Twelve months ago I had arrived home from three months travelling.
I’d been walking every day. I’d been eating and drinking sensibly. And guess what? As if by magic I had arrived back in the country significantly thinner than when I had left.
I always thought my mid-life weight crisis was an allergy or something hormonal (as Edina might say), but apparently it all has to do with maintaining a healthy life style.
Other people have difficulties with weight for a range of complex reasons, but for me, apparently it’s because I’m a lazy sod.
I’ve managed to keep up the thin and gorgeous regime for most of the last twelve months by a simple routine of a morning walk, going out for lunch, and leaving work early enough so I could enjoy life AFTER working hard all day.
And then today I had a wake up call, when I saw a photograph of myself standing next to a colleague. Now, admittedly he’s quite a thin man. But the contrast between his waistline and mine was quite dramatic. Of all the things I saw in the photograph, of course, I focussed on my increasing girth.
Hopping on the scales tonight confirmed my worst fear.
I suspect it’s predomnantly because of my recent change of job. I’ve been working longer and harder than usual, trying to impress of course. And that’s meant I haven’t gone out for lunch as much. And then when I’ve come home I’ve been quite tired, and have been collapsing slothfully onto the couch at night.
And so – and here comes the cliche – I’ve decided tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life, and that I need to really work at losing the weight that I’ve gained.
Perhaps I need to join Grant’s weight loss challenge?
Whatever it’s time for, it’s time…
Woo hoo! I know you find it boring as batshit, but doing something repetitive like jogging or cycling (eg. on machines at a gym) is the best way to keep weight off. Honestly. Walking is fine but it doesn’t get your heart rate up anywhere near enough to do any serious good to your waistline. Ditto short sharp stuff like dancing.
If jogging, I recommend loading up some new tunes on your mp3 player and just zoning out. Or select some (swedish?) radio documentaries to listen to. If cycling on a machine at the gym, it’s quite easy to read if you pick the recliner-style seats.
Not gonna happen unless they invent gyms which are interesting.
Ugh. Same thing has been happening to me. I’m blaming winter. See you at the pool!
Although actually in my own experience and very boringly it’s all about the food not the exercise… :(
Yes the pool is more likely.
I find walking does it for me. Anything else would be a chore and with exercise it has to be something you find some enjoyment in or else you won’t stick to it. I enjoy walking and it allows me to zone out. A great destresser.
To help with the walking, get a pedometer. They’re only about 10 bucks. Aim for 10,000 steps a day.
Tomorrow I’m starting the Lite ‘n Easy program which was designed for the lazy sods among us. I hate cooking and spending time working out what’s what. My first week’s delivery came today and everything is in numbered bags. It couldn’t be any easier and there’s lots of it so you went get hungry. They have 7 day plans and 5 day plans for those who like to eat out a couple of times a week.
And getting some sort of daily work routine, working normal hours and so on does help greatly too.
You can do it.
You’re looking great. Congratulations on all you’ve achieved so far!! Great stuff.
In addition to walking, try the 100 day burpee program e.g. http://100burpees.blogspot.com/
Love it!
Thanks to all for the encouraging words and advice. Another fat pic appears on my blog today. However, the answer is obviously that I need to spend the rest of my life as an endless traveller. Seriously though, it’s diet and exercise neither of which I’ve been concentrating too much on lately. I’m never gonna be super thin, and I’m never gonna be an exercise king, as it’s just not in my nature. However, I can aim to be within the healthy weight range.