4 months....

This weekend marks 4 months on the Dukan diet for me. It sure has been an interesting process to date. I have made a personal choice that come November 1^st I will move to the next phase regardless of my weight at that time. Dukan says I should aim for 104kgs and the last 3 have been so hard to shift – I mean ridiculous! That said I am about 6 weeks ahead of the trend on my weight loss to date and for that I am grateful.

 I am truly grateful for the changes that have happened for me over the past 4 months.

-          I have managed to lose 28.7kgs (63.3lbs or 4.5 stone)
-          I have gone from a 46 trousers to a 40 (possibly a 38 as my jeans can now come off without being undone)
-          My running times have tumbled – running a 5k in sub 30mins and 10k in sub 1hr.
-          My feet have shrunk!!??
-          My mindset has changed….

 My mindset has changed…it really has. Look I still have a piece or two of chocolate after dinner, I still have the odd instance of carbs (mash/chips/rice – no pasta yet) but not when I can help it.

I am happy, I am lighter and I am motivated.

I have been away on business this week [no scales – first time in a long time I didn’t daily weigh] and so sticking to the strict Dukan was difficult, dinners dictated that I attend as work functions and so carbs were consumed but I left large amounts, I had small portions and went for the more protein options on the plates…change of mindset…

I also, for the first time, once I got to the place I was staying put on my running shoes and went out for an exploratory run to find a 5 – 6km route to run along. I have never done that before and in the past would never even have thought twice about doing that!

I am pleased that my mindset has changed and I am more conscious about the things I did and ate and the activity levels I maintained! I think it shows that things are working and things are changing and, for the better, will be staying that way.

I am pleased to say that after being stuck at or around 107kgs for just over two weeks this morning on the scale I was down to 106.3kg.

Happy thoughts and lighter scales

Inspiration ?!?

Inspiration (noun) –

·         Stimulation to do creative work

·         Somebody or something that inspires

·         Creativeness

·         Good idea

·         Divine influence

·         Breathing in (???)

 The above is the definition of inspiration. What do you class as inspiration?

I think that it is something that we take for granted far too often and in this day and age of instant news/video/music etc. I personally (and sadly) think it is and is becoming harder and harder to identify someone or something that is truly inspirational.

Business leaders, Sporting greats, World leaders, Religious leaders and more all play their part in making news headlines, mostly for the wrong reasons. Yes, I know that the news is selective and only publish what sells but the fact that these things occur is sad.

Is it me?

Do I live such a sheltered and naive existence that I cannot see the inspirational around me?

             Have I become desensitised to the wonders around me?

             Have I lost my spark/motivation/[dare I say it]my inspiration?

I have had it said about me before (to my wife and not to me directly) that I am always upbeat and cheerful and very rarely see the negative in something/someone. Whilst that may be true of my outward persona I do see the negative in things but I choose not to broadcast them or gossip about them and I think that it is much easier to share a smile than a frown. I still firmly believe that and will never change my views in that regard.

I have found myself frowning more and more of late and I think that it is time for that to end. I have taken up the mantel of “runner” as an integral part of my lifestyle change and vow that as part of that quiet (apart from the laboured breathing) I will use the time to meditate on and renew my positivity and to find the inspirational and the wonderment in my surroundings!

I vow that I will be inspirational to my two sons and wife.

I will find time each day to give my Thanks to the Lord for the wonderment and beauty around me as I feel that I take the blessings and challenges laid before me for granted far too often.

Apologies for a pretty heavy post but I have been feeling under a cloud for the last couple of weeks and need will shake that off and strive forward!

In closing here is a quote that I read today and think that is so apt in life….

“I only have a few reasons to run but a truckload of them to quit. All I can do is keep the few reasons nicely polished”

               Haruki Murakami

 Happy thoughts and positive views…thanks for sticking with me there!

Mixing it up

Holy cow am I sore from the stair climb on Sunday….OW!

I think that the use of muscles long since forgotten has resulted in a very vocal protest on their behalf to the rest of the body. Put it this way…I had to consciously think about going for a coffee in the company kitchen, decided that it would be too sore so had a mental vote against the coffee….I know that I need to get up and move around to prevent seizing up but movement scares me J It is day 2 after the exercise and I guess that day 2 is notoriously known as the sore day but really….oooooooowwwwwwwwwww!!!!!

The purpose of this post if anything is for me to have a whinge - because everyone I tell, and that is anyone that has the compassion to ask why I am walking funny, tells me it is my fault/choice…not helpful! True maybe but not helpful none the less. No really the purpose of this post for anyone that may glance through it is to sing the praises of mixing up your training.

For the past 5 months I have been running, mostly on the road with a little treadmill work thrown in too. I had the grand total of 3 cardio sessions in all that time and a couple of bike rides. I ran the half marathon a couple of weeks ago in 2hrs and 6 mins so whilst not super fit I felt that I had a good level of fitness. I need to rethink this…whilst I think that I have some fitness the body has become used to the training and so the protests the muscles are making are all the louder as they are from breaking the norm.

Just as we have broken the norm with the lifestyle change (I will no longer call it a diet as it is a choice of eating habit and if I fancy a treat I will have it and not call it cheating – more on that at a later point in time) so if we can change out habit in terms of eating why too should we not change our habit in terms of exercise.

Make it fun – this helps keeping us getting out there.

Make it have targets – this helps to have a sense of purpose. It is not just to get fit/lose weight/tone up – these are positive side products of the exercise. If the sole reason for exercise is to lose weight then I think you may lose your way and end up disappointed. It is a side product of the lifestyle change we are making and not the reason for doing it in the first place. This is something that I am only just starting to come to terms with myself.

Baby steps – you cannot go from not exercising in years to trying to smash out High Intensity Training sessions, running 10k (or 5 laps of a stair case…). Take it slowly and listen to your body, baby steps is all it takes!

Mix it up – the moaning noise made every time I stand up (or at least attempt to) is testament to that.

All that said, I look forward to the next time I tackle those stairs because believe me I can feel the benefits and this weekend the new training experience is going to be a beach run…

Have fun and enjoy the journey.

Happy thoughts and scales everyone.

Still going and NEXT YEARS challenges

Dukan Day 102 - Cruise

Starting weight – 135.4kgs
Current weight – 108.0kgs
Total loss – 27.4kgs To go – 4kgs (Dukan target 104kgs)

I saw my lowest scale reading in years yesterday – 107.8kgs. I was stoked, albeit reservedly as I have learnt that every time I get confident/cocky on this diet it comes round and smacks me in the head…

Scales this morning were at 108.0kgs. I think that is as a result of water retention as I was thirsty all day yesterday and chugged about a litre before bed….tut tut tut. Also had three cans of Pepsi max over the course of the day which is about 2 – 3 more than normal. Again it shows that if it is in the house I will eat or drink it…I need to be more conscious of my actions….I have been thinking of getting something bright/striking to tie to my wrist that would catch my eye as I am about to reach for the snack etc. to hopefully make me stop…not sure at the moment…

On the plus side of things we were given tickets to the rugby on the weekend and so I was able to take my beautiful wife out on a date as my awesome mom was kind enough to have both boys (5 years and 7 weeks…) for a few hours. The tickets included dinner and drinks so apart from a smidgeon of potato I did not cheat….the bread rolls looked awesome though J

Skyped with a very good friend of mine on the weekend. We are close mates and talk often but only see each other infrequently due to time zones (UK – Oz) and the fact that we both have young families etc. etc…well he hadn’t seen me since I started Dukan and was blown away – despite the comment that he misses my double chin he was pleased for me which was pretty cool. Positive reinforcement is always welcome.

So I have decided (early I know) what my challenge will be next year! Originally it was to take part in a triathlon but I think I still have the running bug pretty hard at the moment so the plan is……

 10 Runs in 5 Australian cities from April – November!

(4 x half marathons (21.1kms), 5 x 14km runs and 2 x 10kms)

By the end of the year I plan of having run a minimum of 1500kms in training and actual races. I have never been one to go at things half arsed and this is just another example of that…all or nothing. I am sure I won’t be winning the races but I will be working on some personal demons and I will be winning in my sense of achievement. And to think that 3 years ago I started by running between lampposts….all it takes is one step at a time and one foot in front of the other…

My poor little sister has been conned into being my Sunday training buddy….Sundays are the longer runs and at the moment before my training starts again in earnest, for my first half of next year, we are mixing up the training…this weekend just gone we ran this thing called “Jacobs Ladder” here in Perth. 242 steps one way and up and down counts as one lap…well we made it through 5 laps…and do I know about it today…. J Positive pain…Next weekend we are going to try a little beach running.

 Hope you are all doing well and enjoying life.

Take care, positive thoughts and happy scales.