Enter February

So January came and went. All in all I had a pretty productive month. Christmas weight dealt with. Half marathon training taken up a few notches despite a pause for some lurgies. Barring the first couple of hours of New Years Day, I remained alcohol free. With the calendar rotating into February, I wasted no time in getting my hands on a nice cold beverage, followed by another.

A massive two cans of Strongbow consumed on a Saturday night, following a near 11k run. I didn't exactly push the boat out to celebrate the end of Dryathlon. When I think back to my younger days when I could drink like a horse, I rather shake my head and wonder where I used to put it all. Pint after pint after pint, followed by the inevitable kebab or large portion of fried chicken. While a Saturday night in front of Nick Knowles and a lottery show isn't exactly the height of entertainment, I'm happier spending my weekends in a low-key fashion than piling on the pounds down the pub.

I've dug out a photo of me in my mid-20s from a boozy weekend with friends. I'm stood pint in hand next to the Stag, who is wearing a lairy shirt with inflatable sheep to boot. I had to take a second look when I was flicking through this photo collection as in some cases I didn't instantly recognise myself. Certainly this is not one of my prettier images from yesteryear. Hard to believe the same guy will be running a half marathon in a matter of weeks.

BigFatRebel in his full glory

It wasn't alcohol in isolation that saw me rise to 24 stone, but it was certainly a contributory factor. Reducing my booze intake when trying to lose weight has been invaluable. If you want to shed a few pounds without having to go hungry, cutting back on an evening beer or glass of wine is an easy way to get started.