The Tipping Point

Over the years, since 2011, I have gained weight and sometimes lost weight, but what I haven't done, is exercise regularly or achieve a transformation of lifestyle. Where am I now? at 73 kgs again. I was heading further upwards, and could see myself hitting 75 and maybe beyond.

I started 2015 at maybe 71-72, and attributed it to a vacation involving a lot of food at the end of 2014. Which means, with some careful eating and regular exercise, I could have lost it. I didn't however, either eat carefully or exercise at all. Looking back over the last 3 months of this year, I can explain why I didn't do all the things I didn't do, but explanations are not relevant.

I heard a story about 'being careless' and how we choose what to prioritise. When pushed, we will prioritise anything. I've done this with work, I know that I will do it with health, family etc. The point is, that I don't want to be pushed into it. I don't want to find myself in my late 40s with unhealthy habits, which will mean that I have to stop a lot of things I enjoy, because I did not learn to enjoy healthy things.

For the past 4 days of this week, I've been exercising about 30 minutes a day. One day I swam and the other 3 days, I've walked. I have enjoyed this, and fine that it's a combination of things. The first being that when my alarm rings, I actually wake up. I don't turn it off in my sleep. The next is that I get going.

The other thing I specifically want to write about is how my body is impressing me. In 3 days of walking, it has found its rhythm. With swimming as well as walking, my body has an optimal mode. In which the action is smooth, driven from the core and places no stress on the joints. The only parts of the body that work are muscles, which is how it is meant to be. Typically, when I gain weight, it takes some time for the body to re-adjust.

I suppose this is what 'hitting your stride' means, finding the optimized point where action is pleasurable. Once again, I'm committing to wake up each morning, and get on with it. I would like to say I will not fail, but I expect I will have slip ups.

Home Truths

So, I didn't keep up with the exercise in January and I ate too well. As a result I have become fatter. Some clothes do not fit. That has grossed me out. I am now properly 70 kgs again, which after having achieved 62-63 is also very disappointing. Fortunately it all appears fixable. For one, I'm starting with my friend again.

The home truths are as follows:

1. I enjoy food, so I have to watch what I eat, otherwise I will gain weight.
2. I am lazy, so I have to make time for exercise and make it a priority.

I am now deciding to exercise in the evenings, and to adjust the strategy if I need to go out in the evening. I also will keep healthy snacks (nuts) around, so cravings at satisfied without indulging. I will indulge a when the urge strikes, so I don't feel like killing myself.

I have bought meal replacement shakes again, and the last time, for a month or two I replaced 2 meals. Right now I'm only replacing one meal, mainly because I am not yet cooking or eating enough salad.

I want to find a ay to make this work, to make exercise a part of my life as I think I will enjoy it, if I can overcome my laziness.

Week 1 Done!

I ate nonsense yesterday as well. Idli Vada Coffee for breakfast, nothing for lunch and chinese for dinner. I was however, very excited to go exercise today. Inside me that is. I got it done, slightly less tired than on Saturday, but not much better in terms of speed.

Breakfast was cheese toast at 7:45 a.m. and nothing but water since. Lunch should be salad and chicken, dinner will either be veggies or chinese.

But Week 1 is done!

Week 1 Day 2

As expected, I drank coffee that day. Lunch was curd rice, dinner was a large Parsi meal.

Yesterday was a gap day, no exercise, breakfast was 2 slices of toast and a cup of milk. Lunch was 2 pieces of Tandoori chicken, one tandoori roti and a cup of curd. Dinner was 2 pieces of KFC and a serving of corn.

Today, I wanted to go exercise in the morning, I didn't. Instead had chocolate, banana, 2 slices of toast and omelette with cheese. That was breakfast and lunch. I had a chips sandwich at about 4:30 pm and a pure magic biscuit before I went exercising.

The exercise was... revealing. At first, my jog intervals were faster and more efficient, but I ran out of energy quickly. So the last 3 intervals were slow and almost painful. I will have to start paying attention to diet again soon. However, Day 2 Done!

Log

My friend, the one I worked out with in 2011 and lost a lot of weight, she's not well. So she's not an option for exercise logging this year. Which means I've to either join something online, or use this trusty blog. Since I've already done the hard work of setting this one up ;)

Date: 3.1.2013
Weight: 68.5 kgs
Exercise: 28 minutes (Week 1 of C25K)

Food:
6:30 a.m. 1 Pure Magic biscuit - bribe to run
7:40 a.m. 2 slices of toast and one cup of cocoa (no sugar)
9:30 a.m. Hungry again and contemplating a smoothie. May settle for coffee (milk but no sugar)

Happy New Year!

My life meanders on, and my body kind of meanders with it. I'm not eating better and I'm certainly not exercising more. But it's a new year now, with new possibility and new commitments. It may be that in 2013 I've to accept some truths about relationships, specifically mine, but with that, I also want to embrace fitness. My body's at an optimal level of fitness now, ready to train for a 5k, so I'm going to start.the Couch25k program. I wanted to start today, but haven't yet. I'm trying to tell myself that I'll go home and start. I'm certainly keen about it, I think I can do it, now to get into the right head space.

The Improvements

It has barely been 2 weeks since my last post but I see and feel improvements. For one, I don't have to push myself too hard to go exercise (though on nights when I sleep late, the next morning is a bit challenging) but I've still managed at least 20 minutes.

The improvements I see are that my body is getting firmer, my clothes are fitting better. More importantly, because I'm working out, I'm happier with the way my body feels, even if it sags a bit here and there.

Also, I'm reaching the optimum level of exercise where my mind can really focus when I'm exercising. I realised that I was pushing the jogging too hard (trying to run faster than I had stamina for) so have slowed down on that a bit, and discovered that when I walk fast or jog slowly, the body's functioning well enough for the mind to have 'free time' (i.e. no constant encouragement or paying attention to aches, or worrying about breath) and the mind focusses on whatever I choose. I've found answers to questions or issues that I was grappling with fairly easily when so engaged and am interested in seeing how far this goes.

Thanks to some athletic activity in the complex, I've learnt that I swim more than I thought, and walk/jog more than I thought. The walk/jog is important, because I decided that I was not going to push myself to speeds greater than 6kmph, and thought I was only doing 2.5km in 30 minutes but apparently I'm doing 3. Also, if I keep building stamina, I should be able to push this up to 4 and, eventually, maybe even 5.

The shorter term goal (4 days of exercise per week) is going ok so far, the 5km in 30 minutes by end April will probably not happen, and I'm not so sure I mind.