Diet is the biggest challenge i will have in my revolution. It is the biggest obstacle for me to overcome. this is how i plan to do it. I have spoke about the fasting diet where i don't eat for 24 hours at a time, twice a week. Today i have just finished my first fast of the week. I cant say it is easy, easy would be to fill my face when i am hungry, but the point is it suits me. This is how my mind works. I start a diet on Monday, up to Wednesday might be going great, then Thursday my planned schedule gets disrupted, say I have to work late or nip out to see my mum. What then happens is I eat crap instead of a balanced meal. Thursday comes and in the back of my head I know Wednesday wasn't a great day for the diet so I am not so strict with what I eat. By Thursday the diet is finished BUT with the promise to start again on Monday. This then gives me Friday, Saturday and Sunday to fill my face knowing I will start a new diet again on Monday!! With the fasting diet I have more control, as I wont beat myself up when i have a bad day.
I am using Lance Armstrongs livestrong web site's calorie tracker to record everything I eat. I settled on this because it had all the UK foods in its database where as the other one I used didn't and I had to settle for a US equivalent or input all the nutritional information myself. Another advantage is i can usee the App on my iTouch which gives me more flexibility.
This tracker also has let me set my weight loss goal. I have entered my starting weight and also my desired weight. Working on the basis that I want to get to my desired weight for my birthday, 7th October, I must lose 2lb a week. To do this I must only consume 1602 calories per day. this works out at 11,214 calories per 7 day week. With the fasting diet I will only be eating for 5 days giving me an allowance of 2242 calories a day. Now this is closer to the recommended allowance of 2500 a day for a man of my size, and should be easily attainable. It also doesn't include calories burned during exercise. The one thing at the back of my mind is the doubt that 24 hour fasting does affect the metabolism and the fasting isn't having the desired affect, but for now it has been too short a period to establish if this is correct.
Off now to enjoy my supper, nothing like a fast to build an appetite!!
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
A new beginning
a current theme in my life is of the fresh start. You know what I mean. Start a diet, it lasts a few days and then you blow it, but promise yourself to start again next week. That has been my way of thinking for years, and where has it got me? Nowhere. So now i look at things in a different perspective. I now have all the tools at my disposal to change my life. I have the diet plan, i have the exercise plan, i have the finance plan. None are at an advanced stage but are adequate to get me started.
The diet is still on going, but I am learning quickly where I go wrong. So to compensate for this I am keeping a food diary. Everything goes into it, and over time a pattern will emerge. I came to the conclusion that I have a problem with food. Sometimes I binge eat, sometimes i don't, but i certainly lack control. I have a sweet tooth, i have a savoury tooth. So to overcome this I am fasting twice a week. later this week i will put down all the stats to show where i am, where i intend to get to, and how i will get there.
the fitness aspect is going well, the kettlebells are good, but the one thing is i feel i could be doing much more. But I wont beat myself up about it just now.
I feel I am going in the right direction, and if nothing else that is a positive. Now to get the fat off!!
The diet is still on going, but I am learning quickly where I go wrong. So to compensate for this I am keeping a food diary. Everything goes into it, and over time a pattern will emerge. I came to the conclusion that I have a problem with food. Sometimes I binge eat, sometimes i don't, but i certainly lack control. I have a sweet tooth, i have a savoury tooth. So to overcome this I am fasting twice a week. later this week i will put down all the stats to show where i am, where i intend to get to, and how i will get there.
the fitness aspect is going well, the kettlebells are good, but the one thing is i feel i could be doing much more. But I wont beat myself up about it just now.
I feel I am going in the right direction, and if nothing else that is a positive. Now to get the fat off!!
Friday, 15 May 2009
losing my focus
this week has been all over the place. Late nights at work, not enough time spent on the things i want to. My life has had no structure to it and I have suffered for it.I have still managed two kettlebell sessions which is good, but apart from I haven't felt any inner happiness.
Yesterday I received Richard Bandlers new book Get the Life you want an easy book to read split into small segments, i will let you know how i get on with it. It comes with a CD that i downloaded onto my ipod last night, but listening to it this morning, i don't know how beneficial it will be. You have to get past the dramatic talking and loud background music and it is quite unsettling.
The food diary was a bit of a damp squid. The idea is great and I will stick with it, but i chose the wrong site, as it is all US based and not suitable. I will learn from that, not to jump in so quick, but to take my time and to research more. I do have a tendency to miss essential details in other aspects of life, and I need to address that.
Mum is still doing fine, I am visiting her tonight. I haven't seen her for a few days so it will be good to meet up. I also got rid of her old greenhouse through freecycle and there's plenty more where that came from !!
Yesterday I received Richard Bandlers new book Get the Life you want an easy book to read split into small segments, i will let you know how i get on with it. It comes with a CD that i downloaded onto my ipod last night, but listening to it this morning, i don't know how beneficial it will be. You have to get past the dramatic talking and loud background music and it is quite unsettling.
The food diary was a bit of a damp squid. The idea is great and I will stick with it, but i chose the wrong site, as it is all US based and not suitable. I will learn from that, not to jump in so quick, but to take my time and to research more. I do have a tendency to miss essential details in other aspects of life, and I need to address that.
Mum is still doing fine, I am visiting her tonight. I haven't seen her for a few days so it will be good to meet up. I also got rid of her old greenhouse through freecycle and there's plenty more where that came from !!
Monday, 11 May 2009
The last week hasn't went so well. I don't know what it was but I felt a bit low. This seemed to have an impact on everything. The diet wasn't great. I fasted twice as planned, but the other days I didn't control my intake. To redeem this I am going to track all the food i eat and analyse it on fitday to make sure i do this properly.
the exercising was also less than i hoped, only two days kettlebell training instead of three. This was partly down to planning to work them on Friday then being stuck here until 8.30pm. But no excuse I done less than i planned so to compensate I will do more this week, starting tonight.
Today me and Dave have a meeting with the Doctor, Psychiatrist and Occupational Therapist to decide the future plans for my mum. Hopefully there will be a positive outcome!!
the exercising was also less than i hoped, only two days kettlebell training instead of three. This was partly down to planning to work them on Friday then being stuck here until 8.30pm. But no excuse I done less than i planned so to compensate I will do more this week, starting tonight.
Today me and Dave have a meeting with the Doctor, Psychiatrist and Occupational Therapist to decide the future plans for my mum. Hopefully there will be a positive outcome!!
Monday, 4 May 2009
Another week
Disappointingly I haven't lost any weight this week. This could be that the fasting diet doesn't work. It could be that I have increased my muscle mass at the same rate as I have lost fat. I don't know, but I wont get too disheartened about it just yet. I will give the diet another few weeks to see where I am with it. I hope it works as it does suit me but we will see.
I listened to Richard Bandler on Simon Mayo's show courtisy of BBC iPlayer. Very interesting stuff. I have let the NLP side of things slip over the last few weeks and maybe its time i rediscovered it.
I listened to Richard Bandler on Simon Mayo's show courtisy of BBC iPlayer. Very interesting stuff. I have let the NLP side of things slip over the last few weeks and maybe its time i rediscovered it.
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Last night was a bit of a low. I visited mum in hospital and took her home to pick up some needles for injecting her insulin. She still seemed very confused, but not that bothered about it. I have to accept this will be a long journey. When I heard the occupational therapist planned to take her home for some exercises, making a cup of tea, heating up some food, that type of thing, i thought she might be on the mend sooner than hoped. Saturday made me realise that isn't the case. She is still a long way from getting home if ever. But she seems happy, and for that I am thankful. The depression doesn't seem to be around and she is off the anti-depressants.
Today i worked the kettlebells again today in the garden between rain showers. I have read about HIIT and mentioned it here before. Interval training is good for fat loss, something I am keen on. This can be worked with running, swimming, cycling, or possibly kettlebells. You start with 30 seconds of high intensity training, followed by 90 seconds of resting, not standing still but a reduced rate of exercise, say walking. This would last 20 minutes. Each week would see an increase in training and a reduction in resting until it was an even 50/50 split. This form of exercise works the metabolism harder than a similar exercise at a constant rate, say jogging. I now plan to try and work this in to my busy schedule. Today I tried it with the kettlebells and felt good afterwards, though red faced and out of breath as usual.
The diet has been good this a week and tomorrow i will weigh myself to see how well it has really went.
Tomorrow not only is it May Day but also Star Wars day, May the 4th be with you!!!!!
Today i worked the kettlebells again today in the garden between rain showers. I have read about HIIT and mentioned it here before. Interval training is good for fat loss, something I am keen on. This can be worked with running, swimming, cycling, or possibly kettlebells. You start with 30 seconds of high intensity training, followed by 90 seconds of resting, not standing still but a reduced rate of exercise, say walking. This would last 20 minutes. Each week would see an increase in training and a reduction in resting until it was an even 50/50 split. This form of exercise works the metabolism harder than a similar exercise at a constant rate, say jogging. I now plan to try and work this in to my busy schedule. Today I tried it with the kettlebells and felt good afterwards, though red faced and out of breath as usual.
The diet has been good this a week and tomorrow i will weigh myself to see how well it has really went.
Tomorrow not only is it May Day but also Star Wars day, May the 4th be with you!!!!!
Saturday, 2 May 2009
just back from pittodrie where Aberdeen lost to Celtic. Should have been more than 1-0 up at half time but went in level and huffed and puffed second half. Defensive mistakes cost us again.
Mum's doing good, she's been home for a visit. She has been working with the occupational therapist and is progressing well. I am feeling more optimistic about her future. Have sorted out her finances for her, now to concentrate more on my own, but more of that next week.
Done my second fast of the week from Friday lunchtime through to saturday and found this one harder this time. I think i will revert back to a supper to supper 24 hour fast. But that is another two done for this week. Haven't weighed myself yet but my trousers fit more comfortable on me which is a good sign. I have also done three kettlebell sessions this week. Last night I didn't get finished work until 7.30pm but forced myself not to miss a session. Found the Turkish get ups quite hard, and don't think i done them justice but will persevere until i crack it. The swings are feeling good and i think i have the technique right.
Mum's doing good, she's been home for a visit. She has been working with the occupational therapist and is progressing well. I am feeling more optimistic about her future. Have sorted out her finances for her, now to concentrate more on my own, but more of that next week.
Done my second fast of the week from Friday lunchtime through to saturday and found this one harder this time. I think i will revert back to a supper to supper 24 hour fast. But that is another two done for this week. Haven't weighed myself yet but my trousers fit more comfortable on me which is a good sign. I have also done three kettlebell sessions this week. Last night I didn't get finished work until 7.30pm but forced myself not to miss a session. Found the Turkish get ups quite hard, and don't think i done them justice but will persevere until i crack it. The swings are feeling good and i think i have the technique right.
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