Weigh In 1

First weigh in today and after bringing back the running I’ve managed to drop a whole two pounds, bringing me back once again under the 200lbs mark to 198.8lbs.

Some thoughts on this…

I wasn’t expecting a massive drop off. When I started the first phase back in January I had managed to five or six pounds in the first two weeks so while two isn’t exactly five or six, it’s still two. It’s two without the weights, it’s two without running and exercising every day (at most every second day over two weeks). It’s also two without the total change of food plan.

So for me, it’s a very good two. Of course, it’s two over the course of two weeks. I need to step that up to two per week, minimum or at least average.

This will come with the weights, this will come with the increased exercise, upping the running distance and running time, managing the food properly now that I’m into November. Still, I’m happy to be under 200, even if it’s just barely.

A Cold Tuesday Morning Off

I took this morning off, having dragged myself out of the bed yesterday to brave the cold. Good thing too - it’s even colder.

The van is giving out about coolant, I’m wearing a jacket in work and it’s bloody freezing. The sun is out but too cold for the legs and the rest of it. Back to the park tomorrow morning.

I’m also prepping a food plan to roll out from next Monday (November 3rd) which would mark two weeks into the whole get-fit-lose-weight process, but more on that later. From next week onwards I’ve to re-introduce weights and daily exercise routines (instead of every second-day-ish).

For this week again (week two), it’s simply running three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and watching the food intake. Next week, it’s a whole new ball game.

When My Legs Are Sore…

When my legs are sore (if my legs are sore) or stiff in the day after running I turn to the weights bench and curl 10kg nice and easy. Something I’ve also learned to reduce the stiffness after a run is not to sit down so soon after running.

Working from home it’s very easy to come in from a run, not bother changing for a while, camp out at the desk and answer emails, phone calls, make blog posts, whatever happens. Next thing you know, you’ve been sitting still for 2-3 hours and when you go to stand up your legs are quite stiff.

Given past experience though I’m well aware the stiffness doesn’t last forever, thankfully. It’s only been two trips to the park to ease back into things so there’s a while to go yet.

Still, the weights bench does help.

Back In The Running Game

Getting back on the road / park was tricky though one reminder of how much things have been let slide since August (and admittedly over the course of the summer) was enough to put me back running yesterday.

I’m easing back into things, no marathon stretches here. If I can go 2.5K average a day this week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), I’ll be happy. Just something small to start out with. Ideally I’d like to be able to knock out a 5k run in 30 minutes though I’m a while off that yet while I let the levels of fitness build back up.

Hence, starting another blog. I figure the older one, Weight Nation, can serve me as a reminder to the work that was done between January and April. Given the changes over the summer, in one sense it feels like I’m starting all over again. So new blog, new habits, new beginnings and new targets.

At the start of the year I managed to get from 220lbs to a more respectible 185.2lbs, a loss of almost 30lbs. My original target was 170lbs, that target doesn’t change.

What changes is that now I’m starting from 200.8lbs having gained 15lbs over the summer / early Autumn. Realising first hand that it (the weight) goes on a lot easier than it comes off, I’m intending on hitting the 170lbs mark. If I can do it at a rate of 2lbs per week, it would take me a total of 15 weeks, give or take.

Included in that time is a 10-day foreign holiday and quite possibly Christmas. That time-line would take me up to the end of January, something that ties in with my usual no-drinking regime.

I’m starting this blog to get myself moving, get myself interested, and hopefully catch up with others in the same boat. If you’ve any comments or questions, just give me a shout.