Getting from A to B

Now there's a thing. In a calendar year I managed by one way or another to achieve over 700km of exercise.

Couple of off months when injury and inclement weather took over, but I did go 12 straight months and of each time I did at least 5km.

I have no ambition to 10.  I have no ambition to do a 1/2 marathon, or a whole marathon. None. Don't ask me. Actually I will get to 10km at least once, just because.

What progress in 12 months?



4th of January 2013. 5 Km. Wearing Nike Free shoes, because they are my shoe of choice at this point.



Wearing New Balance shoes , I make that 13 minutes faster over the same distance.

I've just about worn out the 2nd pair of Nike Free shoes, the blue ones they've got 284km on them and look a bit sad.  I retired the black ones at 268km.

I've got a just worn in 148k on some NB Minimus and only 62km on the Yellow NB shoes. Spread it around a little. It'll be a shame to see the Nike shoes move to the shelf and retire. Might invest in some new ones in the new year, I think the 2 pairs of NB shoes will carry me

I'd set a goal too of losing weight, I did start the year at nearer 105kg. I got down to 88.8 just before christmas and have been reminded why was 105kg,  overcoming my will power I've had far to much of the everything, and even a couple of kilo's makes me fret a little. Still 91 is better than 101, and better then 105.

I haven't given up as much of things as you'd think, aside from packets of snack crisps, a chips, pies. I still have cheese and crackers, I just got portion control in control. I still drink beer, more than is prudent, but I'd rather drink and be happy than gaunt and miserable.  I ear breakfast more times than I skip it, and I enjoy better lunches than I used to.

I still eat muffins with the coffee with MrsPdubyah when we're out, it's a thing.

To 2014. Well I can get to 88 briefly,  I can get to 85, which seems my next sensible goal I think. No point in being stupid about it.  I want to be happy and engaged with losing weight not a slave to the stupidity of points, shakes, fasting, caveman, et al. I'll do it my way. I may or may not seek advice from a nutritionist, probably will, and I might get some running coach input into my running action. Probably won't.

Without the Nike+ Sportswatch none of this would have happened by the way, no better motivator than passive aggressive watch nagging :-)

Probably will buy more Nike shoes, probably in Orange :)

The Thin me is trying - the less of me update for February

A bit of fun in February and by my own personally competitive nature I managed to crack a 100kms of exercise in the 4 week period, says my Nike+ SportsWatch GPS

My weight hasn't exactly plummeted, but from being 105Kg in November I'm back to 97kg, and having been on or at 100Kg for years and a while I'm inwardly smiling about gaining the extra notch on my belt back.

My goal is to lose about 1kg a month, by a combination of better eating, for instance the breakfast porridge, a lighter lunch and better dinners, and having cut out snack things like crisps/chips and chocolate (for the most part), and to be much healthier and thinner by next summer. And I've invested in a bit of gear so I have a motivation.

I'm also drinking less beer less often too, but I'm enjoying it more, and instead of the whole cheese I can now enjoy it 1/3 at a time over three days.

I've all but worn out my current  Nike shoes (around 250kms) and will move on the new ones I brought this weekend. MrsPdubyah says I should slow down and go further, I'm going to seek advice on what's the best way forward. I don't think I can walk any faster without getting into the whole speed walking gait and thing, and I probably look just a bit odd now, although I do manage to break into a run for a few hundred meters (he says kidding himself), which is more than I could in December. I think I'd be aiming for more jogging intervals than just walking fast. That would be plan A.

Stretching has helped, the massage stick has helped, I still have stiffness in the calf area, and now around the knees, although the latter might be the result of the worn out shoes. Touching your toes is quite the joy :-)

So far then Pdubyah world all is going to plan.

The Less of Me

There is this athletic me inside this hulking body that would like to get out. I've goaded myself by buying some trick gear that fascinates me, starting with the Nike+ GSP Sportswatch. It's essentially a GPS receiver device that tracks where you go. Tells you how far you been, how long it took, how fast you went and guesses some calorie usage.  You can also link it to a Nike Sensor thingy that either slips in your Nike+ Shoes or you can attach it with a little pouch thingy to your laces, Like a flash pedometer. Watch was on sale, Shoes c/- a generous employer who gives us a 'push/play' allowance yearly.

 



December 26th



December 27th



December 28th



December 29th



January 4th

As I get older I get different - #4 -the motivational

I've got a confession. I'm lazy. It's not a medical condition it's just laziness.

I've got another confession. I'm greedy. I wish that was a medical condition then I'd be able to say I'm the weight I am because of a medical condition.

My final confession is that I decided to do something about it. It's no use getting all uppity when looking in a mirror, or feeling bloated and uncomfortable in jeans, or being out of breath from tying shoe laces. Who knew you had to invest time in new ways to put sucks on when your stomach gets in the way?, and who knew you had to invest time in new ways to tie shoe laces.

At least I'm still wearing zip up pants and a belt and not trackies or the elasticated waistband things. And I'm not yet at the level of only being able to wear slip-ons, or typing laces once and then trying to get shoes on and off with the pretence that they're slip-ons, or that they are lace up's and of course I did the laces up.

So, I invested some money in a pedometer. a flash one from Nike, to go with my flash Nike shoes that I just brought. That's all it is a pedometer. You put a sensor in your shoe and a wristband on and it guesses the rest. Oh the Shoes were c/- my employer who had a magnificent push-play allowance that lets me indulge my "the older I get the better I was" sports memories.

Having read the user material  for the Nike+ SportsBand I have no idea how it guesses how far you've gone so I'm going to have to try an work it out somehow, it says it's accurate around 90% the guy in the shop said 97%. For me give or take 10% should be ok. It's probably give 10% you want to keep the customer satisfied.

So from 102Kg as I was this morning I'm going to give it a crack to get to something more manageable by christmas. No stupid targets but I think that I should be ok for around 10Kg if I exercise and I eat goodly. I'm going to be happy with a Kilo a month to be honest.

And it'll be eating better, the same but better. No weird faddish diets based on blood types or what cavemen ate, or just rice, just better at vegetables and fruit eating, essentially the LGI diet - "Less Goes In"

and 102Kg is a lot! and it is just greedy, and it sneaks up on you bit by pit, you eat you plateau and then you eat a bit more and you do nothing and then voila you're as small as a shed! So I've confessed here on the interwebtubes that I'm going to be thinner and happier and healthier and committed. Besides I've spent money on it so I have to get something in return.

Oh and it is nearly my birthday, and as I get older I start to fret more that I'm not quite old enough to give up on life. If I have any energy I might update this, or if it's going badly delete it :-).