The Beginning

Today is the day! Again! The day I decide to change my life. Again!!!!

2 weeks ago I was 46. And that means for more than 20 years I have been obese. Obese. What a horrible word that is. Although in truth fat doesn’t sound that much better. But as adjectives they describe me well.

There are 4 simple truths to why I am fat.

1. I’m lazy.
2. I love food.
3. I’m greedy.
4. I lack willpower.

I’m lazy because I can’t be bothered to go to the expensive gym I’m a member of. Yet when I do go I enjoy the buzz I get post-workout. For me there is always something else I can find to do rather than go training.

I don’t just love food, I sadly love all the wrong food. I love takeaways, chocolate, crisps and alcohol. And lots of it.

If I buy a large bag of crisps I will eat them. I’ll often eat two! Plus 2 or more chocolate bars. Portion control is a big problem for me as well. I do eat healthy food but way too much. For example I will have 2 large grilled chicken breasts rather than one. So calorie intake is still high even if the fat and carb numbers are low. But basically I binge eat. Now I don’t think if it’s because there is some psychological reason or I eat because I’m unhappy. I think I just like food.

I go through phases of being healthy and doing regular exercise but I quit too easily. On the last 2 occasions I’ve tried losing weight I’ve done reasonably well and lost a good 2-3 stone, but my efforts have been derailed by, firstly a relocation from Southampton to Exeter, which stopped me having time to go to the gym and had me living on junk food, and, secondly, at the start of this year a rather nasty chest infection that had me so breathless I had to use an inhaler. But both times these should have been seen as setbacks but not insurmountable ones.

So why am I telling you this in a blog? Well to be honest it doesn’t sit comfortably with me admitting my shortcomings but at the same time it’s good catharsis.

I’m guessing that many reading this will identify with some of what I say and have their own struggles with weight. Others who have never been overweight and who are fit and active won’t empathise with my plight. Ricky Gervais, who has recently lost weight at the age of 50, regularly criticises obesity and states that it’s a choice. Very few people are obese as a result of a medical condition. I’m certainly not as pictures of me as a teenager will testify.

Even as a younger person though I had battles with my weight. Not to the extent I do now but I remember a bet with work colleagues a month before my 21st birthday that I would lose a stone to be 11 stone by my birthday. I actually lost 12 pounds so 25 years ago I was 11 stone 2 pounds. Since then I’ve fluctuated between 14 stone and over 17 stone whilst my waist has gone from 32” to between 38 and 40”.

So what am I doing about it and why is this time any different to all the ones before? Well for starters I’m getting older and I’m at more risk of things such as diabetes, stroke and heart disease. Last year my fasting glucose blood test gave a slightly high reading which I brought back down with diet/exercise. Also I don’t like myself very much when I see myself in photos. I certainly don’t like the photo I’ve posted with this blog!! I find myself not wanting to go out and socialise because I don’t like the clothes I have to wear or because I feel fat and it seems wrong to be out drinking calorific alcohol. I’m always thinking that by the time the next big social event comes along in a couple of months I’ll have lost loads of weight and be able to go and enjoy it but then not lose the weight and dread going as always. Being overweight means I feel guilty every time I eat something naughty. It feels like I’ve been just starting, in the middle of or just quitting a diet whenever I see somebody I haven’t seen in a while.

So it’s time to put up or shut up. A friend of mine is organising a 10k obstacle race in Exeter in March 2013. You can find details here.

www.rocksolidrace.com

I have agreed to take part and to write a blog on my training. Through a link-up with Exeter University Sport’s Faculty I’m going to have personal training sessions and fitness assessments. I’ve met my Personal Trainer Lee Kirk and my first session is tomorrow. Many thanks to Martin Hewlett at the Sports Faculty for arranging this and to Lee, who I’m sure I’m going to love to hate once he starts with those two words I hate. Lunges and Squats. Lol.

http://sport.exeter.ac.uk/aboutus/

Additionally I’m going to receive diet/nutritional advice and again I’d like to thank Morna Jardine (sister of Ash, who is organising the race) who has had her arm twisted most of the way up her back to help me with this.

http://vital-nutrition.co.uk/about-us/

My blog will be shared via my Facebook and Twitter accounts as well as on the official race website.

My hope is that by making this so public I will be spurred to stick to the plan and get to that start line in 6 months time. I aim to update the blog weekly and intend to provide moments of success, failure and humour along the way.

Finally at some point between now and the race I will create a Just Giving page for Help for Heroes as this is the chosen charity for the race organisers.

Some starting statistics:

Height 166cm, Weight 103.9kilos or 16st 5lbs,

Regards


Dave


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Location:Yew Tree Close,Exeter,United Kingdom