Wednesday Weigh-In - 21 January

This morning was the third weigh-in of the year, and for the third week running the scales said something nice. While the rate of weightloss has reduced, I'm more than happy to have said goodbye to another 2lbs. Keep going steadily at that pace for the next few weeks and I'll be getting back to where I want to be. Fingers crossed I dip under 15st next week.

From 16:3 to 15:1 in 19 days

Tomorrow promises to be quite testing for the diet. I've been invited to a conference and awards do for the use of social media in graduate recruitment. Food will be served and I imagine there will be drinks on hand too. I'll have to be at my level best to not go overboard with the former, and keep up my January abstinence for the latter. To be honest, I'm expecting to have to write a confessional blog on Friday but we'll have to see.

With birthdays coming up in my household next month, it is important to finish January strongly. That way I can feel a little more relaxed about celebrating with my loved ones. Porridge and soup continue to work for breakfast and lunch, giving relative freedom for whatever I fancy for dinner. Monday I put together a little chicken and green peppers in oyster sauce with egg fried rice. Last night was Moroccan spiced pork with cous cous. Both were very nice and clearly not detrimental to my waistline.

Away from the dieting business, there are more reasons to be cheerful with my youngest's physical development. Last week I posted a little clip of him at a physio session having just received a walking frame. Today I've got a little vine from the weekend, when he decided that he wanted to be a footballer!  His future sporting achievements are more likely to veer towards the paralympics than the Santiago Bernabeu, but like any daddy my heart fills up watch his son kicking a football, even in his own unique style.

My Choice

An important aspect for successful weightloss is decision making. It is not just enough to take that initial step and begin a diet. That is the starting point, but from everyday onwards success or failure will be determined on the choices that we make.

Today for example, I have been given several opportunities to break from my eating regime. One of the reasons I will be successful moving forward is the ability to say no. Resist temptation. Stick to what works. It isn’t an easy thing to do, but if the motivation and will power is really there, the right choices will be made.

Exhibit A. When I arrived at my desk this morning, I found a box of chocolates on my desk. One of my colleagues, bless her, bought them for me to say thank you for something that happened earlier in the week. She knows that I’m dieting but said I could keep them for a bad day. Now, in the early stages of dieting, I try to avoid shops for the very reason that I know I’m susceptible to chocolate. Being faced with a gift first thing in the morning, after a week of being very good was tough. However, I’m determined not to crack. The Heroes will stay in my cupboard for a while and I’ll blog again when the day comes that I tuck in.

My lunchtime choice. Soup vs Heroes. Soup won

Exhibit B. We have a communal lunch room in my office. Having spent the week avoiding the Peanut Butter Oreos and Biscuits, today a message came around about leftover buffet being available following an event. Sandwiches, bhajis, some sort of meat on a stick, mini-quiche. The sort of crap that even though you don’t really want to eat it, you find yourself compelled to eat platefuls of the stuff. I didn't. My choice.

Mmmm, leftovers. Must. Eat.

Exhibit C. No supportive photos on this occasion but trust me. A group of fundraisers came around with trays full of cakes and cookies. They put them in my face, saying it was for whatever good cause they are supporting. I stuck a pound coin in their collection bucket and but did not take anything from them. Well done me. Sticking to my diet and giving to charity.

There are various choices we have to make. Do I open that bottle of wine when I get home from work? Shall I pass on cooking and order takeout? Why don’t I have that second helping? Unless you are a child or infirm, the responsibility for what you consume on a daily basis lies squarely with you. I’ve never hidden away from the fact that I made myself a 24st man. The reason I’m dieting again this January is because of poor choices in recent months.

Graduation Day. Barely 21. Enormous. And I got much bigger than this

So thank you for the chocolates. Thank you for the leftover buffet. Thank you for the cakes. But no, my choice today is to politely decline. 

Off to a fast start

When taking the decision to lose weight, a lot of people want a quick fix. I'm not necessarily one of those people as I've been battling the bulge over a number of years so know that a long term commitment is required rather than instant gratification. That said, I was delighted by the outcomes of 5 days of sensible eating. For those who missed it, my first Wednesday Weigh-In of 2015 showed a 10lb loss in less than a week.

On any other week of the year, that sort of drop would cause all manner of alarm bells to go off, but immediately following Christmas and New Year it is acceptable. All those extra calories consumed from eating junk and excess drinking had to be eliminated, and a little bit of a detox to start 2015 has paid off. Where others may fall off the dieting wagon is when the next week is not quite so successful. And it won't be. If you lose 10lbs a week, every week, you probably need to see a doctor rather than count your calories.

I achieved my loss through keeping things simple. Porridge for breakfast. Soup for lunch. Whatever I fancied for dinner in a good sized portion. No snacks. No alcohol. Bread off the menu. Throw in a 5k run and that was my recipe for success.

Imagine 10 of these. Gone. From your weight. Happy days

Last night I found myself eating a little more for dinner than I have on previous nights, and helped myself to pudding too. The scales this morning remained friendly. All things in moderation, then back to my porridge/soup combination so far today. I know this works for me, and I have the willpower (when motivated) to stick to the plan. Until I can raise my fitness levels and bring more exercise to my routine, food control is my chief method for weight loss.

I won't have lost another 10lbs by my next weigh in. But if I keep good habits and don't steer too from the path that I have found successful, I won't be gaining. I've made a terrific start to wrestling back control of my waistline. The challenge starts here to back that up in subsequent weeks and months.

Soup Glorious Soup

Finding something to eat at lunchtime is always a bit tricky when dieting. When you're hard at work but skimping on the calories, you want to have a meal that satisfies your hunger, will get you through until dinner and not do too much damage to your waistline. A pretty difficult combo.

During the summertime I opt for a light salad but while the weather is cold, grey and miserable, such as today, my preferred option is soup. Firstly, when served hot it takes a while to eat which is always a bonus. Second, you get that warm comforting feeling in your tummy from a hot meal, without the bloating of a big dinner. And finally, it is fairly cheap and easy to do, whether you make your own or buy ready made.

Today I was lazy and went for the latter. My reward was a tin of Newgate Vegetable Soup, bought for not very much from Lidl. It claims on the packaging to be wholesome and tasty. I'm not completely convinced by either of those, but given it has been the best part of 4 hours since I ate and I've not felt hungry since, I can at least say it was effective.

Does not come supplied with Blue-Roll ears in supermarkets

If you are thinking that soup for lunch sounds like a good idea, here are a few pointers to help you along the way.

1. Soup only. Don't be tempted to have a bread roll with it. Yes it would be nice, but lets be honest, if you're dieting bread is not your friend.
2. Check the packaging before you buy. You'll be surprised at how many calories can be packed into a little tin of soup. Avoid the ones that have the word Cream in the title, and also be wary of some of the chunky varieties. My vegetable soup came in at a grand total of 164 calories, which translates as less than two slices of bread for a sandwich. More calorific options may prove counter productive.
3. Never think that a cup a soup will do the job. Water and granules is not lunch. You wouldn't consider instant coffee a meal would you? From a tin or carton will do, unless you've blitzed up your own.

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• Workplace Temptation

Workplace Temptation

Today was my first day back at work after Christmas. I had been looking forward to this as I thought it would be an easy way to stave off temptation from the bad stuff that surrounded me at home. How silly of me to believe that.

In my office lunch room I came face to face with a full box of Victoria biscuits and a multipack of peanut butter Oreo cookies. Are dieting cruelty goes, this was pretty harsh. Somehow I managed to resist, though my tin of chunky soup bought on the cheap from Lidl didn't really offer much of a safety net. It was edible enough, but 4 days into a diet and confronted with this, my will power was strongly tested.

What sort of dieting cruelty is this?

Thankfully the test was passed, though I've just eaten a bigger portion of chicken carbonara for my dinner than was probably advisable. I certainly feel pretty full tonight! On balance, it is better to have a bit more pasta than open up a can of worms by digging into biscuits. There is only one way that would end; badly.

What motivates a man to diet

Three days into the diet, and I've forgotten just how tiring it can be when your body has an endless supply of fuel cut off. I've moved beyond the stomach burn sensation and instead found myself lethargic. It has been tempting to reach for some sugary badness, but I've resisted so far. I'm writing this at 2.30 and dinner time seems a long way off.

As things stand, I don't have a specific target to work towards in 2015. I'm not booked in for any long runs, though I'm quite tempted by the idea of the North London Half. A course that runs right through Wembley Stadium certainly appeals, but it comes around a little too soon for me to get into any sort of shape. Having done the Royal Parks Half back in October without a great deal of training, I'm reluctant to make the same mistake again.

I guess my main motivation remains as it was when this blog started out a couple of years ago. I wanted to be fit and healthy for the sake of my boys, and that hasn't really changed. I'm not going to be much use to them if I continue with the gorging I've done in recent months. There are too many reminders in my life right now which demonstrate the fragility of our existence, and it would be a waste of my time on Earth if I continue to eat myself to an early grave.

Later this week, I plan to attend the funeral of a guy who I've been going to football matches with for over a decade, He passed before Christmas at the tender age of 34. I wrote this tribute which was published in the Slough Town programme for the match against Burnham that was due to be played yesterday but was called off due to a waterlogged pitch. I've been to more than my fair share of funerals over the years, but rarely have I had to go one for one of my peers. It certainly puts things into perspective and makes me realise how lucky I am to be alive and have a family of my own.

This month marks the 25th anniversary of my father's death. As someone who lost their dad as a child, I owe it to my boys to ensure they have a daddy who is fit, healthy and around for the long term. And so gaining control of my eating, cutting down on drinking and returning to fitness is my immediate priority. As such, there will be plenty more photos like this appearing in the coming months to chart my progress.

I was too big for my running vests and shirts - I won't be forever