Fat Loss Training - Week 4

Monday

Cycled to work.

Did work stuff.

Cycled home. In the man cave I did an hour of heavy weight training during which I hurt my left arm. I've looked it up on the interwebs and it appears that the muscle I've strained is called brachioradialis. But I'm probably wrong. Anyway, it hurts. I managed to finish my exercises and even improved slightly from last week.

I jumped on the scales today and was pleased to find that I had hit my weekly weight loss goal again. I just have to keep this going for another 14 weeks!

It was my turn to cook dinner for the family and I enjoyed some beers while cooking and eating.

3 beers, no junkfood, weight training

Tuesday

I just have too much to do at work. I've teaching from 9 until 4:15 and I still have loads of marking to do including other teachers' marking (don't ask.) Plus, I'm getting ready to teach my first ever GCSE lessons tomorrow. To this end, I got in the car with Lucy with the idea that we stay as late as possible to get as much done as we can.

By the time the college was closing, I had my worksheets ready for the morning but hadn't started marking yet. The marking went in my bag to take home...

At home, Lucy and the girls went out to dinner and I went out to do 15 miles on the bike. Back at home, I had my dinner while swotting up on my GCSE maths and doing some more marking. I called it a day at 9:40pm and wrote this blog entry instead.

no alcohol, no junkfood, 15 miles of cycling.

Wednesday

Alarm. Water. Brekkie. Cycled to work.

Today was my first GCSE lessons (English and then maths). It was also the first time in a loooooong time using someone else's lessons plans and schemes of work. It didn't suit me. We covered most of the content, but I was so focused on lesson structure and delivering the aims and objectives that I struggled to make the lesson engaging. I was a rather boring teacher. Happily, the students were awesome and seemed to put up with me. At least they came back after lunch!

I cycled the long way home and covered 15 miles in just over an hour.

At home, I thought I deserved a beer, but then realised that I had to pick up Martha from a restaurant later in the evening. So I drank water and made chicken and mushroom tagliatelle for the family. 

I collected Martha from her night out and then watched England lose a rain-soaked T20 against South Africa. In Wales. Why play cricket in Wales in September?

No alcohol, no junkfood, 15 miles of cycling

Thursday

I woke up at 5:33am for no reason. I measured my resting heart rate: it was exactly 50bpm. According to the app I'm using, that's 'normal'. I remember, about 14 years ago when I was still mountain biking, my resting heart rate was graded as 'Olympian'.

Normal

I drank my pint of water, had brekkie, and then set up my weights for a session when I get home tonight. My left arm is still sore but I'm going to strap it and see if it holds. I used the car for work today.

After work, I did my usual heavy (for me) weights session and the arm held. I had covered it in Deep Heat and strapped it and it seemed to do the trick. I even managed to lift a little more than I had on Monday. After this, I sipped beer while waiting for dinner.

3 beers, no junkfood, one hour of weight training

Friday

Alarm, water, breakfast, bicycle.

It was a bit chilly this morning so I opted for full finger gloves on the bike. It made me a bit sad to think that the next time I'll feel warm on the bicycle will be in April. Probably. I wish global warming would hurry up.

Work. Was. Insane.

A never-ending avalanche of spreadsheets, emails and stressed staff. Communication is terrible, teachers close to tears, teachers in tears. I even got told off today!

The only way I can get through it with my sanity intact (sort of) is to keep in mind two things:

• To do the best I can in the time I have available.
• To prioritise the students. 

I was glad to get on the bicycle and hurt my legs racing home. I jumped in the shower and then headed to the dojo. Tonight was a grading overseen by Sensei Gary Beggan. Some of our wonderful young people (and not so young!) were grading for their next belt. It was an honour to be part of it. To see everyone striving to do their best and enjoying themselves put the rest of the day in perspective. A wonderful hour and a wonderful experience to be involved in.

It goes without saying that beers were involved with my dinner tonight!

3 beers, no junkfood, Karate

Saturday

After my pint of water, I got up early and drank coffee. Just me and the morning.

A little later, I made breakfast for myself and Lucy. We had bacon and eggs with tomatoes grown in her greenhouse.

After breakfast, we drove out to Tyseley Locomotive Works to enjoy a tour by Vintage Trains. It was a slow, relaxed, informative tour of the original sheds and engines by a team of dedicated and knowledgeable chaps. I enjoyed looking at all the wonderful engineering, and I got to take a few photos too.

Vintage

After the tour had ended, we headed home and I had some lunch before I went along to my Karate session at Shirley Village.

Today was the first grading after the summer. Sensei Gary was in charge and he had me leading the warm up at the start, and then handing out new belts at the end. I am very pleased and proud to report that all of my students passed with a distinction!

Back at home, Lucy and I had dinner and then watched the T20 Blast finals on TV. Obviously, a few drinks were involved! Cheers!

Alcohol, no junkfood, Karate

Sunday

With Mark away, and James otherwise engaged, I headed out into the lanes with Jonnie. The Karate gradings continued today and I was needed to help out at Kings Heath at 1pm. With this in mind, Jonnie and I couldn't do our usual full ride down to Wilmcote and back. Instead, we put together a route that went down the Petticoat Route and then cut across East to join one of our routes home. In total, we covered 27.7 miles and got home before the rain came! 

At the first grading, the atmosphere was electric! Students cheering each other on, working really hard and showing the very best karate spirit. As soon as I walked into the dojo I was struck by what looked like competition-standard team kata - by a group of white belts! Astounding!

While the grading itself was conducted by Sensei Gary, I was in charge of three little beginners aged 5, 4 and 2. I managed to hold their attention for about half an hour before we decided to sit down and watch the grading results and the new belts being handed out. (I believe sweets may have been distributed by myself and the 2 year old 🙂).

Back at home, I scoffed some lovely homemade fishcakes before spending 2 hours on spreadsheet and emails for work. After this, I was back in Karate mode, back in my karategi, and back in the car.

This time, I met up with Sensei Gary at Tudor Grange Leisure Centre for the final grading of the weekend.

Again, the standard was high, we had lots of success, and one of my Saturday students achieved a distinction!

Back at home, we had dinner and I drank a few ales. Cheers!

3 beers, no junkfood, Cycling, Karate

In summary, it was a successful week, but not great. I exercised everyday, successfully working around my arm injury, and didn't have any junkfood at all. However, I drank for 5 out of 7 days which is only going to hold me back on my weight-loss journey...