Back in the saddle….

Starting weight (1st of January):- 19st 12 lbs (278 lbs)

Previous weight:- 18st 12 lbs (264 lbs)

Current weight:- 17st 10lbs (248 lbs) – (30 lbs loss since 1st January!!)

Lbs to go to target weight of 15 st 7lbs (217 lbs) (ADJUSTED) – 31 lbs to go

I have adjusted my goal weight. I have done this for a number of reasons, mostly that I have been thinking back to when I reached my previous low of 16st 8lbs, and thinking that I wasn’t a million miles away from where I wanted and needed to be. It is very difficult to gauge exactly where you want to be when the last time you were anywhere near that weight was over 15 years ago and you were only 14! I have therefore decided to aim for 217 and then re-appraise it once I am there.

I finally feel like I am making some forward progress and I am on top of both my diet and exercise! I have been out on my bike more in the past two weeks than I did all last year. To top it all I have loved it.

I have recently entered into the annual London to Brighton bike ride on the 19th June – 54 miles in aid of the British Heart Foundation. I am doing it for both my own fitness and to raise a humble £500 for a very worthy cause. I am really looking forward to it and I have a number of training runs over the coming weeks to make sure that I am more than ready for this challenge.

I am also now saving for my new toy to help me with my exercise:-

That may take a while as it costs about the same as my car!

Anyhow, if you would like to support me on my ride for charity, then please sponsor me by following this link

Back on track….

It’s been a while, but I thought I’d get back on the blogging track. Since my last post, I have actually completed the half marathon and have been keeping on with my weight loss journey.

Firstly, lets get the statistics out of the way:-

Starting weight (1st of January):- 19st 12 lbs (278 lbs)

Previous weight:- 18st 12 lbs (264 lbs)

Current weight:- 17st 13lbs (251 lbs) – (27 lbs loss since 1st January!!)

Lbs to go to target weight of 15 st – 41 lbs to go

I must admit that the figures speak for themselves that things have been going in the right direction, but in all honesty I have been struggling with things. Anybody who is serious about losing weight knows that it is all about balance – a fine balance. One between diet and exercise. This has been the major struggle.

I have had days where I have tracked my calories religiously, but ended up sitting on my backside. On the flipside to this, I have had days where I work my arse off, but end up feasting and overdoing things. I know that I have lost a fair amount since 1st of January, but I can’t help feeling ‘what if’. What if I had of had the balance right, how much would I have lost by now??

I am however also of a mind that there is no point dwelling on the past, and I have already been making changes to ensure I won’t be writing the same sort of post in 3 months time!

Firstly, I have enlisted the help of a personal trainer. I was introduced to Anthony Mann through a friend of my wifes and I am so glad I did. I have a weekly session with him along with my best mate Rob. I can safely say I have never had more intense workouts in my ife, even on the first weight loss stint. Anthony is big on plyometric work along with other simple equipment. The use of my own bodyweight in exercise means that I get a better workout than a weight workout at the gym. His advice is second to none and after just four weeks, I feel fitter than I ever have been, even when I was 2 stone lighter.

In addition to this, I have been attending his weekly bootcamp sessions on a Sunday mornings. I have also dragged my wonderful wife along to these. They are brutal! They are a mixture of running and plyometric work – both in isolation are manageable, but together, they seem like a form of torture! The strange thing is, I masochistically look forward to these sessions. Mostly because I know they are for the greater good!

I now have the renewed focus to re-gain the balance to my life and will hopefully drop into the 16’s quicker than the 18’s went!

With regards to my PT, if you are in the Northampton area, give Anthony a call. I really can’t recommend him highly enough!

Here is his website:- http://www.physicalpt.co.uk/

The 1st Monthly Challenge Weigh in….

So here it is, Saturday morning starts on the scales. This is the final weigh in for the January Weigh In challenge. Here is what they said:-

Starting weight (1st of January):- 19st 12 lbs (278 lbs)

Previous weight:- 19st 2 lbs (268 lbs)

Current weight:- 18st 12lbs (264 lbs) – 4 lb loss (14 lbs total for January!!)

Lbs to go to target weight of 15 st – 54 lbs

I would firstly like to congratulate my wonderful wife cakeandteablog for her amazing loss of 13 lbs, although I WON!!!! Now to choose my prize.

On a serious note, I have hit my target of being 18 stone something by February and I have got back into my fitness a lot more intensely than I ever imagined. The daunting fear of the looming half Marathon in March has not totally disappeared, however after logging over 30 miles of running this month, I am now confident that I am going to at least get around the course.

I have set myself a personal target for February to get into the 17 stone bracket. If I achieve this, it will make the 13 mile race a lot more bearable!

To celebrate our losses, my wife and I are off to Nando’s for a cheeky meal…. yum yum.

 

Committing a cardinal sin….

This week is the last week of our first weigh in challenge and the closeness is driving me nuts. We were both neck and neck going into the last week!
It has been playing on my mind so much that I have broken one of my commandments of weight loss…. I have been weighing myself daily! The ups and downs throughout a week should not be taken notice of but has made me have a week of euphoria followed by near depression over a mere couple of pounds.
Both my wife and myself have given me a good talking to and I am going to try to hold out until Saturday when the final verdict for January is told! I make no promises though!

Keep on running….

I have had a brilliant day. It started off with me being very nervous about the impending run. I had organised to run with my lovely wife and my best mate Rob. Neither of whom had run further than 5k in a few months. The route we chose was Pitsford reservoir, a nice 7 mile(ish) route that is generally flat with a couple of hilly sections.

The problem I have been having on my previous long runs was running out of energy pretty quickly and having to walk for parts of the route, however today I had a large breakfast with wholegrains, drank lots of fluid and took some jelly sweets with me on the run. It worked too! I ran the whole 8 miles today with absolutely no breaks and not even feeling like I needed too!! In fact I think it was one of the best distance runs I have ever done. It was bloody freezing but it still felt great!

I hope Rob won’t mind me saying, but he is about 4 stone lighter than me, and I had him in sight all the way around, an I finished about 2 minutes behind him. Not bad even if I say so myself!

I have also had a bit of fun trying to make up the calorie deficit too (not too much though!).

3rd week results….

So here it is again, Saturday morning starts on the scales. Here is what they said:-

Starting weight (1st of January):- 19st 12 lbs (278 lbs)

Previous weight:- 19st 3 lbs (269 lbs)

Current weight:- 19st 2lbs (268 lbs) – 1 lb loss (10 lbs for January so far)

Lbs to go to target weight of 15 st – 58 lbs

A loss is a loss. I should have had more, but I went out and enjoyed myself with a curry with friends. I had a lovely night out with great company, and I was actually impressed with myself that I didn’t eat anywhere near what I normally would when I go to my favourite restaurant (Balti Central – if you haven’t tried it, then you should!!). I am also very happy where I am at the moment with regards to my exercise. I am taking every opportunity I can to exercise. I have a week planned with lots of cycling to work (8 miles round trip – with hills), a 9 mile run on Sunday, badminton and a long walk tonight with a friend of mine.

The friend in question is my new protegé. He has been struggling with his weight for years as I have. He has a lot less weight to lose than I have, but he hasn’t a clue what to do to lose it. So I have taken it upon myself to kick his arse into shape by helping him to log his calorie intake and plan a LOT more exercise. This is providing me further focus to stay my own course as I don’t want to hypocritically say ‘do as I say, not do as I do’, I want to lead by example. This is proving challenging as he is a little stuck in his ways, but I am determined to use my knowledge for further good. The first week has not gone to plan, but rest assured, this week will be a different story!!

As for my week, I am going to try my very best for 4 lbs to get a stone down for this week, but I am going to remain realistic and would be very happy with 2. I will let you know how I get on!

 

 

 

The three e’s….

Exercise, exercise, exercise. So far this week (with a day remaining) I have been on a long walk, ran 9 miles, done a kettlebell workout, walked for another hour, cycled 7 miles and played two hours of terrible but tiring badminton. When I say terrible, I mean my playing form!

I hope dearly that all my effort and sweat will reflect in my weigh in this week. I am a little worried though as I have had a combination of trials this week. I have really struggled to eat enough calories (strange I know) and I have my first real temptation of the year tomorrow night. I am going out for a curry at my favourite restaurant and I know I can behave, but there is also the potential to go wild. The plan is to go dry curry with minimal carbs to try and keep the bloating and the water retention to a minimum. All will be told in the scales of doom!

Crash Dieting….

I am watching ‘Will My Crash Diet Kill Me?’ on Channel 4. Aside from the most annoying presenter/nutritionist since Gillian McKeith, this whole programme has shocked and angered me at the length some people go to to lose weight. The programme in essence is reviewing three of the ridiculous ‘quick fix’ crash diets that are about at the moment:-

• The Cabbage Soup Diet
• The Cambridge Diet
• The Maple Syrup Diet

Each one of these involves serious deprivation of both calories and certain food groups. How can this be healthy in any way, shape or form? Are we really living in a society that is so obsessed with a quick result that we are willing to destroy our bodies in the process?

We have evolved over thousands of years to thrive on a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat. So how narcissistic to think that we know better than our ultimate design just to shift a few pounds a bit more rapidly – only for nature to take its course after the madness ends to return to a natural diet, or even worse old eating habits; which inevitably piles them back on? Please don’t get me wrong I know that these suit certain individuals and I know people who have done these with certain levels of success; but I still find their existence an abhorrence.

What is wrong with aiming for two pound loss per week whilst altering your lifestyle for the better? I know this seems a bit hypocritical as I have had a fall off the wagon last year, but at least know I have educated myself to achieve the goals I have set myself. All this without having to put myself through the living hell of drinking 8 pints of water with maple syrup and cayenne pepper!!

Rant over.

Defeating my nemesis….

Ahead of me this morning was a monumental task. Not only running 9 miles, but running 9 miles around a course that has previously beat me on a number of previous occasions. I am proud to say that I beat it in 1hr 50 mins; albeit with help from my friends.

The route in question is 2 laps of the cycle route around Salcey Forest. Each lap comprising of 4.5 miles. Last year I attempted this on at least 3 occasions, each ending with me not even completing 1 lap, never mind 2, so today was a dramatic milestone for me.

Today also allowed me to re-learn a few lessons about distance running:-

• ALWAYS keep to your own pace – don’t worry what the faster runners are doing
• I need to take some sort of energy boost with me on runs over 5 miles – the last 2 miles were agony
• Wear the minimum of running gear – no matter how cold it is at the start, you will soon warm up

I also have started logging exercise and calorie consumption on http://www.livestrong.com. I highly recommend it and it is easy to follow calorie goals to lose your desired weight. When I logged my running today, I had burned a total of over 2500 calories just in one exercise!!! So, even with the slice of cake afterwards and a lovely roast dinner cooked by my mum, I was still massively under my calorie target. Here’s hoping that the benefit of this is seen next Saturday on the scales!

Once again thank you to Vicky for sorting it out (I am running Pitsford next week with Laura and Rob) and thank you so much to Becky, Sue and Martin for the constant re-grouping – it really does mean so much as it can be soul destroying right at the back of the pack.

If you ever find yourself at Salcey Forest, I can highly recommend the carrot cake at the Cafe!!

Week 2 results….

SO here it is again, Saturday morning starts on the scales. Here is what they said:-

Starting weight (1st of January):- 19st 12 lbs (278 lbs)

Prvious weight:- 19st 5 lbs (271 lbs)

Current weight:- 19st 3lbs (269 lbs) – 2 lb loss

Lbs to go to target weight of 15 st – 59 lbs

I am happy that I have lost, but I was really hoping for a bit more. I know, I know, I have to get a grip and make my expectations more realistic as 2 lbs is what I should be aiming to each week. All I need to do is keep at it and the results will come.

Patience is a virtue and all that….