Week 5 - My Journey So Far

In the words of Jesse from The Fast Show "this week I have mainly been eating clean foods". Not exclusively I might add but the majority of my food has been apart from my Saturday night treat night. I've copied the following from another blog (thank you Gems and hope you don't mind) to explain a bit more.

So what are ‘clean’ foods? Well we’re talking our 3 food groups - carbs, proteins & fats. Good carbs are (mainly) sweet potato, wholegrain rice, quinoa (which is also a source of protein but is mainly carb). Good fats are nuts (not salted, roasted or anything else just plain nuts!), olive oil (not cooked/heated), coconut oil, seeds especially flaxseed, fish oils. Sources of protein should be lean – chicken, turkey, tuna (if canned only in spring water not oil or brine), mackerel, white fish, lean beef (yes including steak), salmon, eggs.

This is all the stuff Morna Jardine, my nutritionist has talked to me about. We had another Skype call today and the next step is to cleanse my system some more. This means adding probiotics to repair damage done by antibiotics and milk thistle to improve and repair my liver. And I know that my liver has taken a bashing over the years 😉. I am as always indebted to Morna for her help. A clear indication of the progress I've made so far is that my fasting glucose blood test came back as all okay. Last year I had to have 3 tests over a period of time to see a reduction as it kept coming back too high. Also my cholesterol is at 4.6 which is the lowest I've ever recorded.

People ask me do I not get hungry. I would argue it's the opposite as I actually feel full when eating. I eat breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack and dinner. The idea is "little and often" to keep my blood sugar levels from spiking which can cause cravings and put weight around my middle.

Take a look at the website for Morna - there's loads of great advice and a few recipes on there too.

www.vital-nutrition.co.uk






My training this week has been a bit mixed. On Monday I had that dreaded feeling of not wanting to go. I can't explain why. I just couldn't get in the right frame of mind. Now in the past I would phone up to say I wasn't able to make the session but this is the promise I've made myself.

"I will not quit without a damn good reason".

So I went. And I struggled. But Lee pushed me and wouldn't let me quit and I got through it. Afterwards I didn't have that usual sense of achievement as I felt I'd wimped out a bit. So I went back today and gave it everything. I had a very tough but rewarding session. There was interval training on the treadmill but this time with 1 minute of fast sprints followed by 1 minute of brisk walking. Lee tells me my running technique is improving - in fact most of my techniques are getting better - and this is crucial to me being able to even contemplate doing the RockSolidRace. After the treadmill I did a conventional circuit of goblin squats (with heavier dumbbell than previously), shoulder presses and then more squats with explosive lift of a medicine ball. I did 4 circuits of this followed by a Tabata session of 20 seconds of lunges followed by 10 seconds of rest. I did 8 sets of this and I was totally destroyed by the end. I find it really important not to sit down in between sets as I know I would never get up again. Lol. All I could relate to in how exhausted I felt was the pictures of Steve Redgrave after his last Gold medal performance. Now I know he is an Olympian and had just rowed at Gold medal winning pace but put in perspective for where I am now and where I was 6 weeks ago I'm doing much more and doing it much better

One thing that struck me whilst in the gym today was how relaxed some people on other treadmills seem to find it. But then I thought what if I was to give them a rucksack with 50 one pound bags of sugar in it and ask them to wear it whilst running. That would give them an idea of how much harder it is for me to run carrying all my extra weight. But good news folks. The weight is coming off and the running will get easier.

And on that note its worth taking stock of where I am so far.

1. I'm still fat
2. I'm still struggling with basic training
3. I still couldn't take part in www.rocksolidrace.com if it was any time soon.

But........and it's a big BUT!!!

I'm not as fat as I was.
I'm fitter now than I've been in a long, long time
The race isn't for another 20 weeks.

It's important for me to acknowledge all of the above. It stops me thinking the job is done just because I can fit into shirts I haven't worn for a long time and I get praise and compliments from friends and colleagues. So it keeps me focused and motivated to keep going until the job is done. And I WILL!!





Finally I'm shocked to find I'm beginning to like soaking in the bath. How did that happen? I think it's the cold weather making me not want to get out in much the same way as I don't want to throw the duvet off in the morning.

Hope you enjoy the blog

An ever decreasing Dave


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Yew Tree Close,Exeter,United Kingdom

Week 4 - Tabata, Tests and Other Blogs

This week I've been introduced to the training concept known as Tabata. For those that don't know what this is here is a definition:
Any exercise can be incorporated into the Tabata training. However the basic outline of the Tabata training methods are as follows:
• 4 minutes long (whole Tabata Session)
• 20 seconds of intense training
• 10 seconds of rest
• Total of 8 sessions or rounds
Now mine wasn't so structured as above but I did 2 exercises for 20 seconds each followed by 20 seconds rest and I did 6 rounds. But 6 minutes of that was enough to have me holding the wall for support such was my exhaustion.
On Monday the 2 exercises were squats with a medicine ball thrusting it up above my shoulders as I powered up then this was immediately followed by shoulder presses. On the first set of shoulder presses I thought Lee had given me too light a weight as they were quite easy. But by the third set I was wishing for a lighter weight. The 6th set were an absolute killer. In addition to this I did interval training on the bike and treadmill. The bike was at the end of the session and involved me keeping the speed over 70 rpm for 2 minutes followed by full beans over 100 rpm for a minute. This was on Level 12 but for the 6th sprint Lee put the level up every 10 seconds so at the end I was cycling on empty at 110 rpm on Level 18. Now I know people go to Spinning classes and probably do a lot more than that but where I'm at right now that is a tough ask. I was totally spent!!
Today was a similar routine but with squats followed by press-ups. Equally sapping. But the treadmill stuff was hard too as it was 6 sets of 30 seconds brisk walking followed by 30 seconds sprinting. Then onto the rower to row 100 metres in under 23 seconds followed by 50 seconds rest. I did 7 sets of this and almost fell off the seat at the end.
But what I'm finding now is that I don't dread the sessions quite as much. Certainly I know they are going to hurt - a lot - but I also know I will give it my all and keep going. And afterwards I can relax knowing I've achieved something. I am adding in at least one more training session a week on my own so went to the gym on Sunday too. I want to build up my cardio and endurance so did an hour on a cross trainer. This is nothing like my training with Lee but I impressed myself all the same as previously I could only manage 30 minutes and that was on a lower level. Once again I couldn't do this without the help of Lee and Exeter University Sports Faculty.
http://sport.exeter.ac.uk/aboutus/

Something I've noticed whilst training is the concept of relativity of time.
"Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour," Einstein said. "Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity."
Well I'd rather put my hand on a hot stove for 30 seconds than be told "come on David, last 30 seconds. Don't stop now. Keep it going." It's amazing time isn't it? I work to a 20 minute appointment time. I have a clock on the wall. I'll be nearing the end of my consultation and a glance will tell me I have 5 minutes until my next appointment. The next thing I know, in what seems like seconds later, I've overran by a couple of minutes. Time in this situation runs away so quickly. But get on a treadmill, bike or rower and see how long 10 seconds lasts!!! I swear the timers on gym equipment run slower than real time.
As part of my challenge I want to see what health benefits I get from the nutritional changes to my diet and from exercise. With this in mind I saw the practice nurse this morning for blood pressure and blood tests. My BP is 130 over 73 which is the best reading I've had in a long time. According to British Heart Foundation guidelines for a man my age it should be 133 over 76 so I'm happy with that. I will get diabetes, cholesterol, kidney and thyroid results in a few days so will post next time.
I've found that through posting this on Twitter I'm getting a lot of follows from like-minded people on their own journey to lose weight. It's great to have a network of other people and to be able to follow their ups and downs through their blogs. Some are training for competitions so talk a lot about "clean food" and "not cheating". I'm dedicated to my goal but need to have occasional cheats otherwise I won't last the course. But I'm sat here tonight writing this thinking I could just eat some chocolate but, fortunately, I didn't buy any when I went shopping because if I did I would be sat here eating it now so its best not to have it in the house full stop. Saturday night is treat and cheat night. I allow myself some 70% dark chocolate which is a good compromise from the old routine of large pizza and 2 bottles of red wine!!!
Finally I've been able to wear some shirts for work that, lets just say a couple of months ago would have been testing the buttons. I've lost count this week of how many colleagues have come up to me to say that they can see that I have lost weight. It's difficult to describe how good that feels to know that your efforts are paying off. It helps to keep the motivation strong and reminds me why I want to do this. And I'm so very grateful to the many people who are now following my journey through this blog.
Remember the date people. Saturday March 16 2013.
www.rocksolidrace.com

I pinched this photo from a RockSolidRace tweet but sums it up pretty well.
Regards
A hopefully ever-decreasing Dave
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Yew Tree Close,Exeter,United Kingdom

Week 3. The first results are in!!

Headline news. I've lost 9 pounds since 17th September!! And I'm happy with that. Especially when I take into account I've had 2 massive weekends in that time. Plus some of my colleagues who haven't seen me in a couple of weeks have mentioned I look like I'm losing weight. This is all the encouragement I need to keep going. That and the positive feedback I get from people reading my blogs. If you are one of those people I thank you.

Since my last blog I've had 4 more training sessions. All extremely tough. In fact as I left the gym on Monday I was reminded of my childhood when my parents would use folding tables when guests were visiting. I remember them always saying not to put any weight on them as the legs weren't very strong. I knew how those poor tables must have felt because as I walked, each step I took made my legs wobble and it felt like the next step was going to be the one where my leg buckled beneath me and I went tumbling to the ground.

There has been a slow realisation on my part that the more I do it's not going to get any easier - more that the workouts will become harder. I look around me at the gym and see the different types of gym-goer. There's the "keeping up appearances" type who goes because it feels good to say they have been to the gym. They don't particularly work hard - 20 minutes on a cross trainer on a low level followed by a jog on the treadmill, that type of thing - but it eases their conscience to be able to include "going to the gym" on their list of hobbies/sports. I very much fell into this category prior to my PT sessions. Then there is the dedicated "gym regular" who knows all the equipment and which muscle groups they work. These are the people who scare me as they look supremely fit yet grimace every bit as much as I do because they constantly push themselves.




Lee has added weight into my squats and lunges now and I hate to admit it but I've found it a struggle. I've wanted to quit part way through a few times but Lee has pushed me to work through it and I'm glad he did. Afterwards it leaves me with a feeling of accomplishment rather than regret for stopping. You have to have a huge amount of trust in your trainer. There were times today where I was gulping for air and my heart felt it was going to burst through my chest but I know Lee would have stopped me if he sensed I was in trouble. And I did get through it.

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

When Ash (organiser of RockSolidRace) first showed me the video they shot for the website I watched it more to give an opinion on how it looked rather than what it involved. Yesterday I showed 2 colleagues the video on my iPad and as I watched it I thought "what the hell have I agreed to?" I'm out of breath after 15 minutes in the gym without running 10k through mud and water and climbing over walls and carrying logs. But Lee tells me there's plenty of time between now and March to get me ready. If you haven't watched the video here's the link

http://www.rocksolidrace.com/media/videos

I've also been embracing the nutrition plan Morna Jardine has given me. I'm possibly eating more some days than I would in the past but its more of the right types of food and that's obviously the important bit. If I've taken one thing onboard from Morna it's to put my knife and fork down between mouthfuls and chew my food. As she pointed out to me "stomachs don't have teeth." Well not unless you are in the film Alien!! I have a Skype call scheduled for 2 weeks time with Morna and prior to that I will have my measurements taken again to assess any loss of inches from my chest and waist.

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

I'm totally motivated and committed to this as a long term goal. Too often in the past I've set short term objectives and given up before getting to where I so want to be. That is fit and healthy, with more energy and get-up-and-go.
To this end I want the RockSolidRace to be the start of new activities for me. I'm getting a mountain bike in the next couple of weeks and next summer I'd quite like to give surfing a go. I live in easy reach of Bude and Newquay but have always been put off by the thought of wearing a wetsuit and looking like the Michelin Man.




Finally the baths are still a major feature so for anybody thinking of Christmas ideas for me a bottle of Matey and a Soap-on-a-Rope will do nicely ta.

Best regards

A hopefully ever decreasing Dave

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Yew Tree Close,Exeter,United Kingdom

Week 2. PT, Diet/Nutrition and Baths!!!

Well I was fortunate enough to be off work last week and booked my PT sessions to go during the day. My first session was on Wednesday at 11.30. Now the week before I was in a relatively deserted gym as only Freshers were on campus and most of them were too busy partying. But last week I arrived to find the gym full of 18-21 year old fit, athletic girls. Oh and some boys were there too. It felt like I'd turned up at a Club 18-30s resort with my grown up children. Not that I have children. I warmed up on one of ten cross trainers - the others being used by 9 ponytailed young ladies all "glowing" whereas I was most definitely sweating. Lol. There's a saying that "if you don't know what you are doing, at least look the part". Sadly, in a gym, I have neither the knowledge nor the look. Not yet anyway!!

Lee had 2 circuit sessions lined up for me. Boy did they hurt. Again it was high intensity with a full circuit followed by a minutes rest then repeated twice more before moving onto the second set. The last bit of each circuit was a one minute sprint on the treadmill. Well I've always hated running but now I REALLY hate running. As usual I was utterly shattered by the end. Also I was no longer aware of the much younger people working out around me anymore as all my sinuses seemed to have exploded inside my head causing my ears to feel like I was underwater, my peripheral vision to feel distorted and my brain to only be able to concentrate on what Lee was telling me.

I heard a description of seasickness today which sums up my feelings during these training sessions. First you think you are going to die. Then you hope you are going to die. Then unfortunately you realise you are not going to die. And I've had PT training AND seasickness in the last week.
Fortunately Lee has been nothing but brilliant in encouraging me and this has made me want to give everything. I always finish with a warm down and stretches and by the time I leave my heart rate has reduced and my breathing is back to normal. Once again I want to thank Exeter University Sports Faculty for making it possible for me to do this training.


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


Which brings me onto baths. I've never had so many of them!! 2-3 a week. I've lived in this house for nearly 3 years and probably had 3 baths in that time. I'm a shower person through and through. So I've forgotten the art of a good bath. There's a certain skill to getting the right temperature. Enough Radox but not too much that the bubbles overflow. The time it takes for your bath to be ready. And then there is the problem of testing the water. A toe in the water seems to be standard practice. But I've discovered the skin on my toes is somewhat thicker than, shall I say, more delicate parts of me. So my rule of thumb now is if my toe can tolerate the heat keep adding cold. Far less painful to warm up a bath than do that frantic, splashing, clambering movement to raise yourself back out before a potential injury to the Crown Jewels.
Then there is the problem of what to do once you are in. In a shower you wash, rinse and get out. Bath etiquette suggests you should lie there for an indeterminate time - until the water gets cold? Who really knows? But I'm not into that. I get settled and then start thinking how soon is too soon to get out again. But all joking aside they seem to be helping as I've not suffered DOMS too badly yet.


Friday was my second session at 9am. This seems to be a popular time for all the student lads to go for a workout. I did a similar session to Wednesday and felt slightly more self conscious lifting my puny weights compared to the ones they were going for. As I walked past them I gave a little kiss of my barely existent guns. (Not really. Lol. But in my head I scored a silent victory).




Friday lunchtime I had a Skype call with Morna Jardine who is doing my nutritional programme. She can be found at


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


Now I don't think Morna had realised how much I talk as the hour she had set aside for this turned into 90 minutes but there was a lot to cover. I've had nutritional advice before and essentially know what's good and bad for me but reading magazines and talking to lots of different people there are such conflicting opinions about methods, latest thinking etc. I've agreed that I will only take advice from Morna for the duration of this programme and feel this is important to achieve what she and I are aiming for.


So it's onwards and upwards going forward still highly motivated towards another week of training, eating little and often, working and sleeping. I will be at that start line for www.rocksolidrace.com on March 16th next year.


Finally I had a great weekend with friends at a beautiful big house by the sea in Hope Cove in Devon. Fantastic sunsets, a firework display on nearby Burgh Island watched from our balcony, a fun afternoon picnic on the beach and a roast beef dinner before returning home again on Sunday.




But that is it now. 2 big weekends that were already in the diary before I decided to embark on this quest. But from now until Christmas total dedication to the cause.


Best regards
A hopefully ever decreasing Dave.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Yew Tree Close,Exeter,United Kingdom