Started to notice some real changes in my body and the way it looks.
It started with a few comments as to how slim and youthful my face is looking. Since then I've noticed some real changes in my physique. Things pulling in a bit around the waist and just a bit more definition everywhere. There are new muscles springing up all over my thighs.
Incidentally, but not unconnected, I switched early on to doing pressups with knees on the floor. I felt I was getting a better result this way - I was able to go wider with the arms and get closer to the ground than with my knees up. It generally felt like a better burn. With the news that in week four we're now to go for full pressups I tried one tentatively last night and found that whereas before I would go half way down (for fear of not making it back up) I can now touch the floor with my nose. Progress indeed.
Tuesday, 31 July 2012
Monday, 30 July 2012
FIYL Food
I'm sure my wife will blog about this elsewhere but I just wanted to say (to any parents out there aspiring to this system) that the fact that we're cooking natural foods with no salts, sauces, fats etc means that our little boy can eat exactly what we're eating. Basically we've gone from cooking one meal for ourselves and one for him to just cooking one meal.
Incidentally, isn't it odd that before we would happily eat food ourselves that we wouldn't feed to our child? Why would we care so much for his diet and not for our own? Why would we deliberately prevent him from eating food that we are happy to ingest? I would plead ignorance had we not already had the boy on a healthy diet...
Incidentally, isn't it odd that before we would happily eat food ourselves that we wouldn't feed to our child? Why would we care so much for his diet and not for our own? Why would we deliberately prevent him from eating food that we are happy to ingest? I would plead ignorance had we not already had the boy on a healthy diet...
Friday, 27 July 2012
Booze
The week before this program started, my wife and I put away three bottles of wine. The week before it would have been about the same and the week before. And the week before. And the week before.
I honestly thought that I would miss the booze the most. There was nothing like coming home after a hard day, getting the boy to bed and cracking a nice bottle of vino. Or a G&T.
But, it turns out, I don't actually miss it at all. Sure, on a hot sunny day it would be nice to have a crisp cold beer but generally speaking I just don't notice.
What I really miss is a nice bit of peanut butter toast. Nah, not really.
I honestly thought that I would miss the booze the most. There was nothing like coming home after a hard day, getting the boy to bed and cracking a nice bottle of vino. Or a G&T.
But, it turns out, I don't actually miss it at all. Sure, on a hot sunny day it would be nice to have a crisp cold beer but generally speaking I just don't notice.
What I really miss is a nice bit of peanut butter toast. Nah, not really.
Another delicious meal
Created again by my wonderful wife. Grilled chicken, peppers, peas, celery, cucumber and brown rice. Nice sauce made from balsamic vinegar, garlic and mint.
Lovely.
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Lovely.
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Thursday, 26 July 2012
My workout ethos...
...if your hair's not completely fucked by the time you finish, you're not doing it properly.
That is all.
That is all.
Wednesday, 25 July 2012
Fat-Free-Fajitas
Fat free and damn tasty. Cumin, ginger, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and garlic on the chicken and on the veg (cooked separately for weighing purposes) sweetcorn through the brown rice and a single cheeky flour tortilla just for a treat.
Nicely.
Nicely.
Breakfast of Champions
Here's a wee photo of one of my week two breakfasts. In fact it must have been a weekend as I had time to take a photo!
Yummers.
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Why weight?
My post yesterday was all hung up on visual changes (and the fact that I can't really see any yet) so I did a little check on my weight thus far:
Starting weight - 17st 12lbs
Day 15 weight - 17st 4lbs
Good going!
Starting weight - 17st 12lbs
Day 15 weight - 17st 4lbs
Good going!
Monday, 23 July 2012
Slow progress...
Just posted my day 14 photo to flickr. Doesn't appear to be much in the way of change as far as I can see. Maybe I'm being too demanding, maybe things are supposed to take a bit longer to show but I thought I'd see some improvement for all my effort.
Sorry, pretty tired this morning. Maybe just in a bad mood!
Sorry, pretty tired this morning. Maybe just in a bad mood!
Problem solved.
While writing last nights diatribe on the unsuitability of vegetables as a morning meal, I constantly came back to one enduring thought: fruit is the perfect breakfast.
So what vegetables most closely resemble fruit? Orange peppers! And beetroot. And red peppers.
Things with a bit of juicy flavour to them. That's the future for me.
So what vegetables most closely resemble fruit? Orange peppers! And beetroot. And red peppers.
Things with a bit of juicy flavour to them. That's the future for me.
Sunday, 22 July 2012
The trouble with vegetables.
The trouble with vegetables is that they're crap for breakfast.
Now I know what you're going to say - grilled tomatoes and mushrooms are two parts of a full breakfast. Well I don't particularly like mushrooms and I can't eat tomatoes.
Years ago, for fun on a holiday, my mum offered me £50 to eat a tomato. It was a nice small cherry tomato. It's not like it was a buffalo bad-boy. Anyway, the deal was that I had to eat the whole thing, nothing left over.
I gave it my best shot. I popped that little tomato in my mouth and started chewing frantically. There must be something about the juice, however, because the moment it hit my tastebuds that was it. As I recall the game ended with me retching into the bin.
But I digress.
I'm struggling with the morning veg. I literally don't know what to do. I've taken advice from previous FIYLers and I've tried courgettes, aubergine, carrot, broccoli, peppers, the list is endless. The fact remains, it's just a case of forcing them down. At any other time of day I would love all of these vegetables but at breakfast, no thanks. Does anyone out there have any ideas? I just tried to roast some courgette and aubergine to add to a morning omelet tomorrow but they've turned into crisps. What started out as over 160g ended up as - I kid you not - 27g. To eat them would make a mockery of this whole system.
Maybe, for me, the veggies at breakfast will just have to be something that I force down. The only result there, however, will be that I will not carry this on when I no longer have to. This aspect will not be a lifestyle change for me and that's not really in keeping with my holistic approach to this system
Oh well, maybe I'll figure something out.
Now I know what you're going to say - grilled tomatoes and mushrooms are two parts of a full breakfast. Well I don't particularly like mushrooms and I can't eat tomatoes.
Years ago, for fun on a holiday, my mum offered me £50 to eat a tomato. It was a nice small cherry tomato. It's not like it was a buffalo bad-boy. Anyway, the deal was that I had to eat the whole thing, nothing left over.
I gave it my best shot. I popped that little tomato in my mouth and started chewing frantically. There must be something about the juice, however, because the moment it hit my tastebuds that was it. As I recall the game ended with me retching into the bin.
But I digress.
I'm struggling with the morning veg. I literally don't know what to do. I've taken advice from previous FIYLers and I've tried courgettes, aubergine, carrot, broccoli, peppers, the list is endless. The fact remains, it's just a case of forcing them down. At any other time of day I would love all of these vegetables but at breakfast, no thanks. Does anyone out there have any ideas? I just tried to roast some courgette and aubergine to add to a morning omelet tomorrow but they've turned into crisps. What started out as over 160g ended up as - I kid you not - 27g. To eat them would make a mockery of this whole system.
Maybe, for me, the veggies at breakfast will just have to be something that I force down. The only result there, however, will be that I will not carry this on when I no longer have to. This aspect will not be a lifestyle change for me and that's not really in keeping with my holistic approach to this system
Oh well, maybe I'll figure something out.
Thursday, 19 July 2012
Day 10 - dinner
Two for a pound, two for a pound...
Never in my life have I eaten so much fruit and veg.
That is all.
That is all.
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
"Energy levels fluctuating Captain. I can't hold her steady..."
Interesting experience this. Breakfast still seems like a mighty amount of food to me, as does lunch. And the less said about the morning and afternoon snacks the better. Biggest issue is dinner time to be honest. For some reason it's just not enough food for me. Well, for my mind. Just finding myself a bit pooped out all the time. That may be to do with the baby who's not been performing properly over the last couple of days. Pee'd all over me in bed the other (early) morning.
Historically I've been used to eating my biggest meal at dinner time - I know, I know, breakfast like a King, lunch like a Duke, dinner like a pauper. Still, it's taking some getting used to.
My wonderful wife is being very inventive on the food front, always full of ideas of how to make things a little bit more interesting but I can't really concentrate on interesting, I'm getting so bogged down in the weights and measures aspect. I just want to make sure that I do everything to the tee so I can't be as creative as I normally am with the cooking.
I imagine it's just a matter of time before it all becomes second nature and I can start to enjoy the cooking but at the moment it's all just a bit hectic.
Oh, and I forgot my f*%*ing egg for lunch today. Cooked, peeled and sitting on the draining rack next to the sink.
Historically I've been used to eating my biggest meal at dinner time - I know, I know, breakfast like a King, lunch like a Duke, dinner like a pauper. Still, it's taking some getting used to.
My wonderful wife is being very inventive on the food front, always full of ideas of how to make things a little bit more interesting but I can't really concentrate on interesting, I'm getting so bogged down in the weights and measures aspect. I just want to make sure that I do everything to the tee so I can't be as creative as I normally am with the cooking.
I imagine it's just a matter of time before it all becomes second nature and I can start to enjoy the cooking but at the moment it's all just a bit hectic.
Oh, and I forgot my f*%*ing egg for lunch today. Cooked, peeled and sitting on the draining rack next to the sink.
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Breakfast of Champions?
I've never eaten so much for breakfast as I did this morning. Two eggs, large glass of milk, two pita breads toasted and cut into soldiers and two carrots in the car on the way to work.
I know breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I know that what I've just eaten is very healthy and is setting me up for the day but I must confess to having a bit of a moment towards the end of the second carrot. Think controlled burping and slight seasickness and you'll get the picture!
Previously my weekday breakfast consisted of a nice bowl of granola or muesli and a coffee. I never found myself particularly hungry by lunchtime but it will be interesting to see how I feel today.
I know breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I know that what I've just eaten is very healthy and is setting me up for the day but I must confess to having a bit of a moment towards the end of the second carrot. Think controlled burping and slight seasickness and you'll get the picture!
Previously my weekday breakfast consisted of a nice bowl of granola or muesli and a coffee. I never found myself particularly hungry by lunchtime but it will be interesting to see how I feel today.
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Week 1 - done.
A very interesting week, all in all. Just uploaded my week one photos to flickr - embarrassing. I guess that's what it's all about at the end of the day though. A call to arms to do something about your body before it's all too late. My starting weight was a fairly hefty 17 stone and 12 pounds, a weight I've been maintaining pretty religiously for the last ten years.
I can't wait to see how this all ends up. What a journey this will be.
Week one has piqued my curiosity. I'm so keen to get started on this all and the information that Kevin has sent through has me totally inspired. I don't understand how we as a species have so totally lost sight of what is so fundamentally obvious - food is supposed to be natural. It's simple really when you think about it. Our prehistoric forbears didn't have meat with every meal. It was probably a pretty rare occurrence when you actually had to kill the thing yourself. Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. So simple, so true and so obvious.
On the exercise front, things are going very well. My stomach muscles have recovered, my appendectomy scar doesn't hurt any more with the abs exercises and my skipping has reached new levels of brilliance. I'm looking on youtube for more moves to throw in there just to mess things around a bit. After the skipping I feel happy, energised and chilled out, all at once. There's something very zen about it - the gentle repetition of it and the thwack thwack thwack of the rope on the ground. Brilliant.
So, with a profound sense of excitement, bring on week two.
I can't wait to see how this all ends up. What a journey this will be.
Week one has piqued my curiosity. I'm so keen to get started on this all and the information that Kevin has sent through has me totally inspired. I don't understand how we as a species have so totally lost sight of what is so fundamentally obvious - food is supposed to be natural. It's simple really when you think about it. Our prehistoric forbears didn't have meat with every meal. It was probably a pretty rare occurrence when you actually had to kill the thing yourself. Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. So simple, so true and so obvious.
On the exercise front, things are going very well. My stomach muscles have recovered, my appendectomy scar doesn't hurt any more with the abs exercises and my skipping has reached new levels of brilliance. I'm looking on youtube for more moves to throw in there just to mess things around a bit. After the skipping I feel happy, energised and chilled out, all at once. There's something very zen about it - the gentle repetition of it and the thwack thwack thwack of the rope on the ground. Brilliant.
So, with a profound sense of excitement, bring on week two.
Thursday, 12 July 2012
My legs hurt...
...a lot.
On the plus side, all my muscles feel like they're alive at last. Everything feels tight and healthy - and we're only four days in!
On the plus side, all my muscles feel like they're alive at last. Everything feels tight and healthy - and we're only four days in!
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
Day Three Update
LOVING THE SKIPPING.
I've come on leaps and bounds (cough) since my day one skipping. From jumping a foot in the air, both feet together, I'm now hopping little steps from left to right, then two hops left, two hops right. I can go forwards, backwards and round in a circle. Bangin!
I'm really enjoying the rest of the exercises as well, although the constant pounding has my thighs and abs whinging whenever I ask anything of them in normal life. Do we get a rest day?
One little niggle - I had an appendectomy about ten years ago and, long story short, it was a bit messy and they had to cut me right open on the right hand side of my abdomen. The repeated situps/leg raises mean that whenever I'm in the pressup position I can feel the area of muscle that was sliced up. It's not exactly sore, I'm just really aware of it and it feels - hold onto your lunch - like it's weak and might prolapse.
Any ideas?
I've come on leaps and bounds (cough) since my day one skipping. From jumping a foot in the air, both feet together, I'm now hopping little steps from left to right, then two hops left, two hops right. I can go forwards, backwards and round in a circle. Bangin!
I'm really enjoying the rest of the exercises as well, although the constant pounding has my thighs and abs whinging whenever I ask anything of them in normal life. Do we get a rest day?
One little niggle - I had an appendectomy about ten years ago and, long story short, it was a bit messy and they had to cut me right open on the right hand side of my abdomen. The repeated situps/leg raises mean that whenever I'm in the pressup position I can feel the area of muscle that was sliced up. It's not exactly sore, I'm just really aware of it and it feels - hold onto your lunch - like it's weak and might prolapse.
Any ideas?
Monday, 9 July 2012
A little autobiography
The facts:
I'm 34 years old, I'm married to Vivienne (who's coming on this journey too) and I have an 8 month old son.
My working day is mostly spent at my desk, however I do occasionally get to go and do some manual labour which I still enjoy when I don't have to do it every day.
In the past I have been very keen on a fair few outdoor sports: sailing, surfing, windsurfing, climbing as well as rugby in my school days and the occasional kick about with a football.
My sporting activities in the past decade have dropped right off to the point where I basically don't do any. I go for the odd run and try to walk as much as I can but that's basically it.
As a result I reckon I'm carrying about four stone that I don't need to. I have a very large frame - broad shoulders etc - so I hide it well but I know for a fact that ten years ago when I was working on the beach for Sunsail, I had a six pack. That knowledge, combined with the feeling of a slow decent into middle age, makes me so determined to make a change.
I want to get back to where I was before. I want to feel good on the beach. I want to have the energy and the vigour to go out surfing and actually enjoy more than the first 20 seconds. I want my son to look at me as he grows up and be inspired to be as active as his daddy is.
I know that this process will help me with this - I just need to look at my Phase One friends to know that. And I know that I will change the way I think about everything here.
I'm totally psyched, let's do this!
I'm 34 years old, I'm married to Vivienne (who's coming on this journey too) and I have an 8 month old son.
My working day is mostly spent at my desk, however I do occasionally get to go and do some manual labour which I still enjoy when I don't have to do it every day.
In the past I have been very keen on a fair few outdoor sports: sailing, surfing, windsurfing, climbing as well as rugby in my school days and the occasional kick about with a football.
My sporting activities in the past decade have dropped right off to the point where I basically don't do any. I go for the odd run and try to walk as much as I can but that's basically it.
As a result I reckon I'm carrying about four stone that I don't need to. I have a very large frame - broad shoulders etc - so I hide it well but I know for a fact that ten years ago when I was working on the beach for Sunsail, I had a six pack. That knowledge, combined with the feeling of a slow decent into middle age, makes me so determined to make a change.
I want to get back to where I was before. I want to feel good on the beach. I want to have the energy and the vigour to go out surfing and actually enjoy more than the first 20 seconds. I want my son to look at me as he grows up and be inspired to be as active as his daddy is.
I know that this process will help me with this - I just need to look at my Phase One friends to know that. And I know that I will change the way I think about everything here.
I'm totally psyched, let's do this!
Day Waaaan
Fairly easy day this one, good stuff, I like an easy run up...
Breakfast, half portion of muesli (how the hell do you spell that word??), two coffees at work. Lunch, didn't have time - I hit the hunger wall at about 1.30 but broke through it because I couldn't physically stop what I was doing. It was 3pm when I thought of lunch again and by then it was too late - I was no longer hungry. Ordinarily I think that would result in me horsing down too much dinner but I was strict with the half portion rule, ate slowly and am now quite full and satisfied.
Exercises done, nice except skipping is damn hard. Couldn't get my rhythm in the garden - grass too long and couldn't get my rhythm in the stair well as it's too narrow. So I got creative and pretended to skip. Still did the allotted number, still got my heart rate up, still moved my arms like I was skipping, just didn't use the rope. Turns out I'm really really good at fake skipping...
I know, I know, I'm never going to get better at skipping if I keep that sort of thing up but I wanted to do the work out so much but didn't actually want to go out into the street and have people watch me being crap at skipping!
I'm thinking maybe I'll do my skipping before work tomorrow, but then presumably I'd need to do the rest of the work out then as well?
I'll figure it out...
Breakfast, half portion of muesli (how the hell do you spell that word??), two coffees at work. Lunch, didn't have time - I hit the hunger wall at about 1.30 but broke through it because I couldn't physically stop what I was doing. It was 3pm when I thought of lunch again and by then it was too late - I was no longer hungry. Ordinarily I think that would result in me horsing down too much dinner but I was strict with the half portion rule, ate slowly and am now quite full and satisfied.
Exercises done, nice except skipping is damn hard. Couldn't get my rhythm in the garden - grass too long and couldn't get my rhythm in the stair well as it's too narrow. So I got creative and pretended to skip. Still did the allotted number, still got my heart rate up, still moved my arms like I was skipping, just didn't use the rope. Turns out I'm really really good at fake skipping...
I know, I know, I'm never going to get better at skipping if I keep that sort of thing up but I wanted to do the work out so much but didn't actually want to go out into the street and have people watch me being crap at skipping!
I'm thinking maybe I'll do my skipping before work tomorrow, but then presumably I'd need to do the rest of the work out then as well?
I'll figure it out...
Saturday, 7 July 2012
Well, just one more day until it all kicks off - Monday morning, 9am. Saturday night spent eating pizza and drinking wine. We've earned it though, been preparing for the big house sale all day so both little frazzled.
Feeling generally very upbeat and excited about beginning this process, the results I've seen on my friends who've already completed are pretty stunning and I'm looking forward very much to my journey. I know there will be hard times but I'm prepared as the gains will be more than worth it.
Monday cannot come soon enough!
Feeling generally very upbeat and excited about beginning this process, the results I've seen on my friends who've already completed are pretty stunning and I'm looking forward very much to my journey. I know there will be hard times but I'm prepared as the gains will be more than worth it.
Monday cannot come soon enough!
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