Chris is Still Too Fat

Brief summary of yesterday, for the record (Friday) :

Calories : 2037 includes partaking of family fat-rich takeaway meal.

Exercise : 50 mins bike ride.

Not one of my best weeks by some margin for I am still stuck on 172 lbs, folks. And I suppose I should actually be thankful for that, all things considered. I have bust my calories budget on most days, though not by much. Only bright spot has been exercise which has been, on the whole, uninterrupted, though perhaps I could do more.

And now I am in departure mode for the USA tomorrow with a 20 hr marathon journey to endure. That is to say, I have thought about packing (when reminded) but done absolutely nothing else about it. So to save me time in the morning, for it will assuredly come to that, I can report now that I have done a 30 min run also today, thus ensuring that I have done absolutely nothing else, apart from watch the Tour de France on television.

Back whenever. Don't go far.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Thursday) :

Calories : 1860. Just remembered the juicy nectarine I scoffed last thing last night but overall not too bad.

Exercise : 30 mins running. Boiling hot.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Wednesday) :

Calories : 1824. I'm afraid I succumbed to an icecream on return from a bike ride in the evening.

Exercise : 50 mins bike ride with Number 1 Son and joined towards the end by Number 2 Son. Excitement prevailed when we found a grass snake. Actually it was very lucky not to have been run over in the gloom of dusk.

And so to bed.

ChrisITF

First, a quick summary of yesterday (Tuesday) :

Calories : 1830. Bust the budget with a couple of biscuits, being peckish at bed-time.

Exercise : 50 mins bike ride in the warm evening. Swarms of flying ants made this sortie quite unpleasant and it was totally impossible to avoid getting covered in them. Horrible !

Not a bad week so far really. Slightly OTT with food but rather better with exercise. Watched the Tour de France yesterday from beginning to end. No prizes from Mrs CITF for that. Had to marvel how those guys manage to climb those daunting mountain roads into thin air at a speed that I can probably hardly reach for more than 100 metres ! But, no doubt, they are paid better than me. Fitter, slimmer and younger too; but that is a given. Aah, what might have been ! But I feel the future for me is getting better.

The uncertainty surrounding my UK departure to the USA has been resolved and I now travel on Sunday to Minneapolis. Back whenever, but probably about a week. It is nice to go away occasionally but even nicer to come back.

Meanwhile the mundane beckons.

Back tomorrow.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Monday) :

Calories : 1771. No real naughties; just miscalculated a bit.

Exercise : 50+ mins running. Longest run for some weeks and making now three running days in a row. Superb conditions for it, sunny but coolish with breeze and most of the puddles have dried up. Still got boiling hot, of course, and awfully hungry. Surprised I ate as little as I did, considering.

Still not bought ticket to USA due last minute problems their end. Unable to plan anything here in consequence. May have to delay until next week. Most annoying.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Sunday) :

Calories : 1723. No particular naughties.

Exercise : 40 mins running with Mrs CITF, so rather leisurely. The most notable thing was that Mrs CITF never walked !

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Saturday) :

Calories : 2065. Best estimate, given that we had a meal out last night. My menu choices were relatively abstemious but I inevitably broke my calories budget. Austerity resumes today though.

Exercise : 30 mins running. Bit lucky with the weather because it poured with rain just before I started but held off in the main during the run. Am now once again in running kit awaiting readiness of Mrs CITF for a joint sortie. She wants to do a longer run than usual. OK, whatever. But I dislike it on Sundays because of all the uncontrolled dogs and potential unpleasantness.

ChrisITF

Still marooned on 172 lbs, folks. But, for the record, a brief summary of yesterday (Friday) :

Calories : 1766 and no particular naughties.

Exercise : 50 mins bike ride.

OK, looking back over the week the birthday cake was a mistake. I bought the big one at £11 in preference to the small one on offer at £10 and smugly congratulated myself on my Yorkshire-born thrift and eye for a bargain. But I suppose the real mistake was my eating a generous wedge of it.

But, hey, I do not see this life as a penance and so I do indulge myself from time to time. It is indulgence 'from day to day' which is to be avoided. So some three slices of cake remain in the fridge and I will not touch them now (getting a bit dry anyway). Sour grapes perhaps ? Probably.

On the exercise front it has not been too bad, despite the collision with a soldier last weekend and the slight injury I picked up mid-week, which is still grumbling on. I feel OK really.

Now get this : the family does not want me to lose any more weight apparently ! There is a bit of a quandary for me. 'For gawd's sake get some clothes that fit you' is the cry frequently heard now. So all is not roses here despite my efforts ! But no, I started so I will finish, even if support is wearing thin (after 64 weeks). I have to admit, this shift in attitude is a bit unexpected.

To cap it all, I am almost certainly off to the USA in a few days - probably mid-week. This will mean the project goes on hold for a while. And I have just remembered we have a restaurant table booked this evening locally for a family meal out ...

Otherwise, I persevere.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Thursday) :

Calories : 2161. That dratted, delicious birthday cake again .. and it is still not finished. Next time I will get a small one.

Exercise : 30 mins running, which, of course, makes me ravenous. My left calf protested slightly but I ignored it.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Wednesday) :

Calories : 2139. Disappointingly predictable and birthday cake still not all gone yet.

Exercise : Nil. Gave myself the day off due to calf-strain. But I am sat here in running kit and about to give said calf a workout very shortly. Reporting back on findings tomorrow.

ChrisITF

First, a brief summary of yesterday (Tuesday) :

Calories : 2038. Sole naughty was a slice of Mrs CITF birthday cake. Well, I had to have that. Otherwise well-disciplined.

Exercise : 50 mins bike ride. But somehow I have gained a calf-strain which is not looking good for today's outing.

A teensy bit better week overall. I had forgotten about the birthday cake approaching but it is only once a year (each !). With exercise it is two steps forward and one step back yet again. Just nicely getting back into the swing of things and I mysteriously injure myself again. No recollection of it happening at all.

Further, I am supposed to be off to the USA again next week. Still to be confirmed officially but it seems they are expecting me. It would be nice to be injury free and well disciplined food-wise for that diversion. But, meanwhile, there is the small matter of that delicious and unfinished birthday cake ...

Back tomorrow.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Monday) :

Calories : 1785. Not too excessive.

Exercise : 45 mins running. Actually 2 sorties : one at a 'fast' pace, by myself and the other rather more leisurely with Mrs CITF. Woods deserted; like a private estate.

ChrisITF

Brief and rather better summary of yesterday (Sunday) :

Calories : 1627. Much better but I woke up hungry and early this morning ...

Exercise : 30 mins running. Not really recovered from last week's fall and they say you should never run on an injury .. but I know great things are expected of me !

ChrisITF

Brief sad summary of yesterday (Saturday) :

Calories : 2215. It pains me to reveal this but 'tis all my own fault.

Exercise : Nil. Domestic duty early on caused shelving of planned sortie but I never got around to making time thereafter. I will definitely get out there this morning. Maybe.

ChrisITF

Still stuck on 172 lbs, folks. But I think I should be thankful for that, judging by my lack of discipline this past few days.

For the record, here comes yesterday's (Friday) data :

Calories : 2079. Icecream and takeaway. Baaaaadd boy !

Exercise : 50 mins bike ride and the only saving grace of the day. I found that riding my bike did not actually hurt me much, after my kamikaze tumble of Wednesday. I am just being a bit careful though right now.

I do not wish to review the week really; too depressing by half. Put it behind and start again (as usual).

So here we go again ...

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Thursday) :

Calories : 2329. Awful. Most probably result of feeling sorry for myself after coming a right cropper on Wednesday colliding with a soldier in full kit.

Exercise : Nil. Thought it best not to. Hobbled round supermarket with trolley for support but that was it. Things can only improve, I hope.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Wednesday) :

Calories : 1819. Not too bad but I was cross with myself (after the fact) for indulging in a small icecream.

Exercise : 30 mins running. And it was pouring with rain beforehand, during and after the sortie. In short, I got soaked.

In fact, it was worse than just that for I collided with one of HM Forces personnel (ie a soldier) on a forest track and I came off by far the worse, falling headlong into a ditch (water-filled, of course). The hapless soldier then got a major mouthful from his CO for not getting out of my way ! Well, they have to train somewhere .. and so do I. But now I find that my hip joint is not so good with sitting, standing and lying down hurting in approximately equal measure. Yup, I have crocked myself good and proper.

So, on a sad day when someone is merely fined for killing another by 'dangerous cycling' I had to wonder if it could be interpreted that I had been guilty of 'dangerous running' ? I leave you to speculate while I cogitate and recuperate.

Back tomorrow.

ChrisITF

First, a brief summary of yesterday (Tuesday) :

Calories : 1915 as a best estimate. Most food was purchased while out and about so I do not have a good handle on calorific contents.

Exercise : About 3 hours wandering around the RHS Gardens at Wisley.

A rather better week thus far. Work contract problems have subsided (ie now dormant) but I feel easier about it and I am able to ignore the food cupboard rather better than a few days ago. Silly really, but it's what happens. Exercise pretty average after a hiccup last weekend with some bug. Back on track I feel right now.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Monday) :

Calories : 1695. Hooray ! Within budget at last and no naughties.

Exercise : 30 mins running. Seem to have recovered from being laid low at the weekend and nearly up to what passes for speed at my age.

Quite pleased with yesterday. Had planned to dash round the woods on my bike at dusk but, once more, was discouraged from doing anything of the sort by a badly timed rain shower. Probably off to RHS Gardens at Wisley today. Cue much walking to exhaustion. Mrs CITF had great stamina for these visits - bit like a shopping trip to her. Me ? I like inspecting the vegetables and fruit sections ! I still marvel at seeing apricots and peaches growing outside in the UK.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Sunday) :

Calories : 1764. Aww ! Thought I was within budget until I remembered the strawberries ! But strawberries ain't too bad, are they ?

Exercise : 50 mins bike ride. Felt pretty weak but I had started, so I finished. Now got slow puncture in rear tyre. Sigh.

Supposed to be going on mega-tramp round RHS Gardens at Wisley today but, going by the miserable weather right now, probably do nothing of the sort. Have to invent some other exercise outing.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Saturday) :

Calories : 2090. As I remember it but probably incomplete.

Exercise : Nil.

Been a bad couple of days; even more than usual. All of us had some bug which has laid us low - or was it a dodgy takeaway on Friday evening ? Number 2 son slept nearly 24hrs continuous. But am coming out of it now and am off out on bike before it rains. Determination returning but capitulation felt close.

ChrisITF

Not been a good week. Weighed in at 172 lbs this morning, folks. That is an increase for the second week in succcession. But before I conveniently forget, here is yesterday's data (Friday) :

Calories : 2192. Comfort munching based on takeaway with family. No doubt about it and I hate having to admit it.

Exercise : Nil.

Mrs CITF ill. I seem to have caught summat an' all. Problems with stalled USA work contract. Unsure whether coming or going on that one. No desire to go out on bike or running. Little wonder the icecream tub beckons (except I have already emptied it).

No sympathy sought. I will get over it.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Thursday) :

Calories : 2134. Not good. Icecream again.

Exercise : 50 mins bike ride.

For some unexplained reason was really hungry yesterday, as opposed to just hungry. Well, I can certainly feast my eyes on food today as I am shortly off to the supermarket for the weekly shopping. It has not been a very good week.

ChrisITF

Quick summary of yesterday (Wednesday) :

Calories : 1866. Rather nice chocolate icecream was my undoing, though total not too bad.

Exercise : 30 mins running. Nearly back up to pre-USA-visit speed. Usually takes a week or two.

(I did write more than this but it has mysteriously disappeared and I cannot be bothered to concoct it again. So there !)

ChrisITF

First, a brief summary of yesterday (Tuesday) :

Calories : 1664. At last, within budget. It has taken a while.

Exercise : 30 mins run. Monday's bike ride gave me a bit of a rest for yesterday's plodding through the woods and my legs were recovered more or less.

Well, I have been back in the UK six days now and it has taken this long to get my eating back under control. At least, I think it is under control though I am always eager and ready for a dietary supplement at any time.

What is your Metabolic Age ? Mine is 63 (which is a disappointment). Seems that the health target is to get your metabolic age - the age your body feels like - to be younger than your chronological age as defined by your birth certificate. I think it is the latest healthy living fad (though it probably surfaced in 1994). Just google 'metabolic age' and there is a website by which you may reveal yours.

But I am not convinced, for the only parameters you can enter to get your figure out are height, weight and age. Well, short of painful alteration with a machete, there is nothing much you can do about your height. Age is sufficiently slow at changing to be fixed. So it is down to weight as the only really variable parameter.

Suspicious therefore, I put my old obese weight in and came up with a metabolic age of 74. But put in an emaciated 8 stones and I only 'improve' to a metabolic age of 54. So I think it is a load of tosh. You are as young as you feel and I feel about 30. Honest. And to prove it I am off out for a run, which makes five times in a week. Even at 30 I would never have contemplated that; still less done it.

More tomorrow.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Monday) :

Calories : 1745. Perhaps should not have had cream with those raspberries ... mm.

Exercise : 50 mins bike ride. Had been for a run previous three days consecutively and so decided to duck the fourth. Legs worn out. Perhaps give it a go again this morning.

ChrisITF