Weigh In (1)

Towards the beginning of this adventure you and I are embarking on (oh yes; there’s a you and me now, too late to avoid it!) there will be a few bits and bobs to establish; the first of which will be what is known as 'the official weigh in'.

A big part of what I am trying to do is to lose weight; whether directly or indirectly. I want to exercise more (which should result in me losing weight, which will make exercising easier), I want to eat better (which should result in me losing weight); I want more energy and to feel better (which should come from losing weight, are you seeing a pattern emerging here?), I want to be healthier with no joint pains, staving off medical problems associated with being fat (losing weight making a big difference), and of course I want to complete an Olympic-distance triathlon (losing weight therefore and absolute must!....and no, not just because I will have to wear a figure-hugging wetsuit that leaves NOTHING to the imagination.....okay partly because of that!!).

Nerve-wracking it may be, but regular and regimented weighing in is an absolute must. A few pounds off will motivate me to push on and lose more weight, whereas a few pounds on will make me reflect on what I've done in the last week and pinpoint exactly where I have gone wrong. (Both of these you will also get a special insight on through the miracle known as the written word; lucky you!!). If I get on the scales either nilly or indeed willy, I will(y) never know what works, and what doesn't.

So, as of now (or actually as of yesterday); Tuesday night will be weigh-in night. Put it in your diaries now. In fact if you're trying to lose weight too, let's strike a collective fear in scales everywhere; join me in a worldwide weigh in!

At my thinnest in recent-ish memory I have been at about 15 stone 8 pounds. Still a big fella but in my defence I managed to run a pain-free marathon at that weight so it can't be that bad. I knew I had put on weight - quite a bit - before I got on the scales last night, so a weight of 17 stone 6 pounds came as nothing of a surprise (1 stone 12 pounds on; yikes with a double scoop of aye caramba!!). Considering the distinct lack of exercise coupled with the distinctly large number of pizza boxes in my recycle bin, I think - if you will pardon the pun - I got away lightly. I can't say I'm ecstatic about it all, but every journey has a beginning (unless you're George Lucas, in which case every journey has a middle, then a beginning, then an end!!) and this particular journey will hopefully be a positive one. The only tricky bit is that for this journey to begin, I need to know where I am; and where I am is 17 stone 6. Hopefully the heaviest I will be!

Target weight? Good question. Not sure yet, but I'll let you know!! 

First Post..............Again!!!

Well fancy meeting you here; how have you been keeping? Life treating you well? How are the wife and kids?.......husband and kids??..........partner who is far too young for you as you are clearly going through a mid life crisis?? Isn't this whole economy thing a real drag? Where will you be taking your holidays this year? Oh really?? I went there last year and sadly will never be allowed back.....

......okay, that's the pleasantries over.

Now, in my humble opinion; all the best stories/movies start with some excitement. James Bond always blew something up, Harry Potter managed to.....blow someone up, and Jack Bauer usually ble.......shot someone. And whilst we will have plenty of time to get to know each other - again - and just as much time to delve deeper into the new mission, this blog also starts with something interesting; although to be honest I wish I hadn't mentioned Bond, Potter and Bauer as it's not THAT interesting!

Some call it 'the box', but to most it is simply the telly. With very few exceptions, this machine is the focal point of the living room, and of the average family evening. All manner of entertainment is beamed straight into our homes, giving us a wealth of choice to while away the hours before bedtime. Between you, me and the laptop, I watch a horrendous amount of it. I come in from work and before I know it, it is switched on in the living room, while I wind down, then the second tv is switched on in the bedroom while I get changed into my scruffs ('sweats to you American folk). Then follows an evening of dovetailing live tv with the programmes clogging my skyplus box, squeezing in something to eat; finishing off back in bed and usually falling asleep with the tv on (that mysteriously switches off sometime in the night.........tv elves?). Weekends are worse; when I am in the flat, the television on all day, every day!

Shocked? Well; I did say it would be an honest blog.

The real frustration is that there are so many things I want to or could do with my evenings and weekends; I have a stack of books I enjoy reading (but just never have the time to), I want to go out and explore this new county I am now living in (but just never have the time to), I want to learn to play guitar (had one for decades and it has always moved with me, but never 'got round to it' and now I just never.....you get the idea), oh and did I mention I am in training for a triathlon and writing a blog all about it? It is just so much easier NOT to do all these things, and just turn on the telly.

I strongly suspect that if I can manage it, I will the better for breaking the hold tv has on me; the hold I have allowed it to have on me. So, although I could not really be called a religious person, it is I'm sure you are aware the beginning of Lent; traditionally a time where one gives something up for a period of forty days. I wish I could say that I could go completely cold turkey, but I know something so ambitious will be a spectacular and instant failure. Instead I am giving up TV with the following exceptions.....

Match Of The Day on a Saturday night
One film on each of Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights
The weekends I go and see my Mum

Other than that, nothing. This represents a HUGE reduction in my television viewing, and with no watching from Monday to Thursday it is going to be a very interesting experience. One thing is for sure is that for as long as I manage to stick to it, I'm going to miraculously find a huge amount of that time on my hands that I never have.

Updates to follow!!!