While I agree with everything said, it is possible to lose weight incorporating C25K into a life style change as well as diet modification. I am entering week 5 with a 13 pound weight loss.

The first time I started running - I HATED it. After being out of breath getting the mail, it was a struggle to start running. BUT I continued with encouragement from friends and strangers alike. I felt that I HAVE become more fit - I went from dying after the 10 yards to the mailbox, to actually being ABLE to run 3 miles -  yes, huffing and puffing but I could have NEVER run this without exercising. AND believe it or not after continuing to become more "FIT" I began ENJOYING and looking forward to my next run! To say that if you don't like to run now, you never will is a pile of you know what. Running is great exercise, fun, always available and FREE!! Thanks, but I'll get a trainer when you pay for it. Till then, TALLY HO and YOU CAN DO IT NEWBIES!!!

I'm 39 years young, male, and decided to start c25k the day after Thanksgiving. In addition, with the help of loseit.com and its accompanying iPhone app, I set it to what it figured are the calories I need to stay under in order to lose approximately 2 lbs. per week. I'm 5'9" and started at 173 lbs so I know I don't need to lose that much. Actually, I know I don't "need" to lose weight, but rather exchange some belly buldge for more toned muscle.

I just started week 3 and feel great! I'm so glad I didn't read the original post the day I decided to start because I may not have. Make a difference??? The one minute runs were not easy on day 1 or 2, day 3 got a bit easier. Day 1 of week 2, again, was more challenging than the 3rd day of that week. Here I am on week 3 and the 3 minute run was a challenge but not impossible. I can tell you I could not have done that 2½ weeks ago. Oh, I'm also down by 6.2 lbs and ALL my pants fit great! People are noticing and commenting. Plus (and this is a HUGE plus), my wife really appreciates my increased endurance (if you know what I mean )!

So, there's experience, opinion, facts, studies, etc, etc, ... then there's my personal story that does not align to what was written. I know for sure I will not stop at 5k. I'm thinking of doing the Disney half marathon in about 13 months! So, yes, maybe it's just a starting point, but even a thousand-mile journey begins with the first step!

May all beginners to the c25k program find encouragement by my, and so many others', posts!

if u want to run to loose weight or get fit I SAY DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! at least your are being active and doing something good for your body. The  Diet and exercise industry is always saying eat this not that, workout out this way not that way. If you enjoy doing something and you feel great afterwards don't let some advertisement on tv, a book, a trainer, or in this case a  post stop you from doing what makes you happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If I had read your post two weeks ago, I'd still be on the couch.  Gosh, keep non-motivational comments to yourself.  There are those of us that need support and motivation out here to even START this gig, much less keep huffing and puffing to get to the next week.  I'm on W3D2, but am having to slow it up already....only adding 15 second increment from last week versus 30 seconds...just can't do it yet. 

I'll ressurect this thread again. i think it's important. 

to spice:

c25k  is primarily a motivational program, and it works. to come in with your de-motivational elistist attitude is to literally undo the good this fantastic program can do for people. it's to leave them worse than they started. that is disgusting, and ignorant.

to everyone else, especially people who found this page innocently searching for c25k:

I just recently completed c25k. I have never ever been able to run a mile in my life before. I thought I was one of those people who couldn't do it. What c25k taught me is that pretty much most people can do it, and the difference between someone who can't do it and someone who can do it is the effort required. That's all it takes. and that's really true. if you're thinking about trying it but have read this post, know this: it does work. it is hard, but you CAN do it.

what c25k does is make it easier to learn to run 5k.

it doesn't make the training easy, nothing will do that, but it helps you to understand how you can beat your limits, and it's paced for people who don't currently run. if you don't currently run, that's you. if you stick it out, you win.

you won't magically become thin because of it, but it will open up all sorts of opportunities to get thinner. you'll need to look into those and work at them yourself, but c25k is a really great start.

So for those of you who've searched for c25k, read the first post in horror, and then skipped to the end of the thread to see where it all ended up listen to me:

c25k is an exceptional program. You *can* do it, and you can do it in just the stages in the program. You will be a fitter person at the end of it, and more than that, you will feel better all day, every day, and you will wonder how you didn't just feel bad all the time before you started. it is literally lifechanging.

The original post in this thread is by someone who has got just no perspective. They're interested in showing how much more they know about fitness than you, but they don't know jack about people or motivation, and you shouldn't listen to them.

Going from nothing to running 5k is a much bigger change, a much bigger improvement, and a much bigger achievement than anything this guy is talking about, because it's the difference between something and nothing. the satisfaction you feel when you finish something that you couldn't quite believe you could do will make you feel amazing, your improved fitness will make you feel amazing, and you will deserve to feel amazing because you've earned that feeling through sweat and effort. when you've done it, and you can run 5k, you will know what I'm talking about.

please don't be put off. please get out there, do the program, and stick with it. and when you've finished, and you feel that much better, come back here and post a message to prove it. trust me, it is worth your time and your effort.

Well, I stumbled on this post today, having graduated the C25K program almost 3 months ago.  I must say that I found myself agreeing with the facts of Spice's post, even if it was a little blunt in some respects.  However, had I not yet started the program, or perhaps was just gettting started, I might have felt otherwise. 

When i started the program, I had never ran or exercised in any way my entire life.  Overweight, out of shape, blah blah blah - we all know the story.  Reading some of the posts from the newbies, it's hard to imagine that just a few months ago those 3 minute runs were extremely challenging.  Yet now I'm running 10x that amount, and I'm amazed by that.  I think the biggest encouragement to those starting out is for them to read back through some of the "Starting the C25K on such and such date" threads and seeing how we ALL struggled through it - but that you can do it!  It just takes time. 

Going back to the OP's comments, I think they were probably better for me to read now than before I started, but I don't necessarily disagree with it all out of hand.  It's good to keep it real, and if something else would be better than running for someone, all the better if it works. 

Bottom Line:  Stay focused on your goals, don't overdo it (the program works as written), and listen to your body.  :-)