Losing Weight
I’ve been trying to lose weight off and on for about 8 years now. When I really make an effort, follow a proper sensible eating plan and avoid what I shouldn’t eat, it works and I start to lose weight. However as soon as I switch off or stop thinking about it the weight starts to go back on. I think back to my teenage years when I did every sport going from Athletics training to football, hockey, tennies, badminton and more. Up until the age of 18 I used to use my bike to get around. However now, despite being able to still run at a reasonable pace I can’t do it for very long at all, and I’d probably collapse after 100m sprint!
I want to get back to how I used to be or at least as close to that as I can. Since Christmas I’ve tried to be on a healthy eating kick, I’ve stopped drinking alcohol, stayed away from the wrong foods, increased the fruit and veg intake. However it doesn’t seem to have had any effect. So last week we bought a Rowing machine for the both of us to use and I’m currently drawing up a plan of eating using the G.I. Plan which I’ve used before and probably has the best healthy eating regime with no ignoring certain food groups (apart from the too fat too much sugar ones!).
Hopefully this will give me the kickstart I need 
- February 7th '07
[...] Tomorrow is the start of the strict diet. Okay so the diet isn’t amazingly strict (GI Plan) but simply healthy eating clearly isn’t cutting it so I’m hoping that following a bit of a plan, ensuring I eat what I should be eating (which I think is the problem to be honest, not eating everything I should) will help to make a change. This afternoon I was also planning some further exercise. We already have a rowing machine which I’ll be getting back to next week (I stopped this week due to my neck), plus I’m going to start going out jogging every other morning. I also mentioned Tennis to Dave and Paul mentioned he’d be up for that along with Badminton too. I’m hoping that come the summer I’m doing one thing every day. Once the lighter nights come in we’ll also go out on the bikes a couple of times a week too hopefully. [...]
The problem, I find, with exercising at home is that it’s boring. The exception is that I’ve set-up a gym in the garage and I train with a long-term gym buddy once a week (there’s not enough time when we’re both free).
I also play badminton once a week too and that doesn’t even feel like exercise because I enjoy it so much.
Anyway, back in days when I had more time on my hands, I used to be a bit of a gym freak, going at on average 4 or more times a week for a couple of hours a time. Being in that sort of environment really helped keep me going and of course, you end up making new friends and it just kinda keeps you going. Well, that and paying a substantial annual fee for unlimited usage!
My point is that I’ve tried the home exercising thing and on the whole it doesn’t really work for me apart from my once a week session with my gym buddy of 17-years!
Anybody want to buy a cross trainer?
Oh, I also tried making the home cross trainer more fun by playing on my Play Station 2 at the same time!
I may be asking Santa for a Nintendo Wii this year
I think it’s just down to routine. Same as working from home. I still get up, have breakfast and am at the computer by 8:30am, and I work straight until about 6pm. I have lunch (providing I remember) around 1pm and spend the hour reading blogs, forums or currently replying to all of your comments!
We have the rower now and I go on that every other day after I’ve finished work. However it’s easier with a gym, yes. But I think if you can get into that routine then you can stick with it.
How much for the cross trainer?
Apologies for the mini invasion! It was a nice change to get away from money, money, money blogs and forums
I’ll have to check on the cross trainer as it’s currently on loan in Chester, but I’m not sure if they actually use it either…
Hahah. No problem
I do tend to use the garden or kitchen as an excuse to get away from the computer, so I know the feeling.