So, it’s been 14 weeks, or 3 months, or 100 days since I bought my new scales, so it’s as good a time as any for a quick review of what (if anything I’ve managed to achieve).
But first, a quick update. I managed to drop my smartphone and crack its screen the day after my last post. I pretty much run my life using my phone’s various apps, including the meal diary one, so for a while after I sent it away to be mended I had to adapt to watching my calorie intake manually…at least until I remembered I could just update using the website. But it’s back now, good as new.
I’ve been maintaining a fairly high level of physical activity (for a desk jockey), so I thought it was time to change my Basal Harris-Benedict activity level from ‘sedentary’ to ‘lightly active’. This did mean that I would have to eat more calories per day, which I was worried about, but thankfully my reinvigorated metabolism appears to be up to the task.
I’ve started college again on Wednesday evenings, which has meant amending the timetable a little, to the following; Monday – Weights, Tuesday – 5-a-side, Wednesday – rest, Thursday – Spin, Friday – rest, Saturday – Weights, Pilates, Sunday – rest or a cycle. I need to do a little research into how many activities I can fit in before it become counter-productive, although last Thursday I did fulfil something of a lifelong ambition by attending my first karate class. While I realise that taking up a martial art may be hard work, I think the benefits I’ll get in regards to my balance and flexibility will be worth it.
However, I did have something of a setback regarding my knee. While the exercises and stretches I’ve been doing have by-and-large helped, I still think there may be some issue outwith what the physio diagnosed. I played 8-a-side last Friday night (against the Shadow Cabinet Secretary of Defence no less), and my knee became uncomfortably swollen for the rest of the week. As such, I’ve booked an appointment with a local running-specific physiotherapist for next Sunday, if only to get a second opinion.
While going through some paperwork earlier, I found a printout from one of those electronic height/weight/BMI scales you find in high street pharmacies. Dated the 30th August 2011, it noted my vital statistics as 189cm tall, 105.7kg heavy, and with a resultant BMI of 29.6. According to the NHS, that’s bordering on obese.
I weighed about the same (maybe slightly heavier) in May this year, before I started watching what I ate. I think I was slightly in denial about how overweight I actually was, perhaps because I was still able to disguise my paunch.
Three months of sensible eating and more exercise later, I find myself now weighing 92.2kg, or 14 st 7lbs, having lost about 2.5 stones. I’m feeling trimmer and more toned, and my self-confidence has improved somewhat. Even a wart I had on my hand has disappeared. I think both physically and mentally I’m in a much healthier place than I’ve been for the last seven years, but I need to keep it up. Ideally, I’d like to get down to a fighting weight of between 12.5 and 13 stones, but I’m aware I need to develop my knowledge of nutrition a little further.
Last week saw the running of the Paisley 10k, and the Great Scottish Run was today. Unfortunately it seems I’m still quite a long way from my goal of attempting a 10k, but all I can do is keep working towards it.
