How to Lose a Belly When You're 42 (part 12)

Monday
Weight: 10st 9lbs
I cycled in to work today. It was quite hard going on the Raleigh after spending the last two weeks on the Specialized. At work, I ate some malt loaf and fruit. I've been feeling crap all day - I just put this down to too much beer last week and not enough exercise.
Cycled home to do a weights session and then make my Mexican scrambled eggs.
No junkfood, no alcohol.
I'm determined to get it right this week...

Exercise
Cycled in to work and back (9.2 miles)
Press-ups: 100
Leg raises: 100
Triceps dips: 100
OHP (29kgs): 5 sets of 5 reps
Side raises (6.5 kg) 5x5
Bar curls (36kg): 5x5
Squats (36kg): 5x5
Deadlifts (54kg): 5x5
Front raises (8kg): 5x5

Food
2x wholemeal toast with peanut butter
Glass of apple and mango juice
4x cups of redbush tea
Three slices of malt loaf (no butter!)
Apple
Banana
Mexican scrambled eggs (peppers, homegrown tomatoes, onions, mushrooms) with potatoes from Mom's allotment.
1 coffee

Alcohol
None


Tuesday
Weight: 10st 8lbs
Cycled in to work. At college, I found time for some malt loaf and a banana but I didn't drink as much water as I wanted to.
Cycled home.
It was a chaotic lesson at the dojo tonight. Sensei Gary did a great job of controlling all the karateka, most of whom were kids. We did a long warm up where I worked with a young black belt. After that, we focused on kata where I got to perform Basai Dai about 5 times. Got a bit sweaty.
At home, fish and rice for tea.
I'm absolutely aching for a glass of good beer but I'm determined to train hard this week. I'll sip some water instead...
No junkfood, no alcohol.

Exercise
One hour of karate training
Cycled to work and back

Food
2x wholemeal toast with peanut butter
Glass of apple and mango juice
3x cups of redbush tea.
3 slices of malt loaf
Banana
2x plaice fillets with savoury rice and green beans.


Wednesday
Weight: 10st 7lbs
Resting heart rate: 48 bpm
I had to drive to Handsworth today. For lunch, I had some fruit and nuts and malt loaf.
Back at home, I went for a run. It was a cold evening (only 6 degrees according to the BBC) so it was a bit of a shock running around in shorts. 4.3 miles later and I was sweating buckets! I'm glad I managed to run for 45 minutes without stopping or walking.
Back at home, Lucy had made a delicious all day breakfast. This was very tasty but not really training food! I'll be surprised if I've lost any weight today.
After this, I slumped on the couch feeling very full and satisfied!
No sugary foods, no alcohol.

Exercise
Run: 4.3 miles at 10:17 pace.

Food
2 x wholemal toast with peanut butter
Cup of redbush tea
Glass of apple and mango juice.
2 handfuls of pistachio nuts
Apple
Three slices of malt loaf.
All day breakfast: potato waffles, beans, fried egg, tomatoes, sausages, mushrooms.

Alcohol
none

Thursday
Weight: 10st 7lbs
I had to drive to work again today.
I ate healthily at college despite the amount of lovely looking cakes on offer in the staff room!
I did a bit of exercise with the sports group - just the last round of circuit training (push ups, skipping, bench steps, medicine ball exercises etc) and then 10 minutes of stretching/yoga.
I was going out straight from work so I grabbed a slice of lasagna from the staff canteen to keep me going.
Tonight, we attended Mouse's awards evening at school where she was presented with an Outstanding Achievement for Three or More Subjects: she won in drama, PE and religious education. I was very proud of her drama and PE results!
Back at home, Lucy sensibly decided it was too late to eat but I ended up having a bowl of home made chili before bed. The dreams later that night were horrifying!
No sugary foods, no alcohol.

Exercise
One round of circuit training

Food
2x wholemeal toast with peanut butter
Cup of redbush tea
Apple and orange juice
Banana
Three slices of malt loaf
Homemade beef chili with wholewheat pasta

Alcohol
none


Friday
Weight: 10stone 7lbs
Cycled in to work. 
At lunch time I had to attend a meeting in Digbeth so I jumped on the bike again. After three slices of malt loaf and an utterly pointless 2 hour meeting, I cycled back home. It was quite a hair-raising experience racing through the rush hour traffic in Sparkhill - I found myself riding a little more aggressively than I usually do...
Tonight's karate session was taken by Sensei Ronnie Christopher. For me, the highlight of the evening was when he asked the people watching (parents of the kids in the class) to keep quiet while we were training! I feel like I've been waiting for this moment for the last three years! In fact I talked about it on my blog in 2014 here.
In glorious silence, we were able to concentrate on our new kata: Hangetsu. 
I remember fist learning this kata under the tutorship of Sensei Paul Hexley. He explained that this kata was originally performed bare-chested to show the musculature of the karateka. Although I can't find any reference to this online, I have no reason to doubt him.
Tonight, leaving our gi in place, we went through the kata twice with Sensei Ronnie and then he let us perform it on our own. I was convinced I knew it so I added a bit of performance - and messed it up royally, even my kiai was in the wrong place! Struggling on, I messed up again and ended up copying the others. WTF?
After that, my confidence dipped and I was feeling quite downhearted. I tiptoed through it again, this time taking care to follow the others but still messing it up!
For the fifth and final time we were to go through Hangetsu, I had a little word with myself: I could either go home feeling disheartened and disappointed or I could go at it hard and perform the kata of my life! So I chose to give it my all...and fucked it up massively. Even Sensei Ronnie came over to point out that there were moves missing from my kata.
I went home with down-ears and my tail between my legs...
In the evening, Lucy and I went across to the Harvester for dinner and I had a couple of crap beers.
I'll be glad when it's Saturday...

Exercise
Work and back (about 14 miles today!)
One hour of karate training.

Food
2 x wholmeal toast with peanut pbutter
2 x cup of redbush tea
Glass of apple and orange juice
Three slices of malt loaf
Salmon with rice and peppers
Bag of crisps

Alcohol
1 and a half pints of flavourless cold ale (I left half on the table.)
2 bottles of ale
Half a bottle of red wine

Saturday
I messed up again.
I woke up with a rubbish headache and spent most of the day moping around the house and lying on the couch.
In the evening, we visited our next-door neighbours and set off some fireworks. They fed us chili and rice, pudding, and lots of ale.

Sunday
The day of the Ruach Karate club competition!
Martha and I went off very excited but also nervous. We had entered ourselves for the fighting and kata (technique) events. Of course, I had a mild hangover and not enough sleep. My preparation for the event could not have been worse.
The competition itself was very good. A little chaotic at times but very spirited and friendly with loads of encouragement from everyone. Sensei Ronnie is a marvel both as a karateka and a teacher. He left no-one out and made everyone feel good about themselves. One competitor with learning difficulties was 'progressed' into the second round of the kata competition and he could not have been prouder or happier.
Martha came up against some very stiff competition. She was knocked put of the kata competition in the first round by a black belt. I won my first two rounds and then met the same black belt, who went on to win the competition, in the semi final. That's how I won my bronze medal!

Some of the veteran competitors!

Awarded with my bronze medal.

In the fighting, Martha lost out to two black belts but still came away with a bronze medal. 
I won my first fight but lost my second fight 1-2 to a black belt.

My second fight - I ended up losing 1-2 (don't let the blue belt fool you - I was fighting a black belt!)

With Sensei Gary's organisation and Sensei Ronnie's passion and skill, the day was a roaring success. Sensei Mark did a great job of refereeing the fighting with compassion and encouragement.
A superb family day.



Summary
The story repeats itself - a great week of training followed by a weekend of drunkenness and laziness. 
I'm going to get my head out of my ass and start training hard: Next year, the club karate competition will have a very different result for me - I'm going for gold!