The Fit Guy

Hello I am still off the piss. I'm still trying to get fit. Follow me at http://fit-guy.blogspot.com/ if you would like.

ps - This is what my cat looks like.

Day 365: Year's up

This is my last day in my year off the grog.

I started this year thinking it was normal to drink pretty well every day, and to get pissed pretty well every week. I had been drinking to excess for about 20 years. Living like an Aussie bloke.

Well, sorry to say this, but Aussie blokes come last. They miss out. They miss out on time, on health, on chicks, on exercise, on nature, on looking good.

They miss out.

Cracking a tinny or swishing some fine wine around your mouth while you hold the glass up the light: if you have any tendency to go that bit far then it's all the same. Whether you justify it through mateship or sophistication, it is all the same. Getting pissed; that's what it is.

You are making a choice as to how you spend your time. Dancing with a drug so engrained in our culture you don't even know it is one, or spending your life doing the things you want to do, looking after yourself, keeping your health and weight in check, and waking up each day clear headed with a sense of purpose.

It's just a choice.

I've chosen to get my shit together. It's a slow process. This year I lost over 22kg, but have recently put some back on so I'm back under 20kg. But I'll be on track soon enough, and 15-20kg lost is still fabulous. And you know what it's just the start.

I'm changing into someone completely different to the person I was when I started. A beer expert? A fat drunken guy who came last more like it. Even though, like many, he thought he was coming first.

I am going to be that fit guy people look at when he walks past. Not in a fuckwit way. Just in an a 'that guy is fit' way. Getting off the piss has allowed me to work that out.

I'll get there. Sober. I'm off to my own personal training session now. It's dark. Raining. I hate gyms - or at least the old me did, but I'm going to one.

Wouldn't be doing this hung over.

Enough rambling. It's all there if you want to reminisce: my ramblings for a year.

Thanks to those who supported me through comments and otherwise. It does make a difference. You know who you are.

Good luck working it out on your side.

Day 364: One day left!!

Almost there ladies and gents!

Had the barbie yesterday. Funny watching my brother drink beer after beer after beer........ And no I didn't want to grab any. I'm far past that.

I woke up with a cracking headache at 3.00 again this morning - second day in a row. I really think it is due to drinking soft drink. Not to sound like a nutter or anything.

Bit nervous about the personal training tomorrow. I think this guy is a hard arse. Hopefully he has the maturity to deal with someone like me: if it's too hard or he is a cock then I won't last.

But I'm hoping.

Going to buy myself one of those Weber Qs I think and move towards simple protein and vegetable meals. Forget high end cooking most of the time.

Day 363: Not long now

Well 2 days left now. Appropriately enough, I am having another barbeque with my brother, as I did 12 months ago. Instead of getting pissed as a fart, behaving badly, and getting hung over (wiping out 2 days of my life), I'm actually walking around the mountain with him at 8, and will then have a (sober) barbie with him at 12.

I also met with a personal trainer yesterday. I'm going to start some hard core 1-1 training, 3 times a week. Just me and him in a gym, for 1 hour at a time. High end guy, will cost a fair packet for 3 hours a week - one on one. That should get my thinking back on track.

I've gone off the rails a little this last little while, in terms of my weight and food and exercise, but it is recoverable, and, in a way, I think I'm keen just to knock this year off so I can move onto the next phase.

Day 360: Weight gain

Well, the eye off the ball for a couple of weeks means I have put a few kilos on.

Going off the piss does not make you a lean, fit guy. But it does allow you to get into a routine that can transform you into one.

5 days to go till my year is up (which makes it a Monday, rather than a Sunday).

Anyway, I just want to get to the end of the year. Appropriately enough, a mate wanted to go for a walk today, so he should be arriving any minute, for us to trudge off into the dark.

That is, if the piker doesn't pike. He is a weak prick, generally.

Day 354: Off rails a bit

Well, not piss, but exercise and food has been a bit out of whack. Had a holiday in Potsville, New South Wales, over easter, so that's why I haven't been blogging.

Anyway, I have JUST OVER 1 WEEK TO GO!!!!!!! in my year off the piss.

Who would have thought it was possible. The beer guy. The "good bloke". The first to shout a round.

For 20 fucking years.

Taking a year off the piss.

Well, it's possible all right. I've got 1 week to go to prove it! I won't finish on the exercise and weight loss high I had two weeks ago. Forget 25kg, I think I'll be lucky to have 20 now (haven't been on the scales.......).

Will ramp up the exercise between now and then, to finish as best I can.

But it won't be about my weight on that date. It's about my lifestyle change. And my long term health prospects as a result.

?????? up early again

Well, this lack of sleep is fucking me up.

I need to sleep in another bed. I'm going to for the next week I think so I can catch up.

Out of fucking control.

Sounds like a fucking freight train. I can hear her from here - in the lounge room.

Surely this has to go to a couple's compatibility.

Day ???: Insomnia

Been off the rails a bit this last week. Not so much walking. Eating more.

Woke up at 1 this morning and haven't been able to get back to sleep. I think it is stress related.

Mainly work.

Not easy to get the cash you need without a lot of bullshit, is it.

Not sleeping will fuck me up all day.

Day 340: Up .7kg

Well I guess that shows the variation you would expect. You can't really lose 2.4kg in a week.

It is quite frustrating, the process of trying to lose weight. Really you are attempting to undo the damage you've caused to your body in the past. If you go through a period doing this, trying to be really healthy, then over time it becomes a great mystery as to how the hell you allowed yourself to get, let's face it, so fat in the first place.

It is just not a sane thing for a person to allow, over time.

You wonder what was going through your head, week by week, month by month, year by year, as you allowed yourself to put that weight on - as you transformed from a 23 year old lean, fit guy into a middle aged slob, in say a relatively short period of 10 or 15 years.

Of course, it has to do with lifestyle. A routine of destructive behaviour. Regular binging and eating pub food can lead to it. But so can more subtle drinking, either under the guise of sophistication, or just a daily or weekly routine, that adds up the calories, attacks your fitness, and encourages drunk or hungover food choices that only lead to you going in the one direction.

That still doesn't explain why you let it happen. Ignorance is the usual answer. Your focus is elsewhere - perhaps on the lifestyle (mates, shiny new suit and city drinks), perhaps on other problems. But not on the scales. No charts are kept. No heads are shaken as you notice you have gone up 10kg in 12 months.

How could they, unless you were a nutjob. Nobody would sit back and watch that happen and not do anything about it.

In effect you have your head in the sand. Which is what has happened to me over much of my adult life I think.

Not that it is easy to go down if your head isn't in the sand. God knows there have been periods in which I have been trying but not progressing. But it is hard to go backwards if you are watching. You adjust your behavior enough to ensure that doesn't happen.

So where does this leave me. Frustrated I found myself in this position. That I let myself get into this position. I have some recent success it's true. But it is such a long slog, the old body reset after so much abuse really. Years, for me, as it turns out.

And the first year is almost over. 25 days left by the looks of it.

Will I make the 25kg? I thought so yesterday. Not so sure today. It's very hard keeping up a loss of over a kilo a week. I find it hard, anyway. I think if you average 1/2 a kilo over an extended period you are doing extremely well.

I'm up early again today. At about 4.30. I should trudge off around Mt Cootha again, back to where I began, almost 12 months ago. Except it is now by myself, and I'm 20kg lighter.

Day 339: 22.2kg!!!!

Well, I've either got cancer or this curry/no piss/no crap/exercise every day diet I'm on suits me.

Damn you Italian diet for fucking me up for 7 months!!!

This is a 2.4kg loss in one week?????? How is that even possible. It may be I've lost some fluid for some reason. Perhaps I'm eating less salt on the curry diet.

Either way, I'll have it. Look out 25kg!!!

Day 337: Week 48; 21.5kg loss

Well, very fucking pleased with this morning's reading.

21.5kg loss!!!!!!

And the last few days I've been feasting and only walked once.

Shows the Italian diet really really sucked. You can't exchange diet coke for olive oil and think that real food is going to save you............

Also I think the 4 Coothas I did the last week worked a treat.

How exciting. Well, still gunning for the 25kg this year. Going to try and do Cootha every single morning I can, and if I can't I want to walk in the afternoon.

And keep up the curries.

Day 333: 20kg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, 20.2 kg down this morning since I was at my fattest, about 11 months ago.

I'm pleased with that. 20kg is a big milestone. How can you not feel and look better 20kg down.

Clearly changing the diet was the right thing to do. To think that "real food" alone will make you lean is not correct, at least to western types.

You can't swap diet coke for olive oil and butter (as I did) and not expand.

It does not stop there, of course. I want to lose 25kg now for the 12 months. I still have a month to go, and so there is just time, if I do everything right.

Day 332: 19.8kg!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I might be a bit dehydrated, again, but I don't care and I'm only 200 grams off my goal weight for the year.

I think my new diet suits me.

Obviously dead keen to crack the 20, and not just dehydrated.

I have a few challenges coming up. I have lunch out today, and a work dinner Thursday night, and a work dinner Friday night.

So what am I going to do?

Well I think I need to exercise my arse off really, and be really good with the food otherwise. In particular, I think I need to do Cootha again, every day, and see how that goes.

If I'm fair dinkum by say trying to break the 20 by Sunday or Monday, then I have to put in some serious exercise time between now and then.

So today: want to do 1 hour 45 minute Cootha this morning, and my 1 hour 15 walk walk after work. 3 hours should have a go at fighting off the lunch if nothing else. I might try cutting down on the other food I eat today as well.

What this means of course is that there is no reason why I can't knock off 25kg for the year. If I get back into a ball breaking routine, keep up the curries, and avoid crap, I can do it.

Wouldn't that be something.

Day 331: That's better

Better sleep. Will walk after work today. Home preferably.

Had left over curry last night. Delicious!

Going to have again tonight.

Day 330: Poor sleep

Been awake since about 3. At 4.40 I've given up and made myself a coffee.

I wonder if I drank less coffee I would sleep better? Who knows. I think part of the problem is my girlfriend being in the bed. I sleep much better by myself.

Just like those old codgers with their two beds eh?

Thing when you're knackered is that you're not so likely to go for your walk, are you.

Went and interviewed my grandmother yesterday with my new bloggie. Thought I would get some footage while I still can, as she is 90. Unfortunately I've left it almost too late. She thought I was someone else for most it, and her memory is pretty well shot, even for events from her past.

I guess what you do capture is her voice, and her mannerisms. She looks pretty good, for 90!

Having said that, it isn't an age you want to be really. I think looking at her existence you would prefer a quiet exit at say 86 with your marbles intact, and a little more physical dignity.

Made my curries last night. Lamb and coriander, lamb vindaloo and mushroom and pea.

Frozen 6 meals out of it. It is quite a bit of effort, but I guess if you split that effort over 4 meals for the two of you then it isn't so bad. And I quite like cooking.

My whole day is going to be shithouse because of the lack of sleep.

Day 329: 47 weeks; 18.6kg

Well 5 weeks to go.

How am I going to smash the 20kg for my 12 months off the demon drink?

Well I'm going to do 2 things:

1) cook up my curries for portion controlled meals during the week; and

2) I think I'm going to re-introduce Cootha to up the ante a bit with the exercise.

So to act on this then today I'm going to go for a walk around Cootha as soon as I type this (the hard bit). Then I'll go out and buy some curry stuff and get cooking.

Also going to interview my gran using my newly purchased "bloggie" to get some recordings while I still can. She's 90.

UPDATE: Did the walk. Man it's great. You can feel how it will strip weight. I want to try and get back into doing it daily perhaps.

Day 328: Weights

Did some some weights this morning (my little dumbells). No walk though.

Shithouse day at work yesterday. Made some good food choices though. Did feel like a drink after work, due to the day being shithouse, which is unusual. No chance that was going to happen though.

Keen for the year to be over now. What's left, 5 or so weeks.

Going to cook up a big batch of curries tomorrow.

Day 326: 18.8kg!!

Well I snuck on today and I was down some. Only 1.2kg till I hit the big 20kg loss for the year, which is my goal really. To do that well and truly.

I know that my weight fluctuates with water and the rest. As I've said, I don't care, as it certainly didn't fluctuate 18.8kg down when I started.

The curry was great. I've had it two nights in a row. Tastes as good as anything you would like to eat during the week, quick, easy, portion controlled, and dare I say, healthy.

Just over a kilo of lamb has given me 7 meals so far, with at least one more in the fridge. And in a curry a little olive oil produces a whole batch, which is lower in fat than even a stir fry.

I'm thinking about going a little crazy and replacing a good portion of these meals with a curry. Sounds stupid, but people do it on weight-watchers and light and easy meal replacements all the time.

I think a big thing is portion control. You eat too much you fat bastard! This means you only eat what you defrost.

This is another big change in thinking for me. I used to get angry if someone suggested not drinking. That was pretty well impossible, ignorant, and un-Australian. Similarly, if someone suggested I eat frozen food every night.... well, I didn't think much of them either.

But if eating frozen food every night gets me results then the new me says bring it on.

I have my goals. I have to keep making changes to my lifestyle to reach them.

Piss. Food. Exercise.

That's it really.

Day 324: Curry

Well, I'm trying. Walked yesterday, this morning, and home just now. Frozen curry thawing in the microwave as I type. 3 minutes left on the clock.

Will it taste ok?

I hope so. Knackered. Did weights for the first time on Sunday. Arms still a little sore, but good to have started. I don't know how often I will do them. Perhaps only when I'm not walking twice a day.

Can't do any better than walking twice a day, I would think.

Sad things, microwaves. It's not cooking. I almost threw mine out when going through my Italian phase.

I hope it is for the best.

Ding.

Day 322: 6 weeks to go

Well I didn't weigh myself this morning. That is classic head in the sand.

I will tomorrow.

I made up my curry batch last night. Two curries, one was mushroom and pea, in a tomato and spice sauce. It was freaking awesome. The other was lamb and coriander, which was good, but nowhere near as good as last time I made it. I doubled the recipe, and it was too saucey. Next time I'll just go the single batch, perhaps with a little more meat.

Anyway, we had dinner and I still managed to freeze six meals or so. I'll have to reinstate the microwave, which I swore off in my fresh food italian phase. Fine by me.

It will be interesting to see what they taste like after being defrosted.

So 6 weeks to go. I think I'll keep my head rather than going full on. I just want to exercise every day during that 6 weeks. Even if it is to walk to the shop and back. And with my curries, no freak outs or poor decisions. I can take lunch every day. I can cook dinner every night. If I am not well enough prepared, then I just take a damn curry.

Day 321: Sleep

I find it tough to get a good sleep. I know when I went off the piss I noticed I slept better. But I seem to often wake up too early. I think part of it is my girlfriend. She hogs the bed and makes funny noises. That makes it more difficult.

Day 321 today. I'm really aware the end is neigh; creeping along, day by way, week by week. 6 weeks left basically, till I have been off the sauce for a year.

It hasn't been a great week. I was going so well, and then lost a bit of momentum/focus/had some blowouts.

So much of it is mental. I know no one wants to to hear your problems (or perhaps you do, reading this....) but if you are feeling sorry for yourself it is harder to be Mr Fit. I think my dodgy knee certainly made it harder, but it isn't the whole story.

I think if your life is out of whack a bit then it's easier to feel sorry for yourself, and to make poor choices, out of stress, boredom or depression and the like. Big Fat Bastard from Austin Powers? Perhaps.

Had lunch with a client yesterday. He had a few beers, checking if I was ok with it. Strange. I couldn't give a rats he was drinking. No pangs of regret for me. It didn't even register with my brain. At the end of the lunch he was a little fired up and reminisced in the old days it would have been me urging him to drink on.

No chance now. And how would I be feeling right now, if we did that, at 4.00 the next morning?

Shithouse, that's how. And half a kilo fatter from the 10 hour binge.

I need a new hobby or something I think, to make things more interesting. I'm not sure cooking is all that productive, and I'm a little bored with that one. I might look around at canoes and a roof rack, to be able to go off myself and paddle for a few hours on a Saturday morning. That's active and fun and positive. Sounds cool as well, when talking about the weekend, doesn't it, to be off for a paddle somewhere.

Plus it is using my arms rather than my legs.

I should also start using those weights. I bought the bloody things, and a book. I think I just need to start lifting them at nights. I can refine the routine some other time. Using them in any way would be better than not at all.

Anyway, I'm going to try and get back to sleep.

Walk

Back on the saddle. Walked home. Cooked chicken and vege stir fry.

Interesting

http://chrisgibson.tv/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/AC-Perth-Gillian.mp3

Have ordered book. Sounds familiar!

Day 319: Blowout

Well, in the interests of disclosure, I should record I had a blowout last night with food.

A bit of a destructive session, with deliberately poor choices.

Was a bit funny mentally. It is a mental game, isn't it.

I wonder sometimes if hydration has something to do with your brain going out of whack. That would explain why drink gets you feeling funny as well.

Anyway, sane today. Hope to walk after work.

Day 318: More

I'm weighing myself daily now. Just to focus the mind. I know there are fluctuations.

Pleasingly today's reading matched yesterday (a little under). In fact up to 18kg on the first reading, which again I will take.

I'm dead keen for 20 now. Bring it on. Can I get there by the end of next week? No reason why not, if my knee holds up.

Walked once for a bit over an hour yesterday.

Day 317: 1.6kg (17.8kg total loss)

Well, I know you can't lose 1.6kg in a day, and there must be other factors at play, such as hydration, but I don't care. Because when I started this little venture there would be no way that I would fluctuate down 17.8kg so I'm taking it.

This vindicates my decision to change my diet, in my mind.

I have 7 weeks to go. And guess what, I pretty well now have 7kg to lose if I want to hit 25kg for the year. This week will have to be tight, given this fluctuation. I don't want to be deluded because of an extra trip to the toilet and find I'm going backwards this week.

A nicer start to the week.

Day 316: 45 weeks 0kg loss (16.2kg loss)

Well a few things.

1. I think I had a good week. I exercised my arse off. My food was better (but not perfect - I ate out four times). I'm feeling like I'm moving in the right direction.

2. I've changed the monday to Sunday as it is more accurate.

3. No weight loss for this week, which I must say is a disappointing. But I have learnt that when you change things you need to give them a go.

4. I've put a graph up of my weight loss (or not) using an online tool and discovered my base was out, and I've actually lost .7 more than I thought (I'll take it!).

5. My knee has been dodgy since Friday. I had yesterday off because of it. Every fat guy's lament, and a few thin guys. I still hope to walk today, but perhaps not the hills of Cootha.

So what this week then? I think I need to curb the eating out. I might make up a curry today and prepare some frozen meals so I have a choice if I am pressed for time.

Bit down about the weight to be honest. It can be a real cunt to lose. Slow and via hard yards seems to be the only way, for me.

Day 314: Feeling fine

Woke up feeling slimmer. My body shape is changing. Fucking that Italian diet off was the best thing I've ever done (short of fucking the grog off).

Why didn't I do it 12 months ago?

Anyway, everything seems to be coming together:

1. Off the piss.

2. Not habitually eating crap.

3. Exercising every day, preferably twice a day.

4. Eating mainly simple stir fry/noodle dishes with lots of veges and some meats. Also a lot of fruit.

Just got to keep the bastard up. I think what I get up to on the weekend will determine whether or not I slip into the 16kg+ loss category rather than staying in the 15kg+ loss category, where there is a risk of languishing (well, let's face it, I've been dancing with the 15kg area, plus or minus 2kg, for over 6 months - time to fucking move on and guts it out).

I think I'm going to make a curry over the weekend and freeze it for quick meals. Do people freeze the rice with their curries or cook it and just freeze the curry?

Day 313: Compliment

I got a compliment today.

"How much weight have you lost"

"15kg"

"Looks like more"

Can't beat that!

Walked over 2.5 hours today.

Day 312: Part II

Well, I walked in. I didn't break into any runs today although I did yesterday. I know I've eaten less today, which is fine so far. I'll be interested in seeing how that goes into the future.

High hopes.

Day 312: Epifany

It has occurred to me that this weight loss caper is all about the food.

(Often the simple messages take a while to get into your brain).

I need to really really simplify my food, at least during the week, especially at night.

I'm talking a plate of veges with some chicken breast or can of tuna on the side type simple.

Dare I say it, fat camp style simple.

I am 100% sure that if I do this, the weight will fall out.

I think my obsession with cooking has really bitten me on the arse this year. Not that I want to give up cooking, but if my priority is shifting some pounds that really shouldn't be there, then I need to make some sacrifices when it comes to dinners.

It is pointless working my arse off on the road, and giving up the piss, if I'm going to make it excruciatingly slow and difficult by eating loads of calories in my meals.

I want to smash it out now. I think everything is in place, and I still have a lot to shift.

Day 311: Good day

Good day today. Walked both ways. Haven't oven eaten.

Just need to keep it up.

Day 310: Olive oil withdrawal

I'm suffering from olive oil withdrawal. I'm sure of it. I'm very sensitive to fat, and often feel sick if I have the wrong fats. Yesterday I felt weird, in a fat deprivation sort of way, and kept thinking of olive oil.

I've been eating olive oil based Italian dishes for 3 years now. Little wonder my body has noticed that it has gone. I'm also hoping the calories add up a little better without it.

I walked after work yesterday. I'm all set to walk in today. I hope to cook some lunch up before I do (stir fry).

Went out for dinner last night. Not ideal, but there was a birthday involved. Sushi train (which isn't as healthy as it sounds).

Jumped on the scales and was half a kilo up. Shows you can only rely on trends. I guess at the moment I'm looking for them to show in the 16kg-17kg loss mark. Once I'm there I'll look for 17-18 loss, and so on.

Best go cook.

Day 309: 44 weeks 1 kg loss (15.5kg total)

Back on the saddle. Pleased about the reading as feel quite heavy because of all the cooking I did on the weekend including the chicken and vege stir fry and fruit I had last night.

The real test for me with the new diet will be over the next couple of weeks. If I can smash it out to, say, 17.5 loss in the next couple of weeks I'll know it is has made a difference.

I had a dream I was drinking wine last night. I vaguely remembered I was off the drink but then thought I must have started again. I even took in some air to try and increase the taste of the wine.

Not sure what that means. I also dreamed of an ex-girlfriend. No not in that way.

Bottom line is the number went down, and that's where I'm at. Had a break for three days from exercise, not sure why. But going to bust it out every day till next weigh day to see if I can break into new territory. Plus no crap, and try and not eat badly when eating out this week (got 2 functions at least).

Need to focus. I'll report back here each day on both food and exercise I think.

So it looks like I have 8 weeks left. Realistically I will be pleased if I can get the number up to 20k, with 25k as a stretch goal. Somewhere between 20 and 25kg loss for my year off the piss would be just fine, thank you very much.

So a real effort for these 8 weeks is in order.

Day 307: Musings

You know, there really is fuck all content out there on the internet about being off the piss. Not written by sane people, anyway. Sometimes, to feel better or out of curiosity, I google being off the piss, and I always end up reading the same few articles.

I think perhaps it is because most medical types are well and truly ON the piss. Med students are notorious pissheads, who move onto drugs as soon as they get access to the in hospitals (at least the ones I knew). Same as dentists. Huge piss heads.

In fact, here in Australia, pretty well EVERYONE, professionals included, are huge pissheads. Or at least heavy drinkers. Certainly your doctor is, as he sits there lecturing you.

Almost guaranteed he gets pissed regularly.

My own grandfather was a surgeon. He is probably the most alco guy I ever knew. Drank every day, all night. Fosters. Functional. Also smoked like a chimney. Died of lung cancer in his 60s.

Poor bastard lost his wife to cancer in her 30s. That may have driven him to the drink.

Anyway, my point is that pretty well every medical person I know is a huge, or at least moderate, pisshead. Same as lawyers.

Nothing wrong with that, of course. But it's interesting that there isn't more written about not drinking on the web. There is the clinical stuff, of course, written by some guy with a lab coat on or a big pair of glasses, but nothing you can relate to.

Nothing written by a normal person.

Just an observation. You don't need to follow the thinking of others. You shouldn't really. There is so much crap out there, all trying to manipulate you, for your money generally. Or for your body, if you are female and marginally attractive.

Same as advertising for food, and even government recommendations based on food industry interests. All crap.

Look at the diet trends. Some scant research appears on a topic and then a whole industry appears flogging it. Consider the appearance of low fat ice cream followed by low carb ice cream over 20 years. Next will be omega 3 ice cream.

I've told you my plan was to become Mr Mediterranean. But then I noticed the years I tried to live like that resulted in me being heavier. So I'm heading back into South East Asia for a while. To see how I go.

Bit of a shock to the system this weekend let me tell you. I had a Viet meal with healthy soup, chicken dish and cabbage stir fry. I've cooked a noodle dish with beef and thai basil. I've cooked another noodle dish with an egg and soy sauce. I've also cooked some chinese dry shredded pork for fried rice during the week (this stuff is freakin addictive).

Might be some fluid retention for all the sauces.

So anyway. New diet. Olive oil fucked off. See how long I can keep it up, and whether or not there are any improvements in the right direction if I keep up the exercise.

Day 305: Rooted

Today off. Had function at Broncos match for hours. Man, how boring are these things without piss. And the drunk bogans at the end!!! Thousands of them. Pissed. I'm just 100 years away from that shit. In many respects.

I felt a bit nervous just walking among them.

Thank christ I don't have 2 wake up with a hangover tomorrow. Feel a bit like i will, but of course I won't.

So tired.

Part III

Well felt good today. As though I'm moving in the right direction. Dinner was a disaster - just not organised enough, which is key.

Had a rough week or so at work. I sort of feel as though I'm in a bit of a middle age rut to be honest. Does everyone feel the same way I wonder? I'm 36.

How I got to 36 I'm not quite sure. But it would appear that 40 isn't that far into my future.

I think it's perfectly possible to feel isolated at around my age. Most people are preoccupied with kids and the like, and social contact, genuine friendship of the sort you have in your early 20s, becomes pretty hard to come by. At least if you don't have children.

I just worry my life is passing me by.

At least if I keep getting fitter, healthier, and leaner, I see that as a positive.

Part II

ps - Have now walked Sun - 3.5, Mon - 1.5, Tue - 1.5, Wed - 1.5, and with any luck will be off for another 1.5 in 5 minutes.

Day 304: Diet

I'm going to try and move more towards an Asian diet rather than a Mediterranean one. Logically Mediterranean makes sense. They eat a lot of veges and live longer and have fewer health problems. But I've just noticed that when i shifted from Asian to Mediterranean I actually put on a lot of weight, which now is coming off very slowly. When I ate Asian I was thinner, and when I worked as hard as I'm working now, it just fell off.

So what does this mean? More stir frys and soups basically. Sounds boring but Asian cooking is anything but. It means flavour from chili and spice and herbs rather than fat and salt. It means a lot of rice, flavoured with various spells and slight of hand, rather than bulk food. It means more noodles.

And please, no low carb comments. Asians aren't fat. What do you think they eat.

Monday part 2

Ok, so that's depressing. Do I run off and buy a box of light and easy?

No, things were working. What fucked it up was going on that fucking work retreat, being stressed at work, and missing my daily exercise, and eating crap at the retreat.

I also ate out 3 times last week at fancy restaurants! And once at at ok one.

So, my approach is:

1. Exercise every day.

2. Don't eat crap.

3. No piss.

That works. When I'm heading in the wrong direction if I look back at my behaviour I haven't been doing 1 and 2.

For some reason I've been like a champ with 3. Someone at work complemented me on 3 last week, with the absolutely shithouse week I had. I think she wondered how I did it.

I don't know to be honest. Something in my brain just switched and said, that's it, a year off the piss, and I've been able to do it.

Normally I'm not that strong mentally.

If I could work that one out I'd be a rich man.

Day 301: 14.5kg loss (1.7 GAIN)

Well that is a cunt.

Day 301: 43 weeks

Well, into the 300s.

9 weeks to go.

Trying to get back into it after a stressful week at work, which lead to some bad behaviour.

Walked 3.5 hours this morning around Mt Cootha.

Day 296: Back on the saddle

Well, after my half week of shocking behaviour and no exercise I walked home last night. Going to spend the rest of the week in catchup mode, with the goal of being back into the swing of things by next week. Lots of walking on the weekend.

Was a bit down in the dumps for a few days there - stressed, due to work mainly. I think that I am a stress eater, in that if stressed, and placed in a foreign environment (eg a hotel) I will eat poorly.

I have even been having some pro-alcohol thoughts, and reasoning why it was a good idea to have a drink, and even a bad idea not to. Why shouldn't I have a drink with a beautiful woman over lunch, for example?

Another pretty girl at work said I looked a lot smaller than in my picture, which was taken when I started this mad adventure. That pretty well answers why not.

Would a pretty girl prefer the sober, lean, fit guy or the fat drunk guy?

Pretty obvious, which is why I'm walking in this morning and not having a drink at lunch today. I've got 3 flash lunches lined up in a row: Kingsleys, Aria and Alchemy. Sounds flash, but really a fat and booze fest, if you are not careful.

Day???? Health benefits of booze

Interesting reading a couple more articles on how moderate alcohol consumption is a really good idea health wise.

Binge drinking (ie most aussie drinking) is not.

Shocking weekend

Had weekend away for work.

Was going so well. But the weekend was full of bad food and no exercise, pretty much.

Really really bad with the food.

Will take me a week or so to recover.

I think I went too hard on the Friday and I sort of snapped following this. The message for me is not to go too hard, food wise. Just eat good food and avoid crap, while exercising a lot. That's enough. And if it's slow, it's slow.

Day 291: How to smash it out

Well, come Sunday, I think, it will be 10 weeks to the end.

I'm really really keen to smash it out during this time. To grunt and make an effort for this last little bit.

I mean how many times do you finish off your year off the grog?

I know in the past it has been a mistake to go too hard, but this is the last little bit. My old swim coach (yes I used to have one) used to say to me, don't be afraid to push yourself.

To be honest, when it comes to restricting food for weight loss, to reach an outcome, I have been afraid.

I'm very good at eating well, in terms of real food, deftly prepared. But I'm not so good at eating a small amount of it, so I do not lose weight due to having a lot less food. Every single time I have tried that, I have failed. Any success I have had has always been due to not being on the piss, exercising like a champ, and cutting out crap food.

But I would like to end the year with a giant fuck you to any detractors. I think modifying eating habits, by way of making a bit more of an effort, could help. A few more salads. Cutting back on seconds. Being a little hungrier during the day. Waking up hungrier.

Just a thought. Either way I'm determined to knock it out for 10 weeks. I'll be flexible as to how I get there, so long as there is progress.

Day 290: Ups and downs and the future

Funny, been feeling good the last day or so. As though I'm moving. So once again hopped on the scales midweek, to confirm my rapid decrease in size, and to my horror it flicked on the wrong side of 15kg before settling on the right side.

Just.

So, over a kilo in difference from 3 days ago. That's the fluid loss I was mentioning after the big walk.

The main thing is that it settled on the right side of 15 (just). So that means that it's still 1.5kg from a couple of weeks ago so that's excellent.

I do feel as though I'm on a bit of a roll. Food wise definitely trying to avoid obvious crap, especially biscuits from the firm jar and orange juice. I'm hooting along the path in the mornings, as I mentioned.

I also mentioned the 25kg yesterday for the 12 months and that is still my goal. I just know what it is like when you are trying and not going down. I think I'm out of that situation now, especially if I get into the dumbbells (from next week - 3 times per week). If in a couple of weeks I am not moving I will have to get stricter from a food perspective ie eat less you fat bastard. At the moment I'm just trying to keep quality high rather than say only so much.

One thing that makes it hard for me is eating out for work. I'm out again today and that will be twice in a week at a fine dining establishment. I know I just need to make smart choices but it is something that is difficult, even if you do try and make the right choices.

I was also thinking as I walked yesterday about the future, beyond the 12 months, and drinking. I'm bored with not drinking now. Not in the sense I wish I was drinking, but I'm so over drinking I'm bored about thinking about not drinking. For the longest time my health kick has been nothing to do with drinking, really, but rather doing the things that not drinking lets me do in order to improve my health, lose weight, and look like the fit guy.

Interesting that.

So back to my future. This ends in something like 10 weeks. Not fucking long!!! That will fly by. Am I going to get back on the piss then and celebrate. No fucking chance. I'm telling you. No fucking chance. I'm feeling good. I'm moving in the right direction. I've lost 15kg. I want to lose more.

Piss would undo all of that.

So no, no piss in 10 weeks I think. What ever?, one might ask. Well, I don't have to answer that, I've decided. I think you can say you are off the piss, or off the drink, if you are currently not drinking, without having to say that you are never drinking. Probably easier culturally too, at least here in Australia.

"I don't drink" - FUCKWIT!

"I'm off the piss!" - Wow, what's this guy up to?

And I think that would be right. Mentally I don't want to say I won't drink again. I want to drink again. I think it's healthy. Heart disease runs in my family through my mothers side (her father died at 50). Booze in moderation really helps you not die. That sounds good.

So some day. But at the moment, mid-transformation from slob to triathlete, getting back on the piss sounds like a step backwards.

Speaking of triathlons. That is one of my goals. I think I'll have a 2 year plan after this year with a goal of doing a proper triathlon and not look like a slob. Not with a focus on not drinking, which will be boring, a given, but with a focus on being athletic and exuding health. Being the fit guy that walks past, not the beer drinking slob who loves a drink and is everyone's mate.

All very grand, and perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. I mentioned my goal and two year plan to the attractive 26 year old in the office next to me at work. She looked me up and down, and said "Hmm, yeah, 3 years".

3 years is fine.

Day 289 and feeling fine

I feel good today, as though I'm getting thinner. You know that feeling you can get when you are making an effort, and all too often don't get when you are making an effort. You feel as though you are shrinking. It is motivating. It is part of a virtuous circle.

I've started running a little in my walks to and from work. That has just come naturally. I wouldn't logically do it, as running screws you up. But it's brilliant that my body is wanting to break out into a jog. And if I can pull it off, nothing strips weight more than jogging.

I've been thinking about goals and so on. I would love to hit 25kg loss for my 12 months. That's my goal. I think I've got about 10 weeks left haven't I? So I can do it, if I bust a boiler and make some food changes.

If I were able to run even one way each way then I would zoom ahead.

And my dumbbell workout is still up my sleave (ie haven't started it yet).

Week 41: 16.2 kg loss (2.7kg in the week)

That's more like it!!

May be some dehydration from the big walk yesterday.

But I don't care.

Current goal: 20, 20, 20.

Motivating.

Year 286: Cootha

Slammed out a 3.5 hour Mt Cootha walk this morning, up and down the mountain.

Got to keep that baby going.

Think I'm going to join a walking club to discover bushland around town.

Day 282: Blah

More walking. Food not great. Walked 3 hours + today.

Day 280: Week 40 13.5kg (0kg loss)

Well at least I didn't go up.

Funny you can bust your arse and not move. Or so the same thing and it falls off.

Day 277: Back

Crook back yesterday. Spasamed up. Didn't walk yesterday afternoon, and may take today off.

I think my body was just having a bit of a freak out.

Day 276: Woke up well

You know when you wake up a little stiff, a little leaner, with a feeling that if you keep this up you are definitely moving in the right direction because of all the exercise you're doing?

That's how I was this morning. Look out. Of course I immediately hopped on the scales to confirm my dramatic weight loss (that would cause yesterday's insulter to choke on his cereal) and nothing had happened.

A reminder to only worry about the weigh in once a week.

I seem to recall that when are making an effort it can take a few weeks for you to get into an unassailable routine, and for body to relinquish control of its stores and take you on a merry path of weight loss.

I suspect for me that this will start at the end of NEXT week, assuming I keep up my walking to work, and start smashing Cootha out on the weekend.

Guess we'll see.

Day 275: A good day (almost)

Good day exercising, and for food too. Walked each way, so over 3 hours there.

Got insulted by a fucker at work though, who announced I looked like an even "bigger unit" with a beard.

Fucker!

Anyway, I'm feeling as though I'm moving in the right direction with all the movement.

Thanks for the friendly comments.

Look out Monday.

PS - Felt stronger up the hill walking back today. Only one week.

Day 274: Walks

Well fucking good effort from me this morning. I had a breakfast at 7.30 in the city, but didn't let that stop me from walking in. I just had to leave home at 5 (1.5 hours).

Walked after work for another hour and 10.

Day 273: Week 39 13.5kg (.4kg loss)

Well .4 down from last week. Pretty disappointed, but my view is if the number is smaller then that's fine. It all adds up.

This week, exercise every day, including the weekend this time. Work and back where I can. Cootha on the weekend. No crap.

See how I go.

UPDATE: Shocking food for lunch. Had a good dinner, and went for an hour walk after work. Plan on walking in tomorrow morning.

Day 272: Dumbbells

I bought some dumbbells from K-Mart. 60 bucks or something like that. 20kg. Flexible.

I've also ordered a dumbbell book from Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Dumbbell-Training-Strength-Fitness-Brzycki/dp/0976336138/ref=pd_sim_b_1

I'm going to start a routine once I've read the book, which should take a week or so to get here. Hopefully this will build up some upper body mass, which will increase weight loss and make me look a little better.

I walked like a champ until Thursday. I haven't walked since then. Hopefully I will head off today some time. And keep up my to and from work routine next week.

Day 268: Wall

Body hit the wall today. Screamed at me for food, and also complained big time coming home with skin irritation and chafing.

I didn't ignore the food calls, but I did make myself walk home. I think you need to push though this when it comes to mere walking. I'm not convinced you need rest time when you are just walking on the flat.

Interesting how you notice how fat you are when you start exercising seriously, and you also think: how the fuck did this happen? and how fucking long is it going to take to shift this shit?

The trick of course is routine, and not to think to much about it. Just do it, as they say.

Bloke at work has been 10 days off the piss. Shitting himself before a health checkup. Also starving himself, which is stupid. He is Mr Yo Yo when it comes to weight.

Reckons he feels better off the turps.

Compliment

I should also mention I got a compliment, unprompted, from my lunch companion on Monday. He hasn't seen me for a couple of months, which means that even if my weight has not gone down I'm still looking better.

Must be the beard.

Day 268: Good walks

Well, dragged my sorry arse into work and back today, which is over 3 hours of exercise.

Bloody good walk coming home as I am knackered by the time I get to the hill, and then have to walk up the hill. Great for the heart rate.

I really feel that if I keep this bastard up then my weight will only go in the one direction. And reasonably quickly.

Didn't eat brilliantly today as was too rushed this morning to take my lunch in.

Now time to make dinner.........

Day 267: 13.1 kg down

Well I got on the scales. Was pretty disappointed as I've busted my arse this week. But the aim was to set a line in the sand to allow me to adjust if I don't go down quickly enough. As it is, I've basically been the same weight since September, which is quite a while.

I'm sure if I replicate last week in the next week or so I'll be able to get back to 15kg, which is my current goal.

UPDATE: I walked into work (1.5 hours +) and then walked after work (1.25 hours). My thinking is if I get in two walks a day, approaching 3 hours, 6 or 7 days a week, then I'm on the right track. I did have a flash lunch though, and when I got back from the office there was a full carton of piss sent to me by someone for free. These things are sent to try us, although, to be honest, I didn't really feel like a drink at lunch and didn't even think about it when I spotted the carton.

Day 266: 38 Weeks

Wow, 38 weeks off the piss.

That's a lot of weeks.

Didn't weigh myself this morning. Slept in a little but still went for my early morning walk with a mate for 1.5 hours. We were talking about our goals for the year and he asked when I could have a drink again. I said that I wasn't sure I would have a drink after my year, as I seemed healthier and happier without it.

His advice was to stay off it if I could.

Pretty pleased with the walking this week. I should say well pleased. Did a serious walk every day but one, and some days I did two. I've started the walking to work plan, which I think is a great one for loss.

Just need to man up and get on the damn scales so I can set a benchmark for the coming weeks.

Back to the week just past. I really think it's the start of a new phase. I'm feeling better each day, and waking up with a little stiffness, but in a good way. My mind is in the right place.

So this week then, I would like to see more of the same, basically, plus the food getting better and better. And I want to jump on the scales in the morning to get things moving.

Day 266: Risotto

I didn't expect to go for a walk today. I was just lazing around when I received a text from a mate, and we ended up doing the 1.5 hour walk around Mt Cootha. Beautiful day, with the wind in the trees.

No regrets there, as usual.

Cooked another risotto for lunch as we didn't have anything planned. Just a butter and parmesan one, with real meat broth. Pretty darn tasty.

Not so sure about dinner. I've got a sweet potato that's calling my name I think. With some rice.

I'm not sure what day I'm going to weight myself to get it cracking. Probably Sunday morning is a good idea. So tomorrow I'll draw a line in the sand and expect some results from here on in with all the walking I've been doing.

That reminds me I've got to SMS a mate to try and line up the big walk tomorrow around the hill.

Day 265: More walking

Well I walked home last night. It was a bloody good workout, partially because I was rooted, and partially because there is a nasty fucking hill where I live.

I woke up feeling as though I am moving in the right direction and walked in just now (1.5).

I ate a shitload last night. As I said, when I start out big with the exercise I go on a bit of an eating rampage. That settles down in time but the exercise stays.

Feeling pretty positive about it all. Want to get back to 15, then aim for 20.

Will weigh myself this weekend.

Day 263: Compliment

I got a compliment today, while walking the hill. It is worth recording, as I do not get many. The complimentor was a fellow who walks with his mates, and his dogs, up the same path my mother and I walk. We have said hello to him for many months, but have not seem him for some weeks. They would be in their 50s, most likely.

At the top of the hill, the fellow he was with asked my mother about New Zealand. The first guy then said to me (his first words spoken to me ever): "You look fantastic - a shadow of your former self. How much have you lost?".

As someone wanting to lose weight, you can't ask for more than that.

As I don't feel I've lost any weight for 6 months or thereabouts, perhaps my body shape has otherwise been changing with the healthy living/exercise. My mother tells me she can see I cut a better profile from behind, not so much the belly but my back/legs and so on.

Anyway, whatever the reason, it's nice to get a compliment. And motivating.

Back to this week: corker Mon/Tue exercise wise, nothing wed (but poor food), and a good walk this morning around the hill (1.5) and I hope to walk home after work, which would bring it to 3+ for the day.

Day 261: Fucking knackered

Almost gone off the blocks too hard. 2.5 hour walk before work today. Started getting distressed half way during the day (check prior blog entries on getting stressed with Cootha) and listened to reason and cabbed it home.

Ate some crap.

But, as I have observed before, whenever I go berko with the exercise I always crave more calories and get distressed. The way through it is to just keep on going with the exercise, focus on establishing a routine, and the food cravings/distress goes away once you are used to it.

Would like to go around Cootha again tomorrow. Hopefully the big one.

GF and her mates are getting PISSED tonight at my place. Doesn't tempt me at all, but does make me feel like having somewhere else to crash to sleep, early.

Day 260: Two walks

Well, first day of the new regime.

Walked for an hour and a half to get to work.

Walked for an hour and 10 minutes after work (and cabbed it home).

Ate a packed lunch, avoided the biscuit jar, and ate my pre-cooked tuscan ragu (made yesterday) with freshly cooked pasta for dinner. I didn't go back for seconds but had grapes for dessert.

Pretty fucking pleased with day one.

Day 257: Back

I'm back. Still off the piss. I have been doing some exercise, but need to get back into an iron clad routine.

I've got a new plan. I'm going to start walking to and from work. I'll still keep Cootha with my mother on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and hopefully the big walk once a week on the weekends.

Tuesday and Thursday mornings I might have to catch the bus in after my Cootha walk.

I also want to keep with the real food, and not too much of it. No crap.

If I do those things I'd like to re-assess in 10 weeks.

So, to get this going I want to do my big walk tomorrow and shop for some real food. I've got a big fridge coming as well, so I might freeze some stuff to ensure that I've got no excuse (certainly some meat broth anyway).

Flood

Day ??: Floods

Brisbane is apparently expected to have its worst floods in over 100 years. Everyone is at home, if they can. Areas are flooded. 9 people have died. 66 people are missing. The main water hasn't arrived yet.

My girlfriend was speaking to her father, and asked him if he had any supplies (as he is isolated and won't be able to shop): "Ah yes", he said. "I have a bottle of gin and some tonic water", in all seriousness.

When pressed on food he said he might have some frozen pork chops.

My sister braved flood waters to buy her 'supplies' (3 kids in the back) - "If I'm going to be stuck in a bloody flood I want to be able to have a bloody rum", she said.

I must say it is good stout weather.

Day 235: Walk

Well I went off the my first walk in a week. A bit rusty, but I was out for an hour and a half. My walking companion said that I looked as though I'd lost weight which was a bonus.

I want to look at joining a gym this week.

Day 234: Salt

I forgot to salt my eggplant before baking it today. It came out of the oven pretty bland. Why would you want to eat it? Not tasty at all.

Some salt, even at the end, transformed it into something delicious. Something that tasted as eggplant should. Not salty. Seasoned. Salt draws out flavour in food, helping it tasting of itself.

Salt, I think, is what allows all the traditional diets of the world to transform vegetables into something tasty.

One of the great horrors of the failed low fat era of the late 80s and early 90s was that not only was fat banned (the other magic key to taste) but also salt. So what were people meant to eat?

Steamed vegetables with no oil and no salt. Disgusting. No wonder people give up on it, or aren't satisfied, and keep eating, feeling as though they just need more, more of something.

Yes we eat too much salt. But I don't think it is possible to cook with too much salt. Processed food has too much salt. If you just have a bunch of chemical or low quality goo and want it to taste better load it up with salt and bad fat. And more chemicals. Great.

If you want to cut down salt, among other things, then cut out the processed crap. All of it.

But if you want to eat real food: onions, carrots, tomatoes, eggplant, spinach, cabbage and make food like soups, roast vegetables, stews or braises, you need salt and fat to transform that real food into tasty food. You can see this in almost all traditional food cultures, and certainly in the French, Italian and Greek food cultures.

In short, you need salt to make real food tasty. And if real food is tasty, then you are not eating crap food with all the problems associated with it.

Day 243: Worth waiting for they say

Day 240: Paint paint fucking paint

You can read all about my day the pub in the comments here:

http://campfirecoyote.blogspot.com/2011/01/41-miles-on-bike-yesterday-temperature.html

Other than that, my fucking kitten drove me fucking mad last night locked in the bathroom due to the mess the house is in. What can you do with a thing that is so little and ignorant that it doesn't even know when you are angry at it? Very fucking little.

Certainly spraying it with a water pistol or feeding it doesn't help (I can attest).

I haven't exercised in a few days, ostensibly because I'm meant to be a tradie style painter developing a tradie style 6-pack due to all my panting. The coast run yesterday didn't help.

Will have to crack the exercise again as soon as the house is painted.

Longevity

Food for thought from Wikepedia again:

Longevity

Alcohol consumption by the elderly results in increased longevity, which is almost entirely a result of lowered coronary heart disease.^[28] A British study found that consumption of two units of alcohol (one regular glass of wine) daily by doctors aged 48+ years increased longevity by reducing the risk of death by ischaemic heart disease and respiratory disease.^[43] Deaths for which alcohol consumption is known to increase risk accounted for only 5% of the total deaths, but this figure increased among those who drank more than two units of alcohol per day.^[43]

In a 2010 long-term study of an older population, the beneficial effects of moderate drinking were confirmed, but abstainers and heavy drinkers showed an increase of about 50% in mortality (even after controlling for confounding factors).^[44]

My granddad died of a heart attack at 50.

Food for thought indeed!

Day 238: Week 34; 13 kg

Well, I'm resetting the weight loss at 13kg. Short term goal then is to get back to 15kg and pretend I never dropped to 13kg.

I was funny in the head yesterday, and felt tired, hungover and irrational. I ended up eating some crap! (hot chips and icecream) which is typical hangover behaviour. I also didn't do my walk.

In my case though I had just had a massive day on new years eve (for me, 5am-1.30am), and got up early. I guess the lesson there is that alcohol is not responsible for all hangover ills, sleep deprivation is. It seems my brain requires a decent sleep in order to behave rationally - anyone else with me on that one? Noticed any bad or erratic behaviour either after drinking or not getting enough sleep?

No excuse today. In bed by 8 and up at 5. That's more like it. Feel much better.

I'm going to try my hand at painting the house in the next day or so, starting with the bedroom. Not my style at all (if I have a style), this handyman work, but the tradies are fucking extortionate these days. Ever since Labor decided that every fucking idiot had to be able to go to uni, every fucking idiot did, instead of becoming a tradie, and the real fucking idiots who did become tradies can now charge whatever they want to do shitty jobs like painting.

Meanwhile all the deadshit arts philosophy grads are all sitting around on the dole, too good to paint my house, thinking deep thoughts about being unemployed.

Good one Labor!

In my case it could cost me about 10k to paint my small little place, whereas the paint only costs 600 bucks or thereabouts.

First up, I need to demould my room. The roof was smashed in a storm a while back and water was getting in. Now there is mould everywhere. Isn't that what killed that Murphy girl?

Wish me luck.

Day 237: New Years

Just as well I don't drink!

That used to be a line I would pull out when I'd get up, badly hungover. But today, I can use it for real.

I'm still knackered as I got to bed at 1.30, and I'm a 9.00 man as I normally get up about 5.

For all those still thinking about piss, I must say it never entered my mind last night (well except when I boiled off some alcohol cooking - my only high - and sniffed the glass going in). But apart from those in your face smell the wonderful alcohol seconds I didn't think of it at all last night, or even think about not thinking about it. I'm only thinking about it now with the blog entry.

Instead the focus was on the nice dinner and the movie I watched. Plus the little coffee machine that now sits in the corner.

My goals have not changed with the new year. I want knock off the kilos really, by getting fitter, eating better and doing a triathlon when I've sorted my shit out. That's it. I'm taking for granted I'm not on the piss at the moment, with long term drinking plans yet to be determined.

I'm going to 'weigh in' tomorrow morning, for the end of week 34, to get things rolling again with the slowly but surely approach to weight loss.

The question is will I walk today? I should - today would be the 6th day of exercise in a row. But really I want to walk every day. As usual the answer is to just put my fucking shoes on and get out the door.