Back on 20 April I announced to a quiverish world that I weighed 19st 7lb. Today, almost three weeks later, I weighed in at 19st 6lb. A paltry improvement – almost discouraging – but at least I wasn’t any heavier. My diet, though, seems to be having beneficial effects in other ways. One is oral hygiene. Usually, when I brush my teeth, a small amount of blood comes out, a signal of bacterial infection. Now, however, as hard as I might scrub, my brush is blood-free. Must be the fact that I now consume almost no refined sugars or dairy products. I’ve also suffered for years from psoriasis, but this now seems to be in long-term retreat. My diet might be a contributory factor to that, too. That, and increased sunshine. And (look away now, Madam) profuse licks from the Personal Fitness Trainer.
A Personal Fitness Trainer, yesterday.
So, has your personal fitness trainer started taking you on 5 mile runs?
Don’t give up, Henry. I found out the hard way that it takes 6 weeks before you really notice a difference. But you will notice a difference, if you stick to it for six weeks. The calories-in/weight equation just takes a while for the body to catch up. So, in another 3 weeks, you should really notice a plunge in the scaleometer. Well done to you, it is a really tough process ….
Hooray! And I will second Bob — it’s going to take much longer if you don’t get some exercise daily. This does not mean huffing and puffing around in a circle with all the flopping boobies; it means:a) getting a checkup to make sure you’re not going to keel over from exercising; thenb) starting with 20 minutes of exercise a day.What kind of exercise, you ask? Here’s an Expert Suggestion, assuming there really hasn’t been any exercise for a long time past walking the dog:5 minutes – walk up and down a flight of stairs. (And repeat.)10 minutes – go out to that lovely beach of yours and walk on sand that’s loose enough to make walking a bit of an effort.5 minutes – come back in for five more minutes on the stairs or five minutes of looking manly with a set of 15-20lb dumbbells. Just raise them over your head ten times, do ten bicep curls, repeat for five minutes. After you’ve done that for a few weeks you should be ready to do more. You’re lucky; you’ve got plenty of that testosterone stuff, so if you give it a bit of effort w/the exercise you should be able to drop some pretty good weight by Christmas.
@ Bob – I think I might keel over … however, the Personal Fitness Trainer has been seen jogging with Mrs Crox to get her ready for her Race for Life (see below).@ Maxine – thanks for the encouragement. However, in the preceding month I lost 5lbs, so I am beginning to think that …@ Amy is right. I shall have to start doing some exercise of some sort. However, apart from my brisk walks to the station, and walking with the PFT, and digging the odd pond, and shifting bricks and soil in the garden and such occasional goal-directed tasks, I hate exercise. Ho hum. It might have to be done.
Hey, it beats peripheral neuropathy and toe ulcers.I’ve dropped the P90X!!11!! diet, kept the exercise, and have settled back to my old weight. Am still too fat, but am developing bitchin’ arms and losing that overall suety look. Can do an actual chin-up now, chin over the bar and everything. And not a moment too soon because the new veg bed is only 2/3 dug. My knees are telling me I need new running shoes, but, with Stephen in mind, I put _Rattle And Hum_ on last night and did six on the treadmill. I felt like an aging, asthmatic rockstar. Oddly enough I don’t miss the candy, cookies, and kid-food leftovers. I wonder if it was lack of exercise making those things seem so necessary before.
Well done you, Sarah Connor. I agree with you about sweets and bisuits etc. I have no craving for these at all. Or, at least, not nearly as much as I did, or thought I would.
Hey Henry, the diet changes is the best part – refined sugar and stuff like it is hard to stop… but in the long run it is so good to quit.The exercise (walking with the dog) is helping it to be faster loosing pounds and (in my case the most important thing) makes you crave less of the food stuff afterwards. I always marvel the fact that after exercising I am not hungry and then I can see results after a few weeks… (as in less puffy)Hang in there and good luck!! If nothing else, it must be lovely not to have rashes or bleeding gums anymore?!
Hang on… What’s the scientific basis of your assumption that the refining process somehow makes sugar toxic to your gums?
Nice work! I’ve been stepping up my exercise routine, eating lots of salads and much fewer treats, and haven’t lost a single ounce in the last 3 months. Must… keep… repeating… “Muscle is heavier than fat. Muscle is heavier than fat. Muscle is heavier than fat”.
@ Rosie – because it provides a more concentrated source of food for bacteria, possibly?