It's Christmas Eve in Belly and Brain land and all is well with both. I've been working very hard over the last four months and fully intend to continue doing so, however, no one likes a Nazi, so I intend to do what humans are meant to do during this period and that is to eat and drink til the cows come home, or Boxing day, whichever comes first. Life is about being realistic. I will enjoy myself as I deserve to and give the gym a good spanking, once I'm full of Turkey and wine.
The last week or so has been great. I've been spending a lot of time, although not enough, with my Sara, who is wonderful. I've been training hard, eating well and feeling positive.
Here are some Christmas stats:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 19 - 24/12/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 126.4 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 46 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 45 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 16.4 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 13 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 16 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 28 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 19.5 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 27.5 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 20 ins
So, my weight loss is slowing down significantly, which is to be expected, but it's continues to travel in the right direction. I've reached a landmark, in that my weight has fallen below the twenty stone mark for the first time in around five years. I've lost six and a half stone in just over four months, which leaves me with three and a half stone to lose in the next eight months. With hard work and sensible decisions, it's definitely achievable.
For those who haven't yet seen it, check out the article about me in the latest Bromley Times. Click here to give it a look.
So, for now, enjoy your Christmas. Eat, drink and enjoy being with your families.
x
Saturday 24 December 2011
Monday 12 December 2011
Easy Peasy
I bear good news: I have made a full and swift recovery from my man flu. Unfortunately, I have infected my Sara. I think she'll make a recovery, but it's touch and go.
I have very little to report this week, other than a feeling of general happiness and contentment, thanks to the beautiful Sara, who inspires me every day.
I saw my Psychiatrist last week, who has amended my medication again. I'll keep you updated with how mental this will make me.
I'm so accustomed to this new lifestyle of mine, that it barely enters my mind any more. I just continue to make sensible decisions with food and continue to wobble my arse in the gym. I'm still enjoying the exercise and feel the benefits after each and every work out.
I'm still aiming to have lost seven stone by Christmas. Due to this, I won't be weighing in this weekend. Instead I'll have a special festive weigh in on Christmas Eve. Can you contain your excitement until then?
I really would like to write something profound tonight, but it's difficult to do so when everything is ship shape and shiny in Belly and Brain. Who knows, maybe next week I'll have a nervous breakdown or gain half a stone. Otherwise, I'll just have to think of something entertaining to say.
Until next time, have fun and don't miss me too much.
I have very little to report this week, other than a feeling of general happiness and contentment, thanks to the beautiful Sara, who inspires me every day.
I saw my Psychiatrist last week, who has amended my medication again. I'll keep you updated with how mental this will make me.
I'm so accustomed to this new lifestyle of mine, that it barely enters my mind any more. I just continue to make sensible decisions with food and continue to wobble my arse in the gym. I'm still enjoying the exercise and feel the benefits after each and every work out.
I'm still aiming to have lost seven stone by Christmas. Due to this, I won't be weighing in this weekend. Instead I'll have a special festive weigh in on Christmas Eve. Can you contain your excitement until then?
I really would like to write something profound tonight, but it's difficult to do so when everything is ship shape and shiny in Belly and Brain. Who knows, maybe next week I'll have a nervous breakdown or gain half a stone. Otherwise, I'll just have to think of something entertaining to say.
Until next time, have fun and don't miss me too much.
Sunday 4 December 2011
Looking After Mr Cerebrum
Week sixteen is over and I've had the opportunity to reflect on the last few days, especially on my last blog post.
The mind is an unpredictable thing and in order to give yourself the best chance of success and happiness, you must listen to both your body and your mind. I have, historically, neglected to take proper care of both and have suffered the consequences. This new life is centred around making sound judgements and logical decisions. This is something I try to do every day.
Since my genitals came out of hibernation, my body has begun to resemble that of a legitimate human and my state of mind has become much more reasonable, I've actually managed to find a girlfriend, and my Christ, she's a belter. It's always good to have purpose and I've found this in the last few months, but now I also have someone amazing to share the joys, challenges and adventures that every day life brings.
Anyway, I have a stinking cold and quite frankly cannot be arsed to write this blog, so on to the nitty gritty of the stats. Here goes:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 16 - 04/12/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 128.2 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 47 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 46 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 16.8 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 13.1 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 15.8 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 28.8 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 19.8
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 27.5 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 20.2 ins
The usual applies, if you want to see the previous results, you can find them in my previous entries (fnarr).
It has to be said that my Christmas target of six stone has been surpassed, so I'm changing it to seven stone.
I bid thee farewell, as my man flu is terminal.
I'll see you next week.
The mind is an unpredictable thing and in order to give yourself the best chance of success and happiness, you must listen to both your body and your mind. I have, historically, neglected to take proper care of both and have suffered the consequences. This new life is centred around making sound judgements and logical decisions. This is something I try to do every day.
Since my genitals came out of hibernation, my body has begun to resemble that of a legitimate human and my state of mind has become much more reasonable, I've actually managed to find a girlfriend, and my Christ, she's a belter. It's always good to have purpose and I've found this in the last few months, but now I also have someone amazing to share the joys, challenges and adventures that every day life brings.
Anyway, I have a stinking cold and quite frankly cannot be arsed to write this blog, so on to the nitty gritty of the stats. Here goes:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 16 - 04/12/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 128.2 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 47 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 46 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 16.8 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 13.1 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 15.8 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 28.8 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 19.8
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 27.5 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 20.2 ins
The usual applies, if you want to see the previous results, you can find them in my previous entries (fnarr).
It has to be said that my Christmas target of six stone has been surpassed, so I'm changing it to seven stone.
I bid thee farewell, as my man flu is terminal.
I'll see you next week.
Tuesday 29 November 2011
Good Belly, Bad Brain
Sometimes, events occur which remind you who you are. Sometimes in life, we realise we're not where we thought we were. Sometimes, I forget that I have Bipolar Disorder. It's an horrific infliction, which tears the mind and heart in two. I spend a great deal of time feeling productive, proactive, full of energy and ideas, and unstoppable. This is fantastic and gives me a real glow of vitality, however it can go beyond that point and into manic, impulsive behaviour that can be very destructive. Fortunately, I've been prescribed some very powerful medication, which takes the manic edge off my behaviour, but still allows the huge highs and good feelings that the Bipolar can bring. Of course, to every coin there are two sides. The other side of Bipolar Disorder is one of bleak darkness and seemingly endless doubt and despair. Some people call it Depression, but that is a word that is used far too commonly to describe a bad mood. This is not a bad mood, it's a life-changing and debilitating state of mind that cannot be controlled or altered by any internal means. It fills the mind and heart with doubt, guilt, sadness and gut-wrenching pain, that will not cease until it decides to. Some people are able to ride it out, others aren't. The ones that aren't are not weak and not selfish, they are simply poor souls who simply are not equipped to cope with the overwhelming pain. As for me, there have been times during which I have doubted my capacity to cope, but for now and for the foreseeable future, I will continue to fight with every breath.
My current state of mind is what the professionals call a Depressive Episode. There is nothing I can do about it apart from attempt to continue to make sound decisions and give myself the best possible chance to feel well. This episode could last for six months, six days or six hours. I simply do not know how I will feel and what my mind will allow me to do from one day to the next. All I can do is refuse to give up and do everything in my limited power to remain on the positive path in this life of mine. From my experience, the likelihood is that I will feel fantastic tomorrow, but I have no way of knowing this.
Something wonderful has taken place over the last two days. I've met an astonishingly beautiful and incredible woman, called Sara. We have fallen for each other and are now a couple. This is good news, and I just hope beyond all hope that this relationship works and I continue to make the correct decisions that are conducive to a happy existence for both of us.
In terms of my diet, I'm still doing it. In terms of my weight loss, it's still happening. In terms of my training, it's still happening. As I'm sure you can tell, however, it is now simply a way of life and seems to be taking place naturally, allowing my life to develop around it.
Next week, I will weigh myself and hit you with some vital stats, but for now, enjoy yourselves and I'll see you very soon.
x
My current state of mind is what the professionals call a Depressive Episode. There is nothing I can do about it apart from attempt to continue to make sound decisions and give myself the best possible chance to feel well. This episode could last for six months, six days or six hours. I simply do not know how I will feel and what my mind will allow me to do from one day to the next. All I can do is refuse to give up and do everything in my limited power to remain on the positive path in this life of mine. From my experience, the likelihood is that I will feel fantastic tomorrow, but I have no way of knowing this.
Something wonderful has taken place over the last two days. I've met an astonishingly beautiful and incredible woman, called Sara. We have fallen for each other and are now a couple. This is good news, and I just hope beyond all hope that this relationship works and I continue to make the correct decisions that are conducive to a happy existence for both of us.
In terms of my diet, I'm still doing it. In terms of my weight loss, it's still happening. In terms of my training, it's still happening. As I'm sure you can tell, however, it is now simply a way of life and seems to be taking place naturally, allowing my life to develop around it.
Next week, I will weigh myself and hit you with some vital stats, but for now, enjoy yourselves and I'll see you very soon.
x
Sunday 20 November 2011
Listening to Your Body When it Has the Hump With You
Evening, all! Well, it's the end of week fourteen and I've been a busy boy this week, so busy in fact that this is going to have to be a rather brief blog entry and certainly not up to the standard of last week's War and Peace.
I've been painting a lot this week. I've had a few commissions for portraits and consequently, I've spent a lot of time doing those. Now you might not think this to be the case, but painting photo realistic portraits is a seriously knackering process. I'm good at concentrating at the best of times, so it's a real challenge, but I do love it.
For the best part of this week, I've been exhausted, in fact, I'd go as far as to say I've been fatigued. It transpires that I haven't been eating enough. Seriously, pick yourselves off the floor. Me, Big Trev, has not been eating enough. I never thought I'd be saying that! Joking aside, I've been so tired and sluggish this week. In fact I felt faint yesterday and realised I needed to eat more. By no means was I trying to starve myself, but I definitely wasn't consuming enough carbohydrates. So I've reassessed my diet and have starting eating potatoes and rice again. I already feel a hell of a lot better. So this week has been a lesson in listening to the messages my body is giving me and acting accordingly.
Anyway, on to the vital statistics. Here they are:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 14 - 20/11/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 132.9 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 47.5 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 47.5 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 17.2 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 13.8 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 16.5 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13.6 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 29.1 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 20 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 29.1 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 20.9 ins
As always, to see previous results, look at my previous entries (ooh er, missus etc). I've now lost five and a half stone, which is awesome.
As I said earlier, I must dash, but I'll be back next Sunday with more fun and games.
Oh, yes, a quote, erm....
'Try to think of your body and you mind as separate entities. You must take action to take care of your body and make sound decisions. If you do this, your body has a way of returning the favour'.
See you next week.
I've been painting a lot this week. I've had a few commissions for portraits and consequently, I've spent a lot of time doing those. Now you might not think this to be the case, but painting photo realistic portraits is a seriously knackering process. I'm good at concentrating at the best of times, so it's a real challenge, but I do love it.
For the best part of this week, I've been exhausted, in fact, I'd go as far as to say I've been fatigued. It transpires that I haven't been eating enough. Seriously, pick yourselves off the floor. Me, Big Trev, has not been eating enough. I never thought I'd be saying that! Joking aside, I've been so tired and sluggish this week. In fact I felt faint yesterday and realised I needed to eat more. By no means was I trying to starve myself, but I definitely wasn't consuming enough carbohydrates. So I've reassessed my diet and have starting eating potatoes and rice again. I already feel a hell of a lot better. So this week has been a lesson in listening to the messages my body is giving me and acting accordingly.
Anyway, on to the vital statistics. Here they are:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 14 - 20/11/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 132.9 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 47.5 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 47.5 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 17.2 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 13.8 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 16.5 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13.6 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 29.1 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 20 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 29.1 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 20.9 ins
As always, to see previous results, look at my previous entries (ooh er, missus etc). I've now lost five and a half stone, which is awesome.
As I said earlier, I must dash, but I'll be back next Sunday with more fun and games.
Oh, yes, a quote, erm....
'Try to think of your body and you mind as separate entities. You must take action to take care of your body and make sound decisions. If you do this, your body has a way of returning the favour'.
See you next week.
Sunday 13 November 2011
Hung, Drawn and Quartered
It's the end of week thirteen and today marks three months since I began this new life of mine, so it seems fitting to take this opportunity to reflect upon the last three months and the changes that have taken place, both externally and internally, to belly and brain.
Three months ago, I was monumentally miserable and made excuses for it. In fact, so unhappy was I that I actually didn't think I was. I had lost the gift of insight and was living in denial. Yes, I have underlying mental health difficulties, but what I failed to realise was that the buck stopped with me. I could either choose to accept my circumstances and work around them, or live a life of excuses and endlessly searching for something or someone to blame for my unhappiness. I had run out of things to blame...
I had lived my life in a bubble for the four years that preceded my decision to change things forever. I had failed to truly accept how terribly I'd let myself go and indeed, let myself down. After Dad was taken from me, my life changed. I had lost the one person I really listened to and who had the ability to make me think twice about my actions. However, I was a man and should have possessed the ability to be accountable for my own actions and to take responsibility for myself. Over a period of four years, I gained weight. Why did I gain weight? I developed a relationship with food that was dangerously unhealthy. If I had something to celebrate, I would eat. If I had something to commiserate, I would eat. If I was worried about something, I would eat. I wasn't even eating socially. I became a secret eater. I would prepare food and eat when I knew no one would see me ans see the mammoth portions I was consuming. I would shut myself away and be alone, with food filling my stomach, but not the void in my heart. Unfortunately, I was only able to keep my eating a secret for so long. Eventually, the weight began to pile on and it was obvious to everyone who saw me that I was eating a lot. I then changed my image accordingly. I became Big Trev, the bug guy with the big appetite. I tried to accept the fact I was a fat man and tried in vain to show the world that I was comfortable with this and content.
The weight continued to pile on and I became unable to wear the flamboyant clothes I loved so much. I became Big Trev in the T Shirt and jeans.
Not only was I now fat, but the strain my eating had on my body rendered me unable to perform physically as I previously could. I became a sweaty, breathless, lethargic waster. Once I realised I couldn't run and be physically active, I stopped trying to. My energy levels diminished to the point of finding it difficult to even leave the house.
One day, I bent over to put my shoes on and realised I couldn't breath. My gut was now so large that when I bent over, it would push against my lungs. I was now beginning to realise what I'd done to myself.
As the weight continued to increase, I started finding it difficult to buy clothes that fitted, so I started buying my garments from Jacamo, or as I prefer to call it, 'fatfucks.co.uk'. I was now too fat for the biggest sizes available on the high street. However, Jacamo was there for the larger man, so I felt it was acceptable.
I was now so lazy and so miserable that I was doing nothing with my life apart from sleep, eat, shit and play X Box. That was the extent of my sorry existence for many months.
One day, after around ten stone of weight gain and at least four years of misery, the penny dropped. I was no longer willing to accept the person I had become. I was tired. Tired of being so fat that my penis was on the missing persons register. Tired of being so lazy that I only left the house to stock up on food. Tired of being so unhealthy that I perspired as if I lived in a Sauna. Tired of my lack of ambition. I had completely lost my identity. I had lost the will to carry on. I'd almost resigned myself to the fact I'd be like this for the rest of my days. No more. No more procrastination. I was a fat fucking loser and the only person who could change that was me. I wanted to be happy, I'd have to make it happen for myself and stop blaming the world for my misery. Yes, the world can be a cruel and nasty place but it can also be a beautiful place. If I wanted to experience this beauty once again, I'd have to stand tall and tell the world that it couldn't beat me. I wanted happiness, so I was going to fight tooth and nail to get it. I had a long journey ahead, but it was my right to be happy and my responsibility to do everything in my power to make it happen.
It is now three months later and today I can say I'm as happy as I can ever remember being. Is my life perfect? No, but I'm now in a position to accept life's imperfections and strive to make life happen. Will I be happy tomorrow? Maybe, maybe not, but I'll be making the right decisions and making sure I have the best chance possible to be.
Today, these isn't a single item of clothing in my wardrobe that doesn't fit, in fact, much of it is too large. My penis has now been removed from the missing persons register and is safe and well, where it belongs. I can now tie my shoes without having a near death experience. I can now walk to the shops without looking and feeling like I've run a marathon. my joints no longer hurt. My feet no longer hurt. I now have the energy to go out and see the world for all its beauty. My mind now has the kind of clarity necessary for me to think and create and plan. I now possess a largely positive attitude and look forward to the challenges and opportunities each day brings. Exercise and healthy eating are now a part of my life and not a sacrifice. I'm no longer Big Trev, I'm now A Bit Smaller Trev.
I now remember what it feels like to be happy. My life has changed, hopefully forever and although I still have a long way to go until I'm the size and level of fitness I want to be, I'm over half way there. In three months I've lost over five stone in weight, weight that I never want to see again.
Life is difficult and full of hurdles, but I ready to take these on, head-on. I will not be beaten by life.
Next week, I weigh myself and measure my vitals. I'll be another step closer. I've taken control of my life, and it feels incredible. If anyone reads this and has something in their life they want to change, but doubt their ability to do so, don't. You have strength and reserves you're not even aware of. Anything is possible. You don't have to accept a life of unhappiness. Make a change and you'll achieve things you never knew were possible.
Here's to the next nine months. Bring it the fuck on.
'If something comes easily to you, it's not important to you. The important things in life and those that matter the most, are the things you have to fight to get and fight to keep. Never stop fighting for your right to pursue happiness'.
Three months ago, I was monumentally miserable and made excuses for it. In fact, so unhappy was I that I actually didn't think I was. I had lost the gift of insight and was living in denial. Yes, I have underlying mental health difficulties, but what I failed to realise was that the buck stopped with me. I could either choose to accept my circumstances and work around them, or live a life of excuses and endlessly searching for something or someone to blame for my unhappiness. I had run out of things to blame...
I had lived my life in a bubble for the four years that preceded my decision to change things forever. I had failed to truly accept how terribly I'd let myself go and indeed, let myself down. After Dad was taken from me, my life changed. I had lost the one person I really listened to and who had the ability to make me think twice about my actions. However, I was a man and should have possessed the ability to be accountable for my own actions and to take responsibility for myself. Over a period of four years, I gained weight. Why did I gain weight? I developed a relationship with food that was dangerously unhealthy. If I had something to celebrate, I would eat. If I had something to commiserate, I would eat. If I was worried about something, I would eat. I wasn't even eating socially. I became a secret eater. I would prepare food and eat when I knew no one would see me ans see the mammoth portions I was consuming. I would shut myself away and be alone, with food filling my stomach, but not the void in my heart. Unfortunately, I was only able to keep my eating a secret for so long. Eventually, the weight began to pile on and it was obvious to everyone who saw me that I was eating a lot. I then changed my image accordingly. I became Big Trev, the bug guy with the big appetite. I tried to accept the fact I was a fat man and tried in vain to show the world that I was comfortable with this and content.
The weight continued to pile on and I became unable to wear the flamboyant clothes I loved so much. I became Big Trev in the T Shirt and jeans.
Not only was I now fat, but the strain my eating had on my body rendered me unable to perform physically as I previously could. I became a sweaty, breathless, lethargic waster. Once I realised I couldn't run and be physically active, I stopped trying to. My energy levels diminished to the point of finding it difficult to even leave the house.
One day, I bent over to put my shoes on and realised I couldn't breath. My gut was now so large that when I bent over, it would push against my lungs. I was now beginning to realise what I'd done to myself.
As the weight continued to increase, I started finding it difficult to buy clothes that fitted, so I started buying my garments from Jacamo, or as I prefer to call it, 'fatfucks.co.uk'. I was now too fat for the biggest sizes available on the high street. However, Jacamo was there for the larger man, so I felt it was acceptable.
I was now so lazy and so miserable that I was doing nothing with my life apart from sleep, eat, shit and play X Box. That was the extent of my sorry existence for many months.
One day, after around ten stone of weight gain and at least four years of misery, the penny dropped. I was no longer willing to accept the person I had become. I was tired. Tired of being so fat that my penis was on the missing persons register. Tired of being so lazy that I only left the house to stock up on food. Tired of being so unhealthy that I perspired as if I lived in a Sauna. Tired of my lack of ambition. I had completely lost my identity. I had lost the will to carry on. I'd almost resigned myself to the fact I'd be like this for the rest of my days. No more. No more procrastination. I was a fat fucking loser and the only person who could change that was me. I wanted to be happy, I'd have to make it happen for myself and stop blaming the world for my misery. Yes, the world can be a cruel and nasty place but it can also be a beautiful place. If I wanted to experience this beauty once again, I'd have to stand tall and tell the world that it couldn't beat me. I wanted happiness, so I was going to fight tooth and nail to get it. I had a long journey ahead, but it was my right to be happy and my responsibility to do everything in my power to make it happen.
It is now three months later and today I can say I'm as happy as I can ever remember being. Is my life perfect? No, but I'm now in a position to accept life's imperfections and strive to make life happen. Will I be happy tomorrow? Maybe, maybe not, but I'll be making the right decisions and making sure I have the best chance possible to be.
Today, these isn't a single item of clothing in my wardrobe that doesn't fit, in fact, much of it is too large. My penis has now been removed from the missing persons register and is safe and well, where it belongs. I can now tie my shoes without having a near death experience. I can now walk to the shops without looking and feeling like I've run a marathon. my joints no longer hurt. My feet no longer hurt. I now have the energy to go out and see the world for all its beauty. My mind now has the kind of clarity necessary for me to think and create and plan. I now possess a largely positive attitude and look forward to the challenges and opportunities each day brings. Exercise and healthy eating are now a part of my life and not a sacrifice. I'm no longer Big Trev, I'm now A Bit Smaller Trev.
I now remember what it feels like to be happy. My life has changed, hopefully forever and although I still have a long way to go until I'm the size and level of fitness I want to be, I'm over half way there. In three months I've lost over five stone in weight, weight that I never want to see again.
Life is difficult and full of hurdles, but I ready to take these on, head-on. I will not be beaten by life.
Next week, I weigh myself and measure my vitals. I'll be another step closer. I've taken control of my life, and it feels incredible. If anyone reads this and has something in their life they want to change, but doubt their ability to do so, don't. You have strength and reserves you're not even aware of. Anything is possible. You don't have to accept a life of unhappiness. Make a change and you'll achieve things you never knew were possible.
Here's to the next nine months. Bring it the fuck on.
'If something comes easily to you, it's not important to you. The important things in life and those that matter the most, are the things you have to fight to get and fight to keep. Never stop fighting for your right to pursue happiness'.
Sunday 6 November 2011
Radio Gaga and The Lardarse Express
Evening, all!
It's the end of week twelve. Next week's blog will fall on the three month mark of this journey of mine, which is really rather cool.
This week has been pretty good. In terms of diet, I'm still well on track and still desire shitty food much less than I used to, although I do still experience the occasional sensation that I should have a blow out and stuff my face, like when I have something to celebrate, for example. I just have to remember that that person is not me anymore and give myself a mental slap round the chops and all is well.
In terms of exercise, I've been to the gym three times this week and had a couple of other exercise sessions outside of that.
It's been another relatively busy week, in which I've really begun to push my business forward. It turns out that losing weight makes you more productive. Who's have thunk it, eh? All those years as a lazy fuck were partially down to my being a fat fuck. Wonders will never cease.
I've been relentlessly hounding Facebook and Twitter with news of my Radio appearance, which was an awesome experience and evidence of my new proactive attitude. I won't bore you to tears with the details, so have a look on my Facebook profile for details, if you haven't done so already.
I have to mention, that emotionally I've been up and down this week and after the huge high of being on the radio, I suffered somewhat of a fall out over the following day or so. I sometimes forget that I have Bipolar Disorder, because the last few months have been so good. Perhaps I'm having a Hypomanic episode. Fuck knows. All I can do is ride the waves and see where they take me.
As I'm sure you're aware, it's weigh and measure week, so here are the stats:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 10 - 23/10/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 137.2 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 48 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 48.5 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 17.2 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 13.4 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 16.6 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 29.6 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 20 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 29.1 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 20.9 ins
I'm really happy with these results. I've passed the all important 30kg weight loss mark, which equates to around 67lbs. Next time you gym-goers go to the gym, pick up 30kg. That shit is pretty hefty. It's hard to believe that 30kg has left my body. How the fuck was I managing to lift my fat arse off the sofa?
These results also mean that I'm around 2lbs away from my Christmas target of 5st. Therefore, my new Christmas target is 6st. Let's see if I can nail it.
I'm fully aware that although the halfway mark looms near, it makes me realise that I have to do it all over again. Although if I can do it once, I can do it twice!
So, in summary, this week was a good one. I'm still on track and starting to actually get myself out there and live my life! Join me next week for the big three month blog!
'Anything is possible in life. Never say never, apart from those two times'.
It's the end of week twelve. Next week's blog will fall on the three month mark of this journey of mine, which is really rather cool.
This week has been pretty good. In terms of diet, I'm still well on track and still desire shitty food much less than I used to, although I do still experience the occasional sensation that I should have a blow out and stuff my face, like when I have something to celebrate, for example. I just have to remember that that person is not me anymore and give myself a mental slap round the chops and all is well.
In terms of exercise, I've been to the gym three times this week and had a couple of other exercise sessions outside of that.
It's been another relatively busy week, in which I've really begun to push my business forward. It turns out that losing weight makes you more productive. Who's have thunk it, eh? All those years as a lazy fuck were partially down to my being a fat fuck. Wonders will never cease.
I've been relentlessly hounding Facebook and Twitter with news of my Radio appearance, which was an awesome experience and evidence of my new proactive attitude. I won't bore you to tears with the details, so have a look on my Facebook profile for details, if you haven't done so already.
I have to mention, that emotionally I've been up and down this week and after the huge high of being on the radio, I suffered somewhat of a fall out over the following day or so. I sometimes forget that I have Bipolar Disorder, because the last few months have been so good. Perhaps I'm having a Hypomanic episode. Fuck knows. All I can do is ride the waves and see where they take me.
As I'm sure you're aware, it's weigh and measure week, so here are the stats:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 10 - 23/10/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 137.2 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 48 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 48.5 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 17.2 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 13.4 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 16.6 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 29.6 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 20 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 29.1 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 20.9 ins
I'm really happy with these results. I've passed the all important 30kg weight loss mark, which equates to around 67lbs. Next time you gym-goers go to the gym, pick up 30kg. That shit is pretty hefty. It's hard to believe that 30kg has left my body. How the fuck was I managing to lift my fat arse off the sofa?
These results also mean that I'm around 2lbs away from my Christmas target of 5st. Therefore, my new Christmas target is 6st. Let's see if I can nail it.
I'm fully aware that although the halfway mark looms near, it makes me realise that I have to do it all over again. Although if I can do it once, I can do it twice!
So, in summary, this week was a good one. I'm still on track and starting to actually get myself out there and live my life! Join me next week for the big three month blog!
'Anything is possible in life. Never say never, apart from those two times'.
Sunday 30 October 2011
Progress and Setbacks
Dear World
This week has been a solid mixture of progress and shite. I had drinking sessions on two occasions this week, both of which resulted in a truly shocking following day. I've found in recent weeks, that the medication I take for my Bipolar Disorder is hitting me a lot harder than it used you, presumably because I'm now four stone lighter than I was eleven weeks ago. There's a lot less of me, so these tablets kick the living shit out of me if I don't take them at the right time of day. I've found it increasingly difficult to wake up in the morning as a result. The combination of the now harsh medication and a few drinkypoos results in feeling abosultely terrible the following day - I can barely function. Therefore I've made a decision to quit alcohol for the foreseeable future. It seems that drinking completely stunts the huge progress I've been making, so that's it, no more booze. I need to focus on myself, my healing and my new life of drive, motivation and ambition. I need to do everything in my power to ensure nothing affects this.
This week I've been busy with job interviews and painting. I curated a cubicle at Ben's Canteen, which was great but took me a solid eleven hours of painting! Also, I painted group portrait of Christian O'Connell and his Absolute Radio Breakfast Show team. I spoke to Christian on Thursday, and after a further discussion with his producer, I'm going to have the opportunity to appear on the show and present my painting/plug my business. this is super exciting and I'll keep you posted on what happens.
I unfortunately received a couple of job rejections this week, which, although disappointing, are just part of life and I'll keep plugging away.
My diet has been really good and I'm continuing to lose weight, the evidence of which will appear on next week's blog. Unfortunately, for a combination of reasons I've only been to the gym once this week, which isn't at all good enough. I've also sacked off a couple of training sessions at Samaritans. Like I said, the booze has a lot to answer for.
Next week, I've promised myself to be more proactive and focussed. This is starting tonight with a chilled out evening and early night. I have a good feeling about the next seven days, so I'll do all I can to make it a good one.
Overall, I'm definitely still on track, thanks to how good my diet has been, but I need to up my game in more than one area. Watch this space, next week's blog will be epic, I promise.
"Progress in life is like driving. Sometimes, you move forward quickly, sometimes slowly and sometimes not at all. Sometimes you even have to move backwards. You have to avoid unexpected obstacles and occasionally take detours. However, what remains constant is your destination. If you keep focussed, you'll always get there eventually".
See you next week.
This week has been a solid mixture of progress and shite. I had drinking sessions on two occasions this week, both of which resulted in a truly shocking following day. I've found in recent weeks, that the medication I take for my Bipolar Disorder is hitting me a lot harder than it used you, presumably because I'm now four stone lighter than I was eleven weeks ago. There's a lot less of me, so these tablets kick the living shit out of me if I don't take them at the right time of day. I've found it increasingly difficult to wake up in the morning as a result. The combination of the now harsh medication and a few drinkypoos results in feeling abosultely terrible the following day - I can barely function. Therefore I've made a decision to quit alcohol for the foreseeable future. It seems that drinking completely stunts the huge progress I've been making, so that's it, no more booze. I need to focus on myself, my healing and my new life of drive, motivation and ambition. I need to do everything in my power to ensure nothing affects this.
This week I've been busy with job interviews and painting. I curated a cubicle at Ben's Canteen, which was great but took me a solid eleven hours of painting! Also, I painted group portrait of Christian O'Connell and his Absolute Radio Breakfast Show team. I spoke to Christian on Thursday, and after a further discussion with his producer, I'm going to have the opportunity to appear on the show and present my painting/plug my business. this is super exciting and I'll keep you posted on what happens.
I unfortunately received a couple of job rejections this week, which, although disappointing, are just part of life and I'll keep plugging away.
My diet has been really good and I'm continuing to lose weight, the evidence of which will appear on next week's blog. Unfortunately, for a combination of reasons I've only been to the gym once this week, which isn't at all good enough. I've also sacked off a couple of training sessions at Samaritans. Like I said, the booze has a lot to answer for.
Next week, I've promised myself to be more proactive and focussed. This is starting tonight with a chilled out evening and early night. I have a good feeling about the next seven days, so I'll do all I can to make it a good one.
Overall, I'm definitely still on track, thanks to how good my diet has been, but I need to up my game in more than one area. Watch this space, next week's blog will be epic, I promise.
"Progress in life is like driving. Sometimes, you move forward quickly, sometimes slowly and sometimes not at all. Sometimes you even have to move backwards. You have to avoid unexpected obstacles and occasionally take detours. However, what remains constant is your destination. If you keep focussed, you'll always get there eventually".
See you next week.
Sunday 23 October 2011
The Wounded Demons
Alright? It's the end of week ten and I'm pleased to report that things are going pretty swimmingly. This week has been one of temptation and a genuinely busy diary, but things have not fallen by the wayside. In my last blog post, I told you all I would go to the gym Monday-Friday, but in reality, this simply wasn't possible. I've had portraits to paint, appointments to attend, volunteering to do, plans to make and people to see. I managed to visit the gym three times though, and had three pretty good, old-fashioned workouts. In terms of diet, I've most certainly settled in to that and it now feels like standard procedure to eat three, modest and healthy meals a day. Do I still feel the occasional pinch of tempation? Yes, but hardly ever. A big test this week was preparing my nephew's fifth birthday party with my Sister and Mum. We made Cake Pops, little chocolate cake balls, covered in melted chocolate and decorated with sweets. I can say with some confidence that each cake pop contains approximately 75 million calories, give or take. They the richest and most awesome things in the universe. Making them without drinking pints of melted chocolate was tough, but I'm defeating my demons and am realising that I DON'T HAVE TO EAT EVERYTHING I SEE. Also, I've discussed my unhealthy relationship with food on previous blogs. Sometimes, when I have something to celebrate, or I'm fucked off about something, I still think to myself, 'Right, I'm going home to eat the world and lay in bed'. Sometimes I forget that I don;t do that shit anymore, then I remember and laugh. I'm so proud that I can experience emotions without turning to food.
I know I write like someone who resents food, but this isn't the case, I LOVE food. I'm forever watching cooking shows and love to cook, neither am I a food fascist. I can occasionally treat myself to certain things, but my desire to eat them in the first place has reduced. I really don't feel like I deprive myself of anything. I eat what I want to eat, and it just so happens that I only really want to eat healthy food. Like I said, I do occasionally get tempted to scoff some shit or other, but I now have faculties in place to say no, which I previously did not possess.
In other news, I now wear my belt at the tightest possible setting and it feels fantastic. The physical trasnformation I'm going through is such that my clothes fit a little better each and every time I wear them. Another of the biggest issues I had when I was at my fattest was the fact I sweated so fucking much. Honestly, I often looked like I'd been caught in a torrential downpour, such was the minging extent of my perspiration. This really has changed now. Evidence of this was yesterday in fact, when I helped set up/clear up Noah's party. I was lugging tables and chairs around, with not so much as a hint of the dreaded sweat.
Other news this week is that I've been painting a few portraits and loving it. Also, I'm curating a cubicle at Ben's Canteen, a wonderful bar/restaurant in Clapham. I'll be painting an awesome mural for the lovely people who run it, which should get me some more gigs. I also have an interview as a shop manager at Marie Curie Cancer Care on Wednesday. If I can get that job, it will be an awesomw way to pay the bills and support my other projects. Wish me luck....
Right, I can't put this off any further. It's time for my bi-weekly weight and measurement report. Here goes:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 10 - 23/10/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 141.9 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 49.5 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 50 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 17 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 13.8 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 16.5 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13.2 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 30.7 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 20.5 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 29.5 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 21.2 ins
Well, what do you think? I'm chuffed to bits, especially considering my limited time for the gym this week. I've now officially passed the four stone mark, which is huge. I'm almost feeling like a proper person again!
Again, if you want to see previous results, have a look at my previous entries, blah blah.
In conclusion, I'm becoming increasingly busy, which is testament to my increased energy levels, I'm still training hard when I go to the gym, I'm still eating well, I'm still losing weight and still feeling better with every day that passes. If I can keep this up, my target is well within my reach. Ahead of me is another busy week, but I promise I'll be a good boy.
'It is said that time is the best healer, I disagree. You can have all the time in the world, but without being honest and communicative with yourself and possessing insight, you'll never heal'.
See you next week, you lovely lot. x
I know I write like someone who resents food, but this isn't the case, I LOVE food. I'm forever watching cooking shows and love to cook, neither am I a food fascist. I can occasionally treat myself to certain things, but my desire to eat them in the first place has reduced. I really don't feel like I deprive myself of anything. I eat what I want to eat, and it just so happens that I only really want to eat healthy food. Like I said, I do occasionally get tempted to scoff some shit or other, but I now have faculties in place to say no, which I previously did not possess.
In other news, I now wear my belt at the tightest possible setting and it feels fantastic. The physical trasnformation I'm going through is such that my clothes fit a little better each and every time I wear them. Another of the biggest issues I had when I was at my fattest was the fact I sweated so fucking much. Honestly, I often looked like I'd been caught in a torrential downpour, such was the minging extent of my perspiration. This really has changed now. Evidence of this was yesterday in fact, when I helped set up/clear up Noah's party. I was lugging tables and chairs around, with not so much as a hint of the dreaded sweat.
Other news this week is that I've been painting a few portraits and loving it. Also, I'm curating a cubicle at Ben's Canteen, a wonderful bar/restaurant in Clapham. I'll be painting an awesome mural for the lovely people who run it, which should get me some more gigs. I also have an interview as a shop manager at Marie Curie Cancer Care on Wednesday. If I can get that job, it will be an awesomw way to pay the bills and support my other projects. Wish me luck....
Right, I can't put this off any further. It's time for my bi-weekly weight and measurement report. Here goes:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 10 - 23/10/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 141.9 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 49.5 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 50 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 17 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 13.8 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 16.5 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13.2 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 30.7 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 20.5 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 29.5 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 21.2 ins
Well, what do you think? I'm chuffed to bits, especially considering my limited time for the gym this week. I've now officially passed the four stone mark, which is huge. I'm almost feeling like a proper person again!
Again, if you want to see previous results, have a look at my previous entries, blah blah.
In conclusion, I'm becoming increasingly busy, which is testament to my increased energy levels, I'm still training hard when I go to the gym, I'm still eating well, I'm still losing weight and still feeling better with every day that passes. If I can keep this up, my target is well within my reach. Ahead of me is another busy week, but I promise I'll be a good boy.
'It is said that time is the best healer, I disagree. You can have all the time in the world, but without being honest and communicative with yourself and possessing insight, you'll never heal'.
See you next week, you lovely lot. x
Sunday 16 October 2011
Wardrobes, Paranoia, Doubts and Renewed Determination
Evening, all! We've officially passed the two month mark of my new life and I love it. I can now fit into everything in my wardrobe and I believe I'm right in saying I'm the thinnest I've been in a good two or three years. I'm so proud of how far I've come and how much my life has changed already. However, I have a massive journey ahead of me and feel that I've barely scratched the surface. Yes, it's been two months, but I have another ten to go and I worry that I won't be able to maintain this pace. I'm scared that I'll quit.
I've been training well this week, but not quite to my usual standard, as I'm actually getting increasingly busy and having to juggle a lot more. My volunteering is taking time, my job search and arty farty endeavours are increasing and feel that my gym-going will inevitably suffer for it. I'm pleased to report that my diet is as good as ever. I can now allow myself to eat like a normal person occasionally and not be the food fascist I've become. Generally, I'm delighted with how my relationship with food has changed and how my desire to eat shite has diminished.
I think I'm in danger of becoming too obsessed with this and consequently punishing myself too much. It's important that I continue to work hard and eat well, but I'm reaching a stage at which I get really annoyed with myself if I feel I'm not working as hard as I should be. I need to be careful or I'll end up miserable.
I think I'm going to wipe the slate clean and focus. Tomorrow is Monday. I have a few things to do but I'll hit the gym hard Monday to Friday. I'll eat like an angel and train like a bull. I'll work like a Japanese prisoner of war and sleep like a corpse. That should do it.
Next Sunday is the weigh in and I want a good result, to prove to myself that I haven't started slacking. Bring it the fuck on.
I've been training well this week, but not quite to my usual standard, as I'm actually getting increasingly busy and having to juggle a lot more. My volunteering is taking time, my job search and arty farty endeavours are increasing and feel that my gym-going will inevitably suffer for it. I'm pleased to report that my diet is as good as ever. I can now allow myself to eat like a normal person occasionally and not be the food fascist I've become. Generally, I'm delighted with how my relationship with food has changed and how my desire to eat shite has diminished.
I think I'm in danger of becoming too obsessed with this and consequently punishing myself too much. It's important that I continue to work hard and eat well, but I'm reaching a stage at which I get really annoyed with myself if I feel I'm not working as hard as I should be. I need to be careful or I'll end up miserable.
I think I'm going to wipe the slate clean and focus. Tomorrow is Monday. I have a few things to do but I'll hit the gym hard Monday to Friday. I'll eat like an angel and train like a bull. I'll work like a Japanese prisoner of war and sleep like a corpse. That should do it.
Next Sunday is the weigh in and I want a good result, to prove to myself that I haven't started slacking. Bring it the fuck on.
Sunday 9 October 2011
Reflection
Well well well, it's the end of week eight. Week EIGHT! I've been on this journey of mine for nearly two months already. Actually, on reflection, 12th August 2010 already feels like a lifetime ago. The man I was on that day is not the man I am this day. On that fateful day, eight weeks ago, I gave a bingo-winged wave goodbye to the monster I had created. I'm determined to never see that sweaty mess of a man ever again and every day is a step closer to becoming the pysical manifestation of the man I want to and SHOULD be. In the last eight weeks, my Belly and Brain have gone through some profound changes. I see progress every day and every day brings with it excitement and energy. If I can continue on this path, I can only imagine what I will look and feel like in fourty six weeks. I cannot wait.
Some pretty cool things have happened this week. I tightened the belt on my jeans by yet another notch. In fact, I only have one notch left before I have to either buy a new belt or make a new hole in this one (I had to make a hole in it at the other end when I bought it, as it was too small).
My dear sibling bought me a T Shirt for Christmas last year. It was size Large. I was utterly chuffed that my sister was blind enough to think it would fit me at that size but, alas, my actual size was XXXL. Yesterday, I wore that T Shirt and it fits perfectly. This is just one of the lovely bonuses of the weight loss. I cannot begin to describe the feeling of satisfaction at being able to wear previously ill-fitting clothes for the first time, that look and feel perfect. I'm looking forward to blowing the cobwebs from a few more of the clothes in the deepest, darkest recesses of my wardrobe, as the weeks progress.
Things are also looking up in other areas of my life. My training with Samaritans is going well and I've just signed up to become a volunteer for Mind, the mental health charity. Also, I'm attending an open day at Bromley College in a few weeks, with a view to training to become a Counsellor. This sums up the progress I've made, that I'm now able to draw upon my experiences to help others deal with teir difficulties. I'm still applying for lots of jobs and have a good feeling about one of them. Watch this space. Lastly, I've had a couple of orders for portraits, so maybe my beloved business is in with a chance after all!
Right, on to the facts and figures of the week eight weigh and measure:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 8 - 09/10/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 146.5 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 49 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 51.5 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 17.2 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 13.8 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 16.8 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13.6 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 31 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 20.8 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 31 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 21.1 ins
As per usual, if you want to be reacquainted with my previous results, have a look back at my previous blogs.
I'm delighted with my results so far. So much so, here's a double photo of me. The image on the right was taken on 12th August and the one on the right was taken this very evening.
I hope you can see the results as much as I can feel them. I'm going to see if I can lose a total of five stone by Christmas. If I can manage to do that, I'll be delighted.
Finally, Tuesday 11th October will mark the four year anniversary of my Father's passing. For those of you who have lost one of both parents, my heart goes out to you. For anyone out there who has as least one of their parents left, please do me a favour and give them a huge hug this week.
'Apparently, beauty is only skin deep. This is not the case. Beauty truly lives in every atom of every cell.'
Some pretty cool things have happened this week. I tightened the belt on my jeans by yet another notch. In fact, I only have one notch left before I have to either buy a new belt or make a new hole in this one (I had to make a hole in it at the other end when I bought it, as it was too small).
My dear sibling bought me a T Shirt for Christmas last year. It was size Large. I was utterly chuffed that my sister was blind enough to think it would fit me at that size but, alas, my actual size was XXXL. Yesterday, I wore that T Shirt and it fits perfectly. This is just one of the lovely bonuses of the weight loss. I cannot begin to describe the feeling of satisfaction at being able to wear previously ill-fitting clothes for the first time, that look and feel perfect. I'm looking forward to blowing the cobwebs from a few more of the clothes in the deepest, darkest recesses of my wardrobe, as the weeks progress.
Things are also looking up in other areas of my life. My training with Samaritans is going well and I've just signed up to become a volunteer for Mind, the mental health charity. Also, I'm attending an open day at Bromley College in a few weeks, with a view to training to become a Counsellor. This sums up the progress I've made, that I'm now able to draw upon my experiences to help others deal with teir difficulties. I'm still applying for lots of jobs and have a good feeling about one of them. Watch this space. Lastly, I've had a couple of orders for portraits, so maybe my beloved business is in with a chance after all!
Right, on to the facts and figures of the week eight weigh and measure:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 8 - 09/10/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 146.5 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 49 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 51.5 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 17.2 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 13.8 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 16.8 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13.6 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 31 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 20.8 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 31 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 21.1 ins
As per usual, if you want to be reacquainted with my previous results, have a look back at my previous blogs.
I'm delighted with my results so far. So much so, here's a double photo of me. The image on the right was taken on 12th August and the one on the right was taken this very evening.
I hope you can see the results as much as I can feel them. I'm going to see if I can lose a total of five stone by Christmas. If I can manage to do that, I'll be delighted.
Finally, Tuesday 11th October will mark the four year anniversary of my Father's passing. For those of you who have lost one of both parents, my heart goes out to you. For anyone out there who has as least one of their parents left, please do me a favour and give them a huge hug this week.
'Apparently, beauty is only skin deep. This is not the case. Beauty truly lives in every atom of every cell.'
Monday 3 October 2011
The Balance
This post comes a day late, as I was having some technological issues last night. Apologies to all those who's weekends were empty and devoid of meaning as a result.
Week seven has been and gone. I would be a liar if I said it had been the perfect week of training. This week, I've been in a rather unusual position, I've actually been genuinely busy. I've started my training with The Samaritans, which is great and I've actually had a real, living, breathing social life. I went out on Saturday and spent some quality time on Blackheath with old friends. On Saturday night, I went out for a monumental drink up in Clapham, to celebrate my oldest and dearest friend's birthday. Consequently, I didn't to to the gym on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. The intention was to take a few, well-deserved days off, socialise, enjoy myself and start a heavy week at the gym today (Monday).
I fear I may have a reached a level of obsession with my new life. I felt monumentally guilty for the fact I drank beer at the weekend and took three days off from the gym, even though I still ate really well. I need to remind myself that I still need to live my life and if I obsess about the gym too much, it's going to do more harm than good.
In all honesty, I almost didn't go to the gym today either. My hangover from Saturday night rolled over to a second day and I felt utterly knackered, and frankly, pretty depressed this morning. I managed to fight these feelings and went to the gym, hitting it harder than ever. I am well and truly back in the swing of things and have learnt a valuable lesson in balancing fun and responsibility.
I kicked the living shit out of the cross trainer today, as you can see from the photo. I dominated 1210 calories in 60 minutes. I was pushing hard all the way and it was a phenomenal feeling when I finished. I'm back, and loving every second. I know that I'll have days like today, in which I really, REALLY don't want to go to the gym, but I will fight these feelings and remind myself of why I'm going. I'm changing my life for the better and doing something to make myself, my family, my friends and my darling Dad proud. It's so important that I feel I'm finally doing something that my Dad, wherever he is, will be proud of. Dad always knew I had unrealised potential and I'm sure he was frustrated. Well, Dad, no more. I'm doing this for you, old man! I love you and miss you every day.
I also want to give a special mention to two lovely men whom, before Saturday, I had no idea cared. Matt and Fraz Gilbert. These two gentlemen were out on Saturday night and they told me how impressed and inspired by my blog and progress they were. Their words truly resonated within me and I can't sufficiently articulate how much those kind words meant to me. Thanks, boys!
Anyway, to summarise, life will not always encourage you to continue with personal aspirations, but what's important is learning to balance the things you enjoy with the things that you may not enjoy, but are important all the same.
'Every repetition I perform, every step I walk, every drop of sweat make, is one step closer to making my dreams come true and finally showing my demons that I cannot and will not be beaten'.
See you next week for the weigh in.
Week seven has been and gone. I would be a liar if I said it had been the perfect week of training. This week, I've been in a rather unusual position, I've actually been genuinely busy. I've started my training with The Samaritans, which is great and I've actually had a real, living, breathing social life. I went out on Saturday and spent some quality time on Blackheath with old friends. On Saturday night, I went out for a monumental drink up in Clapham, to celebrate my oldest and dearest friend's birthday. Consequently, I didn't to to the gym on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. The intention was to take a few, well-deserved days off, socialise, enjoy myself and start a heavy week at the gym today (Monday).
I fear I may have a reached a level of obsession with my new life. I felt monumentally guilty for the fact I drank beer at the weekend and took three days off from the gym, even though I still ate really well. I need to remind myself that I still need to live my life and if I obsess about the gym too much, it's going to do more harm than good.
In all honesty, I almost didn't go to the gym today either. My hangover from Saturday night rolled over to a second day and I felt utterly knackered, and frankly, pretty depressed this morning. I managed to fight these feelings and went to the gym, hitting it harder than ever. I am well and truly back in the swing of things and have learnt a valuable lesson in balancing fun and responsibility.
I also want to give a special mention to two lovely men whom, before Saturday, I had no idea cared. Matt and Fraz Gilbert. These two gentlemen were out on Saturday night and they told me how impressed and inspired by my blog and progress they were. Their words truly resonated within me and I can't sufficiently articulate how much those kind words meant to me. Thanks, boys!
Anyway, to summarise, life will not always encourage you to continue with personal aspirations, but what's important is learning to balance the things you enjoy with the things that you may not enjoy, but are important all the same.
'Every repetition I perform, every step I walk, every drop of sweat make, is one step closer to making my dreams come true and finally showing my demons that I cannot and will not be beaten'.
See you next week for the weigh in.
Wednesday 28 September 2011
Special Edition. Read All About It!
I'm bucking the trend this week, by posting on a Wednesday. I contacted the local press last week, to see if they'd be interested in writing about my weight-loss mission, in the hope that it would not only help keep me motivated, but also reach out to others who want to make a change in their lives.
A journalist from the Bromley Times called me and told me she was interested in writing a piece on me, for this week's paper. The online article can be found here.
The article mentions this blog and has the URL at the bottom, so this blog entry is for any new readers who have discovered the blog through the paper and want to learn more. Hi!
I'm just over six weeks into my journey and I'm doing well at the moment, although it's still early days. Please feel free to read the blog from the first entry in August, it's a good read!
I wouldn't be very good at my job if I didn't take this opportunity to show you what I do for a living. The article mentions that I'm an Artist. Click here to see my website!
I'd love to have people's feedback on the blog. It means a lot to me that I'm able to create this journal and tell the world what I'm doing. I hope I can inspire others to change their lives for the better.
Anyway, I'll be back on Sunday, with my usual weekly summary. See you then!
A journalist from the Bromley Times called me and told me she was interested in writing a piece on me, for this week's paper. The online article can be found here.
The article mentions this blog and has the URL at the bottom, so this blog entry is for any new readers who have discovered the blog through the paper and want to learn more. Hi!
I'm just over six weeks into my journey and I'm doing well at the moment, although it's still early days. Please feel free to read the blog from the first entry in August, it's a good read!
I wouldn't be very good at my job if I didn't take this opportunity to show you what I do for a living. The article mentions that I'm an Artist. Click here to see my website!
I'd love to have people's feedback on the blog. It means a lot to me that I'm able to create this journal and tell the world what I'm doing. I hope I can inspire others to change their lives for the better.
Anyway, I'll be back on Sunday, with my usual weekly summary. See you then!
Sunday 25 September 2011
A Solo Mission
It's the end of week six already. It really has flown by. In this short period of time, so many changes have taken place that I can barely remember the wobbly shadow of a man I was, back in mid-August.
Going to the gym and eating well have become part of the furniture and each day, I plug away and slowly chip away at the flabby oak tree. My mood is still generally very good and I'm becoming much more productive, with my new-found energy levels.
I've been watching a bit of Biggest Loser on Sky and have a great deal of respect for the men and women on there, desperate to change their lives for the better. Before I started this journey, I was actually tempted to apply as a contestant, but I'm glad I didn't. I think I'll gain a far greater feeling of achievement if I set a goal for myself and go it alone. Losing weight and getting in shape is hugely important to me, but it's more symbolic of a personal journey for me. If I'm able to decide to make a change, follow it through and stick at it til the end, it will mean that for me, anything is possible and it will prove to me that I have the tools and resources to achieve whatever I choose to in life.
I'm still conscious that I don't have a regular income at the moment. My business is at a standstill and although I have projects I'm working on, my lack of 'job' is irritating. Saying that, I'm not sitting on my laurels. I'm actually incredibly busy every day and I know that if I continue to apply myself, my financial situation will inevitably improve. I've contacted local press in the hope that they will publish my blog. It's important to me that my journey will help inspire others to make a change in their lives. I'll keep you updated with this.
Anyway, I digress. On to the facts and figures. It's the week six weigh in and measure. Here are the results:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 6 - 25/09/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 152.6 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 50.5 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 53 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 18.2 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 14.2 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 17.2 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13.8 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 32.1 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 21.1 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 31.6 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 21.7 ins
For a recap of weeks two and four's results, have a look: Week two. Week four.
There are fluctuations with some of the measurements, but the important ones are going in the right direction.
I've found that my strength is improving a great deal and I'm now starting to lift some pretty serious weights at the gym. This is really starting to show and I'm sure my weight will begin to reflect this, if it isn't already.
I will continue on this path and very much look forward to next August. I'll be a new man in more ways than one.
'Change is easy, but making that change a part of your daily life in the long term is the real challenge'.
See you next week.
Going to the gym and eating well have become part of the furniture and each day, I plug away and slowly chip away at the flabby oak tree. My mood is still generally very good and I'm becoming much more productive, with my new-found energy levels.
I've been watching a bit of Biggest Loser on Sky and have a great deal of respect for the men and women on there, desperate to change their lives for the better. Before I started this journey, I was actually tempted to apply as a contestant, but I'm glad I didn't. I think I'll gain a far greater feeling of achievement if I set a goal for myself and go it alone. Losing weight and getting in shape is hugely important to me, but it's more symbolic of a personal journey for me. If I'm able to decide to make a change, follow it through and stick at it til the end, it will mean that for me, anything is possible and it will prove to me that I have the tools and resources to achieve whatever I choose to in life.
I'm still conscious that I don't have a regular income at the moment. My business is at a standstill and although I have projects I'm working on, my lack of 'job' is irritating. Saying that, I'm not sitting on my laurels. I'm actually incredibly busy every day and I know that if I continue to apply myself, my financial situation will inevitably improve. I've contacted local press in the hope that they will publish my blog. It's important to me that my journey will help inspire others to make a change in their lives. I'll keep you updated with this.
Anyway, I digress. On to the facts and figures. It's the week six weigh in and measure. Here are the results:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 6 - 25/09/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 152.6 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 50.5 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 53 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 18.2 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 14.2 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 17.2 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13.8 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 32.1 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 21.1 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 31.6 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 21.7 ins
For a recap of weeks two and four's results, have a look: Week two. Week four.
There are fluctuations with some of the measurements, but the important ones are going in the right direction.
I've found that my strength is improving a great deal and I'm now starting to lift some pretty serious weights at the gym. This is really starting to show and I'm sure my weight will begin to reflect this, if it isn't already.
I will continue on this path and very much look forward to next August. I'll be a new man in more ways than one.
'Change is easy, but making that change a part of your daily life in the long term is the real challenge'.
See you next week.
Sunday 18 September 2011
Reason
I sit at my keyboard, wondering what to write this week, the end of week five. last week, I showed you all the fruits of my labour. I truly am astonished by the rate at which my body is dropping weight. It really does reinforce the work I do on a daily basis.
Today, I woke up in a bad mood and could think of hundreds of places I'd rather have gone than the gym. Despite this, I grudgingly put on my gym clothes and went, leaving the house with a face like a smacked arse as I did so. 2.5 miles later, I arrived, did my time and walked home. Did I enjoy my workout? Not really. Did the workout release a torrent of endorphins into my system? Not particularly. Did I get home, feeling proud that I've made enough progress to still go to the gym, even when I really don't want to? Definitely. I think this is the most important element of what I'm doing, the strength to keep going, even though the novelty has worn off.
A few weeks ago, I asked my Psychiatrist how I could maintain momentum, even when my desire to train began to diminish. His answer was simple: 'When the novelty wears off and you no longer possess the explosive energy and enthusiasm to train, you must employ the part of your mind that remembers where you started from and why you're doing it in the first place', or words to that effect. This couldn't be more true. What is my reason for eating so well, resisting the urge to gorge myself and instead bust my arse at the gym, day in and day out? The reason is reason itself. How fucking miserable have I been over the last few years? To an unquantifiable extent. To what extent did I resent myself for allowing myself to turn into such a waste of space? Very much so. How much better do I feel now? Exponentially. How excited am I at the prospect of reaching my goal and achieving what I set out to do? I'm as excited as a four year old on Christmas Eve.
So, that is my reason: My refusal to lose control and return to the feelings of abject misery that haunted me for so long. I will keep pushing, every day, and I won't stop until I've done what I set out to do. It's going to be tough, but It's so important to me that I finish what I've started this time, otherwise the eternal whirlpool of failure will capture me once more.
Tomorrow is the start of a new week, and it brings with it the opportunity to prove to myself yet again, that I'm worth something.
'It is said that life is defined by cause and effect, but this formula lacks the most important element, choice. Without choice, we cannot understand the cause, and thus, cannot justify the effect.'
Today, I woke up in a bad mood and could think of hundreds of places I'd rather have gone than the gym. Despite this, I grudgingly put on my gym clothes and went, leaving the house with a face like a smacked arse as I did so. 2.5 miles later, I arrived, did my time and walked home. Did I enjoy my workout? Not really. Did the workout release a torrent of endorphins into my system? Not particularly. Did I get home, feeling proud that I've made enough progress to still go to the gym, even when I really don't want to? Definitely. I think this is the most important element of what I'm doing, the strength to keep going, even though the novelty has worn off.
A few weeks ago, I asked my Psychiatrist how I could maintain momentum, even when my desire to train began to diminish. His answer was simple: 'When the novelty wears off and you no longer possess the explosive energy and enthusiasm to train, you must employ the part of your mind that remembers where you started from and why you're doing it in the first place', or words to that effect. This couldn't be more true. What is my reason for eating so well, resisting the urge to gorge myself and instead bust my arse at the gym, day in and day out? The reason is reason itself. How fucking miserable have I been over the last few years? To an unquantifiable extent. To what extent did I resent myself for allowing myself to turn into such a waste of space? Very much so. How much better do I feel now? Exponentially. How excited am I at the prospect of reaching my goal and achieving what I set out to do? I'm as excited as a four year old on Christmas Eve.
So, that is my reason: My refusal to lose control and return to the feelings of abject misery that haunted me for so long. I will keep pushing, every day, and I won't stop until I've done what I set out to do. It's going to be tough, but It's so important to me that I finish what I've started this time, otherwise the eternal whirlpool of failure will capture me once more.
Tomorrow is the start of a new week, and it brings with it the opportunity to prove to myself yet again, that I'm worth something.
'It is said that life is defined by cause and effect, but this formula lacks the most important element, choice. Without choice, we cannot understand the cause, and thus, cannot justify the effect.'
Sunday 11 September 2011
Forgotten Resources
It's the end of week four and, holy shit, my body has gone through some serious changes. I say changes, but they're not knew as much as rediscovered. Four weeks ago, when I first went to the gym, I got a bus there and literally couldn't manage five minutes on the Cross Trainer. Today, I walked there and blasted a full hour on the Cross Trainer, and then walked home.
Before all this lard malarkey took place, I was always able to rely on a good level of general fitness and a good recovery rate. Simply put, my body was a well-oiled machine. Of course, that all changed when I put all the weight on. I could barely walk to the shops for my daily heart attack banquet without sweating like a Yokozuna, wearing a fur coat, doing star jumps, in a sauna. But now, well I still sweat as I'm not exactly a wafer, but I can make my body do some pretty cool things and I don't feel like I'm going to die afterwards. I feel that the recovery rate and general fitness levels are making a welcomed return. I feel like a proper person, with proper energy levels.
The last week hasn't been all sunshine and unicorns though. Thursday was my 28th birthday and I went out for dinner with some close friends. Luckily, I was able to eat healthily and skip dessert without too much trouble, but I got through several glasses of wine during the meal. This, in itself wasn't a problem, but I hardly ever drink these days, so the next day, my mind took a kicking. The medication I take for Bipolar Disorder doesn't agree with alcohol, so I felt awful all day, depressed and angry. Consequently, I didn't go to the gym that day. However, the next day (Saturday) I felt great and went to the gym as normal. I just need to be careful when I drink in future.
Also, my weight loss has slowed down, albeit only slightly. I've taken the decision to not count my walking as part of my training. As I mentioned earlier, my general fitness has improved, so I'm able to do more. Therefore, my new routine will be as follows:
I'll train with weights every other day and on the days in between I'll have a cardio session. I'll still walk to and from the gym, but the walking isn't enough as I need to get my heart rate up to a sufficient level to promote weight loss.
So, on to more pressing issues, the big weigh-in and measure! Here are my end of week four stats:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 4 - 11/09/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 157.6 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 51 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 54 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 18.2 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 13.7 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 17.5 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13.6 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 32.5 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 21.2 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 32.6 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 22 ins
If you want to see my week 2 results again, they can be found here:
http://bellyandbrain.blogspot.com/2011/08/settling-in.html
I'm delighted with the results so far. In all honesty, the only statistics I really care about are my weight and my waistline. So far, I've lost 10.4 kg and 3 inches from my waist. For you gym-goers out there, next time you go, find a 10 kg weight plate and pick it up. Pretty heavy, right?
I may have said that my weight and waistline are of paramount importance to me, but that's not strictly true. Far more important than those things are how I feel, my state of mind, my emotional balance. There aren't any quantifiable statistics for that, but I can tell you with some conviction that I haven't felt this contented in a long time.
"The metric system is flawed, in that there isn't a unit of measurement for happiness. However, happiness can be measured by both the sincerity of a person's smile and the effect that person's presence has on another".
See you next week.
Before all this lard malarkey took place, I was always able to rely on a good level of general fitness and a good recovery rate. Simply put, my body was a well-oiled machine. Of course, that all changed when I put all the weight on. I could barely walk to the shops for my daily heart attack banquet without sweating like a Yokozuna, wearing a fur coat, doing star jumps, in a sauna. But now, well I still sweat as I'm not exactly a wafer, but I can make my body do some pretty cool things and I don't feel like I'm going to die afterwards. I feel that the recovery rate and general fitness levels are making a welcomed return. I feel like a proper person, with proper energy levels.
The last week hasn't been all sunshine and unicorns though. Thursday was my 28th birthday and I went out for dinner with some close friends. Luckily, I was able to eat healthily and skip dessert without too much trouble, but I got through several glasses of wine during the meal. This, in itself wasn't a problem, but I hardly ever drink these days, so the next day, my mind took a kicking. The medication I take for Bipolar Disorder doesn't agree with alcohol, so I felt awful all day, depressed and angry. Consequently, I didn't go to the gym that day. However, the next day (Saturday) I felt great and went to the gym as normal. I just need to be careful when I drink in future.
Also, my weight loss has slowed down, albeit only slightly. I've taken the decision to not count my walking as part of my training. As I mentioned earlier, my general fitness has improved, so I'm able to do more. Therefore, my new routine will be as follows:
I'll train with weights every other day and on the days in between I'll have a cardio session. I'll still walk to and from the gym, but the walking isn't enough as I need to get my heart rate up to a sufficient level to promote weight loss.
So, on to more pressing issues, the big weigh-in and measure! Here are my end of week four stats:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 4 - 11/09/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 157.6 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 51 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 54 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 18.2 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 13.7 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 17.5 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 13.6 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thigh left - 32.5 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 21.2 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 32.6 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 22 ins
If you want to see my week 2 results again, they can be found here:
http://bellyandbrain.blogspot.com/2011/08/settling-in.html
I'm delighted with the results so far. In all honesty, the only statistics I really care about are my weight and my waistline. So far, I've lost 10.4 kg and 3 inches from my waist. For you gym-goers out there, next time you go, find a 10 kg weight plate and pick it up. Pretty heavy, right?
I may have said that my weight and waistline are of paramount importance to me, but that's not strictly true. Far more important than those things are how I feel, my state of mind, my emotional balance. There aren't any quantifiable statistics for that, but I can tell you with some conviction that I haven't felt this contented in a long time.
"The metric system is flawed, in that there isn't a unit of measurement for happiness. However, happiness can be measured by both the sincerity of a person's smile and the effect that person's presence has on another".
See you next week.
Sunday 4 September 2011
Swagger
It's the end of week three and I don't have an awful lot to report. Perhaps this is a good thing. I'm eating well, training well and feeling the benefits of my work.
I'm finding that I'm not having to call upon my will power as much as I expected to. My desire to eat has been reduced to literally eating three healthy meals a day. I have no desire to snack and certainly no desire to snack on lard bites.
Another thing I've noticed is the return of my swagger. Before I became a sack of marshmallows, I used to walk with swagger and confidence, with my head held high and smirk on my face. Now, although I still possess many a marshmallow, I find myself returning to this confident gait. I give women I see a cheeky smile and have started remembering what it's like to feel good about myself. This has reinforced my theory that much of one's confidence is in the mind. Of course, having a healthy body is important, but in combination with a healthy mind, a person is unstoppable, ergo, this new life of mine brings with it by-products I didn't previously consider. The more I train, the looser my clothes get and the more snacks I say no to, the more contented I become. I am achieving a clarity of mind that I had previously forgotten was possible. My psychological clouds are clearing and the sunrise is beautiful.
I'm more determined than ever to make this new life a permanent fixture. My hope is that once my goals have been met, I'll be able to help and inspire others to reach their goals. If this serial quitter can do it, anyone can.
'If you're not standing on the shoulders of giants, then you yourself are the giant, upon whose shoulders people stand.'
See you next week for the weigh in.
I'm finding that I'm not having to call upon my will power as much as I expected to. My desire to eat has been reduced to literally eating three healthy meals a day. I have no desire to snack and certainly no desire to snack on lard bites.
Another thing I've noticed is the return of my swagger. Before I became a sack of marshmallows, I used to walk with swagger and confidence, with my head held high and smirk on my face. Now, although I still possess many a marshmallow, I find myself returning to this confident gait. I give women I see a cheeky smile and have started remembering what it's like to feel good about myself. This has reinforced my theory that much of one's confidence is in the mind. Of course, having a healthy body is important, but in combination with a healthy mind, a person is unstoppable, ergo, this new life of mine brings with it by-products I didn't previously consider. The more I train, the looser my clothes get and the more snacks I say no to, the more contented I become. I am achieving a clarity of mind that I had previously forgotten was possible. My psychological clouds are clearing and the sunrise is beautiful.
I'm more determined than ever to make this new life a permanent fixture. My hope is that once my goals have been met, I'll be able to help and inspire others to reach their goals. If this serial quitter can do it, anyone can.
'If you're not standing on the shoulders of giants, then you yourself are the giant, upon whose shoulders people stand.'
See you next week for the weigh in.
Sunday 28 August 2011
Settling In
Well, I've now completed my second week of my new life and the changes that have taken place are incredible. As I said before, I spent the majority of my first week in agony, now, I feel revitalised and energetic after a workout. I've trained around five times this week and have even begun to reintroduce running into my workouts, albeit slowly. It seems that my fitness increases a tangable amount each time I train. This may be psychological, but that doesn't matter. The result is the same: I feel amazing.
Now, on to more pressing matters, my weigh in an measurements. Here's the damage:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 2 - 28/08/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 162.5 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 53 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 55.5 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 18.5 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 14 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 17.5 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 14 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thight left - 33 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 21.5 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 32 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 22.5 ins
I'm fairly pleased with the results so far. As you'll see, there have been a couple of increases. That's because, as I've said before, I'm not only trying to lose fat, but also build up my upper body.
My diet has been really easy to maintain. During the first week, although I was eating a healthy three square meals a day, my stomach felt like it was turning inside out and I went to bed hungry every night, such was the shock of no longer stuffing my face all day long. However, that's now settled down, my stomach has contacted and my desire to eat has reduced, so now I'm finding it easy to eat sensibly, without craving lard sandwiches.
In terms of my state of mind, the sharp increase of activity, coupled with the good diet have resulted in a vast increase in the endorphines being released into my body, which, in turn, has resulted in my being in an almost constant good mood, with increased energy levels. All that remains now is for me to find a stable income and I'll be well on my way to happiness.
I'm ready for you, week three. There's no stopping me.
Now, on to more pressing matters, my weigh in an measurements. Here's the damage:
Start - 12/08/2011 End of week 2 - 28/08/2011
Weight - 168 kg Weight - 162.5 kg
Chest - 53 ins Chest - 53 ins
Waist - 57 ins Waist - 55.5 ins
Upper Arm left - 18 ins Upper Arm left - 18.5 ins
Forearm left - 14 ins Forearm left - 14 ins
Upper Arm right - 17 ins Upper Arm right - 17.5 ins
Forearm left - 13.5 ins Forearm right - 14 ins
Thigh left - 34 ins Thight left - 33 ins
Calf left - 21 ins Calf left - 21.5 ins
Thigh right - 34 ins Thigh right - 32 ins
Calf right - 22 ins Calf right - 22.5 ins
I'm fairly pleased with the results so far. As you'll see, there have been a couple of increases. That's because, as I've said before, I'm not only trying to lose fat, but also build up my upper body.
My diet has been really easy to maintain. During the first week, although I was eating a healthy three square meals a day, my stomach felt like it was turning inside out and I went to bed hungry every night, such was the shock of no longer stuffing my face all day long. However, that's now settled down, my stomach has contacted and my desire to eat has reduced, so now I'm finding it easy to eat sensibly, without craving lard sandwiches.
In terms of my state of mind, the sharp increase of activity, coupled with the good diet have resulted in a vast increase in the endorphines being released into my body, which, in turn, has resulted in my being in an almost constant good mood, with increased energy levels. All that remains now is for me to find a stable income and I'll be well on my way to happiness.
I'm ready for you, week three. There's no stopping me.
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