Chris is Still Too Fat

Quick summary of yesterday (Monday) :

Calories : 1696. Two good days in a row !

Exercise : 75+ mins running. I know .. barking mad. Right leg protesting this morning as I came downstairs.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Sunday) :

Calories : 1687. Blimey.

Exercise : 50 mins bike ride and 15 mins run with Mrs CITF afterwards. Yes, I was hungry in consequence. Better tho', innit ?

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Saturday) :

Calories : 2111. Damn and blast it !

Exercise : 30 mins running. Misty morning and I got right sweaty in the high humidity.

Not a particularly auspicious start to the week but I fully intend to redress that. Determination mode ON ...

ChrisITF

Weighed in at 173 lbs today, fatfans !

Nothing brilliant and within the limits of experimental error on these old mechanical scales here. I have started with them, so I will finish with them, faults and all. But, before I conveniently forget, a brief summary of yesterday (Friday) :

Calories : 2235. Friday night has become takeaway night and I am not sitting shut up in my bedroom !

Exercise : 1 hour on bike.

I dread to think how long it is since I was actually able to report a reduction in weight. Quite some time I feel and a sense of anti-climax on realisation. Passed this way before both down and up. Gotta keep it going.

Pleased with running and exercise generally, especially my rate of recovery which I think I have mentioned before. Not so long ago I would not have put two days with a run together. Now I have managed four days in a row, which, for me, is progress indeed. Still troubled a bit by odd niggles and soreness in legs but nothing crippling for about three weeks now, so I must be getting stonger.

And so to week 75. Best make use of this good weather while it lasts. I find it is usually already too dark after the evening meal now for a quick dash round the woods on the bike. I try now to do all exercise in the morning if weather permits. If I leave it until later, something often intervenes and then I have to confess to you that I blew it. I do not like having to do that.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Thursday) :

Calories : 1946.

Exercise : 30+ mins running.

Defrosted the freezer yesterday. Kept me busy for a good part of the afternoon. Now I know about all its little food secrets ! I found a part eaten tub of lemon sorbet which had lain untouched for months and decided to throw it out (it was awful and full of sugary calories anyway). Needless to say I got a rocket from Mrs CITF when she got home as she apparently had plans for it. You just cannot win, I tell you !

And so to the supermarket within the hour to restock said freezer. It is really quiet at 0730 or so; easy to park the car, no trolley jams or queues at the checkout and all the shelves stocked full with the best bits. Like a kid in a sweet shop I am - except I am not allowed sweets.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Wednesday) :

Calories : 1754. Not bad considering ...

Exercise : 55 mins running.

Quite pleased with that and the niggling discomfort problems with my legs seem to have mostly subsided. Missed the heavy rain too, which was a bonus. Just got to keep it going.

ChrisITF

First, the sad story of yesterday (Tuesday) :

Calories : 2178.

Exercise : Nil.

Decided that my right achilles twinge, left knee-cap twinge and left ham-string twinge (presumably courtesy of Monday's excessive plodding) should be rested to rectify themselves. So why the increased munching, eh ? Can only think that :

a) felt sorry for myself (true);

b) had empty house and full larder/fridge to hand (also true).

Yes. That must be it; maximum temptation and maximum opportunity. Prior to that, I thought I was doing quite well compared with previous weeks. Press on regardless then.

Read another snippet about Mrs Victoria Beckham yesterday which I thought note-worthy. Namely that she runs four miles a day, seven days a week. Good for her, I thought. Later I came to suspect that this sortie is probably in a private gym on a treadmill, thereby avoiding the paparazzi. At least I do not have that last little problem. It must be somewhat frustrating not to be able to nip out for a run or bike ride in the fresh pine woods whenever she feels like it - like I did just an hour ago. But I am getting ahead of myself and giving away tomorrow's secrets now.

And so the family catering problems continue. Last night's chicken curry was declared 'too hot' by my clientele. (It always is). But they ate it all up nonetheless. So I will have to select something a bit less aggressive for tonight. Fish, perhaps ? Not really keen on fish myself but know it is good for me, provided it is not in a thick overcoat of batter, that is. Yes, fish for a change, I think.

And I promise you all I will leave the icecream tub(s) alone.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday's triumphant endeavours (Monday):

Calories : 1626. Strangely, I did not feel too hungry despite ...

Exercise : 75 mins running. Apart from crossing two roads, I never stopped. Mind you, I can feel the effects this morning.

If only I could keep repeating the above ...

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Sunday) :

Calories : 1998. Slight disappointment; thought I had done a bit better than that, but my munching speadsheet does not lie.

Exercise : 15 mins running. Gentler sortie (damp, rather than sweaty) with Mrs CITF as she comes back from injury. Have to make it a sterner test today to compensate.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Saturday) :

Calories : 1944. A bit better but not much. I should not have stood anywhere near the burger bar at the football match in Banbury.

Exercise : 30 mins running.

ChrisITF

First a brief summary of yesterday (Friday) :

Calories : 2450 at least. Had evening meal out at restaurant with the family so not too sure what I ate really but this is best estimate. It is only once in a while and, in isolation, does no real harm. Mucks up my average calorie intake though.

Exercise : 50 mins bike ride.

Weight : 174 lbs (again).

No surprise that I have not lost any weight but pleased I have gained none. Not enough discipline on food intake, exacerbated by hunger from increased physical activity, I assume. Quite pleased with my running in particular; especially my rate of recovery which is heaps better than a year ago. This has permitted a four day sequence of runs with no intervening recovery day. Now, if only I could show the same enthusiasm for reduced eating that I have shown for increased physical activity I might actually make weight-loss progress once more.

Just got to be patient and keep the faith.

Week 74 here I come.

ChrisITF

Quick sad summary of yesterday (Thursday) :

Calories : 2130. Oh dear.

Exercise : 30 mins running. That makes four running days in a row. Unprecedented ! Best slacken off today and perhaps dig the bike out.

Already been round supermarket and not even 0930 yet. What a model house-husband !

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Wednesday) :

Calories : 2030. No surprise because ...

Exercise : 55 mins running. That makes three days of runs in a row. Not quite a record in terms of duration, but close. Will I make it a debilitating four in a row ? Dunno myself yet. Read tomorrow's exciting instalment to discover ...

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday first (Tuesday) :

Calories : 1830.

Exercise : 30 mins running.

So far, the week has been fairly good on exercise but not so good on munching. However, to some extent these go together, for the more one exercises the hungrier one becomes. A Certainty Law, like death and taxes. So I do not despair but hope for a bit of encouragement from the weighing scales on Saturday. It has been a while ...

Meanwhile, got to keep up the pressure. Seems like a bit of a dull day out there but I will just have to ignore that. At least it is not raining.

More tomorrow.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Monday) :

Calories : 2024.

Exercise : 55 mins running, sort of making up for Sunday's indolence and which made me ravenously hungry.

ChrisTF

Brief summary of yesterday (Sunday) :

Calories : 1916.

Exercise : Nil. Never quite got out as planned. Took son to Gatwick (for Italy) which disrupted the day somewhat and I got overtaken by other matters. Hope to be out there shortly though.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Saturday) :

Calories : 1918. Nothing particularly naughty; just a bit too much.

Exercise : 30 mins run in morning. Plus walked to football match and back - about 30 mins - in afternoon.

ChrisITF

Weighed in at 174 lbs again, folks. But before I get too far, herewith a summary of yesterday (Friday) :

Calories : 1926. A tad better than the previous couple of days, but not much. Shared family Indian takeaway meal in evening but only had very small portion.

Exercise : None at all. Waited and waited for number 2 son for joint bike sortie but it never happened.

Well, until yesterday I was quite happy with my week's level of physical effort but one day off is not a disaster. So there !

With regard to eating, I do seem to be gobbling away in top gear rather and I cannot find a decent excuse in mitigation. Perhaps the weather is changing and I am eating to compensate ? Naah .. it is not like my 'holiday' in Scotland back in March when it was so cold that I gobbled continuously for dear life ! The weather does have an effect but under normal circumstances it is surely gradual.

I just have to accept that at the moment I am under-motivated a bit, but at least I am not gaining weight just now. I am really pleased about that.

So here I go on another week of semi-austerity ...

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Thursday) :

Calories : 2139. Two bad days in succession. Gotta get a grip.

Exercise : 30+ mins running.

Supermarket outing this morning, so any naughties purchased are down to me.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Wednesday) :

Calories : 2196. Bad day. Some icecream and a Marmite sandwich too much.

Exercise : 50 mins on bike.

Bad boy. Start again today.

ChrisITF

First, a summary of yesterday (Tuesday) :

Calories : 1707. Aww .. nearly made it within budget. Then I remembered eating that broken shortcake biscuit. I could not present that one to my dear Mrs CITF with her cup of tea on her weary return home from work, now could I ?

Exercise : 30 mins running. Bit of a slog after the previous day's efforts. And it rained.

Teensy bit excessive on the calories front but not too bad. Stewed apple is becoming a staple once again as a desperate measure to make a start on the harvest from our apple tree that threatens to overwhelm us and the freezer.

I am quite pleased with the way the week is going with the exercise regime though I have not had my bike out for quite a while now. Perhaps today.

No work trips coming up before December that I know of, which helps with continuity of project concentration. However, Mrs CITF is angling for a week or so in the sun (with me !) on foreign shores towards Oct/Nov time. I have warned her Madeira will probably be wet and I favour the Canaries again but we shall see.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday's activities (Monday) :

Calories : 1910. Icecream with my stewed apple. It is harvest time again and the apple tree is just creaking with juicy apples .. and we have not even finished last year's yet !

Exercise : Overdid it a bit with a run of 55 mins. Legs protesting today as I came downstairs but they will have to get used to it. Maybe.

ChrisITF

Brief summary of yesterday (Sunday) :

Calories : 1935. Icecream added to my strawberries ...

Exercise : 2 hours brisk-ish walk in woods with number 2 son. Very soggy underfoot.

ChrisITF

Back folks !

9,000 miles in the week; no exercise to speak of and some meals I would rather not recall (though not too bad really).

Found computer had suffered failure on my return but now given it kiss of life (new monitor, actually) and am operational again. And so is the project.

Recap : trying to achieve weight loss to yield my marriage weight of 1972. Yes, I am that old. Specifically, 161 lbs, which would give me a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 22.5. Around Easter last year I had a BMI over 30 and thus classified as 'obese'. Having lost some 40+ lbs in weight in fits and starts, I am currently 174 lbs - I have slipped a bit recently, as regular critics can testify - but plodding doggedly onward and downward. I hope.

Stay with me, do. Constructive criticism welcomed. Mockery tolerated in silence and will be ignored.

My strong point is probably tenacity; my weak certainly appetite. This weight loss thing is not easy and has taken me a whole lot longer than I ever imagined to get to this point. But getting there I am. Slowly.

Here we go again.

ChrisITF