Merry Christmas All!!!

Well here it be!! Santa is dusting off his sleigh; and Rudolph, Donner, Blitzen, Jim-bob, John-boy and Grandpa are having their last carrots before their whistle-stop tour around the world (anyone who wants a laugh - and anyone who has kids that haven't discovered it yet - check out Norad santa; it's brilliant, plus it is a cast iron way of getting the kids to bed before midnight!).......

Crap!!

Do you remember the time I had the equivalent of two Chinese takeaways in one Saturday evening, and I had to obey the rules and tell you all about it? Well, here's another one comin' atcha!
It wasn't a terrifically bad week, until the weekend hit. Essentially it was a big dinner on Saturday night, with a 'gu' dessert (I think 'gu' might well be Swedish for 'diet???......don't think so!!') for pud. On Sunday the slippery slope continued, when I polished off an entire box of Miniature Heroes (I left out the eclairs, not for health reasons, just because I didn't like them), then after dinner (not too bad, turkey mince, mushrooms, rice) I really excelled myself and polished off 4 (yes....four) pieces of cheesecake. In my meagre defence, they were part of a cheesecake selection, which meant they were a fair bit smaller than 'usual'; but make no mistake, four of them is very very not good.
Add to this the fact that the only exercise I have done this week has been a bit of social badminton (the promised run on Sunday never happened), it's all pretty shocking isn't it? To be honest, typing it, I have shocked myself.
So I hear you all asking why.....(pause for effect)......and I do know why, but I stress that none of what I am about to say justifies what I did..........

Weigh in (26)

Well good golly miss molly, if it hasn't been a half a year since this blog kicked off; where has the time gone? Where has the weight gone come to that?!! All in all it has been a great 26 weeks, and the success is testament to the theory (rum?) that in order to achieve a seemingly impossibly enormous task, you just break it down; and fight one battle at a time, one day at a time. Doing that, I have suddenly found myself two stone lighter than I was when I started. It's just a shame that to celebrate this anniversary I have put on 6 pounds.........

.....just kidding!!

The weight continues to ebb away; I am now at 16 stone 10 pounds dead on, an official loss of 1 pound (actual 1.2). To be quite honest with you, I'm not sure what it is I am doing right these days; the Wii Fit has been giving me mournful neglected looks recently, and with the exception of a few badminton matches there has been very little exercise going on at all (although I did kick some ass at the last match)........

International!!

It's quite exciting having a look at the 'stats' section of this blog (for writer's eyes only, sorry) and seeing the countries from which people have had a look. Now ok, they may have stumbled on here looking for the person who is trying to lose weight in order to secure a position as a butler (Fat Man To Footman), or the fella training to be an assassin (Fit Man To Hit Man), or even the bloke who heroically fought back to health after a piano fell on him (Flat Man to Fit Man); but on the off-chance that some of them are - and will hopefully remain - genuine readers, I would like to say.....

Weigh in (25)

Well, less than a week after I go on about how 'I tend to know whether I have lost or gained weight without having to get on the scales, and am never surprised', what happens?? I got on the scales feeling sure that I had gained weight, and I was surprised!! Now 16 stone 11 pounds, 1 pound off (actual, 1.2)!
I am sat here trying to justify the weight loss, but am coming up with very little. I have been extremely light on the exercise this week; one session on the Wii Fit and that's it. Badminton social on Friday night was missed in favour of the works Christmas do (three-course festive menu which could hardly be called healthy). I also managed to knacker my foot that evening which has prevented any further exercise for the week; it also stopped me from going to the badminton Christmas do, for which I was rather gutted. Still, it prevented me from having another gut-busting Christmas dinner, and I felt justified by treating myself and my gammy foot to a chicken fried rice and crawn prackers. 
I think two things are happening here, Firstly, I have got more than a bit lucky, and secondly the revenge for some of the sins this week may well be visited upon me next Tuesday, but right now I don't give a monkeys; it is now a grand total of 2 stone off......that's 2.....count them.......1.......2 stone!
Although I have never set myself a 'weight target', I think I would be happy losing another 2 and sticking in the late 14 stoneys (it must have been secondary school when I was anywhere around there). Therefore, weight-wise, we are at the halfway point. Considering the difference on the howgoodyoufeel-o-meter between now and the start of this blog (half year anniversary next Tuesday), it is hard to believe what another 2 stone will do for me; but I am VERY keen to find out!
This is also a sad moment - for some - as I now feel it is safe enough to say goodbye to the chip banner on top of this blog. We all like chips; and chips, please believe me when I say, I will return, but for now we must have some time apart. I will be searching the image gallery on google for a suitable alternative (steak and kidney pie?????...........), but if anyone has any suggestions, I would be happy to ign......errrr.......hear them!!
I am determined to get my head down this week and truly lodge myself into the 16's (nothing worse than achieving a milestone, then going past it in the wrong direction); the gammy foot is still a bit gammy, so I've really got to watch the gobbling. Keep it going Blaydon.

Less Is More

An interesting side-effect of the weight loss is beginning to dawn on me, and it will not surprise you to learn that it is a positive side-effect (is there a negative one?!). I am finding that as there continues to be less of me to go around, there appears to be increasingly more of me to go around. I will try to explain...
This time of year is right in the middle of what I term the 'silly season', as it incorporates a Halloween party down in Oxfordshire, bonfire night in Stockport, and then the build-up - in all it's finery - to Christmas, as well as Christmas itself of course. I tend to be fairly key to all four of these events, and as a result my energy levels by this time are usually something akin to a cadaver. My mentality when this happens is to scream 'RETREEEEEAT' at the top of my voice, head for the comfort of my house, and with the exception of things I HAVE to do; cut myself off from the world outside. As a result, I stop going to badminton socials, I pull out of badminton matches, and I dread the Christmas do's which I just see as 'getting in the way' of my withdrawal. It is not as dreadful as it sounds, and I assure you I resort to this purely as a means of survival to preserve what little I have left of my energy levels......

Perfect Moments - Coming Home

I am a lucky fella. Born to two excellent parents, and as a result of this; brought up both with - in my humble opinion - a good education, and good morals. Throughout school and university, all my family, and particularly Mum and Dad, were there to encourage me to find my way. For this I will always be grateful. That said, these 'brunging up' years, although exciting, were also in a lot of ways, formulaic. The primary school-secondary school-higher education process was something which all my (five) siblings had done before me; and as a result, at no point did I so much as question whether I would do the same; I just did!
Let me stress here that this is not a gripe, far from it. There was an immense sense of comfort, imperceptible at the time, which comes from 'knowing what comes next'; the only dilemma being which subjects to choose, and which to drop (for example - ART in third year secondary school; dropped like a hot potato when my report from Herbie Hancock diplomatically said 'tries hard but has limited ability'; but I think we all know what the teacher translation is for that don't we?!). Sooner or later, the line which everyone follows, ends; and you are in total control of how it continues. My first bona fide, totally independent act is the subject of this post.......

Weigh in (24)

Curiouser and curiouser.......not totally sure what is going on here, but if the scales are to be believed, I have gone from 17 stone 2.6 pounds, to 16 stone 12.4 pounds. This is a rounding-up loss of 5 pounds, and an actual loss of 4.2 pounds. Go figure.......
Without doubt, this is great news, but I am not totally convinced that there has been consistency over the last few weeks weigh-ins. Either last week's was wrong going too high, or this week's is going too low. I did expect to lose some weight, but nowhere near this amount. Possibly the build-up to the weigh in is significant; last Tuesday was a particularly lazy day with no exercise, whereas this week was a good hour on the Wii Fit (I did have a badminton match, but it was cancelled). It is still a surprise, especially considering the trip to TGI Fridays I made on Saturday night (maybe chicken fajitas aren't quite as unhealthy as I thought).
Next week will be the clincher. If I have a good week, and am in the 16 stone somethings I can be more confident in the reading, if I am back up to 17 stone plus, it may be time to buy a new set of scales!
And no, this is not just a procrastination to get my running shoes on and start my training.....honest!! I promise that if next Tuesday ties-in with yesterday, I will start the slogging; and much to a certain persons relief I will be ditching the banner picture in favour of one much more in-keeping with the situation!
The bottom line is, weight has been lost; and that is what I am here to do; YAY!

Weigh in (23)

This slope is starting to feel a little slippery; not a great week. I am now weighing in at 17 stone 2.6. Unofficially that is a gain of 2.2 pounds, but frustratingly having to obey the rounding-up, rounding-down rules takes me from 17 stone, to 17 and 3 pounds. CRAP!!
I did a bit of soul-searching last night. Obeying the rules which have seen me get this far just seems to be so much harder at the moment, and I don't know why; it's pissing me off and making me angry at myself. I am still positive, and I can categorically say that the results of my weigh in have never been a surprise. I have just been struggling to exercise enough, and eat the right things; that is the bottom line.
So what secrets has this soul-searching uncovered? Well, not a lot to be honest. The task ahead of me is simple, and the way to achieve it is also simple. Two things however have upset my status quo quite a bit over the last couple of weeks. The first is mercifully temporary; I have a week off work this week, the build-up to which - as well as the week itself - has meant a pretty sedentary time of late. The second is going to be a more long term  thing, and is probably bears the greatest responsibility for the last couple of week's slippage; Christmas.
Yes yes yes; I know. Christmas is over a month away; but let me introduce you to an Adrian Christmas. It begins with a ridiculously mad amount of preparation, a mad amount of fatigue at the end; and as for the middle, well that's just mad! I won't list all the duties here - at some point either this year or next we will have 'Christmas' as subject of the month! - but suffice it to say, I have to start now if not before.
For some time now I have been worried about Christmas, and the effect it will have on my resolve to chuck fatman for the infinitely more favourable territory of fitman. Of all the associations which are linked to the festive season; salad, exercise and abstinence are not on the list. With temptation and indulgence round every corner like a mugger, what would happen? So, the irony is that before Christmas has even begun, just the worry has de-focused me. I have stopped paying attention to what I have been putting into my body, and I have stopped exercising enough, and yes: I have even stopped posting regularly on here (I am starting to think that this blog is becoming both an indicator, and a lifeline for me). I need to get 'it' back.
I am not going to make a big fuss about it; I am not going to expend any needless energy on screaming and shouting about how things are going to change, I am simply going to get on with it. An hour on the Wii Fit tonight, and a particularly tough badminton match tomorrow night should kick things off; then it's down to me to keep it up over the weekend. There may well be a trip to TGI Fridays on Saturday night, tricky! Whatever the result on Tuesday - even if I put on weight again - I intend to be looking back on a  much more positive and focused week.  

Weigh in (22)

(SORRY CHAPS AND CHAPPESSES): thought this was published, was writted on 16th November)
Got to say, I'm pretty happy with the result. If you have a peruse of my previous post, you will understand that my expectations of a good outcome were not particularly rosie, and distinctly weedy. Initially I got on the scales to find out I had lost EXACTLY nothing (16 stone 13.8 pounds), then in a fit of utter madness, I re-weighed (big mistake.....BIG.....HUGE.....what was I thinking??!!) and found out than in the space of 30 seconds I had put on a mighty 0.6 pounds!! So the bad news is that I am now unofficially back over 17 stone again (by 0.4 pounds), however the official line is that I am unchanged at 17 dead (hey, I was honest enough to stick to the rules when they worked against me.......!).
I have already mentioned some of the reasons why I haven't lost any weight; but another thing I am noticing is that it is getting more difficult to lose now. Previously I have been able to get away with the odd bit of naughtiness, but now it looks like I am going to have to tighten my belt a bit more (metaphorically) if I am going to be able to tighten my belt a bit more (literally!).
Hopefully the exercise I have done over the last couple of days will contribute to next weeks weigh in, I will be at badminton club night on Friday, and I am also turning trainer as I re-introduce my sister to the wonders of badminton tonight (should be fun!); chuck in another couple of Wii Fit sessions (the obstacle course is SO cool!) and I think I have the exercise portion of the week pretty much covered.
Oh, AND this weekend sees the annual 'putting up of the Christmas lights round the living room at my Mums' day; followed by the annual 'hanging Christmas balls in the corner of said living room' evening. That's also good to work up a bit of a sweat. The not so enjoyable annual 'these stuffing things won't light and I have to test every stuffing bulb to find the duff one, and no matter where I start, it will be the last one' usually comes along at the same time!
The thing is, a Christmas decorating weekend like the one coming up, is subtly hinting at me that the time of great indulgence is coming. Lovely though the holidays are, it is very capable of turning a receding waistline into an expanding one. I am kinda resigned to putting on some weight over Christmas (need to have a think of how I am going to tackle that one), but with over a month to go, I still have the chance to shed some good pounds before the festivities kick off. So it's knuckling down time; let's show this flab what I am made of (NOT flab!).

Weigh-in Eve

Tricky one this.......veeeeeery tricky. So far this week, the amount of exercise I have done has been.........zip, and to say I am a little anxious about tomorrow's weigh-in would be something of an understatement.
I honestly thought I had done SOMETHING; but going back over the week the last session I had was on the Wii before last Tuesday's weigh-in. I didn't even go to badminton on Friday (wasn't playing in a match, and with only one court available for about 15 people I didn't fancy spending most of my precious Friday night in a perpetual state of thumbtwiddlyness). I just find the week goes by too flippin' quickly; which is a great thing when you have put on weight and are keen to make up for it, not so good when you are on the verge of a 17 stone mile.........stone.......
Foodwise I haven't done too badly, although I seemed to have developed a taste for cinnamon and raisin toasted breakfast bagels; and it doesn't even have to be breakfast. Oh, and I succumbed to a bag (originally typed 'bad'; how's that for a subconscious message!?) of prawn crackers from the Chinese takeaway on Saturday.
As it stands now, if I coast to Tuesdays weigh-in without doing anything, I am sure to put on weight. So it's an hour on the Wii-fit tonight, followed by another hour tomorrow before W-day. Might still put some weight on, but it is sure to lessen the blow considerably. I guess I will find out tomorrow (and you guys on Wednesday morning!)
While I am on here; I am hoping to seek some advice about 'phase two'. This will hopefully drum up some comment from people, as although there are some out there reading me, I am sadly lacking in comment from anyone other than the lady known only as 'Wee-Ali'!........

Perfect Moments - Jodami

I am not in the least embarrassed to admit that I was a bit of a late-starter when it came to matters of love (no........don't worry......it's not 'that' sort of perfect moment!). My character lends itself more to being a great friend, than a great anything else. Not for a second do I consider this a flaw; far from it. I have some of the best and most precious friendships a man could possibly have as a result of it. What it does mean however is that my relationships tend to be of a stealth, where-did-that-come-from-I-didn't-even-know-I-felt-this-way-but-by-gum-I-do nature. They start off as friends, and it comes on so slowly that when the penny (not nearly enough to describe it......let's go with Berlin Wall (quite apt considering this story!)....) drops, it drops so obviously; and you just can't pinpoint the time when you left 'friends' far behind.
In 1993, I was in my first year at University; living in halls. By the time Winter was slowly turning into Spring, I had found my stride, and was very much enjoying the freedom that came with being away from Mum and Dad. Susanne was a foreign (German) student who was studying there for two terms. She understandably knocked about with the 'foreign clique', but for some reason it was a clique to which I got honorary membership (I forget exactly how I managed it, but I think my old friend badminton may have been involved). I distinctly recall the first time I talked to her; she broke the record for 'the fastest person to tell you that she had a boyfriend' by managing it in less than ten seconds! He - Thomas - was back in Germany. The amazing thing was that, of the 'foreign contingent', I talked to her the least! She was very nice, but more than that I couldn't have told you..........

Weigh in (21)

I know what you're thinking......did he??.....didn't he???......... I assure you, your hooks will not be nearly as tentered (although to be fair, I do not own any hooks; and even if I did I would not have a clue how to tenter them) as mine were when I got on the scales last night. In answer to your question, I did........and I didn't!
The scales showed a weight of 16 stone, 13.8 pounds. So I have broken the 17 barrier; yay me!! I confess that I did a little dance in the kitchen and there was much whooping, punching of the air and general merry making. At first, I didn't even feel bad at the thought of having to round the figure up to 16 stone 14 pounds ('0.2 pounds in the kitty for next week' I said to myself)..........

Subject of the Month - Perfect Moments

A perfect moment; have you ever had one? If you are answering 'no' to that question, then that's a load of bunkum. Think a bit harder, and I dearly hope you will find not one; but many. I am talking about those moments which go beyond 'good' to something that you know - as it is happening - you will be able to remember with perfect clarity for the rest of your life (in a good way). Moments when the cosmic tumblers of the universe click into place, (nicked a bit of that from 'Field of Dreams'. I'm not that erudite, sorry! (although I have used a word like erudite, not bad (oh crap....too many brackets now....!!!))) just for you, to show you what joys life can bring. I have decided to share mine with you....

Weigh in (20)

Twenty weeks!
By jove, by gum and by jingo (sorry, bit of a Famous Five moment there) it's been a funny week this week. Weighed in late last week due to a business trip down to London, badminton match on Friday, up until 3am looking at fireworks (don't ask) on t'internet Friday night, on the road Saturday morning at 7am to drive down to Oxford; Halloween party with eighteen kids (frightening!!......oh the irony.....), then on the road to drive to Sheffield, pick up said fireworks, then home, to sit in the corner of my bedroom in the dark, rocking back and forth while saying words like 'wibble'.
Amazingly I got to Sunday night feeling pretty chipper; surprising everyone around me, and myself. Since then it has been one, long, out-of-body experience. The physical self has been going through the motions (going to work, going home, sleeping......) but in actual fact I don't think my spiritual self has got out of bed yet. My eyelids feel like they have lead weights attached to them! I don't think it is entirely the weeks exertions, as I feel that sniffly feeling which is enough to make you feel a bit pooped, but not nearly enough to justify being off work; that can't help.......

Sporting Moments - The Grand National

When I was growing up, there were three days which our family would fight tooth and nail to get home for: Christmas Day, Easter Sunday, and Grand National Day. Never has there been a more family-binding (well, our family!) sporting event than that which takes place in Liverpool in April. For the uninitiated, the Grand National is a race for forty horses, run over four and a half miles, over the most famous fences ever seen; Valentines Brook, Canal Turn, Foinavon, Becher's Brook, and The (mighty) Chair (I had the privilege of seeing those fences up close and personal, and they are incredible). The stories that have come from this race truly are the stuff of legend. I urge you to look at footage of races such as 'Crisp' (1973), 'Foinavon' (1967) and the fairytale story of Bob Champion beating cancer, and then with Aldaniti, beating the other 39 horses in 1981 (they made film out of it, and the music will always bring a lump to my throat). They are just a handful of tales, and could each be a sporting moment in their own right........

Weigh in (19)

I cannot quite believe that this thing has been kicking on for 19 weeks now; blimey!
Sorry about the later-than-usual posting, but you were warned! I am afraid I really wasn't hugely surprised when I popped on the scales; the negatives far outweighed (literally) the positives this week. On the credit side of the weight-loss balance sheet were a couple of hours of social badminton last Friday, and the usual no-excessive-booze, no-fast-food pledge; the debit side was quite a bit too much bread (it's amazing what you can make into a sandwich when you really put your mind to it!), no additional exercise (zero badminton matches), and I went a bit fast and loose on the business trip to London......

ALERT ALERT ALERT!!!

Might have a bit of a problem this week, upsetting the weigh-in Status Quo (that Rick Parfitt has a lot to answer for). Work is taking me down to London tomorrow night for a 9am meeting the morning after. the options therefore are.....
a. weigh in tonight
b. weigh in on foreign scales down in London
c. wait until I get home on Wednesday and do the do then

rationalising.......

Weigh in (18)

Tucked up in bed after another victorious match in the Oakgate C team season (what do you mean.....who?!!!). Tired boy, but happy at the signs of continued improvement in my fitness. After the match on Friday I confess that the knees feel a bit tricky, but I got through tonight without getting nearly as out of breath as previous matches. Yay me!
'Weigh in'; sounds simple doesn't it? Two words, easy to pronounce; the world over, people are doing it every day. But for someone who is trying so hard to lose weight (and I know I am not alone in this), the simple act of getting on a set of scales is anything but straightforward......
First there is the agony of anticipation (agonipation? anticigony?); the agony of hoping that a week of working on your health isn't about to come crashing down, and more importantly the agony of just not knowing. Then....

Weigh-in Eve

All in all, I can 100% confirm that Weigh-in Eve is no nearly as much fun as Christmas Eve.
On December the 24th, you are decking the halls, stepping out for a winter walk and anxiously waiting for those jingle bells of Santa's sleigh; tonight I will be checking my calories, stepping up and down on my Wii Fit board and......well.......just anxiously weighting......

Sporting Moments - A Dish Best Served Unconscious

Another footballing anecdote for you, and yet another which I didn't witness; coming indirectly via my brother Paul (he takes up the stories from when I was a dribbling, incoherent, crying thing lying in a cot......just to clarify, that means when I was a baby and not after a particularly wild night out, although come to think of it, with the exception of the cot.....).
Les Bradd - in his three years with County - became a legend. I've done a bit of research (well, googled his name....), and he scored 30 goals in just over 100 appearances for the club (hardly Ronaldo, but it's Stockport County we are talking about here). I have also tried to tell this story in greater detail (some parts are lacking, and for this I apologise, the basic facts are accurate though) by contacting Les himself; I thought I had him working in PR at Nottingham Forest FC, but he left there some time ago and has now fallen off the radar........

Sporting Moments - A Taste of Home

It is hard to believe - I know! - that the stunning, suave, hunk of a man writing this post (no sniggering) was once a timid and shy young lad; but I admit it, I very much was! I didn't really and truly 'find myself' until I made the break from the parental home, bound for Nottingham University.
Somewhere in the attic of memories (not a metaphor, there is really an attic, and it is full of artifacts from the early Adrian years) there is a diary of my first few weeks at Notts; they were not the greatest. As I recall, they were broken down as follows......
5% lectures
35% homesick
20% cowering in my room and too scared to venture out
20% forcing myself to venture out before I became known as......well......'the person who never comes out of his room'
20% feeling totally lost and unsure how the hell I am going to make a life for myself here
I was still in a state of shock on the first Wednesday of my time there; three days in an environment as alien as I had ever experienced was really taking its toll. The one shining light was where I was going on that evening; as quite by chance Stockport County were playing Notts Forest in the League Cup second round, second leg; the first leg of which I had watched in Stockport only a week earlier.
The game and the result really didn't matter (we lost!!); what mattered was seeing all those Stockport players, and all the Stockport fans. It was a source of great comfort; something much more than just a football match. A message to me that no matter how tough things are at the moment, no matter how homesick I am, no matter how displaced I feel; that Stockport will always be there if I need it, Stockport County will always be there if I need it, and home will always be there if I need it. It may sound pathetic, but that gave me immense inner strength.
The coincidences didn't end there, as the following Saturday, County played an away match against Mansfield (very near to Nottingham) so I went to that too. Then on returning to university after my first visit home, I was walking out of Nottingham station, only to bump into one of our central defenders in the taxi rank!
County - and I'm sure most football clubs - get a lot of stick when times are hard (matches are expensive, players don't try hard enough, directors and owners are only in it to make a fast buck etc) and I confess I do at times fall into the category of 'giver-of-stick'. What I forget is that I owe Stockport a lot too; good memories, exciting memories, and very occasionally, help to adjust to new-stages in life!

Weigh in (17)

Okay, I'm going to keep this very low key; no 'hurray'.....not so much as a 'hip' (let alone two of them!). Three pounds off, leaving me at 17 stone 7 pounds. Proof that just being careful is still enough to get some weight off; I'm also starting to suspect that it is more than just coincidence when bad weeks coincide with drinking a larger than normal amount of alcohol (interesting journey this; the blog is helping me analyze what works, and more importantly, what doesn't!).
So I'm not going to make a big thing about this weeks weigh in; it is good news, but too much celebration will lead to another week of undoing all the good I've done. Instead it will be a smile, and a metaphorical nod of acknowledgement towards the success, and then knuckling down; getting on with the next week......I WANT THAT 17 STONE BROKEN!!!!
Going out for a meal this Thursday; could be a tricky one, but a couple of badminton matches coming up this week too, so plenty of opportunity to work up a sweat.
Let's get on with it..........

Hmmmmmm......not sure.....

Really can't judge what tomorrow's weigh-in will bring, bit nervous. On the negative side I haven't been monitoring my meals that closely, and there has been the odd wobble (bit too much margarine on the bread, bit too much on the plate); in addition, the week off has lead to more than a bit of lazing around. However in the plus side, there have been no takeaways, no significant sins and no booze; plus I did a six and a half mile walk in the Lancashire countryside.......which turned out to be nearer seven and a half..........when I got lost!
I will be angry with myself if I have put on more weight (let's face it....who else can I be angry at??), as it essentially represents a failed week. I know I will bounce back if the worst happens (eventually I believe that I will bore myself so stupid with the 'one meal at a time, one day at a time' inspirational talk, that I will actually start the practice along with the preach), but if it's all the same to you I would rather not have to.
Keep your fingers crossed, and by the way; happy birthday Wee Ali!

Sporting Moments - You Wouldn't Get This With Man United!

I tell you, this slide show thing is doing my scone in. You would think that there would be a simple set of instructions titled something like 'how to increase the size of your photographs'. However, it seems that in order to achieve this seemingly simple task, I have to bring together information from about five different websites, not to mention learn what feels like the entire foreign language known as HTML; all to see a bigger and therefore uglier photograph of me!! Hopefully it will be sorted soon......either that or I will learn something else........the aerodynamic qualities of a HP laptop, and the impact resistance - or not - of double-glazing. Anyway, that's not the porpoise of this post; more sport (says Wee-Ali with a roll of her eyes!).
It's amazing. When I first thought of this subject of the month, I was worried that I might be short of ideas after the first couple of weeks. Then stories just keep popping into my head. Except today ladies and gentlemen; today I am offering you a bargain. You lucky people......today you are getting not one story, but TWO. I can almost hear your little cup of joy overflowing. Both stories are on a similar theme, centred around one of the big reasons I love supporting a team like Stockport County.
First of all, let me introduce you to Jarko Wiss. Back in the days (a LONG time ago!) when County were a half decent team, we started to trawl mainland Europe to buy a players. Jarko was a Finland international with a wicked free kick; but what endeared the fans to him the most was his character. I don't think he will mind me saying that he wasn't blessed with boatloads of skill, but he made up for it by running round the pitch non-stop, and giving everything he had in the match, every match. At the final whistle he invariably staggered off the pitch, caked in sweat.
After one particular game I had to pop to the supermarket (don't get me started!) and about three aisles before making a break for the checkouts, I turned round and who should I run into? Jarko doing his shopping! I walked up to him, shook his hand and congratulated him on a good game. Quite apart from wanting to get away from me, he was more than happy to chat in his faltering English (NB: better than my Finnish). I particularly recall him still being out of breath, telling me 'I very tired, I go home to rest'.
In reading this, I understand why many people will not see the significance of this, and it is hard to explain why it means something to me. I just found it weird - good weird - that I was at that moment, in a supermarket, chatting to the guy I was cheering on just an hour or so before. He was not a famous man to most people, but to a few thousand people - including me - he was much admired. This made him different from meeting a player from a higher league; more accessible, less aloof, appreciative, and much, MUCH more humble.
Now if you don't mind, I am going to whisk you over to Macdonalds (as well as back in time a few years from Jarko), for story number two. Although I wasn't directly involved in this one, it is certainly worth the telling!
It was the morning after the night before, the night being one of the greatest in County's history. We had beaten West Ham in the League Cup 4th round, a quite astonishing result for a team like us (google 'Iain Dowie own goal' for a taste). My sister, Clare, thought she would treat herself to a naughty Maccy D's breakfast, and was sat chomping into her McMuffin while reading in the papers (national, not regional!!) about our victory. Heaven only knows what she was doing (according to her, she was 'doing a little dance of celebration' in her seat); whatever it was, it was enough to be noticed by a guy leaving with a coffee in his hand. He tapped Clare on the shoulder and said 'great result wasn't it?!!' And so started a ten minute conversation about the match, how brilliantly we played, and how great it is to be a County fan.
As the chap was leaving, he asked Clare 'by the way, did you go to the game?' Clare responded with 'too right I was, I don't want to miss a match like that!!........were you?' With a smile, he nodded. 'Of course I was there.....I was playing!!'
Of all the people to meet in McDonalds, she had been bumped into by Peter Ward. Not only did he play for County, he was our captain!!
Like I said, I can't see either of these things happening with Manchester United players.........

Weigh in (16)

I think we are stuck in a bit of a holding pattern here; 'lose some, gain some, lose some, gain some'. I'm getting a bit tired of it to be honest. 17 stone 9 pounds now, which - although actually 2.2 - represents 3 pounds on.
Of course there are understandable mitigating circumstances - birthday indulgences at the weekend (I think I ended up polishing off the best part of two-thirds of the birthday cake!), and general high-spirits of having a weeks holiday - but at some point i need to break this cycle and keep the downward trend going to the lower 17's (and beyond).
The temptation is to conclude that doing it this way - blogging, sharing, running etc - isn't working; give up on the whole thing and try something different. Mistake!! This is the desperate trap which people I am sure fall into; jumping from diet to diet, regime to regime, not giving them nearly enough time to take effect; failing every time, and in failing, more than likely PUTTING ON weight instead of losing it (see earlier post)). I have no intention of doing this. Instead what I am going to do is back myself. I am confident that what I am doing is the right way (for me at least), and even in the face of a bad week I am going to stay true to it. Even in the face of four consecutive bad weeks, I am going to stay true to it! My methods and I are being tested (I'm sure I saw a guy in a grey suit a trilby hat in Tescos yesterday.......). but I believe in them.
I just need to get back to what worked in earlier weeks. One meal at a time, plenty of salad, and a session or two on the Wii Fit to compliment my badminton. Keeping it very VERY simple.

Sporting Moments - Justin Timmins

I know what you are thinking (I do, really I do!!!); 'who the hell is Justin Timmins??' Don't worry, he's not famous, at least not to those who did not have the pleasure of watching his perfectly choreographed catastrophe about six yearsish ago.
You will now be correctly concluding that badminton forms a significant part of my social and exercise life (gold star to you!); Justin was the captain of the mixed doubles team I was playing in back in my days in Coventry. Team captain sounds so much easier than it actually is, as you have to deal with all the people who tell you they can't play....usually about half an hour before the match is due to start. He was a great captain and I am grateful to him for that, but for me (as Chris Brass before him) I have another reason to thank him; a reason which occurred during our Friday night away match at Shottery.
To set the scene, Shottery badminton club played (and probably still do) in a church hall, with one badminton court which barely fit inside it. Matches usually finished around about 1:30am. It was however a very sweet club, as the ladies in the team would bring in a proper spread of food that would rival a Famous Five picnic. When Justin took to the court for his second match, I was sat along one side of the court - on one of those gym benches you see in primary schools - about where the net is.
Justin was like the energiser bunny, non stop; very impressive. Then the moment came when in my head everything turns to slow motion. The shuttle flew towards Justin, going out wide. When it reached roughly Justin-head height, he thought it was going out of court. Moving like a panther, he got out of the way of the shuttle, staying outside it and allowing it to drop.
As I said, the church hall was a small one, and there wasn't much room between court and wall; to make matters far worse (or far better depending on your perspective) the bench on which I was sat stretched the whole length of the hall, thus narrowing the gap still further. What I saw next was Justins heels hitting the bench, propelling him backwards. What I couldn't work out was why I then saw his feet fly up  in the air, and his body vanish through the wall. Naturally I expected him to sort of 'bounce' back into court. What actually happened as it turned out, was that when his body shot backwards, he didn't hit wall; he hit the panic bar of the fire exit, jettisoning him out of the building (with a loud.....WHHOOOAAAAAHHH!)......and into a puddle.......
I assure you, I was genuinely concerned; but at the same the tears that were rolling down my face were not of grief (I think it was the puddle that pushed me over the limit). Now I'm not someone who is very good at stifling a laugh, and as a result all I could muster to Justin was 'Are you alrigheeehaaaheeehaaahoooheeeeight?!!!' I will give Justin his due, he instantly saw the funny side too.
........and the icing on the cake?...........the shuttle was in...........  

Exciting Limbo......

(I don't 'alf think of some weird titles to these posts don't I??)
Have you ever worked late until you are the last person in the premises? Weird isn't it? That is where I am now, and I am just going through the 'I think I can hear noises from downstairs' phase.
Weird though it might be, it is also pretty cool. I mean; a place which is usually such a hive of activity five days a week, has now become my kingdom, and mine alone. I can do what I like! I've got music blaring out unfashionably loud (if you think that unfashionably is a word that doesn't suit me....you reeeeeeally don't know me very well do you??), and yes; I am singing along to it. The factory floor is a ghost of its former self (I resist the irrational urge to run around in it), and such an open space is extremely eerie when you are about to leave and have to yell the obligatory 'im last out and setting the alarm' (one day, someone will answer, and that really will scare the bejesus out of me).
Tonight is particularly special for two more reasons. It is my birthday, and I finish today for a week's holiday (yay!). The strangest thing is that although I am really looking forward to having some time when I am not cruising - at 0.0000003mph - east and west on the M62, my favourite time of the whole holiday is.......now!
I am at peace, I am calm, and what is more, my holiday - and for that matter my birthday - hasn't really begun yet. There is the anticipation of going to social badminton tonight, there is the anticipation of the meal I will be having with my sister and me mam tomorrow, and there is the anticipation of catching up on watching more DVD's and reading more books than Amazon can deliver to the entire country at Christmas (ok, maybe I exaggerate a snifter). Far from any of these things ending up being an anti-climax, I will really enjoy them all; but right now they are all waiting for me, and it is very exciting. I am going to take a moment, enjoy it.......breathe it in.
My apologies for quoting a line out of Lord of the Rings - one of my many weaknesses - but it is so applicable here......'remember today brother........today........life is good!'
Have a great weekend friends x

Bed Bed Bed Beddy Bed

You know, I've met people who state with pleasure that the thing they love the most in the world is their bed. I always think that is a bit of a waste, as you can't get much done in life from a bed. However, right at this moment, I am 100% with them. I love my bed, I love it so much; I want to marry it and have little futons together.
I tried to get out of badminton practice tonight, but the guilt bone activated when I was told that without me there would only be three people turning up (not enough!). So I turned up, and what followed was 2 hours of hard, solid badminton. With only four of us there was no respite (five of you, you get to sit off one match in five); just enough time to take a sip of fluids and back out on court again.
Good thing is that when I first started the Wednesday night thing about a year ago, I made it through about an hour and a quarter and had to stop before I collapsed. Tonight I am absolutely shattered, but made it through the whole two hours. I feel fitter, and evidence like that is incontrovertible (oh, god; a word of six syllables at this time of night, I need a lie down...................hang on........I am lying down!!)
Anyway, back to the new love of my life. When I got back tonight, I didn't sit down, just made straight for the shower while my spag bol (Heinz, really could not be faffed doing it myself!) was on the stove. Then I actually made myself a dinner tray, and took it upstairs to my nice electric blanketted bed. I've had my spag (on toast) and am about to tuck in to my yoghurt. Don't worry, I won't make a habit of it, but could I just say for just this once only, that it's lovely (not just the yoghurt, the whole tucked-up-in-bed-having-din-dins concept)!!! If you had seen me lummoxing round on the court tonight, you'd know I have earned it!
Anyway, if you don't mind I would like to be left alone with my new fiance; two's a company and all that..........

Weigh in (15)

Well, it has been a night of losses. I witnessed Stockport County lose 4-2, but I also witnessed myself lose 4 pounds, which weighs me in at a pleasing 17 stone 6!! It feels good to redress the damage done over the last couple of weeks. I was by no means a nutritional saint, but the two sessions of badminton and the hour on the Wii Fit meant I could have some minor naughties (crumpets!) and get away with it!
This next couple of weeks will be pivotal, as there could be some indulgences. First of all it's my birthday on Friday (the 17th anniversary of my 21st year), then I am off work the week after; both of these are ingredients in the recipe for disaster. What I am reminding myself, is that one more good week will mean I have as good as broken the back of 17 stone. I tell you, it is almost inconceivable to think of myself as going below this milestone; breaking 18 was weird enough, but I shudder to think of when my weight last had a 16 stone at the beginning of it. So, it's controlled treating over the next fortnight, along with using the week off for some healthy treats like swimming and walking. A colleague of mine has helped me with the latter; sending me the details of two walks which start......well........at my front door give or take a couple of yards.
Dipping below the 17 stone mark also marks the beginning of phase two of 'the plan'. I already told you that I have found a running track to train on. I think 17 stone plus is a little too much for the knees and ankles (even on a cushioned running track), but once that weight is a memory, it will be time to get my running shoes on (PS: watch for the change of picture at the top of the blog!). The first race of 10km (Great Manchester Run) is 22.5 laps of the track........doesn't seem like much.....but I have an ominous feeling that at the moment, even one lap will seem like a looooooong way (and pleeeease don't tell me how many laps a marathon is, AAAAAAGH!!!!)! Oh what the hell, bring it on!!!!
(by the way, I am due another photo on the slide show; might be a few days late as I am tinkering with these at the moment; first of all the slides are running in the wrong order (I am getting fatter, not thinner!!) and secondly I want to make them a bit bigger; bear with me!)

Sporting Moments - Stockport County v. Liverpool

Yes, I know that a lot of these entries are going to have a footballing theme; for those of you who don't like football I apologise, but also urge you not to ignore these posts. The positive thing is that the point to these stories do not really relate to the game itself.
In 1984 Stockport County were drawn against Liverpool in the second round of the league cup. For a team languishing at the bottom of the league all season, every season; this was not a big game, it was gigantic. The chance to pit our team against the likes of Grobbelaar, Neal, Whelan, Hansen, Nicol, Dalglish, Lawrenson was the match of a lifetime; and for me - a young lad of ten years old - it was impossible to comprehend.
We played fantastically throughout; and if that 25-yard shot had gone in - instead of 'ga-doinggggggggging' off the crossbar (note to self; find the press photograph of that which Paul bought me, ad get it framed!) the stuff of pleasant reminiscence would have become legend. We got a 0-0 draw at home, which meant a replay at Anfield. Unbelievably we managed to get to full-time with the score still at 0-0, and we had three of the best seats in the house to witness it. Sadly, the fairytale ended in extra time, when Liverpool finally broke us down and won 2-0. At the final whistle, it all became a bit too much for this young lad of ten years old. After all that effort, it was all over and I couldn't bear it. I burst into tears.
Paul (my older brother, whom I have to both thank and blame for my love-affair with Stockport County) didn't know what to say to console me (he couldn't change the result); so, he put an arm of comfort round my shoulders and said cheerfully 'never mind Adrian, we'll give Crewe a good stuffing next Saturday!'
Instantly a guy directly in front of us chirped up; 'orrrr norrr yerr wornt!!'. When he turned around, looked at us and gave us a wink, we realised that in a stadium of over 40,000 seats, we had chosen the ones directly behind the chairman of Crewe Football Club! We had to laugh, and it cheered me up no end.
And in case you are wondering........orrrr norrrrrr...........we didn't!

Subject of the Month - Sporting Moments

Sorry it's taken so long to get round to another one of these; rather than having no clue as to what the next subject of the month will be, I have had too many to choose from. This bodes well for future months (for me, possible not for you!).
So what do I mean by 'sporting moments'? In truth I'm not too sure myself, but I had to call it something! I both play and watch a fair bit of sport, and in so doing end up witnessing, hearing about, or in some cases participating in what I consider to be extremely memorable moments. They are in some way connected to me (even if only because it is something I love). I thought I would share them with you. To be honest, even if you don't particularly like sport I think they will appeal, and most of them will make you laugh.
Speaking of laugh, the first item under this list is a place I go any time I need cheering up. Do you have those jokes or comedy shows, where knowing what is about to happen makes you start laughing before it has happened? Well this does it for me, and no matter how bad the day is; it will always crease me up. For this elevation of my spirits, I have to wholeheartedly thank Chris Brass (anyone who follows football should already know where I am going with this).  I will not cheat you out of seeing it for yourself, other than to say that it was an own goal, and his nose was rumoured to be broken (or at least heavily bruised) during the course of what you see. It is footballing perfection for both the wrong and right reasons.
Now that I have set the scene; I invite you to google 'Chris Brass own goal' and enjoy. He was playing for Bury Football Club at the time. And once again, thank you Chris!!

Weigh in (14)

Is it me, or are these weigh ins (weighs in? weighs ins?) coming round alarmingly quickly? I almost forgot to get my shorts on and hop on the mortal enemy that are my scales. Bad news I'm afraid; I am now tuning in at 17 stone 10 pounds, which represents a 2 pound gain, damn damn damnedy damn!
I always said that I would despair should I ever reach the stage when I have put weight on - or not lost it - and have no idea what I have done wrong; and this.................isn't one of those times!
I think there has been a bit of a carryover from the previous weeks indulgences (see Weigh in 13). I also went to the theatre last Thursday with my big sister and the obligatory (okay, okay; maybe NOT obligatory..........but certainly very enjoyatory) pre-theatre meal was Calzone. For those of you that don't know what Calzone is....it's the nutritional equivalent of getting a family sized Domino's pizza, and then smearing a pound of dripping over it. It was a great meal, a great show, and all in all a great night. Made all the more special by the fact that big sis paid for it all as a birthday present (week Friday). However, it can't be called healthy eating. I couldn't resist a few beers that night, and downed a couple of bottles of cider this week aswell.
In addition to this, I have cancelled my badminton training on a Tuesday night. With playing a match per week - as well as some social playing for two hours on a Wednesday, and club night on Friday - you CAN have too much of a good thing. Trouble with that is I usually have my hour training, and pop myself straight onto the scales the minute I get home. I'm not going to go into all the particulars of it, but the absence of that intensive exercise is sure to alter the results.
The positive thing is, that I am not panicking. True, I am impatient to get where I am going, but minor setbacks like this are not yet affecting me. I feel in control, and I already feel the benefits of the weight I have lost; that is motivation enough to persevere. As always, it is one day at a time, one meal at a time......and hopefully not one beer at a time!

Comments please!!

Hi Guys; good week this week for exercise. I've already said that I had some badminton training on Tuesday; as it turned out, I trained on Tuesday, played for two hours on Wednesday (had a call from 'the guys' saying they were a man short), and then had the first match of the season on Friday (kicked ass; lost one, won five!!!). To say I worked up a sweat this last week would be something of an understatement.
Trouble is, my diet has not been exemplary. No takeaway visits, but fell foul of the spongecake fiasco which blighted my diet the last time I visited my Mum (not quite managed to conquer that one yet). I am hoping that the exercise will compensate for these indiscretions. Unfortunately - and ironically - it is the amount of exercise which has damaged the diet as it has flicked a switch in my head that makes me think I can get away with it. We will see come Tuesday.
The main reason for this post is a request from the readers. Talk to me and let me know you're out there. Wee Ali drops a message to me on a regular basis, but I know there are more. It would be great to hear from you. What's your story? Are you trying to do something similar? Do you have a blog of your own? Do you have any suggestions for blog posts? Is there anything you would like to see? Why are you reading it? Is it the 'story' or just the outstanding writing.............(ahem)? I will be taking steps very shortly to boost reading figures (you would be amazed how many articles there are under the google phrase 'plugging your blog'!), but if viewing figures do increase, it would be nice to know who were in at the beginning!

Weigh in (13)

Well I have not one cotton-picking clue how this happened. Here's me, gingerly stepping on to the scales expecting a metaphorical 'tut-tut', along with telling me just how much damage I have done; and I am down to 17 stone 8 pounds! How do you do stunned silence in a blog post...? How about this...............
..........................................................!.........!....................!................!!!!!.....................!!!...................!!.....!. .................!..........!............................!!!!!!................!.......??!!!!?!.................................................................
Yep, that should just about do it.
I had a night out with one of my best friends (booze), and succumbed to a Chinese takeaway at the weekend. No swimming last weekend either. Strange, but I am not complaining.
One thing is for sure; I don't think I will get away with that regime for another week (and there may still be some residual effect on next week's weigh-in), but the badminton season starts on Friday, and I have had my usual training session tonight with Michael (never gonna make me sweat, no matter how hard you try) Wood. I think a relaxing swim will be in order on Saturday morning too. Exercise this week shouldn't be a problem then!
I truly hope I am over this dodgy period and regained my focus. I think I was a bit naive to think that the level of vigilance could be maintained, but I am well aware that it is these recoveries - rather than the easy times - which are the most important things to get me where I want to go. Let's keep it going.

Weigh in (12)

Bit of a sigh of relief when I got on the scales yesterday; to the decimal point I have broken even at 17 stone 10.6 pounds, and I will take that thank you very much!
It's been a funny couple of weeks all told, and I think - between you and me.......voice turned to a whisper...... - I've taken my eyes off the prize with regards to what I am trying to do here. What follows is going to sound like excuses; they aren't, as ultimately it shouldn't matter what happens to me. Healthy eating and exercise shouldn't stop. Like always, I will be honest enough to write them in this blog, and use them as - hopefully - lessons learned for the future.
Routine is often something which is decried; more often than not because it is closely associated with boredom. In the case of losing weight, routine is something I have depended on to get this far. Regular meals, based on similar content (salad, spinach ricey thing), regular exercise (Wii Fit, badminton), and regular posting on here. Lately, that routine has been disrupted; no more evident than in the fact I am posting less - and posting late - on here.
The disruption isn't always a bad thing (often quite the opposite), but the one thing that my established regime did not account for was the ability to be flexible:
August bank holiday for me is a longer weekend than most, as my company has an extra day off on the Tuesday. This led to more free time, and only a three day week; it sounds crazy but it knocked me out of my stride.
I visited my Mum. Now I love my Mum, and I really enjoy spending time with her. Having said all that, she is 82 years old and although mobile around the house, a visit to her can never be called relaxing as she likes to be pampered (and may I say, after bringing up six Blaydons, she is quite entitled to it!). Two things which happened over the last couple of weeks were firstly that one such visit was a particularly high maintenance one after a very tough working week leaving me fairly shredded. Secondly, I go through a routine of emptying Mum's fridge of all the things which are going to be out-of-date within the next week (replacing with new fresh goodies). Rather than throw this stuff away, I take them home with me; and in that bag of iniquity are several things that have no place in the house of......well.......me! One of which was an iced jam sponge, the entire of which went in one sitting.
Finally, I had a visit on Tuesday from one of my best friends. It is a rarity to see him these days as he is a big noise in research living in Switzerland with his wife and little girl. Now previous nights with Martin have resulted in extreme levels of alcohol, followed by extreme levels of poorliness (I will tell you about the 'Aberystwyth University' incident one day, if my stomach can take it). Although our tastes have matured - slightly - to a meal and a few beers over good conversation (yep, that really should be the other way round shouldn't it?!), it was still quite a step away from 'the plan'. I am not particularly guilty about it; Martin is a brilliant man, and it was a great night, but it is time to remind myself of what I am trying to do here.
When playing badders, if we slip behind in the match by too many points we say to each other 'ok, let's go again now'; it basically means 'we are better than this, let's get back in the game'.
So this is me......going again......  

Treaty Target

I know I know; I'm keeping you dangling. Honestly I didn't mean to, but blogging to me is always enjoyable, and therefore something I 'save for later'; and blow me if 'later' never actually comes! (Is it any wonder that I end up opening my birthday cards/presents on the day AFTER my birthday?!!).
What I was dangling you about - as if you didn't know! - is the treat I am to give myself once I reach the twenty-eight pound target. It is time to put you out of your misery by telling you something that very few people know; something which I have always wanted to do but never got round to.

SCUBA DIVING!!! (Of course now you'll all say that you had guessed that wontcha?! This I stress, is not to be confused with the act of throwing a cartoon dog into a swimming pool - Scooby Diving, or a very small person jumping into the noisy end of a brass musical instrument - Tuba Diving)

It's David Attenborough's fault, as I grew up with all his wildlife documentaries ringing in my ears. I loved them! The underwater programmes were always particularly amazing; I guess because the environment is about as alien as you can get; one in which us humans don't belong, and don't survive without help. The creatures that do live and belong there absolutely fascinate me, and there is nothing I would like better than to share their environment with them for real rather than on the small screen.

And what's the one creature above all else which I would like to see? The Great White Shark (I almost put 'Great White' but I can see some sarky bugger insinuating that I have a thing for the 'Great White Lobster' or something). I stress here that I am not oblivious to the potential possessed by a creature like this to.....how can I say this bluntly....errrr......EAT YOU. I intend to be inside a nice and sturdy cage; but how good would it be to see one of those majestic animals in action?

SO, treat number two is to book myself into a SCUBA diving course; some way away from swimming with sharks (unless they release one into the swimming pool for a laugh) but I have to start somewhere.

Slightly concerned about tomorrow. Had a bit of a binge on Saturday night, and I am not sure what the result will be. Two weeks of putting on weight will not be good. There will be mitigating circumstances which I will cover tomorrow (this is certainly becoming an inward journey..which is then outwardly shared!); pray for me!!!!

Weigh in (11)

If you are thinking that it is not a good sign for me to be blogging a day late from my Tuesday weigh-in, well.......that's because it isn't! Two pounds on this week, weighing me in at 17 stone 11 poonds.
In my defence, I have actually only put on 1.2 pounds, but the law of sod has pushed me over the half pound mark, so I am suffering from a scorching bout of roundupitis.
It has been a weird thought pattern since the weigh in. Initial reaction was 'WHAT?!! I can't believe it, and I have no idea what I have done wrong!!!'. Then.......'oh, there was that foot long chicken-in breadcrumbs subway which I had......with cookie and coke'......followed by a touch of.......'aaaah yes, I missed a morning of swimming at the weekend, and didn't go to badminton training tonight'.......then increasingly more sheepishly.........'I seem to have quite a few empty cider bottles in my recycling bin...' SO, what have we learned from this experience people? We have learned that if you don't do as much exercise, and eat more unhealthy things, you run the risk not only of not losing weight, but putting weight on.........well........deeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
So I am calling this weigh in, a week-off (the subway was particularly magneeeficent by the way, mmmmmmmmmm!), but it's back to work. An hour on the Wii-fit tonight, and ricey chickeny thing for tea. My halo is once again, hovering above my head. By the way, do I get another two bottles of aftershave if I get down to 11 stone 9 again?? Pleeeeeeeeease?????
On a more positive note, I finally managed to make it to badminton club last Friday, and each to a man commented that I had lost weight.....and yes, they said it before I did! I'm not looking for validation, but it's nice for my efforts to be visible. Just got to keep it going.
Will up the blogging posts now; and as a tempter, I have both decided the next subject of the month, AND my reward for losing the next 14 pounds (and trust me, you may be able to guess the former, but you are never in a month of Sundays going to guess the latter!).

Weigh in (10)

Here's me thinking that breaking 18 stone for a second time would de-value the experience; may I say what a load of crap that idea was, as it feels fabulous....again! It's probably made all the more sweet by the fact that I am the lightest I have been for God knows how long, as I am now weighing in at seventeen stone...............nine!!! I am elated by this, and also surprised. I was a good boy, but not a brilliant one; no fast food and no big sinning, but the odd jam sandwich before bedtime had me feeling guilty and certainly not expecting this result. What I have done is gone swimming twice, done a half hour of step, and just come back from an hour of badminton training. Clearly that amounts to more calories burned that two jam butties!
It comes at a particularly good time, as I have had a hell of a frustrating and crappy day at work, and am feeling a bit tired and rough as a result of it. This has been the perfect pick-me-up. Not only this, I have also taken my August photos which should soon be uploaded onto the slide shows on here (if you click on them you will be able to see them in gory largeness). There are definite and distinct signs of reduced bellyness, particularly from side on. Feels goooooooooooood!
Finally, I have just realised something else. I have lost 14 pounds in total (Weigh in (3) was when I bought the posh scales, which weighed me in at 18 stone 9 pounds); and the last time I looked, 14 pounds is...........ready for it.........1 stone! Not a pebble......not a boulder......a stone!!! YAY! I'm still going to measure weight loss in pounds (there is something of an anticlimax with going from 14 somethings (pounds) to just 1 something (stone), I like numbers that just keep going up!).
Now, have you been paying attention? What am I going to be doing this weekend?? Well, I get paid on Friday, so am off to Debenhams to pick myself up a bottle of 'The One' and 'The One Gentleman'. This was my planned reward for 14 pounds lost, and I don't think anyone reading this blog (or writing it!) can argue I haven't earned it.
Today my friends....life is good!

Supermarkets - nosey nosey!!

We all do it, but not many of us admit to doing it; a few of us do it without even knowing we are doing it. As for me; I do it, I know I am doing it, and I know I will keep doing it...
When things have ground to a halt - usually at a till queue, occasionally when blocked from the next item on your shopping list by someone else's trolley, and of course not forgetting being stalled behind the numtee who can't park his trolley properly (I have a real problem with those guys in case you hadn't realised!) I have a bit of a wandering eye; and that eye takes me to the content of other people's trolleys and baskets.
Now, I confess that I am the last person to pass judgement on someone else's life; however I just can't help playing the 'what does your shopping say about you' game. Here are the commonest types, and my associated translations.....speaking as a man, I am telling this from the perspective of a male shopper....
Charcoal, 8 sausages, 48 cans of lager and 48 cans of cider ('it's a sunny day, got the boys coming round, and I think the sausage/booze ratio is just about perfect').
Fruit, vegetables, quinoa, wholemeal pasta, quorn sausages, 100% wholemeal bread, Mars Bar ('the wife wrote my shopping list, and the Mars Bar will be gone by the time I walk over the threshold')
One baked potato, one carrot, two ready meals, six pack of baked beans ('could I be any more single?!! but hey, isn't Tesco's the new night club for picking up birds? see you by the eggs....nudge nudge, wink wink')
8 melt-in-the-middle chocolate puddings, 4 packets of Pringles, 6 boxes of chocolate chip cookies, 4 packs of butter (tricky one this; either....'my kids have reeeeeeeally terrible diets, and this lot won't last long with those lot eating me out of house and home' or possibly........'I hope you all think that I am shopping for the family, and I am not in actual fact going to go home and scoff the lot in front of a Lord of the Rings/Star Wars all-nighter')
Love it!! Of course not only can I be the judger, I am no doubt at times the judgee. Who knows what my trolley of super-duper healthy food (honest!!) says about me? Right now I think I am foxing a lot of people; as I am an overweight guy with food which does not match an overweight guy. I am guessing the resultant theories would be 'he is shopping for someone else' or 'dodgy thyroid'; hopefully a few will guess the real reason! I might throw in a couple of pounds of LARD just to maintain the stereotype.
This draws to a close the monthly subject of 'Supermarkets'. Coming next............wait and see!! (another way of saying 'I have no idea'!)

Weigh in (9)

Not good, not good; but I promised to be honest so here goes. Sorry I'm a day late in posting this week; I did weigh in yesterday, but I was out and about last night so didn't get the chance. Forgive me!!
One pound on this week. I can't say I'm totally surprised; it's a been a funny week all in all. Things have gone a little bit mad workwise (tonight finds me in bed before having to be up and on the road by 3:30am for a 9:30am meeting in Dorset), resulting in me being pretty tired, resulting in not maintaining vigilance over what I am chucking down my throat. No major binges, and no fast food; just what I think is a lot of little things. That bit more marge on my bread; and for that matter, more bread (I've started to have a couple of slices with dinner), the odd cheeky jam sandwich before going to bed. Then there's the sausage factor......nope, it's not a pornographic version of the Krypton Factor, in actual fact it is my inability not to eat a whole pack of eight bangers in one sitting. It goes like this; defrost them all, cook them all....when cooked, sneak one of them into a slice of bread with some ketchup (one down, seven to go). Then five with my dinner (six down, two to go). Then one usually goes somewhere between the end of dinner and bedtime, with the final one taken upstairs for a decadant 'in bed' snack.
The weird thing, is that until recently, I thought that this could be considered part of a healthy lifestyle! Our survey said............EEEEEEEEEEE ERRRRRRRR. Won't happen again, I promise. I have to admit, my willpower is never going to overcome the sight of some lonely looking cooked sausages (are you thinking what I'm thinking??) so I will split the pack into two lots of four, which means all I will defrost, is four, all I will cook, is four, and all I will eat.........you see where I am going with this dontcha??!!
So vigilant man is back on watch. Tomorrow is going to be a tough day, a total of ten hours on the road (shouldn't there be a law stopping you from spending more time driving than at the destination you are driving to?!!!). The temptation will be to sin my arse off (technical term) when I get back, so I will defrost some spinachy rice and chicken breasts to do when I get back. No naughties!
So in case you aren't paying attention, I am now at 18 stone dead; personally I like the idea of breaking into the 17 stones again!

I've got the runs!!

No, don't worry; I haven't fallen off the wagon again, and gone on a fast food binge so bad that it has wreaked havoc on my digestive system. I am referring to barmy 'phase two' of the grand plan to run the Manchester 10k next May, a half marathon towards the end of 2012, and the 2013 London Marathon. Phase one being of course losing enough weight so carrying out phase two does not result in both of my kneecaps exploding, and the collapse of Tower Bridge.
Like everything else, this grand plan will consist of lots of small steps; but there will also be moments when things become that little bit more real. That happened this last week when I booked my place on the Manchester 10k, plus I've picked the half marathon which I will be doing next year; and it's a biggie. So it's the Great Manchester Run, followed by the GREAT NORTH RUN, and finishing off in London; quite a combination.
When I think of the end of the journey, it can be quite emotional; I can almost imagine how it will feel to cross that line after so much trial and effort for two years; the feeling of completion, as well as the feeling of a new beginning. It will be powerful; either that or I will be so bone-shakingly knackered I won't even be able to remember my own name!
But there is a fair bit of water to pass under the bridge until we get there, so it's back to a big bowl of salad, my spinach ricey thing (you may hear a lot about that) and a couple of salmon fillets.
One final question; I own Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on DVD......why then am I watching it on TV?!!!!!

Weigh in (8)

Isn't seventeen a wonderful number? Seventeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen; there is something perfect about that number.......seventeeeeeeeen......say it with me.....se.....vennnnnnnnn......teeeeeeeeeen. Not only is it a thing of beauty, quite by coincidence it is now the prefix of my new weight. 2 more pounds down, which makes me seventeeeeeeen stone thirteen! I know it's just another week, and I haven't lost an excessive amount of weight, but crossing the 18 stone/17 stone barrier feels like I have lost a lot more weight this week. It's kind of the same theory - in reverse - of turning a milestone age, and telling yourself you're only one day older than you were yesterday when it feels like anything but.
I am running into a little difficulty though, when I looked in the mirror after getting home from work. The casual chinos I am wearing are beginning to look like the type of leggings last seen on Krusty the clown. They are mighty baggy and in danger of falling down (and no matter how much weight I lose, that is never going to be a good thing); so it's on with a belt in the hope that I can keep on wearing them for a little while before having to consign them to the 'not that fat any more' pile. Trouble is, there is a good chance that whatever I buy to replace them might be shrunk out of in a fairly short amount of time. Now I know what my parents went through while I was growing up!
So what's worked this week? I just think that above all else, the cutting out of fast food has been pivotal to the success so far. I'm not denying myself volume; I do have a good appetite and enjoy a big plate of food. All I am ensuring is that the big plate is full of things that won't put me on the connery ward.........errr..........make that coronary. I really enjoy chicken, tuna, sausages; and I am not avoiding these things. All I am doing is making sure that I don't overdo how much of it I eat, and the plate is full of either salad, roast vegetables (thanks Ali.....mmmmmmmmm..........by the way, that mmmmmmm was for the roast veg, not Ali.........not that I'm saying Ali doesn't merit an mmmmm, it's just that......... .......you know what, I'm just going to stop digging.......) or my spinachy rice thingy. The final and absolute key is planning. If I get the chance, plan my evening meal before I leave for work in the morning so I can defrost whatever I need. At the very least, plan the meal on the drive home. Only once have I reached 6pm on a day without knowing exactly what I would be eating.....and that once was when I had my Chinese blow-out.
Which reminds me to leave a note for myself; one of the subjects of the month will have to be recipes!
Well that's me for the night folks; sleep well.

Supermarkets - the zig zag of desire/doom

By now I think you may have realised that my 'subject of the week' has turned into a 'subject of the month'! Why do I get the feeling I think about supermarket life WAY too much?!
Picture it; walking into a supermarket neck and neck with another customer, let's call him - for the sake of argument - Norm. You and Norm are in the veggie section (you really don't know what spelling mistake I made with that phrase!), picking all those yummy healthy things that you're going to be throwing into the bin in about a week. Norm decides to go one way round to the next aisle, and you take the other.......you see where I'm going here?
Rounding the corner, who should be coming towards you - surprise surprise - but........Norm!! Thus begins the zigzag; everywhere you turn, there he is coming towards you......by the time you reach the booze, the amount you have seen him in twenty minutes would qualify him for a position on your Christmas card list.
So why doom or desire? Well this depends completely on the identity of Norm. He may be a he, and that 'he' may be someone who is distinctly uneasy on the eye. To make matters worse he may also have the aforementioned skill of parking his trolley in daft places (in front of the milk, length ways in the aisle, five metres inside my personal space......of five metres radius). Every time you pass him, he tries to catch your eye; whereas you treat him as you would a particularly peckish looking rottweiler who has just chewed through his leash.....of steel.....and look anywhere but in his eyes. To make matters worse, no matter how quick or slow you go to try and lose him, he seems to match your pace. By the time you reach the till you are a quivering mess of paranoia......and guess who is behind you in the queue............ .....when every other till is free.
In case you were wondering, this is classed as 'doom'. The desire is when Norm, is actually a lovely Norma, and every corner turned is a pleasure. I do manage to stay on the right side of indecency, as wolf-whistling and drool is SO not Tesco's; I just acknowledge that it is nice to look at a pleasant looking lady!
On occasion I have to admit I do try communication; brave move I know! Fortunately I have so far got away with it. Something along the lines of 'hello again, I haven't seen you round here for at least....what.....thirty seconds?' or perhaps 'it looks like we are going to be bumping into each other a lot today, so I thought I would introduce myself.....'. Of course, if nothing else comes to mind, the old favourite of 'we must stop meeting like this!!' So far none of the ladies I have said these to have abandoned their trolley and called security.
It's been an ok week so far on the health side; no big splurges but not really pushing it too hard either. Been swimming twice this weekend, so hopefully that should do the trick and get me below 18 stone. One event of note is that I went out for lunch with the folks yesterday; lots of yummy melted cheesy things to choose from, but went for a smoked salmon salad. I joke about it....but is my body truly becoming a temple??

Weigh in (7)

Blimey, this thing is really starting to work! 18 stone 4 pounds, to 18 stone 1. Fabulous!! Kudos goes to WeeAli, who has been over here for the last four days or so and has been ensuring that I eat properly. Although, come to think of it; while ensuring I ate properly, she ate a bacon bagel and a lovely (looking, not tasting......I resisted!) slice of chocolate cake. No doubt she will say she was testing my resolve, and may I say I passed with flying colours!!
Seriously, many thanks to you Ali, it was good having you over; and any time you want to be my full time nutritionist then please let me know. But your contract will not involve whooping me at Scrabble when I have a lucky 70-odd point start on you.
Anyway, enough of my failures, on to my success!! Just think, this time next week I may well be 17 (ah say, ah say, ah say.........17 ) stone something! I have not been that light for a long time (would be ironic if I was last lower than 18 stone when I was 17 years old wouldn't it?!!!!). The encouraging thing is that I have achieved this weight loss despite the burger on Thursday (and chunky chips.....mmmmmm!). Goes to show that it is not the naughtiness that ruins a diet; it's the resultant depression which leads to more and more naughtiness.
So it's an early - and rather smug - early night, after another impressively healthy dinner! Night night (I almost put an 'x' there, but I really don't know you well enough yet!)

Ton up!!

I raise my metaphorical cricket bat in celebration. Whether it's lots of people having a shufty, or one person dipping in repeatedly (Ali?!!) we are now at 100 views; yay!
It's been an ok week so far, but I have come up against another challenge; and that is when I am genuinely eating out. I went to the movies to watch the last Harry Potter movie (so far?) with my sister, and we decided to have a bite to eat first. I looked at the menu on the door of the restaurant (Papa G's), and picked a lovely and virtuous Caesar Salad. I walked in and said 'table for two please' (holding up two fingers, as I always do, just in case the waiter can't count past one) absolutely sure about what I was ordering. I sat down at the table and picked up the menu. In the time it took me to walk into the restaurant and sit down, the 'Caesar Salad' had become 'Caesar Salad and Chunky Chips'; then by the time the waiter came over to take my order, the aforementioned 'Caesar Salad' had become 'BBQ Chicken Burger'. Oops!
This may be a step too far for me. When I am cooking my own food, eating well is not a problem. But I am not convinced that I am able to order salad from a restaurant menu; not when there are burgers and stuff on there!
The positive thing is that I don't eat out that often, so it is not going to be a regular problem for me to face. So I am going to take a stand on this issue that when I eat out, I am not going to be totally obsessed with eating healthy. Nothing wrong with having it in the back of my mind - and avoiding things which are clearly very bad for you - but it was enjoyable to take pleasure in good company and good food; and may I say a bloody good film to boot!!
At least I had Diet Coke with my meal.......!

Weigh in (6)

Well, I have certainly dodged a bullet today. I suppose if I was rounding down, I could say that I was still 18 stone and 4 pounds. In actual fact the scales are showing me at 18 stone 4.4 pounds; which - taking decimal points - is a gain of 0.6 pounds. Considering what I did at the weekend (see previous blog entry) I will most certainly take that. It's not a step back; maybe a little backwards shuffle, but definitely not a step! I think I'll celebrate with a curry tomorrow night...........just kidding. Next Tuesday could still be a tricky weigh-in, but I have a week to remedy that.
It's half past ten, and I'm already in bed!! Surely there can only be two reasons why someone should be in bed at half ten at night; either because you are ill, or because you are not going to bed alone! Sadly I am feeling pretty chipper, and asides from Tedito Eduardo ( yes, I am a 37 year old man, with a teddy bear) there is no one else hiding under these covers (unless they are hiding very well). Nope, I'm just jiggered! So more supermarket insights tomorrow; but for now it's a very good night and sweet dreams!

Off The Wagon

Why oh why oh why did I open my big mouth. Here is me going on about how I don't feel the need to eat fast food any more, and what do I do? I take the foot off the accelerator and fall off the wagon. I say fall off, when actually what I have done is taken a Tom Daley triple twist with pike off the damned thing.
I think this is where the use of a blog comes in handy, as I have to be honest and say that I went to the Chinese takeaway and bought myself chicken fried rice, sweet and sour chicken with boiled rice, prawn crackers, and two diet cokes (I know, I know; DIET cokes). I ate the lot.
So we now have on the good side of the scales, the oh so temporary enjoyment of eating the takeaway. On the bad side is the guilt which came pretty soon after the temporary enjoyment, couple with the embarrassment of having to reveal it to the blogging world. Trust me when I say it's not easy saying it (typing it) out loud. So how do you think those scales are looking right now........
So what happened? Combination of things really. The first is that I was disappointed with the July photograph. I was kinda hoping to see a difference, but what I saw was someone just as fat as the June photo. I don't know what I was thinking, one month of healthy eating and a few pounds lost would become immediately apparent?!! Plonka. But still, part of me thought it, and that part of me was hugely disappointed.
So, feeling down. Then on Saturday I didn't manage to get to the supermarket to do the weekly shop, which left me light of things to cook for dinner. I wasn't idle, I was out the back making a shed door (oh, the exciting life I lead.....bungee jumping??........paint balling??.....nope.......off to B&Q with a google print-out titled 'how to nail six planks together.'). By the time I finished shed said door, it was gone 7pm and couldn't face engineering a culinary masterpiece. I succumbed.
To say I am dreading tomorrow's weigh-in is a huge understatement; I think I could suffer both tomorrow and the week after. Having said that, I don't feel too bad tonight. I've eaten healthy today, have spent some time out the back pruning my bedding plants (and of course, gazing lovingly at my shed door - I keep opening and closing it with an immense feeling of satisfaction!), and most importantly, averted the downward spiral of eating bad food after bad. I've lived, I've learned, I've come clean, I'll move on.
Patience is the key, and it is a skill I need to develop. It's weird, as in my normal working and personal life I have huge amounts of it. People try my patience every day, and I never rise to it; I accept it. I understand that getting worked up over someone getting on my nerves does no earthly good, and loses any logic or control over the situation. I flatter myself it is something I am very good at. But weight loss is a different sort of patience isn't it? It is time I am up against. It can't get on my nerves, it can't annoy me, frustrate me or disappoint me; it never changes. That changes the rules of patience for me, as the particular type of time I am up against is 'long'. But hey, I'm not perfect (not quite!) and I like a challenge; so time, you have met your match. However long it takes, I will not give up.
PS The first time I typed it, I spelled 'shed door' as 'shed doot'; is it me or is doot a word that really should mean something?!!

Supermarkets - driving lessons

As I said, this is a slight departure from the main gist of this blog, but this is a chance to marvel, laugh, and occasionally rant at the wonder of life wherever it may be seen! Supermarkets this week.
The first thing I would like to talk about is the concept of spacial awareness. In the context of supermarkets, it applies to acknowledging where you - and your trolley/basket - are and where other people - with their trolleys/baskets - are located around you. What makes this so noteworthy, is that it is a skill which clearly most supermarketeers do not possess. In actual fact, many possess the exact 'anti-skill'.
Let me explain. When I park my trolley in an aisle, I always try to ensure it is placed in the least awkward and obtrusive place for other people to manouebvroure round. The anti-skill of people is the quite beautiful talent of placing the trolley in the middle of the busiest aisle so perfectly, that you cannot get yours through. Quite apart from being annoyed by it, it is something to be marvelled at. A few inches either way would give enough of a gap. So no, you have to either brush up against the enemy trolley, or - God forbid - cross the boundary of personal space and man (woman, person) handle it out of the way; much to the tutting and Paddington Bear extra-hard stare of its owner.
In the same bracket are most definitely the 'people stopping to have a look at their lists in the worst possible location (eg the entry-gate, in front of the milk) syndrome' and the piece de resistance, the 'oops I forgot something, even though I am next in the queue for the till' factor!
I recall reading a letter from Wee-ali (see comments) more years ago than I care to remember about an urge to race with your trolley down the aisle, barging all people, staff, and yes, trolleys out of the way. Something I can totally identify with!
Next time, the zig-zag of chance (if that doesn't get you tuning in, nothing will!)

Weigh in (5)

Oh my God. Oh my Goddy God. Now here this, now here this. No doubts, no arguments, no ambiguity; I have officially and categorically lost weight!! I am now 18 stone 4 pounds (actually 18 stone 3.8 pounds, but I'll keep the 0.2 as credit for next Tuesday!); which represents a weight loss of 3 pounds. Amazingly, the Wii Fit scales (which henceforth will be known as the RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR) say I have lost four pounds (does it have a personality? so if you catch it in a bad mood it thinks 'he's lost a pound, and he looks so full of hope..........so I'll tell him he's put on two........MWA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAA!).
It's been a good week, but at the same time I don't feel like I have really been sacrificing. One session on the Wii Fit. I did try a second session, but my heart went a bit barmy after half an hour; my body's subtle way of telling me I'm overdoing it (don't worry, it was fine after a few minutes). No fast food, but I honestly have never had the urge to splurge and had to battle against it; I just don't go there. Something has changed in me on that  subject, and long may it remain so I say.
Incidentally, I think it may be time to divulge my reward for the 1 stone lost landmark (17 stone 9 pounds). For some time now, I have been popping into Debenhams and having a snifter of either 'The One' or 'The One Gentleman' aftershaves by D&G. I admit I have never been one for smellies, but that stuff is great!! The adverts show Matthew Maconagheaaydyhy (whatever his blumming name is) bare chested. I think that may well be too far for me just yet, but for now I can at least smell like him even if I can't look like him! Up until now I have been denying myself as it is needless expense, but one of each is my reward. If only bloggers could post smells (smogs?) I would give you a whiff.
Roll on next Tuesday!

Subject Of The Week!

I've been thinking about this blog lately, and have come to realise that it's going to get a bit monotonous if all that I'm talking about healthy eating, exercise and losing weight; important - and indeed the main thrust of the blog - though it may be. So I thought we would have a subject of the week! When I'm not talking about the pounds and pounds of lard I am shedding (I hope!), I'll be talking about this. The subject of this weeks week is...........supermarkets! They are a world in themselves, and I am sure that what I talk about either results in you saying 'aaawwww yeah, that's happened to me!' or if not, it will happen to you the next time you cross the threshold of your ASDA's, Tesco's, Sainsburys', or Waitrose's (posh git!). The story continues tomorrow, along with weigh in number 4 (don't worry, I haven't forgotten!).
For now, it's getting late and I have an urgent and unavoidable appointment with my pillow. Night!
P.S. Do you think I use the exclamation point a bit too often?......................!!

Weigh in (4)

This is a tricky one. Remember me saying that the Wii Fit scales were measuring me too light, and the posh scales had me at 18 stone 9 pounds? Well the plot thickens, as the Wii Fit is now showing me as gaining two pounds, but the posh scales have me as losing two; now putting me at 18 stone 7 pounds! I have to pick one, and use that for this and all future weigh-ins (weighs-in? weighs-ins??).
Now, I know that the easy option will be to go for the scales which show me as losing weight this week, but for reasons I explained this time last week, I think it's the best option. So 18 stone 7 pounds I now am! I don't get that warm fuzzy feeling due to the difference of instrumental opinion, but it's no disaster either.
As I said yesterday, I didn't feel I had the best of weeks. Looking back, I knocked back a few too many beers in the warm weather, and last Tuesday I met my sister-in-law and had spaghetti carbonara, of which the main ingredient seemed to be......creeeeeeeeeeeeammmmmmmmmmmmmm. It was bladdy lavverly, but not something I can repeat if I am going to get where I'm going.
Could I just say; this is not as easy as I thought it was going to be.....

Better!!

Bouncing back today, yay! Cooked a nice turkey mincey, mushroomy, oniony thing (no butter, aren't I virtuous?!) and did 70 minutes on the Wii Fit. Watered my plants and in bed before eleven! I think I got more done tonight than I did in the whole of the weekend. So all in all I am feeling pretty positive today. Feeling negative tomorrow may well count as severe mood swings; hope not.

Weigh in tomorrow. I have a bad feeling as it hasn't been the best of weeks for exercise, and although I haven't exactly been binging on chips, I think I could have done better with what I did eat. I will settle for breaking even.

I've been looking at the stats for this blog, and we've broken 50 views! Mostly from the UK, but I would like to say ein grosses 'Guten abend' to the German reader/readers (may I say I would have no chance of losing weight in your country; too many Wurst to choose from!), und vielen dank um meinen blog zu lesen (my GCSE German teacher would be so proud!). I've also seen a few American viewers; now I have no trouble in translation here if I want to say hello......errrr.......hello!! Thanks for reading; hope I can reward you with a few pounds off tomorrow.

(blimey; the spell check has gone barmy with this post.....poor thing!)

Annoyed!

Seriously cheesed off tonight. It's rare that I have a nothing weekend, but I write this at the end of one; very frustrating. A weekend when I am not committed to something (looking after my Mum, travelling here and there) is a rarity; two days of freedom, and I have accomplished precisely....nothing.

It doesn't happen very often - usually I plan lots of things and keep nice and busy - but this weekend something was missing; the energy wasn't there. I started slowly and never really picked up. Maybe I was a bit tired after a busy week, but I should have got more done. Like I said, I am extremely hacked off tonight.

Right, whatever the weekend might have been, it is as good as gone; and I have plenty more of them to come I hope. So I am going to learn from this and make sure it doesn't happen again. As for tonight, I am going to finish watching this episode of Quantum Leap (don't ask), water my plants, have a shower and be in bed by half past ten. Then I am going to get up and get stuck into the week ahead.

The good news is although I haven't done too much exercise in the last few days, I haven't eaten badly; and certainly no takeaways have passed my lips since the blog started. I think pre-blog Ady would be tucking into chicken fried rice right now. So it's not all doom and gloom!!

Emotional

Yesterdays successful weigh in was an interesting experience, one which on reflection has clearly meant more than simply two pounds lost. I think this is the reason why.
I pride myself in being a giver; someone who tries to make the people he cares about feel special whenever the opportunity arises. The trouble is that it is rarely reciprocated. Don't worry; this isn't a feeling-sorry-for-myself post. I have long ago accepted the situation, so much so that if anyone tried to do anything now, I would just feel awkward; and anyway, whoever was to do it would have to REALLY know me well, and there aren't too many of those people around (I am going somewhere with this; really I am!).
So in actual fact, the only person who can do things for me is, well.....me! This is something that I don't do often. I don't believe it's a self-esteem thing (I don't deserve it and all that), I really like myself; it's just that I've spent so long putting other people first that I push myself down the priority list.
That's why this mission I've put myself on feels so different. For once I am putting myself first. What I am doing is for my benefit. Even the fact that I am writing a blog about it is something I am only sharing with very select individuals (and of those, only one is reading it). As a result, the success I have had - and hopefully will continue to have - is emotional, liberating, and very empowering.
Mushrooms on toast for tea tonight, and an hour on Wii Fit (not in that order). Now it's time for bed (said Zebedee......boinggggggggg!). Night night.

Weigh in (3)

You have no idea how nervous tonight was. I've just got home from a four o'clock start (very weird when it's the middle of Summer and you still wake up when it's dark!). Almost didn't weigh in today, but I daren't risk the repercussions.......from wee Ali (she may be wee, but don't cross her!). I have done all I can this week; no fast food, eating well, and last night I worked till eight, got home at nine and - major danger of eating badly, ALERT ALERT - had.......salad for tea!!
There was a danger of joining the 'I don't know what I have to do to lose weight' club far too quickly, but I needn't have worried as I lost two pounds!!!!! GET IN THERE MY SON!!!! I am SO chuffed to bits; we are on our way. I know it needs to continue (and no, I'm not going to treat myself by eating chips!), but it has now officially begun.
There is a tiny little fly in the ointment however. You remember how I went on about how people use the scales being wrong as an excuse for not losing weight? Well I was right, the scales of the Wii Fit are wrong, as they were too light!! Now as the two pound loss was measured on the Wii Fit, I've still lost the weight; however I am actually - courtesy of a proper posh set of scales - 18 stone 9 pounds. To be honest I don't give a monkeys, I've lost the weight, and I will keep losing it until I don't need to lose any more.