Diet starts today!

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I began to put on weight and lose condition when summer hotted up and I was having long days at my desk not moving much. I went from 13st 12-ish to 14 3/4/5. The extra 6-7lbs were very obvious.

As soon as the temperatures started dropping in September I started pushing the running again culminating in charity run a couple of weeks ago that the whole family did - 10k's for me, the mrs and the 16 yr old, 5k for the 14 yr old.

Training meant I've been doing a 4k or 6k run every second or third day. On the days I don't run I walk - I try to do a brisk 3-4k minimum. At weekends I'll do longer walks with the mrs and/or kids. Again, with a bit pf pace.

In the summer, the bike racks lived on the car's roof. In the winter, walking boots have lived in the boot. Both summer holidays were active - cycling in Norfolk & walking in Wales.

The end result? Back to 13st 12-ish. But I feel a million times better, I sleep better, my posture's better and so on. Tellingly, my resting heart rate is back down in the 48bpm-49bpm range - in the summer it had crept up to 53/53.

What I should really do is combine all this with a slightly more sensible diet and I could chop off the next 6 or 7 lbs. I know what to do - cut out the beer, replace white pasta & rice with brown, swap toasted bread for toasted rye, replace dairy milk with almond or oat milk, etc.

But I find it far harder to discipline myself that way - and far easier (and enjoyable) to run more and run harder.

So, for now, that's the plan and maybe I'll weave some of the calorie reduction stuff in as I go. At least I knw I won't gain any weight.
 
I walk most days up the crags beyond the rear of my house. Very demanding and gets the heart pounding.

Never did it much before we were confined to our homes. Human nature?

Hasn’t stopped me looking in the fridge multiple times per day. Strangely the contents don’t change much between visits. I sometimes wonder what I’m hoping for.

Stomping up hills is one of the best exercises out there. Simple, easy to do builds muscle, strengthens cardio.

When I'm going for a lunchtime walk, I try to incorprate the local hilly park and look at my heart stats after - it really gets it going.

The other thing I do is go on short-ish runs - 3-4k - wearing I kg weights on each wrist. The extra effort needed is remarkable. It's like running through sand. It's adds a bit of HIT to running and means I get a big workout in a very short space of time.
 
I began to put on weight and lose condition when summer hotted up and I was having long days at my desk not moving much. I went from 13st 12-ish to 14 3/4/5. The extra 6-7lbs were very obvious.

As soon as the temperatures started dropping in September I started pushing the running again culminating in charity run a couple of weeks ago that the whole family did - 10k's for me, the mrs and the 16 yr old, 5k for the 14 yr old.

Training meant I've been doing a 4k or 6k run every second or third day. On the days I don't run I walk - I try to do a brisk 3-4k minimum. At weekends I'll do longer walks with the mrs and/or kids. Again, with a bit pf pace.

In the summer, the bike racks lived on the car's roof. In the winter, walking boots have lived in the boot. Both summer holidays were active - cycling in Norfolk & walking in Wales.

The end result? Back to 13st 12-ish. But I feel a million times better, I sleep better, my posture's better and so on. Tellingly, my resting heart rate is back down in the 48bpm-49bpm range - in the summer it had crept up to 53/53.

What I should really do is combine all this with a slightly more sensible diet and I could chop off the next 6 or 7 lbs. I know what to do - cut out the beer, replace white pasta & rice with brown, swap toasted bread for toasted rye, replace dairy milk with almond or oat milk, etc.

But I find it far harder to discipline myself that way - and far easier (and enjoyable) to run more and run harder.

So, for now, that's the plan and maybe I'll weave some of the calorie reduction stuff in as I go. At least I knw I won't gain any weight.
Here's the pitch: Lent starts tomorrow.

"How hard would it be" to give up alcohol, visible sugar, and white carbs for 47 days?
Nice, simple, limited period, defined deadline.
Grab a calculator and count those calories.... Easily 7lbs over 7 weeks.

(As for the milk thing, why not just "everything in moderation?"
Milk is just a thing that cows give to their kids to make them grow.)
 
Here's the pitch: Lent starts tomorrow.

"How hard would it be" to give up alcohol, visible sugar, and white carbs for 47 days?
Nice, simple, limited period, defined deadline.
Grab a calculator and count those calories.... Easily 7lbs over 7 weeks.

(As for the milk thing, why not just "everything in moderation?"
Milk is just a thing that cows give to their kids to make them grow.)

It's a good approach - I'm very much in the "if you can't measure it you can fix it" school of thought.

I'll meet you part way; I'll drop the milk from my coffee and replace with oat milk. I'll stop having cereal with milk and go back to porridge made with almond milk. It all adds up.

The white carbs things is much harder as I have to drag the whole family with me. They did it once before but I think I'll struggle to do it again.

White sugar is easy as I don't use it. I don't drink a huge amount of alcohol so will concentrate on swapping beer & wine for gin or vodka & diet tonic. More calorie reduction.

Maybe lose 1lb a month that way? So down to 13st 8 by summer.
 
It's a good approach - I'm very much in the "if you can't measure it you can fix it" school of thought.
I'll meet you part way; I'll drop the milk from my coffee and replace with oat milk. I'll stop having cereal with milk and go back to porridge made with almond milk. It all adds up.
The white carbs things is much harder as I have to drag the whole family with me. They did it once before but I think I'll struggle to do it again.
White sugar is easy as I don't use it. I don't drink a huge amount of alcohol so will concentrate on swapping beer & wine for gin or vodka & diet tonic. More calorie reduction.
Maybe lose 1lb a month that way? So down to 13st 8 by summer.
(Cough.) We agree on KPI's.

Sadly a bit of horse trading on milk substitutes isn't going to crack it in terms of losing 25,000 calories, even over four months.
Why can't you avoid white carbs and visible sugar, and up alcohol completely?

You don't "have" to eat toast with your boiled eg, while the kids do. If they're eating breakfast cereal, you don't have to. You can always eat more veg instead of the potato. As for sugar, I didn't say just "white sugar," the pitch was to eliminate "visible sugar:" ie. all biscuits, cakes, desserts,

Instead of a G&T, what about just a T ? It's not just the raw calories, that "G" encourages "me" to have another "G," and more food etc etc.
 
(Cough.) We agree on KPI's.

Sadly a bit of horse trading on milk substitutes isn't going to crack it in terms of losing 25,000 calories, even over four months.
Why can't you avoid white carbs and visible sugar, and up alcohol completely?

You don't "have" to eat toast with your boiled eg, while the kids do. If they're eating breakfast cereal, you don't have to. You can always eat more veg instead of the potato. As for sugar, I didn't say just "white sugar," the pitch was to eliminate "visible sugar:" ie. all biscuits, cakes, desserts,

Instead of a G&T, what about just a T ? It's not just the raw calories, that "G" encourages "me" to have another "G," and more food etc etc.

LOL.

The cereal thing is just pure convenience - I'll eliminate that. And milk in coffee.

I never buy chocolate, biscuits cake etc. The only time that sort of stuff is around is when my daughter bakes. She loves to bake, and so we keep asking her not to!

I don't fancy stopping drinking completely. I have nights off during the week - but I'm not going dry!

BTW I was 13st 11t earlier today. I skipped breakfast entirely and will have eggs & avo on rye for lunch. Then will do a 7,000 step walk to the shops to get some oat milk, almond milk, oats and more avocado & rye.

I did lose quite a few pounds a few years ago by combining that diet with lots of running & HIT.

Move about a bit more, eat a bit less.........
 
Pancake day: the only thing that gets us through Winter

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Dry January and no desserts / chocolate.

Should deliver. If it doesn't, could be looking at a dry Lent (March - April)

And every year I ask myself "why do we put so much on in November & December, only to spend January / February trying to get the lot off again.
I've got no chance , still trying to rid myself of the home made Xmas cake , just had a birthday and recieved more chocs 🥴i too would be fine if I was 6" taller
 
So as it's nearly 1 year since I stopped cycling into the office (6 miles each way) and I'm now 40 back in the summer I decided to take up running.
I've never been able to run. I can cycle 50 miles no problem, but can't run 1k without nearly being killed to death by a stitch etc. Added to which I'm ultra flat footed (I never had those special shoes as a kid for some reason). Anyway, being flat footed means you lack the spring mech of your foot and as a result prone to shin splints. I run my legs are painful for days.

Fast forward to today and I managed 16.4k (10.2 miles) non-stop! Average speed of 6.06min per KM). Back in Nov I could barely manage 6km!

I have only lost around half a stone, however what I consider is more important with home working is the fact I haven't gained anything. During the week I don't eat between meals no booze and no snacks. Weekends however are a different thing. I type this with a beer in my hand and the grim chippy / batter sausage after taste.

If I can do it anyone can. I have done this with the aid of my Garmin fitness watch which my mrs got me. It tells you in realtime your speed and distance. Without this I wouldn't have been able to do it. Start off small. Set the watch for 1km. When you do it a couple of times change it to 2... And so on. Without this watch I wouldn't have been able to do it at all.

I still have very sore shins. It will take best part of a week for them to recover. I can barely walk this evening. But 10 hours later I'm still buzzing from the endorphins.

Anyway. My thumbs are sore from typing this on a phone.:)
 
So as it's nearly 1 year since I stopped cycling into the office (6 miles each way) and I'm now 40 back in the summer I decided to take up running.
I've never been able to run. I can cycle 50 miles no problem, but can't run 1k without nearly being killed to death by a stitch etc. Added to which I'm ultra flat footed (I never had those special shoes as a kid for some reason). Anyway, being flat footed means you lack the spring mech of your foot and as a result prone to shin splints. I run my legs are painful for days.

Fast forward to today and I managed 16.4k (10.2 miles) non-stop! Average speed of 6.06min per KM). Back in Nov I could barely manage 6km!

I have only lost around half a stone, however what I consider is more important with home working is the fact I haven't gained anything. During the week I don't eat between meals no booze and no snacks. Weekends however are a different thing. I type this with a beer in my hand and the grim chippy / batter sausage after taste.

If I can do it anyone can. I have done this with the aid of my Garmin fitness watch which my mrs got me. It tells you in realtime your speed and distance. Without this I wouldn't have been able to do it. Start off small. Set the watch for 1km. When you do it a couple of times change it to 2... And so on. Without this watch I wouldn't have been able to do it at all.

I still have very sore shins. It will take best part of a week for them to recover. I can barely walk this evening. But 10 hours later I'm still buzzing from the endorphins.

Anyway. My thumbs are sore from typing this on a phone.:)
That's brilliant. Keep it up. I've lost 3lb since my last post so down to 13st 9. Hopefully in six weeks I'll be 13 6.

I sleep better, my posture is better and my 3 month resting heart rate is down fro 53 to 49bpm.

I use a Fitbit Alta HR which is fine but Garmins are dogs dangles.

Which one have you got?
 
I have only lost around half a stone, however what I consider is more important with home working is the fact I haven't gained anything. During the week I don't eat between meals no booze and no snacks. Weekends however are a different thing. I type this with a beer in my hand and the grim chippy / batter sausage after taste.
You've nailed it, Sir. I'm convinced of two things....

That we all need to build exercise and activity in our lives to enable us to live longer, better quality lives.
(Especially workaholic keyboard and meeting jockeys like me). All of the people I've seen die prematurely in their 50's & 60's have been unfit and stressed.

That exercise is hopeless for weight loss. It "might" burn some calories and speed metabolism short-term, but "most of the people I know," seem to just put weight back on later. The weight loss trick - that you're using - is that thing about "avoiding the high sugar / snacks / alcohol" (and maybe going easy on portion size) that we've all bought into these last three decades. This seems to be how most thin people (over 50) that "I know" seem to crack it.
 
That exercise is hopeless for weight loss. It "might" burn some calories and speed metabolism short-term, but "most of the people I know," seem to just put weight back on later. The weight loss trick - that you're using - is that thing about "avoiding the high sugar / snacks / alcohol" (and maybe going easy on portion size) that we've all bought into these last three decades. This seems to be how most thin people (over 50) that "I know" seem to crack it.
Spot on.
 
I was bad all over Christmas and since.
I’m eating too much, drinking too much, not cycling enough and obviously not swimming or using the gym.
There are no big cycle ride-outs planned and no triathlons.

I’m up to about 14 stone from the 13.2 from where I was this time last year.
 
What sort of equipment do you have?
An ICG IC7 spin bike, Concept 2 rowing machine, resistance bands, weights bench with dumb/bar bells, balance board, and a few other little things.
Also use a Polar Vantage V2, and my sons also use Polar monitors, to keep tabs on heart-rate, recovery status, etc...
Alongside the exercise, I have reduced alcohol (try to limit to a double measure 3-4x per week), but not really dieting per se, just being aware of what's going down the trap hatch!😆

A possible added side-effect is that my migraines seem to have reduced in frequency, although this w/e has been bad. Resting HR now down in the 50s and BP at 'normal' levels, without the use of medication.
 
1st Mar - 15st - 0lbs :)
I’m going to start monitoring my intake. 1st of March and all that.
 

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