Weight: 10st 8lbs
Blood Pressure: 125/83
Heart Rate: 53
So, the big restart...I am currently the heaviest I've been since the middle of January!
I cycled in to work and ate fruit for lunch. So far, so good.
I cycled home and cooked for the family. By the time we'd finished eating and I'd said goodnight to Mouse, it was 9:30. Unfortunately, I just couldn't find the energy to do a weight lifting session. So Lucy and I watched Peaky Blinders instead!
At least I managed to resist alcohol and junkfood today.
Tuesday
I cycled in to work. For lunch, the students had cooked spicy rice so I had some of that.
I cycled home and then Martha and I went off to dojo for some competition training with Sensei Gary. Afterwards, Martha decided that she too wants to take part in the club competition in November. She wants to do fighting but not kata! I intend to do both although I fully expect to be out of the kumite competition in the first round!
Back at home, Lucy fed me two huge juicy beef burgers with mushrooms and oven chips.
No alcohol, no sugary foods.
Wednesday
I drove in to work today because of the amount of paperwork I had to transport. I had no lunch until about 5pm when I had a chicken sandwich from the canteen.
At home, Lucy had prepared a fantastic chicken and vegetable stir fry with rice.
I did a late night weight lifting session (where I lifted heavier than last week) which left me aching and very hungry. I had a bowl of no added sugar muesli before bed.
No alcohol, no junkfood.
I miss beer.
I caught sight of myself in a mirror today - I look like one of those pot-bellied blokes I vowed I'd never become...
Thursday
I cycled in to work. I took my blood pressure monitor in with me today because I needed it for my How the Body Works class in the afternoon. By 9am I had measured the blood pressure of everyone in the staff room! Unfortunately, the results worried one woman so much that she has made an appointment with her GP about her blood pressure.
Lunch was a peach and a banana.
I took part in the fitness session with the Sports and Leisure group - I ended up giving it my all in an effort to beat these wiry teenagers and, as a result, was a sweaty mess by 2pm. Unfortunately, during the martial arts section of the class, I injured my right thumb (my fault) which has left it tender and weak.
I cycled home to cook for the D&D players. Lucy had left me a portion of her wonderful homemade bolognese. I prepared some wholewheat pasta to go with it and also scoffed 5 leftover cod fish fingers! After that, I munched on a bit of pasta which one of players had brought with him.
After dropping everyone off home, I did an hour's weight training. I was very relieved to find that my injured thumb didn't stop me from gripping the bar. Then I plonked myself on the couch at 11pm to eat a bowl of muesli.
No junkfood, no booze.
Exercise
Cycled to work and back
Fitness lesson at college
100 press ups
100 triceps dips
100 leg raises
Deadlift (54kg): 5 sets of 5 repetitions
Side raise (6.5kg): 5x5
Bar curls (36kg): 5x5
Squats (36kg): 5x5
Dumb bell curls (17kg): 5x5
Bar shrugs (48kg): 5x5
Food
Peanut butter on toasted wholemeal bap
Cup of redbush tea
Glass of orange juice (not from concentrate)
Peach
Banana
Homemade bolognese with wholewheat pasta
5 cod fish fingers
White pasta with spinach
Muesli (no added salt, no added sugar) with semi skimmed milk
Alcohol
None
Friday
I cycled to work.
I had a very healthy lunch.
I cycled home.
I walked the dogs.
I ran over 4 miles.
I drank some beer.
I went to bed.
Exercise:
Cycled to work and back
Run: 45m 09s without stopping/walking
Food:
Peanut butter on 2 wholemeal toast
Orange juice
Cup of redbush tea
Homemade tuna and pasta salad with lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes and sweetcorn
Homemade beef chili with brown rice
Alcohol:
2 ales
Saturday
Jonnie and I jumped on the bikes on a chilly but dry morning. Neither of us wore jackets, preferring to 'be bold and start cold.' I soon warmed up in the strengthening sunshine. We cruised down to Lowsonford and then onto High Cross, finally swooping down the descent to Snitterfield. I was aware that the legs were beginning to suffer on the climb out of Snitterfield, but we still managed to hold a half-decent pace to Wilmcote.
After enjoying some splendid, still-warm cake, we pointed the bikes northwards and started climbing. I think I made a mistake by riding into a headwind in the big ring. These days, the big ring is saved for special occasions (I'd estimate that I rode 99% of the Tommy Godwin Challenge in the little ring) such as perfectly flat sections with a tailwind. So, although I set a good pace, my legs were feeling decidedly shaky by the time the real climbing started in Ullenhall. When we did eventually get back to base, after a total of 37 miles, we compared average speeds and the results were very confusing:
Jonnie's Strava: 14.9mph
My Strava: 14.4mph
My computer: 14.6mph.
Which one was right? Jonnie and I decided to discuss this in depth with some special recovery drinks in his kitchen.
In the evening, Lucy dropped me off in Coventry so I could watch my mate Mark play guitar and keyboards in his band.
The band Cave are a pub-friendly covers band and tonight they were playing rock tunes from the likes of U2, Foo Fighters and Robert Plant. In fact, the Robert Plant track, 29 Palms, was the musical highlight of the evening with the singer's voice being ideally suited to this slow-burning 90s rock gem.
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| My mate Mark in full flow |
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| The best band I saw that night. |
The actual highlight, however, were the locals. In various states of inebriation, they all seemed to be enjoying themselves thoroughly. I spotted a couple in their seventies (the lady in mini skirt and strappy top) slow-dancing directly in front of the band for most of the evening, a man dressed as some kind of druid (complete with staff and feathered hat), and a lady apparently dressed as Ozzy Osborne moshing on her own on the dance floor.
And a bloke with a tattooed face.
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| The locals, including a druid. |
After many ales (I found a good red IPA by Ringwood on tap) I found myself in a taxi at about 1:30am!
Sunday
Woke up with a headache. Unable to stomach any food, I jumped on my bike to arrive at Alderbrook School to help Lucy, Jane and Sally set up for our tabletop sale to raise money for World Challenge.
I managed to sell quite a few CDs, books and DVDs while breathing last night's beer over people.
In the afternoon, I sat on the couch, played Minecraft, sipped wine and let Lucy feed me.
Summary
A good start to the week, but I soon went back to my old ways at the weekend. Must, and can, do better over the next 7 days.
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