Sunday 11th October to Saturday 17th October

Saturday 17th October
Been to Lumbards to fetch bike bits back from Ashbourne. As alluded to earlier in the week the Incognito aka slow and comfy bike has shot it but I had a couple of good years out of it I suppose. So am looking to treat myself come Christmas all being well. Don't tell the missus.

Golf very hit and miss unfortunately, hit some belting drives and got 7 pars overall including four on the trot on the back nine but only scored 26 points off a three quarter handicap stableford with about five blobs along the way so not sure what to make of it all.

Friday 16th October
Yay, no rain. Ran up town and back to start the day, didn't get to gym. It's been a grind all October so I though sod it and went to Aldi instead. Have got a base layer for running in the Winter. Am going to give it a go Sunday all being well.

Thursday 15th October
Rain again so gym again. Solid 50 minutes worth - rower and bike today.







Had a frenetic day (which I don't mind, don't get me wrong) then went to Janet Carey's group in Alfreton of which I'm a member. Only lost half a pound but that's took me to a half stone in about 5 weeks (with one non-attendance due to being in Guildford). Perhaps more realistic for me to aim for a stone by Christmas rather than two stones, am not committed enough really but at least I've not put any weight on in the few weeks I've been back. Feel like I'm letting Janet down a bit but my head's still not quite there, won't be long though am getting it back slowly.

Wednesday 14th October continued.
Did a 2 mile walk in the evening while England game on - couldn't see em losing so no need to watch!

Just been looking into my diary for November and have got to give a presentation to the Environmental Committee (I may have got their name slightly mucked up but such is life) on the Cycle2Work scheme. This is a government-backed scheme which encourages employers to offer a sort of cycle hire service in which both employee and employer get tax breaks on purchase of a bike and safety gear. If my bid is successful I've got my eyes on the Giant Roam 2 (pic below - click on it for a bigger image) which is like a hybrid with 700c wheels with wideish tyres but front suspension too to make it a bit comfier. We'll see how successful my presentation is. Am already canvassing folks who I think might be interested. We'll see!!





Wednesday 14th October
Raining when I got up so into gym first thing. That's better. 45 minutes, treadmill, rower, bike, shower. Good. Just been contacted by one of SW's top Consultants Ursula who has come across my blog in setting up her own - check it out at http://slimmingworldstneots.blogspot.com/ you will rarely come across someone as positive and empathetic as Ursula - she's very good indeed as thousand of successful slimmers in St Neots will testify.

Tuesday 13th October
2.5 miles up town and back again, running a bit better, right knee was giving me a bit of jip but seemed fine today. Went 2 mile walk in the evening which was okay as had another It Bites album arrive off of Ebay to listen to.

Monday 12th October
Ran up town and back to start the day off. Got to work and have left most of my notes at home. Bugger. Walked up golf course in the evening and it was gorgeous, went dark quick though.

Sunday 11th October
Not done much really - got up at 5:45am to take Phil to work again. On a Sunday!!! Glossed skirting board in bathroom, regripped a set of irons with sharpro multi-compound grips I got off Ebay for £16! Wrote up minutes from a meeting on Thursday. Did nine holes before it went dark and played much better.

Sunday 13th September to Sat 19th

Saturday 19th September
Have updated the Sky Fantasy Football team. Had to drop Adebayor as he's suspended (bloomin liability he is) and have brought Andy Reid into the midfield (he'll probably get injured in the warm up today with my luck). Drogba has been slotted into replace Adebayor. Who am I most diappointed with? Almunia should be doing much better but Arsenal are just rubbish this season.

Me and Lucy have been up town to fetch newspapers and get breakfast at the mighty Busy Bees cafe near the bus station.

Friday 18th September
Aaaaagh, up late again so just up town and back on bike. Didn't get to gym - v busy today.

Just downloaded Rainbow Anthology off Amazon for 79p! 28 tracks for 79p Can't beat that for value!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001KNYKNO/ref=nosim/?tag=hotukdeals-21



Finished this week's book - "The Poet" by Michael Connelly, a not bad FBI serial killer thriller diller.



Thursday 17th September
Got up late, so just biked up town and back steady. Weigh in day later so am hoping a couple of pounds gone. Gym record looks like it'll stop at 9 working days in a row - no chance of getting in there today but it was a good run while it lasted! Start again tomorrow.



Went to group - week 1 weighin 4lb loss. Acceptable. Read the Ashbourne stunner and got a bit miffed as it said It Bites were at Derby Assembly rooms tonight but it's wrong it's next Thursday. Yay. If can talk missus out of going shopping I reckon I'll go. The last album 'The Tall Ships' is ace.

Wednesday 16th September
Ursula's group last night in St Neots was excellent as always, an inspiring Slimming World Consultant, she is for sure. Anyway, had diabetes clinic this morning at 9:30 so went out and played nine holes of golf before going up town for the clinic. Parred 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th but lost three balls on the other holes so still plenty of work to be done! Health checkup was darned good - 146/70 for the blood pressure, 5.9 on the blood sugar, all the other tests checked out super only one letting me down is Cholesterol which is up but you can't have everything. Another forty minutes in the gym - all bike but was drenched at end of it so it must be good. Nine in a row.

Tuesday 15th Sept
Ran a couple of miles and then biked up town and back. Good start. Going to one of our flagship groups in St Neots tonight to see Ursula so am going to get into Gym at lunchtime. Did gym at lunchtime - the record is increasing.... 40 minutes - 25 on bike, 15 on rower.

Monday 14th Sept
Brilliant night's sleep for a change. Struggled to get up in morning but got on bike and did a long ride through Mayfield, Okeover Park round Mappleton, into Ashbourne and back for 7 or 8 miles. Not a bad start. Haven't touched a drop of alcohol for over a week now which is also progress, bit miffed that no progress on the scales but it'll come. 40 minutes in the gym again. 7 business days running now - every day a new Sid record.

Sunday 13th Sept
Bit of cycling with Lucy in the morning maybe five miles, then Festival of Transport at Darley Dale, then 2 mile run at night which I struggled with.

Weather bad, Gym good.

Got up 3:30 to set breadmaker off, weather awful, went back to bed. Got up 5:30 to unload breadmaker weather awful. Fetched papers in car, came in to work and did gym for forty minutes. 25 minutes and 5507m on the rower, load of weights, shower and off in the office for 8:30.

Got to leave at 12 for a funeral, hope weather improves, uncle David was always a sunny character in life and it seems wrong if we have wet and windy weather on this day, sure God will put it right come 2pm.

Sort of joined another group at Head Office last night run by the delightful Nicola. Bit of competition with my manager, John for weight loss bragging rights. He's already lighter than me so am going to be really sticking with the plan this week to get ahead next week. Did all September without a drink and seeing as not going on the manager's weekend I think October will be pretty dry too.

Mama Mia - a bloomin pound on...

Didn't get back in time for group yesterday but got weighed anyway. A pound on which is what I deserve. I've not got the time to do all the exercise I want to do at the minute and am not bothered enough about what am eating. Am not going on a four day holiday with work next week now so am p**sed off about that and so it's like 'I don't care'. Stupid. What's up with me.

On positive side - did gym three out of five days last week.

Went to see Mama Mia with missus and kids last night, it's nice and all that but be warned chaps - it's a chick flick you ain't gonna like it.

Friday and more madness.....

Pleasantly surprise to lose 2lbs this week taking me back to 14st 2lbs I think (was just happy to see a loss for a change). Have got a bit of control back and the exercise is up on where it was after the knee got injured. So jolly happy all things considered.

We're looking after Janette's cousin's mutt Charlie while they're away. It's a greyhound that has to stop every ten paces and mark it's territory which is more than mildly annoying. Hey-ho.

Did a fast 6 and a bit miles this morning before taking the hound out with Lucy. We walked maybe a mile and a bit in 25 minutes (remember pausing every ten paces). So my exercise for the day is already down. Going to gym again today like I have every day this week. All good. Weight will be what it will be. Ate too much rubbish while camping to expect any sort of loss so will be happy with a maintain.

Thank the lord it's the weekend

Well, the reality of it was that it was another pound on. Not bovvered too much. Next week will do better or I'll give up! Not really. Went back to gym Friday and did a really solid session weights on 10 for biceps curl, triceps pushdown, high row and 11 for seated mid row and horizontal bench press. Did ten minutes on rower and a six on the exercise bike to warm up. A good forty minutes-worth and hopefully I'll keep up the habit next week. So hacked off a bit but only have self to blame, no-one else just need to get some focus back and get doing it again proper.

Mileage for week Weighin Later - Maintained

Well, as suspected I maintained this is because I haven't done anything any better than I was doing last week. In fact, because I've been busier at work I've not done the gym all week so I've got what I deserved. This is the trouble with busy-ness at the business I'm afraid. I've been to group and the commitment I've made is this - From Monday I'm off the alcohol 100% again - a solid month with no alcohol and sticking with the plan a bit more and we should see things returning to my new normal.

On the bright side at least there's not been a gain.

Exercise this week has been rubbish. Only managed fifty or so miles this week (record below doesn't include all miles done as the Garmin Edge has a habit of switching itself off and forgetting miles!!).

Hell's Teeth, weigh-in disaster

Week 78 weighin disaster 7.5 lbs weight gain since I last weighed in on 1st August.

I could look at it as being 2 and a bit pounds per week gain but I'm choosing to look at it as being a bloody idiot chucking a load of good progress away by being bloody stupid on holiday.

Immediate actions are:
>> cut out the bread
>> cut out the alcohol
>> cut out the crap
>> go big on free foods




Hell's teeth just look at them last three damn weeks....

Saturday and summer's here, is it time? for more beer

Had a few beers last night, don't feel too bad this morning. Done four miles on slow but comfy bike to fetch papers. Haven't mentioned the breadmaker recently but have been doing a loaf a day pretty much since we've had it and it's great now that I've got the ingredients right. Not really making a mess of the weight loss program as long as I follow the advice of the good book (Food Optimising book I'm talking about) "moderation in everything". A couple of slices a day don't hurt nobody, half a loaf though, that wouldn't be sensible would it?

Golf at lunch time and it's roasting hot already, first time out for the shorts i reckon. Got to find some white socks now - dress code and all that nonsense.

Golfin - played a social comp off yellow tees this afternoon in the boiling sun, it was grand, got 41 stableford points, shot a total of 81 strokes. Which went
1st hole, par 4, took 5 for bogey.
2nd hole, par 5, took 5 for par
3rd hole, par 3, took 5! for double bogey and no points off my handicap of 15
4th hole, par 4, took 4 for par
5th hole, par 4, took 3 for birdie
6th hole, par 3 took 3 for par
7th hole, par 4 took 5 for bogie
8th hole, par 5 took 6 for bogie
9th hole, par 3 took 4 for bogie
10th hole, par 4 took 4 for par
11th hole, par 4, took 4 for par
12th hole, par 4, took 5 for bogies
13th hole, par 4, took 4 for par
14th hole, par 3, took 3 for par
15th hole, par 5, took 5 for par
16th hole, par 3, took 5 for double bogey
17th hole, par 5, took 6 for bogey
18th hole, par 4, took 6 for double bogey.

In general it was some of the best golf I've played mixed up with some of the worst. Made a couple of bad decisions took too much club on 14th and 16th for example and sort of lost it on the last three holes, don;t know if that was tiredness? Hit some massive drives, some great irons and a few really good putts, in fact a lot of really good putts, got the line wrong a few times but hit the putts on that line. Enjoyed it. Like playing in Spain it was this afternoon.

New legs please.

Half pound weight gain -
Very acceptable to put just a half pound on given alcohol intake last weekend. Weight currently stands at 14st 10lbs which is about the same as it was at Margaret's last August so not end of the world! Going to cut back a little bit on the beer this weekend. Have been at gym every day this week which is something I've never done before so am pleased with meself on that, did the circuit thing again notching up everything a little bit, think I've got the leg press thing a bit light but will get that right in time. Wouldn't be out of the question to have put on half a pound of muscle in that week as well - I might ask Kelly for another body composition test to see if there's been a change.

Jeez, just nothing in my legs at the minute, 49 and a half minutes to do five miles, there were snails over taking me this morning. Don't know what's up with them, am not going to blame it on the new trainers although they do feel different it must be said, my ankles and calves don't want to play ball at all.

Got on the scales and theres about three pounds worth of damage done as well - so I know how many beers I can get away with in a week and the answer is about six! which is good really, three on a Friday, three on a Saturday will be okay.

Weigh-in later, will see whether the weight will go by then!! Doubt it greatly but will see!

Drop Dead Legs

Ran(?) sort of again this morning. Dead legs again, no go whatsoever, am pleased I did the five miles but 50 minutes! Jeez, Louise that v. poor. Felt like my left calf was going to explode at times so was an achievement of sorts!


Running record for the week - 10 slow miles and there's forty odd miles of cycling somewhere too.

Only weighed-in at group today, didn't hang about, managed to maintain which was more than acceptable. Weight with me clunky shoes on was 14st 9lbs which is okay. Would like to lose a couple more pounds but that's okay. Will do graph on Monday.

Did another forty minute session in the gym at lunchtime, same routine - 4000m in a smidge under 18 minutes on the rower, 3 x 10 reps of vertical bench press, 3 x 10 reps of seated mid-ro, 3 x 10 reps of triceps pushdown and 3 x 10 reps of biceps curl. Did 10/11 on the vbp and smr machines and did 8/9 on biceps/triceps machine. Okay.

Keep on runnin'

Been on Wii Fit again tonight for half an hour. Am getting into it now, Wii Fit age is now 36 and that would mean that my body is still(!) in relatively good condition. Damned by faint praise again! I think that my Wii fit age is down a bit because it's reading my weight a bit lower than before by about half a pound.

On Wednesday I attended an all staff meeting at which Slimming World's Mr & Mrs 2008 competition winners Andy and Michele Smith spoke. The couple have a combined loss of over 13 stone. They've got a similar story to myself in some ways – lost a good amount of weight and then really got back into sport and exercise.

The big difference is that Andy has suffered the loss of a limb in a motorcycle accident, even after that and a time of turmoil and despair he got it together and is now a part of the national Paralympics sailing team. Michele is training to run a marathon. Awesome. Inspirational and it puts my whinging into perspective.

Some of the things they said rang true , Michele said something along the lines of having a time when she expected to wake up and find out she'd put all the weight back on again. I'm still half expecting that – I wonder when true faith begins?


Slimming World's Mr & Mrs 2008 Winners - Andy and Michele Smith.

Andy and Michele Smith - before joining Slimming World.

First thing
Five miles run in 47:30 slowly, slowly catchee monkey... But it's running again and it was too wet to take the FCR1 out.

27 mins on wii fit last night too. It's good but is making me abs hurt!!

Funny sort of a day already... Pound off...

Lunchtime Update
Went to group, weigh 14st 9lbs, a pound off so am moderately happy with that. Haven't done enough exercise this week by a long chalk. Only 20 miles run and the tired legs thing hacked me off a bit so am resting em a bit. Done less than 20 miles on bikes I think too although I've decided to ramp up cycling mileage a bit so I don't wear my legs out!


I got my plan at work sorted out too and installed the software upgrade as so the advanced planning was useful in a way as having done it once on test server meant I was able to replicate it on the live server - it was all in place well before 9am so all's well that ends well.

First Thing

Had a day where best made plans go awry. Wierd. I'd planned to do a system upgrade on one of our legacy systems this morning and meticulously planned it, did some steps of it yesterday so I was ahead of the game, came to doing the actual nitty gritty at 5:30 this morning and problems from the off. 6am I emailed folks saying I'd aborted the upgrade and went out on the bike (Giant FCR1), I did about 9 miles in just under 40 minutes which was slow but I kept hitting red lights in Ashbourne. Good thing is that at least my legs aren't aching this morning.

Weigh-in at 12:30 confidence is not overly high but won't have put much on. Am hoping to have a few tasty Stellas tonight although I did Liz one of my farmhouse loaf jobbos yesterday and she's brought me some Italian lager this morning so it might be them instead!!!

Tired legs, diminishing returns and all that...

Had a hideously slow 46 minute five miler this morning. Legs really aching at the moment and was difficult to push em through it today but the nice thing about where I am today is that less than five miles isn’t acceptable to me anymore, certainly not in a morning so made meself do five miles and not a penny less...


Interesting article in papers today and it's exactly what Slimming World recommends in the first few weeks of a weight loss campaign.:

‘Keeping a food diary ‘will help you slim’
Keeping a food diary is a powerful tool in helping dieters lose weight, scientists said yesterday.
Those who compiled a detailed account of what they ate and drank and the calories it contained lost about twice as much weight as those who did not, they found. The six-month study involved 1,685 middle-aged men and women from four U.S. cities – Portland, Oregon; Baltimore, Maryland; Durham, North Carolina and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/diets/article-1033493/Behave-like-Bridget-Jones-food-diary-want-slim.html

The difference with a Slimming World food diary is that it focuses you on aiming for free foods and healthy options rather than calorie counting. Interestingly (sort of), I started blogging for another aspect of why Slimming World works – the weekly weighin – I publish mine and I reckon if I didn’t I’d take my eye off the ball and start gaining big-style. A few weeks ago when I was having a moan about not losing weight and Margaret said “Don’t let it slip” - not many words but enough of a message to make me stop moaning and get going again!

Not sure what weight's going to be this week. Not really trying hard enough and the re-acquaintance with Stella is sure to have a negative effect. Will see what happens Friday, only had three and half pints Saturday, not touched a drop since how much damage can there be???

Not fartleking about today, weightloss or running!

Week 70 Weighin - I'll have a half

Just a half pound lost this week, which is great, really, it's great. Wasn't expecting it after Saturday night with it's tasty dessert and strawberries in chocoloate, so it's a total bonus not to have put on. Makes 4st 4.5lbs the loss in total according to my SW Consultant but I think I make it a pound less according to my spreadsheet so I was probably wrong from the off. Either way I'm just pleased with the general trend - lowest since October last year. I fancy really sticking to the plan this week to keep this going, bet I don't thought. Will see.

By the way, am still using that breadmaker and still controlling the amount of bread I have from it - it's doable, honest!


Wii Fit Coming

Have managed to get a Wii Fit on order with Tesco direct. Have to pick it up from the store tomorrow, have paid for it online so it's mine, mine, mine. They've been like rocking horse manure to get hold of so am pleased to get one almost in my grubby hands.

Slower but better, not fartleking around sort of a run
Just ran a steady pace, no fartleking (see Tuesday posts) all the way round this morning. 43:31 for 5.04 miles, pace of 8:38 per mile which is alright. Steady. Total for the week if you add the missing 7 and a bit over 41miles so a good distance when you consider a few months ago I was happy with fifteen!!

Slimming World Summer Ball

Evening
The Slimming World 'Oscars' Summer ball was really good. Food and company excellent and everything ran well as far as I could tell. Ed Amat from the IT Support team got the employee of the year award to continue the tradition of IT winning every other year or so, top stuff.

Me and the boss as the do...


The show seemed to have a bit more of a business focus this year, and I think some serious points were communicated amongst the fun and awards. A spotlight on the importance of promotion and the value of a solid, positive team were highlighted a number of times.

Meal was good, plenty on menu that faddy eater like me could get away with. Had the melon starter, beef main course and the chocolate pudding which I know sounds bad but it's one night only and I did avoid alcohol completely, nine days to go now!

We were sat right at the back this year so the pics are of the big screens at either side of the main stage. A good do.

We only just got out of the car park for midnight, I think there must have been a concert or something finishing in the middle of Birmingham as everyone seemed to be coming out of the car park at the same time. May have been folks pouring out of the NIA after the Khan boxing match.


Chairman and Slimming World Founder Margaret Miles-Bramwell opened events


and hands over to Caryl Richards Slimming World M.D.


Everything on menu was good for a faddy eater like me .


Morning
Funny old day today is. Am wanting to do an enormous run tomorrow (for me) from Ashbourne to Darley Dale, about 18 miles in all. So really I ought not to run today. However, three more miles takes me to a total of forty miles for last week, which is a nice round number.

Have been using Google Docs to keep a spreadsheet of various facts, I know have just ten more days until the DAFT target of 100 days alcohol free will be achieved which is my maths is any good at all means it'll land mid-week. So will be keeping that going a few days longer I reckon! Also on 355 days of no-smoking so spookily the one year anniversary of giving up the weed and 100 day target of no booze will co-incide in a couple of weeks. Great.

Not only that but have no golf today because it's the Slimming World summer ball in Birmingham tonight so that disrupts the day somewhat! N'er mind.

Justice in my time...

Justice in my time. I was a bit aggrieved at last week's slight gain so this week I am well-pleased at a 3.5lb loss taking me back to lowest weight since last October and only 3lb off my lowest ever since this quest began. The bread-maker is being managed nicely now - a breadmaker is just a thing that makes bread (hence it's curious name) it don't make me eat bread just cause it's there any more than the presence of a load of beer in my fridge makes me drink beer (80+ days and counting). Was really pleased with 3.5lb but it certainly wasn't the best loss at group, another member D lost 4.5lb as well.

Get that dip!

Running record currently sitting at 37.30 miles for the week, did the five this morning slightly slower at 46:11 but considering it was on four hours sleep I'm not going to put myself down much for that. Did I mention I had a damned flat tyre as well this morning. Learnt the magic of locking wheel nuts this morning so it's true you learn something new every day...

Woohoo Journey Day

Going to see Journey tonight, can't wait. Did a bit more than normal this morning almost 6 miles cause I had time to then the bike run with Phil. Seeing an improvement already with Phil not so much in overall times but in getting to the top of a hill without getting off and pushing - he's lost quite a bit of weight too already, bless im.

Pace for run this morning 9.05 so in general not too bad. Have got Slimming World's summer ball on Saturday so am thinking of running all the way to me mum and dads on Sunday morning which is about 18 miles I think. That'd be good.

Week 67 - no gain, no pain and other Revelations

New Record for mesen!

Been out and finished the job off. Run a total of 40.65 miles this week which is more than ever before and represents a solid six hours of running. Average pace on or around the 9 minute mile which is perfectly acceptable.

Week 67 – A maintain – 14st 10.5lbs, 4st and a bit lost overall.

Steady as she goes... No gain, no pain and all that. Am a fraction disappointed to just maintain after all that running but if truth be known have not done enough to cadge a jammy weight loss this week. That said, with the arrival of the demon breadmaker a maintain is probably a better result than might be expected. That also said, I’ve not been going mad on the bread but this is bread with nowt taken out and a lot put in, the density of which would qualify it as building materials in some countries.


Am loving the look of that graph so I am (at least last three weeks!!!).

Have got the new Journey album "Revelations" in the car this morning so that's a reason to be happy - it's got new singer Arnel Pineda on it who's almost a ringer for Steve Perry voice-wise and it all sounds absolutely great - going to see them at Manchester Apollo in a couple of weeks, can't wait.

Have run a good 6.5 miles with some good hills this morning making a monster total of 36.5 miles this week and there's still this evening to get the other 3.5 miles in! Am going to have a rest day tomorrow with just 18 holes of golf and a little bit of cycling with Phil in the morning (although may end up going swimming with Lucy for an hour too thinking about it). But at least it'll be a rest from running day! Big run to be planned for Sunday, watch this space.

It's weigh-in day today and with the arrival of the breadmaker from hell I'm not got any great expectations but am hoping not to have gained too much. It does make exceedingly tasty bread though!!!



Current mood - pleased as a very pleased person who's just been elected professor of being pleased at the Pleasedness University in Pleaseborough.

Day of reckoning and reckoning is good...

Well, was convinced was in for a gain but in the end have lost half a pound, so am well happy with that. Have had fish and chips one night, steak and real chips another night and all sort of general food badness and still not put on like I thought. Was talking to Carol after group today and as another member was upset that she wasn't totally in control it made me think about what good and bad food is? It's all relative isn't it, and as you get used to food optimising what I now think of a bad thing was a run of the mill decision when I was 19 odd stone. To someone else though that choice can make them feel like they've no control at all - it's what your perspective is on things I guess.

Am dead pleased just to be the right side of 15 stone again, so to lose a little bit as well is fantastic. Going to group again definitely helping, that bit of pressure.


Weight over time - bit of headroom below the fifteen stone line!

Today's the day, what will be, will be and all that. Did another five miles in the light drizzle this morning. Sub 9 minute miles again so happy about that as my legs were a bit tired from yesterday's run. Am going to walk up to post office at the garage again at lunch time to add a couple of miles worth extra for the days output.


Will post an update tonight after I've been to group...


Running record - need a couple of miles before the weeks out to get 20+ miles on the exercise clock.