Wednesday Weigh-In - 11 December

The blog has gone quiet over the past week, somewhat reflecting how in the last 7 days the diet has not really been top priority. During the second half of last week, my little one was poorly, full of seasonal bugs which made for a gruelling few days on limited patchy sleep. In such circumstances, I like anybody else struggle to maintain discipline when my body tells me it is aching for rest. As such, the shackles were removed and I fuelled up on chocolate, crisps and whatever else took my fancy. Sometimes a bit of badness is justified and this was definitely such an occasion.

Of course, when the clouds started to lift, I could have reined things in a bit, but didn't. On Saturday I effectively had two main meals after enjoying a hot lunch with friends before being treated to a roast dinner by my wife later in the evening. On Sunday the buffet available at my mother's house during a family gathering was far too tempting not to indulge in, going back for extra helpings. Yesterday I had my work Christmas lunch, a three course affair topped off with a frankly ridiculous but rather yummy Mince Pie Sundae. 

And so with all that combined, it came as no surprise that for the first time in months, the scales on a Wednesday morning displayed a weight gain. Just a solitary lb mind.

Upwards Motion

Does this mark the turning of weightloss fortunes and suggest a malaise setting in? I'd like to think not. I expected worse if truth be told so consider a marginal increase to be a bit of a result. But just in case a small part of me mentally believes everything is done and dusted, well I have news to the contrary. 

Just signed up to run the Maxifuel Dorney Lake Half Marathon, running to raise sponsorship for @SHINEUKCharity http://t.co/opygXDeChz
— Graham Kaye-Taylor (@bigfatrebel) December 11, 2013

Yep, another running challenge beckons. The Saturday morning 5k is a jog in the park nowadays. The 10k in September was so 2013. Next year I'm raising the bar and will run my first half marathon. You can read about the inevitable charity fundraising over on my Just Giving page or by clicking the button that I've added to the right hand side of the blog.

2013 has been Year Of The Diet. 2014 will begin by getting myself ready for 22 March. Wish me luck.

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Wednesday Weigh-In - 11 September

One week into this daddy day care gig and I think it is time to take stock of how things are going. Heading into my additional paternity leave there was several things that caused me concern which could have had a negative impact upon the diet. Firstly, losing my regular access to a gym. Secondly, losing a daily routine. Thirdly, boredom leading to the fridge.

On all three counts I have to say so far so good. I do miss the buzz of hitting the treadmill in my lunch break but I can't really say that I've been lacking in exercise. Like a geek I measured out the route to my son's school using the RunKeeper app, and it told me that it is 1.04km. Multiply that by 4 for two return journeys per day and multiply the sum by 5, and that means in a typical school week I will now be covering 21km on foot. With a pushchair no less. It is a different sort of workout to what I'd get through 20-25 minutes three times a week at the gym, but certainly not to be sniffed at. Throw in my regular 5k doing the Saturday morning parkrun, and an additional run I managed on Sunday to help with my 10k training, and you could easily argue I'm more active now than when in work.

Going from a regular routine of breakfast-work-gym/lunch-work-home to a blank page could have been challenging. As it has turned out, the lack of routine has just meant creating a new one. Getting both boys ready for the trip to school. Identifying windows to give baby his meals and tend to his medical needs. Picking up after school and getting the boys fed and ready for bed.

With all of that there has been little time for boredom. A spot of gardening, doing laundry and a bit of hoovering help pass the time during days when I've not organised anything else. I've had coffee mornings with a former housemate and former colleague. Pottering to the local shop and library. The only day where I've noticeably consumed more than usual was on Saturday when as usual I was famished after doing the 5k and plundered the Walkers multibag.

So with my initial fears allayed, how are things going on the diet front? Well, with boredom alleviated, and gym trips subbed for schoolrun on foot, I certainly wasn't expecting to gain weight over the last 7 days. The scales for the last two Wednesday mornings have told me I am 15st 10lbs. This morning they told me this.

So very close

The weightloss continues. I'm so close to my target of 15st 7lbs I can almost taste it. 40lbs down, 1lb to go. Another good week and hopefully I'm hitting that mark. So much of my motivation for losing weight this year has revolved around my boys. It would be a nice way to reach my goal with a little helping hand from the daily school walks with them both.

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Birthday blitz

It is safe to say that I'm glad I'm not the Queen. Having two birthdays a year would make it doubly difficult to keep restraint over a birthday weekend. I became another year older on Saturday (but not necessarily wiser) and justifiably decided that I'd step back from the diet and enjoy myself. By Sunday night, bloated didn't even come close to describing how I felt.

The weekend had started so well. On Saturday morning rather than enjoy the luxury of a lie-in, I joined my local ParkRun even and completed my first ever 5k. I'll freely admit it was a struggle at times, and on several occasions I had to slow to walking pace to get some air back into my pathetic lungs, but in a time of 30:06 I completed the course. Here is my result on the world wide web for everybody to see

Now, several things annoyed me about the run. Firstly, the fact I had to keep taking breathers highlighted that my overall fitness level is not great. I knew this already but it was flagged up to me in a big way, and has cast some doubts on my ability to run a 10k in late September. Lots more training to be done between now and then I think. Trying to maintain a steady pace without an LED panel telling me how fast I am running proved difficult and I think the next time I do the run I'll have to be wary about not running too fast, and if that means pootling along rather than using up energy to overtake other runners then so be it. Finishing directly behind two 14 year olds was a bit of a kick in the teeth, while the time when it came through was a touch irritating, given that had I shifted myself around the circuit in 7 seconds less I'd have broken 30 minutes.

Still, it was a first effort and once I get to know the course a little better and become more practiced at running outdoors I can see my time improving. I've noticed further up the leaderboard is a former colleague of mine who consistently finishes around the 27 minute mark. Maybe next time I'll look out for her and follow her around the route.

So, once the run was over, a bit of a free for all took place over the rest of the weekend. Bacon butties, birthday cake, Pimms, BBQ, afternoon cider, it all added up to a weekend of gluttony. More than ever I've come to appreciate the value of sticking to a regular once a week weigh-in, because at varying points in a 48 hour period I saw a 9lb differential on the scales. What will count is what I see in my bathroom tomorrow morning, and thankfully I've had a couple of days to work off the excess with the usual lunchtime treadmill action. Monday's effort was a bit of a struggle but today went much better.

With the birthday out of the way, I can concentrate on my weightloss goals as well as upping my fitness. Since mid-May I've come quite a long way, losing the best part of a stone and going from utter novice on a treadmill to running a 5k. Things are definitely moving in the right direction, and a colleague remarked at me earlier today that I had lost weight. Always nice when other people notice a difference.

The weigh-in comes tomorrow and I'll accept whatever the outcome is. Last Friday morning I was looking good for another loss, but then the weekend happened. I've lots to be positive about rather than dwell on a temporary predictable blip. All being well I'll be doing the 5k again on Saturday and my aim will be improvement on my previous time.

The Running Man

Just over half way through 2013 - Year of the Diet, and I'm reasonably happy with how things have gone so far. I've said goodbye to 24 of the 41 lbs I plan to lose, come through the traumas of a new addition to the household and have got my fitness regime up and running after a slow start. My aims between now and the end of the year are to push on towards 15st 7lb and focus upon getting my body into condition for tackling a 10k at the end of September.

With my 33rd birthday on the horizon, today I got an early present, in the form of a new pair of running shoes. I've been getting by with a cheap pair of trainers the last couple of months but as I'm starting to take things a bit more seriously I decided it was time to get myself more suitable footwear. These little beauties came into my possession early today.

Birthday present - thanks mum!

My plan is to break them in with a couple of trips to the gym on Wednesday and Thursday, rest up on Friday and then use them in my first timed running event since coming a distant last in the 400m at Sports Day in 1995. I'm making my debut in the local ParkRun event, and the world will be able to see how I get on with my first 5k run. 

If you're not familiar with ParkRun, check out the link. They are free timed running events that take place across the country. Participants register their details online, print out their personalised barcode and take it with them on the day. Once you've completed your run, your barcode is scanned and your time is recorded. 

Rest assured, I'll let you know how I get on. Before that though attention reverts to the Wednesday Weigh-In. Check back here tomorrow to see if I've managed to build upon the success of the last 4 weeks.

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Wednesday Weigh-in - 10 April

Despite the biscuits episode on Monday, things have moved in the right direction. As the picture shows below, I've sneaked back under 17st.

Poorly taken photo - in a hurry this morning!

I suppose I should be happy about this. A few days of porridge eating sandwiching the bad days have helped to lose some of the Easter excess. But here is the thing; I am currently heavier than I was at the start of March. I want to be making progress towards my long term goal rather than seeing my weight jump up and down on a weekly basis. For this to happen, I need to get things back under control for a sustained period.

The first steps to achieve this have already been taken. I've not had a drink since Easter Sunday. My plan is to have a dry Easter, which may get extended into May, though a trip to a Haven caravan park and its evening entertainment will likely put an end to that. The sheer thought of Music Mania and Anxious the Elephant has got me itching for an overpriced watered down pint. Back on point, the next step is to cleanse my mind of the sort of food I've been supplementing my diet with in recent weeks. Cake and chocolate are dead to me!

I actually bought some doughnuts today. I didn't get them for me, but for somebody special who'd had a frustrating day and was in need of a sugar rush. At no point did I even consider having one for myself. This is quite a difference from 48 hours ago when I physically couldn't stop myself eating cheap Lidl biscuits.

Moving forward, I have to get back my pigheaded stubborn streak that abjectly refuses food outside of my diet plan. It is what works for me and I know I can do it. Mind over matter is what will decide if my long term goals are achieved. Let the mentals games begin.

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The weekend starts here

It is Friday night and after several days of getting back into the dieting groove, inevitably things are becoming a little more difficult. For most of the afternoon I've been trying to keep my mind from thoughts of take out and cold beers, and writing this now I'm pleased to report I've stayed away from both, but I know that the rest of the weekend will present its challenges. A working day provides distraction; a weekend at home means 48 hours of temptation.

I've kickstarted life into my diet by entering a post-Easter detox. Nutritionists would likely disapprove but I've been living off porridge. Not in the three meals a day sense, but close enough. Porridge for breakfast. Porridge for lunch. Proper dinner in the evening. Believe me by the time I get to eat at night I am ravenous! This is just a short term measure, to get thing rolling but it is quite effective and given how bitterly cold the weather has been this week, three hot meals a day has been very welcome.

How things will pan out this weekend I'm not too sure. Staying away from my 4 year old's Easter Eggs should be straightforward enough, but the lagers in the fridge and the Pringles in the cupboard may be harder to resist. One thing is for sure, if I do give in to temptation, I'll have spent the last three days wasting my time with Oat So Simple. Wish me luck.

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Wednesday Weigh-In - 20 March

I know you're expecting to see a photo of my toes on bathroom scales. It is Wednesday after all and that means weigh-in day. Lets just say that things are on hold until later as there wasn't the opportunity to get weighed this morning. With two boys in the house you don't expect to have the chance to oversleep, but somehow that is exactly what happened today, leading to a mad rush to get the baby to his neurosurgeon appointment. Got there we did, just about, with the weigh-in and breakfast among many things to get cast aside to ensure that happened.

Rather than wait until next week, I think I'll break my rules and adopt a Thursday weigh-in tomorrow. After a bit of an up and down week I'm feeling pretty confident to have dipped back under 17st, but I just guess we'll have to wait and see.

On the upside, despite a stressful morning I can be proud of myself for turning down cake. A charity sale just went through my office and rather than get something for me, something nice was bought for one of my colleagues. Lucky them and well done me.

Wednesday weigh-in - 6 March

4 weeks on from my last official weigh-in, and I'm finally returning to the scales. This is what they told me today.

First recorded reading starting with 16

So over the last 4 weeks I've lost a total of 8lbs, taking the grand total since the start of the year to a 24lb loss. I should probably throw in an asterix against these figures as I didn't manage to weight myself until I got home from work this evening, whereas my usual weigh-in takes place after breakfast on a Wednesday morning. There could therefore be a question mark or two over the numbers shown in the picture above, but not 8lbs worth.

I'm delighted to have lost weight in the last calendar month. A steady 2lbs per week when life has been extraordinary is a great result and proves to me that I can diet through adversity. For those catching up with the overall story, my son was born on 11 Feb with Spina Bifida, and required immediate corrective surgery to repair his myleomeningocele. During the next two and a half weeks he was in hospital with me either there with him or not far away. I've slept in a hospital chair, on a hospital floor, at a Ronald McDonald house, roomed with my son in a parent room in a special baby care unit and even managed one night in my own bed. So it is safe to say things have been a little disrupted!

Part of my problem with food is that I've always been a comfort eater. I won't deny that over the last few weeks there have been days when I have stuffed my face but on the whole I've kept things in moderation despite the challenges afoot. Now we are home, like all new parents adjustments are having to be made to cope with varying levels of sleep deprivation. I remember as new dad the first time around surviving days by feasting on lots of sugary snacks. Yesterday I came face to face with 2 dozen Krispy Kremes and resisted temptation. I'm allowing myself the occasional treat to ensure I've got the energy levels I need to get me through the days (and the long long nights) but not going overboard.

How things progress from here I'm not too sure. My immediate priority is not dieting, but my motivation to slim down is now in front of me, sleeping, crying, feeding and pooing day in day out. So long as I can keep my wits when I'm at the end of sleepless nights, I should continue to progress towards my weightloss goal.

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Get back to what you know

When I started writing this blog at the start of the year, I always knew there was a cloud hovering above February that would likely effect both the diet and my ability to pen content. That cloud came to be on 11 Feb in the form of a 7lb 1oz baby boy. Under normal circumstances a new family addition will alter your usual routine, and as you'll have noted from the blog so far, my dieting success comes off the back of consistent behaviour. With that in mind, plus the knowledge that Jacob's arrival brought additional concerns, I benched the diet for the last three weeks. Today things will get back to normal.

My paternity leave plus an additional week of leave has been and gone, and today I head back to the office. I strongly suspect I'll be spending most of the day talking about babies and hospitals rather than be particularly productive, but whereas I can't control my colleagues wanting to know everything about Jacob's adventure to date, what I can do is regain control of my food intake. I've just started my day with a bowl of porridge with a banana and plan to get back on track with a view to weigh-in on Wednesday.

After initially keeping relatively healthy during my time off, the last week or so has descended into cake, crisps and chocolate. They are no longer on my menu. A return to three steady meals a day will replace eating at will. I voluntarily climbed off this dieting horse, but now I'm determined to get back in the saddle and resume where I left off.

When you find a weightloss formula that works for you, stick with it. That is what I am doing today, going back to what I know. A wee bit of sleep deprivation may present a challenge, but dieting was never supposed to be easy.

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Wednesday Weigh-In - 6 February

It has been a pretty hectic week, hence the lack of articles over the last 7 days. Apologies to those of you who have been following this blog religiously and have been eagerly awaiting your daily fix. However, life sometimes gets in the way and in the last week my opportunities to sit down at a laptop and type away have been somewhat restricted.

So, rambling aside he is the result of my weigh-in this morning

I have a feeling of deja vu

Yes, I've remained exactly the same. Having lost 16lbs in the previous 4 weeks you may expect this to come as something of a disappointment. If truth be told I'd argue it has been my best result of the diet to date. That requires an explanation so here we go.

The diet has been on something of a backburner this week. I've not been consciously stuffing my face at every given opportunity, but things have happened which has meant I've not been eating as healthily as in previous weeks, and to that end seeing I have not gained any weight as a result is particularly pleasing.

This weekend was my wife's birthday, and while there was no getting drunk (not an advisable thing to do with a 37 week pregnant woman) some of the lighter meals that I've been enjoying to help me shed the lbs have been replaced by the sort of food I was eating on an all too regular basis, helping my waistline to expand. So there has been takeaway. One night there was pizza. The next night there was left over pizza. Monday night was Chinese. There was a small bit of chocolate birthday cake eaten, which I thought was pretty good going given there was a huge cake sat in the kitchen all weekend and only one little bit went my way. Last night pie and veg became pie and chips owing to a veg shortage. Sunday lunchtime I found myself having McDonalds with my son and a few of his friends after a trip to the cinema. My efforts to be healthier by ordering a side salad instead of fries was thwarted by a lack of available salad. I even had a couple of slices of toast last night before dinner.

So with all of the above, I was ecstatic to see the scales not tipping the wrong way. To counteract the effects of the consumption laid out above, there has been some semblance of activity. Thursday and Friday night I spent my time exporting my lounge into the kitchen so that a new carpet could be fitted on Saturday. Carving up the old carpet and pulling up the grippers must have burned a handful of calories at least. I temporarily became furniture removal man in disposing of my old couch. There was trip to the park Sunday afternoon with three 4 year olds after cinema and Mcdonalds, and being a big kid myself I was anything but passive.

I'm not beating myself up because I can see why I've not lost any weight and know that reverting to the plan that worked in previous weeks should see things back on track. Whether that proves to be the case or not remains to be seen as life is going to be getting in the way again this week. My new son will enter this world on Monday and what happens from there only time will tell.

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Wednesday Weigh-In - 30 January

Yesterday I wasn't sure of what to expect from the scales today. Over the course of my last few posts, the theme has been doom and gloom, annoyed with myself for letting things slip with a few hefty meals over the weekend.

I don't know how it has read to you, but all my pontificating has probably placed me close to the diva in the snickers advert.


And so here I am on a Wednesday reporting on my latest weigh in and feel something of a fraud. I've not gained weight, nor have I stayed the same. I'm 3 lbs lighter than I was this time last week.

That is 16lbs gone in total in 4 weeks. A fantastic start to the year and something to build on in the coming months.

February will present challenges. In less that two weeks I'll become a dad for the second time. In normal circumstances that is enough to dispense with regular eating habits, but as those of you who are close to me will already know, there are some difficult days ahead.

I'm therefore very pleased with my progress to date which will allow some breathing space over the next month on the diet front. I plan to eat as healthily as possible, but will only be able to do so where practical.

Still another 12 days left before life changes. 12 more days to keep up the good work.

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