THE
GOAL IS IN SIGHT! As of this morning I am 204lbs, 14lbs or a single stone off
of my target weight of 190lbs or 13.5 stone! Which is approximately 89kgs for
those who aren't familiar with the single greatest scale of weight measurement
I know.
The
bad news is that I would still call myself fat. I'm sure a lot of my friends
would not, but then some of them didn't when I was borderline obese - and not
the good side of the borderline, to boot. I'm several people I know would call
me fat, some of them being other friends. Regardless, I only have to look at
myself to know I've made impressive progress and I would like to thank everyone
who has helped, advised, instructed and/or motivated me along the way - all
encouragement is gratefully received.
Nearing
the end of my weight loss drive I can safely say that my biggest problem now
are hunger-grumps. On days I don't go to the gym I eat substantially less than
on days I do and anyone who knows me will be most likely agree I am at my most
generally un-fun when I'm hungry. The one who suffers this the most is probably
my girlfriend who has braved meals with me when I'm starving - a time when I
would normally slouch off alone to eat something and not inflict myself on
anyone. I do listen when she tells me I need to eat something - a politer way
of telling me I'm being moody - but sometimes I fear my efforts to restrain my
bad mood just look like I'm sulking.
The
problem regarding these mood swings is energy levels - or I'm going to assume
it's energy levels; if this is incorrect can someone please correct me. I've
known for a long time I get grumpy or easily frustrated when I'm hungry and do
try to warn people. Working in a call centre customer services team I knew my
worst calls were usually just before lunch when the promise of food was on the
horizon but tauntingly out of reach until I had convinced the mutton-head on
the end of the phone that they had not, in fact, been wronged and if they
employed whatever reading skill they had with regard to the policy they would
appreciate this. Alas, it rarely happened.
Example:
On Saturday I went shopping with girlfriend after watching a film. My first
mistake was when she said, "I need to pick up some new boots" I
didn't immediately begin preparing myself for a shopping trip. I even offered
it, so the fault lies squarely on my head. We were only actually roaming around
for about an hour but I'd only had a couple of nibbles of ice-cream to eat. I
used to be quite good at the whole shopping-assistant/bag-carrier thing but I
didn't succeed in this instance. I didn't realise I was being moody until she
told me I needed to eat something, so I must have been pretty hungry.
I
didn't realise how hungry I was until she confiscated the chilli oil and I felt
wronged. I quickly corrected myself - she hadn't said a word about my eating a
whole pizza, and had even given me some of hers. I use this example to
highlight how unreasonable hunger can make me and, I assume in a rather hopeful
manner, everyone else.
The
chilli oil wasn't really going to add anything to the meal that it didn't
already have. I still felt a flash of pain it had been denied me. That was my
body begging for sustenance. After some retrospective analysis, I believe my
work out pattern, and the subsequent it has on my eating habits, can be named
as the source of this problem. I used to work out three days in a row and then
have four days rest. There's a lot of advice around for working out, and I
liked the idea of getting my workouts done and dusted early in the week so
followed that pattern.
This
was a mistake. While it does work for some, it is a pretty bad idea if you're
on a strict-ish diet like myself. The net result is if you work out Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday and then rest for four days you have a substantially higher
calorie intake on those days followed by a longer period of eating less. This,
I think, confuses the body's metabolism and so one ends up running on empty
nearer the end of the cycle - Saturday and Sunday, in this instance. Ergo I am
at my most unfriendly and anti-social on these days, which are classically the
days reserved for socialization and seeing people one is supposed to be
friendly and amiable with.
Through
some miracle my friends have not deserted me. Following other, probably more appropriate
advice I have now changed my workout pattern to Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday so
it is more evenly spread over the course of the week. This means my average
calorie intake is much more level from day to day, and hopefully my energy
levels - along with my ability to be a decent person who's company is desirable
- should be higher on average throughout the week. It also makes Saturdays
extremely busy for me but I cannot complain; it's all self inflicted and mostly
enjoyable.
My
point is that while you should have a workout and diet plan that is preferable
to you, it should be taken into consideration the effects it may have on other
parts of your life. Are there knock on effects? What impact will it have on you
as a person? Is it, all things considered, really the workout and diet plan
that is most preferable. Remember, you can always change it later so don't feel
that because it might not work a month, two months down the line is reason to
scrap it all together. Take it apart and piece it back together. You want to
work out three days a week? Which days do you have time? What are you doing on
those days? What are you doing the days after? Is it really appropriate you do
it then?
This
might seem to conflict with other advice I have given, but I would say that it
is more of an update as I become more aware and informed about the process of
dieting and exercise. Do it for you, above and beyond all else, but consider
how it will affect you and those around you. It's not worth becoming the guy or
girl at the gym that everybody hates and laughs at for having no friends.
Unless you already have no friends; if that is the case, go for it.
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