Busy few days!
The house move is nearly done though and loving the new place.
It's been a manic weekend and coupled with being away with work Thursday/Friday it's not been particularly easy from an FIYL point of view. I've exercised and eaten well, although not as well as I'd like to have in these last few killer days. Sometimes real life gets in the way though and recent emails from Kev have backed this up, so I'm not going to get too downhearted!
Anyway, looking forward to tomorrow, going to destroy the workout, get my photos taken and blog my heart out one last time!
Sunday, 29 April 2012
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Elevenses
New weight captured this morning for posterity!
20:49 for 5k last night.
Might have celebrated a famous night for my Chelsea a little too hard afterwards though. Woops.
On the 06:40 to London tomorrow morning, back Friday night.
Getting keys to the new flat tonight too. Moving day on Saturday.
Challenges abound on the home straight!
20:49 for 5k last night.
Might have celebrated a famous night for my Chelsea a little too hard afterwards though. Woops.
On the 06:40 to London tomorrow morning, back Friday night.
Getting keys to the new flat tonight too. Moving day on Saturday.
Challenges abound on the home straight!
Tuesday, 24 April 2012
Egg Thumb
This debilitating ailment, manifesting itself as dry and sore thumb ends, has been bothering me for quite some time now and I've finally plucked up the courage to blog about it.
I first noticed the discomfort around week 5, just when the egg white portion of my FIYL consumption started to rise. At first I thought I had just gnawed my nail a bit close or scraped the thumb somehow. I then noticed a similar discomfort in the other thumb and so decided to monitor it over the course of a few days while generously applying my daily regime of Neutrogena hand & nail cream to the affected areas.
Worryingly, no improvement was noted.
What could this ailment be?
A chapped thumb?
I'd never heard of such a condition and I always wore gloves when it was cold anyway.
Then one morning, as I peeled the scalding shell from the 4th egg of 5 that was to be packed away in tupperware for the day ahead, it struck me - the root cause of my incapacitating condition was the eggs themselves! The act of peeling off scalding shells was actually burning my thumb ends and the resulting dry skin and soreness was just part of the healing process. A healing process that was abruptly halted each and every morning as I hurriedly reached into my pot and plucked out another searing ovum to get to work on.
Having determined probable cause i'm glad to report a near full recovery, enabled by adopting a revolutionary new tactic of taking my boiled eggs to work still in their shells. Unfortunately even peeling cold shells presents problems for soft thumbs as the sharp edges can take their toll, but the resulting injury is considerably more manageable without heat thrown into the equation.
I'm battling through this last week. Really surprised how hard it is to stay focussed and particularly stay on-diet in the home stretch. I've put a couple of feet wrong but I'm damned if my day 90 picture is going to end up less impressive than my day 78 so trying hard to keep on the straight and narrow. That's the biggest motivation I can come up with right now. It was easier when I was fat! Maintaining is the next challenge ahead though and it’s a very different one that I haven't quite figured out how to approach yet.
That's all folks.
Look after those thumbs.
I first noticed the discomfort around week 5, just when the egg white portion of my FIYL consumption started to rise. At first I thought I had just gnawed my nail a bit close or scraped the thumb somehow. I then noticed a similar discomfort in the other thumb and so decided to monitor it over the course of a few days while generously applying my daily regime of Neutrogena hand & nail cream to the affected areas.
Worryingly, no improvement was noted.
What could this ailment be?
A chapped thumb?
I'd never heard of such a condition and I always wore gloves when it was cold anyway.
Then one morning, as I peeled the scalding shell from the 4th egg of 5 that was to be packed away in tupperware for the day ahead, it struck me - the root cause of my incapacitating condition was the eggs themselves! The act of peeling off scalding shells was actually burning my thumb ends and the resulting dry skin and soreness was just part of the healing process. A healing process that was abruptly halted each and every morning as I hurriedly reached into my pot and plucked out another searing ovum to get to work on.
Having determined probable cause i'm glad to report a near full recovery, enabled by adopting a revolutionary new tactic of taking my boiled eggs to work still in their shells. Unfortunately even peeling cold shells presents problems for soft thumbs as the sharp edges can take their toll, but the resulting injury is considerably more manageable without heat thrown into the equation.
I'm battling through this last week. Really surprised how hard it is to stay focussed and particularly stay on-diet in the home stretch. I've put a couple of feet wrong but I'm damned if my day 90 picture is going to end up less impressive than my day 78 so trying hard to keep on the straight and narrow. That's the biggest motivation I can come up with right now. It was easier when I was fat! Maintaining is the next challenge ahead though and it’s a very different one that I haven't quite figured out how to approach yet.
That's all folks.
Look after those thumbs.
Friday, 20 April 2012
Chest Dip Quickie
Had a bit of a chest dip revelation last night. I've been struggling with them since they were introduced and never managed the full allocation. I was always disappointed with the range of my action, it never felt like I was dipping low enough yet I still tired quickly.
Something clicked last night though and there was a big difference, I could feel that squeeze right across my chest and managed to get lower and complete more full reps than ever before.
One theory I have is that I wasn't really strong enough to execute them properly until now, but without those struggles and the perseverance I wouldn't have made it to that rewarding point I hit last night. Clap clap.
Still hate them though ;-)
Something clicked last night though and there was a big difference, I could feel that squeeze right across my chest and managed to get lower and complete more full reps than ever before.
One theory I have is that I wasn't really strong enough to execute them properly until now, but without those struggles and the perseverance I wouldn't have made it to that rewarding point I hit last night. Clap clap.
Still hate them though ;-)
Thursday, 19 April 2012
Didier Drogba v Rick Stein
Another 2 lbs lost since last weeks photo, tipping the scales at 12st 1lb now, yet still the visceral remains - surely there can't be many more hidden fat deposits to burn off before that belly gets busted! With only 12 days effort to go I'd put my money on the belly winning this particular battle. I'm winning the war though!
The steady weight loss progression is really quite amazing and makes me wonder how long it would take, doing what I'm doing, to level off? Maybe I'll find out in the next 12 days.
I've started thinking about things I'm looking forward to eating again when I'm back to normal, and things I wont eat. There are obvious ones, takeaway pizza's for example are definitely out the window (Dominos, Pizza Hut etc.). There is a place in Leith called La Favorita which makes beautiful italian pizzas in a wood fired oven though. Can't wait!
Having not eaten pork for the duration I expect that'll stick to a point. Debs has had the occasional bacon roll of a weekend and I've never been too jealous. Poached eggs on potato scones was my favourite weekend breakfast prior to FIYL anyway, so looking forward to that again. I'll toast my scones rather than fry them though!
A real pork pie - I nearly had one of these at indulgence one but held off. That particular British delicacy's time will come though!
Looking forward to a rare steak.
Looking forward to a lamb tikka vindaloo with a peshwari naan, massively unhealthy but worth it once in a while. Chinese food is broadly awful in Edinburgh so that wont be coming back on the menu. Butter, cheese and oil are interesting ones. Butter I expect I'll live without, something I never thought I'd say. Cheese will be welcomed back with open arms although much more sparingly, quality not quantity, likewise oil.
That's all once in a blue moon bad stuff though and now I'm wondering if I should actually blog about it as surely I should've been programmed to eschew these foul foodstuffs for ever! Well, guess what, I used to like burgers and I still do, but I now know what I liked about burgers and that a burger made by my own fair hand will be a treat worth having while one made under the golden arches is not, in fact, a treat. The food facts i've learned and the general approach to food I've taken onboard are far more important to me than the greedy items above but I wont be so virtuous as to blog about brown rice and egg whites as that'd ruin the surprise for the future FIYLers who may one day read this!
Onward.
PS. 20 mins 58 secs for 5k last night. That, dear reader, is what's known as another Swee-B.
PPS. Last night, in the eternal battle for my adulation between Didier Drogba and Rick Stein, Didier struck another crushing blow.
The steady weight loss progression is really quite amazing and makes me wonder how long it would take, doing what I'm doing, to level off? Maybe I'll find out in the next 12 days.
I've started thinking about things I'm looking forward to eating again when I'm back to normal, and things I wont eat. There are obvious ones, takeaway pizza's for example are definitely out the window (Dominos, Pizza Hut etc.). There is a place in Leith called La Favorita which makes beautiful italian pizzas in a wood fired oven though. Can't wait!
Having not eaten pork for the duration I expect that'll stick to a point. Debs has had the occasional bacon roll of a weekend and I've never been too jealous. Poached eggs on potato scones was my favourite weekend breakfast prior to FIYL anyway, so looking forward to that again. I'll toast my scones rather than fry them though!
A real pork pie - I nearly had one of these at indulgence one but held off. That particular British delicacy's time will come though!
Looking forward to a rare steak.
Looking forward to a lamb tikka vindaloo with a peshwari naan, massively unhealthy but worth it once in a while. Chinese food is broadly awful in Edinburgh so that wont be coming back on the menu. Butter, cheese and oil are interesting ones. Butter I expect I'll live without, something I never thought I'd say. Cheese will be welcomed back with open arms although much more sparingly, quality not quantity, likewise oil.
That's all once in a blue moon bad stuff though and now I'm wondering if I should actually blog about it as surely I should've been programmed to eschew these foul foodstuffs for ever! Well, guess what, I used to like burgers and I still do, but I now know what I liked about burgers and that a burger made by my own fair hand will be a treat worth having while one made under the golden arches is not, in fact, a treat. The food facts i've learned and the general approach to food I've taken onboard are far more important to me than the greedy items above but I wont be so virtuous as to blog about brown rice and egg whites as that'd ruin the surprise for the future FIYLers who may one day read this!
Onward.
PS. 20 mins 58 secs for 5k last night. That, dear reader, is what's known as another Swee-B.
PPS. Last night, in the eternal battle for my adulation between Didier Drogba and Rick Stein, Didier struck another crushing blow.
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Monday, 16 April 2012
The last 2 weeks, let's talk yoghurt.
Exercise wise, not the greatest weekend. Did a 9 miler on Saturday morning which left me pretty sore and I also ended up having a few drinks at the wedding on Saturday so didn't feel too splendid on Sunday. Went to the driving range in the a.m. so was semi active but not ideal. Will do the missed exercises tomorrow night.
Back with a bang tonight, good session after work.
Food still going well.
Not sure if i've mentioned Total 0% greek yoghurt yet. Why not?! It's a wonder ingredient!!! Great with fruit and a smidge of maple of syrup, great put in a sandwich as a mayo type substitute (add some mustard), phenomenal with a teaspoon of horseradish through it and mixed with chunks of smoked mackerel before being stuffed in a sweet potato. A new one was a little curried chicken dish i made at the weekend; onions, garlic, courgette cooked in a smidgen of olive oil, add a teaspoon of mild curry powder and some cayenne for heat, add chicken breast, some water to deglaze the pan when things are getting a bit sticky in there - then bring it off the heat, let it cool for a minute or two and stir in a couple of tablespoons of the wonder yoghurt. Robert's your father's brother, curry! The only non-compliant ingredient being a bit of oil (I checked the curry powder, no salt, just spices). Serve with brown rice and a vinegary side salad. YUSS!
Nota bene - do take it off the heat before adding the yoghurt, it splits at the slightest glance from a naked flame as there's no fat in it. Give it a good stir before adding too.
Anyway - here's a video of me. Skipping.
Back with a bang tonight, good session after work.
Food still going well.
Not sure if i've mentioned Total 0% greek yoghurt yet. Why not?! It's a wonder ingredient!!! Great with fruit and a smidge of maple of syrup, great put in a sandwich as a mayo type substitute (add some mustard), phenomenal with a teaspoon of horseradish through it and mixed with chunks of smoked mackerel before being stuffed in a sweet potato. A new one was a little curried chicken dish i made at the weekend; onions, garlic, courgette cooked in a smidgen of olive oil, add a teaspoon of mild curry powder and some cayenne for heat, add chicken breast, some water to deglaze the pan when things are getting a bit sticky in there - then bring it off the heat, let it cool for a minute or two and stir in a couple of tablespoons of the wonder yoghurt. Robert's your father's brother, curry! The only non-compliant ingredient being a bit of oil (I checked the curry powder, no salt, just spices). Serve with brown rice and a vinegary side salad. YUSS!
Nota bene - do take it off the heat before adding the yoghurt, it splits at the slightest glance from a naked flame as there's no fat in it. Give it a good stir before adding too.
Anyway - here's a video of me. Skipping.
Thursday, 12 April 2012
T-19
Shit.
Including today, there are only 19 workout's left in FIYL.
I know how crucial each one is so I think getting motivation up to the right levels isn't going to be a problem when there are so few left. I just need to keep myself at the level I've reached for the last couple of nights because when I wake up on Tuesday 1st May there will be no exercise card for me to follow or email waiting for me telling me what to eat. This brings the next steps sharply into focus and I'm looking forward to working out what elements we take forward into a more sustainable regime when real life begins again.
Lots going on toward the end of April as I'm moving house on the 28th. Annoyingly I've also got a work trip to London pencilled in on 26th and 27th, not ideal timing for my last few days of the diet side of things or getting packed up to move!
As inferred, great workout last night, started with 3k in 11:51, 20 secs shaved off my previous timed 3k. I honestly have no idea how that helps me run the half marathon in 6 weeks time but I DO like beating PB's!!! Rode the wave of exhaustion after that to fire through my sets. I think the card for last night tried to get us to do 3 sets of 27 pistol squats per leg. It's safe to say I'm nowhere near there but I've devised my own little leg superset incorporating as many pistols as poss (about 8 per leg) and then 25 normal squats and 20 lunges per leg. Seems to do the job, managed it 3 times over last night. I've been using the cable pulley apparatus at the gym for a lot of my band exercises recently. I find it gives me more flexibility to complete sets to failure when I can alter the resisatance so specifically. I'll talk to Kev about it at some point.
Day 71 Picture is up, I don't think there's much difference from 2 weeks prior.
Below is a snap from the 9th tee of the new course at St Andrews on Saturday.
DO YOUR 8MA's, JAMES!!!!!
Including today, there are only 19 workout's left in FIYL.
I know how crucial each one is so I think getting motivation up to the right levels isn't going to be a problem when there are so few left. I just need to keep myself at the level I've reached for the last couple of nights because when I wake up on Tuesday 1st May there will be no exercise card for me to follow or email waiting for me telling me what to eat. This brings the next steps sharply into focus and I'm looking forward to working out what elements we take forward into a more sustainable regime when real life begins again.
Lots going on toward the end of April as I'm moving house on the 28th. Annoyingly I've also got a work trip to London pencilled in on 26th and 27th, not ideal timing for my last few days of the diet side of things or getting packed up to move!
As inferred, great workout last night, started with 3k in 11:51, 20 secs shaved off my previous timed 3k. I honestly have no idea how that helps me run the half marathon in 6 weeks time but I DO like beating PB's!!! Rode the wave of exhaustion after that to fire through my sets. I think the card for last night tried to get us to do 3 sets of 27 pistol squats per leg. It's safe to say I'm nowhere near there but I've devised my own little leg superset incorporating as many pistols as poss (about 8 per leg) and then 25 normal squats and 20 lunges per leg. Seems to do the job, managed it 3 times over last night. I've been using the cable pulley apparatus at the gym for a lot of my band exercises recently. I find it gives me more flexibility to complete sets to failure when I can alter the resisatance so specifically. I'll talk to Kev about it at some point.
Day 71 Picture is up, I don't think there's much difference from 2 weeks prior.
Below is a snap from the 9th tee of the new course at St Andrews on Saturday.
DO YOUR 8MA's, JAMES!!!!!
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Day 71
Weighed in this morning at 12 stone 3lbs. A new low, or high, depending on which way you look at it. My first thought was "No harm done after a non-compliant Easter weekend then"… but then I took off my rose tinted glasses and thought maybe I'd burned off a solid pound of muscle having not worked out properly! Who knows. My pull ups were less effective last night than pre-easter though, only managed 3 and a half sets of 7 before I started struggling. It was a good workout though, nice to be back amongst it.
Must get my 8MAs fired up again.
Will get week 10 pic uploaded later on.
Must get my 8MAs fired up again.
Will get week 10 pic uploaded later on.
Monday, 9 April 2012
The less said...
... the better about the last week.
I've covered plenty of cardio via runs and golf, but things have slipped badly elsewhere. I'm regretting it a bit but those shots have been played, there's nothing I can about them. Time to refocus on the remaining few weeks.
Here goes!
I've covered plenty of cardio via runs and golf, but things have slipped badly elsewhere. I'm regretting it a bit but those shots have been played, there's nothing I can about them. Time to refocus on the remaining few weeks.
Here goes!
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
9 weeks in!
In London again and it's an overnighter this time. Meeting a couple of friends tonight, the rule book may be open to levels of interpretation! On the plus side these trips always seem to fall on Tuesday's so I should be able to squeeze in my skips.
I went very hard in the gym last night in preparation for the busy Easter period, sets were squeezed to the max. I'm up to 5 sets of 7 pull ups now - unthinkable 9 weeks ago! I chucked in an extra bicep set that I missed on the weekend too. I know we're not supposed to sub sets in and out but there was more gas in the tank so I ploughed on. 5k on the treadmill in 21:47, a full minute off my last recorded attempt and probably a PB.
I did 12k on the road with Debs on Sat morning, half marathon prep is definitely picking up steam! She's been training for about 5 weeks now and is doing incredibly well. Just like my pull up progress, I think if you told her she'd be running 12k on a Saturday morning 6 weeks ago there may have been a look of disbelief so massive credit is due.
Played golf on Sunday with Nicky and the gang. Great day and I played as well as I ever have. Fact. I'm curious how much of this is down to my more athletic condition, core strength and flexibility or whether it's just because I've played a few times recently and didn't have a hangover!? We may never know...
I went very hard in the gym last night in preparation for the busy Easter period, sets were squeezed to the max. I'm up to 5 sets of 7 pull ups now - unthinkable 9 weeks ago! I chucked in an extra bicep set that I missed on the weekend too. I know we're not supposed to sub sets in and out but there was more gas in the tank so I ploughed on. 5k on the treadmill in 21:47, a full minute off my last recorded attempt and probably a PB.
I did 12k on the road with Debs on Sat morning, half marathon prep is definitely picking up steam! She's been training for about 5 weeks now and is doing incredibly well. Just like my pull up progress, I think if you told her she'd be running 12k on a Saturday morning 6 weeks ago there may have been a look of disbelief so massive credit is due.
Played golf on Sunday with Nicky and the gang. Great day and I played as well as I ever have. Fact. I'm curious how much of this is down to my more athletic condition, core strength and flexibility or whether it's just because I've played a few times recently and didn't have a hangover!? We may never know...
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