal load is to use a heart rate monitor. As a beginner, you can do without technical bells and whistles. A simple model that allows you to set the upper and lower limits for your heart rate is quite sufficient. The recommended training pulse for beginners is calculated from the following formula: Resting heart rate + (220 – 3/4 age – resting heart rate) x 0.6.
