Week 7/8. The Good News Just Keeps Coming

I had some great news last week. After possibly my toughest training session so far I was really struggling with my recovery. Usually whilst warming down on the bike and then doing my stretches I have a chat with Lee about my progress but this time I was fairly quiet as my body and heart desperately tried to catch up with the fact that the hard work was over. After ten minutes or so I was beginning to feel better and asked Lee if I could be weighed. We went into the assessment room and I was thrilled to discover I'd lost a further 11lbs in the last 4 weeks. Since beginning with Lee my total weight loss is 11kilos or 24lbs!!! With what I'd already lost from watching what I ate which started a few weeks before then that's a total loss of just over 2 stone. And I'm really chuffed with that. But I'm not finished yet. My long term goal is being able to do the full 10k and not the 5k version of www.rocksolidrace next March. With just under 18 weeks to go its within my capabilities.

I've just watched a BBC1 Inside Out regional programme about a 51 year old presenter who is overweight and diabetic. He had tests, nutritional advice and met up with a PT instructor. His initial concerns was being old and fat in a gym full of fit young people. But, as I've found, nobody pays you that much attention and you are too busy concentrating on the task in hand to worry about what others think. Or so I thought. Tonight a girl who regularly trains when I'm there came up to me to tell me how she's noticed how hard I train and that she's reading my blog. Wow. That was such a good compliment. At such a great moment too as I'd just finished my 3rd circuit and was totally knackered. So if that was you and you are reading this thank you so much.

On the subject of training I've noticed 2 things. Firstly the running is starting to get slightly, and I do mean slightly, easier as I shed pounds. However on the flip side of that the circuit stuff is getting harder because as my technique improves Lee is giving me more weight for the squats, lunges and shoulder presses. But again I am beginning to see the effects. My press ups are so much more controlled and generally, everything is better even if I'm still destroyed immediately after and for the next couple of days.

Unfortunately one problem I've encountered recently is slightly sore knees. Once I've warmed up it does ease off so I'm booked in tomorrow with Martin Hewlett for a sports massage and to assess if there's anything else going on. I can't praise the help and support I'm getting from Exeter University sports faculty enough. Anybody living in Exeter looking for a good gym check them out

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

Well Movember is over a third of the way through and my 'paintbrush' is taking shape. I keep forgetting I've got it until my patients pass comment. It is such a worthwhile charity so if anybody does want to make a contribution here are my donation page details

http://mobro.co/davidsmithwick





I got to see Skyfall last week and its fair to say Daniel Craig does sartorial elegance very well. Tailored fitted suits and overcoats look amazing on him. In a non-gay way obviously. Lol. And it got me thinking that setting goals are important for weight loss so why not aspire to get to an endpoint where I could look that good in a suit. Then I remembered even when I was much slimmer I NEVER looked THAT GOOD. Lol. So I'll stick to my original goal for now.







Finally, my blog views for last week was sitting at about 50 when it was shared on the RockSolidRace Facebook page. Since then it has shot up to 120 and I've had some fantastic feedback, follows and friend requests so if you are one of the folks sharing my journey a massive thanks to you all.

Best regards

An ever decreasing Dave.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Yew Tree Close,Exeter,United Kingdom