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Sunday, January 14, 2018

How to Lose a Belly When You're 43 (part 13)

Monday
Weight: 10st 8lbs
I've put on another 2lbs! My weight has increased by over half a stone since I hurt my back in the middle of December.
This morning, I was aware of my back twinging again. It was on and off all day causing me a lot of frustration - all I want to do is train and get rid of this belly! I still managed to cycle in to work and back.
By the time I got home I'd worked out that these twinges, like little electric shocks, were only happening on the right side of my lower spine when I was leaning forward and to the right.
In the evening, I decided to risk doing a weight lifting session. I reasoned that in all of the exercises I'm meant to keep my back as upright as possible. No leaning forward or off to one side.
True enough, I did a good session of squats, deadlifts, curls, shrugs, front raises and side raises without a single twinge in the back. All by keeping my back straight.
After the session, I twinged my back again by switching on the TV!
No junkfood, no alcohol, weight training.

Tuesday
I cycled in to work and back.
At the dojo, I was put at the head of a line-up for most of the session. I was slow, unfit and unconvincing. At one point I even had to ask permission to leave the session momentarily so I could have a coughing fit. I've never asked to come out of a martial arts lesson before in 18 years of training.
The back still twinged a little today, mostly when I was putting shoes on. It behaved itself at the dojo.
I went to bed at 10:30 which is rather early for me.
No junkfood, no alcohol, karate session.

Wednesday

Weight: 10st 6lbs
I slept like a log last night. I didn't even get up for a wee.
The back was aching a little when I got out of bed but it didn't stop me cycling to work. I felt full of energy for most of the day.
Back home, I did a quick weights session (50 minutes) and then made dinner for the family. I had a cup of tea while watching the latest episode of Star Trek: Discovery.
My bad back made it a little difficult to get off to sleep.
No junkfood, no alcohol, weight training.

Thursday
Blood Pressure: 129/80
Weight: 10st 5lbs
I woke up feeling strong, had a healthy breakfast of wholemeal toast and peanut butter, leaped on the bike and cycled in to work.
In the afternoon, I led a martial-arts based warm-up with the sports lads and then completed a circuit with them. The circuit consisted of pad work, heavy bag, hurdles, leg raises, press ups, triceps dips, battle rope, medicine ball squats, medicine ball jumps shots, skipping rope and bench step-ups. Phew!
After cycling home, I headed out on this week's 10K run. It was difficult from the start and I set off too slowly.  This week's target time was 64mins 24seconds. I was struggling to achieve the required pace even though I knew I needed to go faster. My chest was okay but my legs were suffering and aching badly. I had to literally sprint the last few hundred metres to get home in a very close time of 64 minutes 15 seconds. Next week my target is 64:08...
I treated myself to two beers with my dinner tonight.
No junkfood, 10K run, two bottles of ale.

Friday

Weight: 10st 6lbs
I was very disappointed to learn that I'd actually put weight on yesterday. It must have been the beers.
This morning, I had a bowl of muesli and then cycled in to work. Homemade chicken pasta salad for lunch and then a cycle home.
Martha and I went along to the advanced class tonight. After some kata, it turned into a take-downs lesson. Sensei Mark showed us some take-down techniques and we got to practise them on each other. Unfortunately, there was a lot of talking tonight so I didn't even break a sweat. After the lesson, I stayed behind with Sensei Jody to go through some more take-downs. I spent most of the time on the floor! Happily, my back was fine.
At home, a bit bruised and battered, I had two beers with my dinner of fish cakes, vegetables and noodles.
No junkfood, karate session, two bottles of ale.

Saturday
Weight: 10st 5lbs
I woke up early at about 6am. I lay around until 7 and then got up to play records and sell stuff on eBay.
Sadly, this winter Nigel has decided not to ride the Mad MArch Hare and has bowed out of winter training. He is developing his fitness at the Arden club with rowing and racquet sports. I'm sure he'll do a great job and look forward to seeing him back on the bike.
I jumped on my bike and called for Jonnie at 9am. We hurled ourselves into the lanes and set off at a good pace. It was hard going at times due to a headwind of 13mph, but we were heading downhill for the first half of the ride. Jonnie hadn't done any exercise (apart from tending his huge garden) for the last 6 weeks and he had enjoyed himself over the festive period. We were both surprised, therefore, to see how well he was doing today! He seemed to have lost none of his fitness and even dashed ahead on Doctor's Hill into Tanworth.
After some lovely cake and a disgusting cup of tea in Wilmcote, we turned north with the wind behind us. We cruised home in a comfortable time and enjoyed a bottle of refreshing lager in Jonnie's kitchen (it was still morning!) The Relive app on my phone made this video about the the ride:


Relive 'Riding without Nigel 😭'


 After walking the dogs, I went along to this afternoon's karate session at the Village Hotel in Shirley. I worked closely with Sensei Jody and Sensei Gary, and continued to develop my basic technique (although it doesn't feel 'basic' anymore!) Happily, Sally and Lucy were also at the hotel enjoying a chat. They were kind enough to buy me a Guinness after training.
This evening, I did some ironing and loaded the car ready for the tabletop sale in the morning. I also sipped two ales and played some top quality heavy metal records.
Junkfood, 30 miles of cycling, Karate session, 1 lager, 1 stout, 2 ales

Sunday
This morning we sold some stuff at a tabletop sale at the local school. Lucy was running the refreshments so there were lots of chocolate biscuits available to steal...
I got home at lunch time and unloaded the car, scoffed some chili and rice and then headed off to dojo.
Sensei Ronnie ran a fast paced lesson where higher grades were partnered with lower grade kids. Unfortunately, Martha and I failed to work up a sweat so when we got home, we decided to do a weight training session together!
I drank two ales with the family Sunday dinner around the table.
In the evening, I sipped a cider while shooting people in GTA5.
Junkfood, Karate session, light weight training session, 2 ales and a cider.

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