Working It Out

Waiting for the results of my blood tests

Well it's been fairly non-stop since my last post. I spent 4 long days working at a golf tournament which was all going well until the last day. About halfway through my shift I had quite a severe coughing fit, that resulted in me spitting blood, so visited the medical tent and after some tests it was recommended that I go to hospital. After 5 hours, blood tests and chest x-ray's I was advised that I had a viral infection and that it should clear up after a couple days.

So after returning home, I should have been preparing for my appointment down the Job Centre Monday morning, to complete my jobseekers claim, and relaxing whilst finding some more regular work. But instead I secured a short contract, doing the same thing I had been doing previously but at a different location.

I have been better with my diet and have lost 3lb, so I'm now up to 10lbs lost (Yah, double figures), and I'm sure this can be attributed to the long hours and loss of appetite, I will just have to see if I can capitalise further. It just so happens that this new job is in the middle of now where, so not the easy access to the shops that the Centre of Cardiff has, so I wonder what affect that will have on my weight.

10lbs down, 90lbs to go

Getting Back In The Saddle

It's a week since my last post and it's all change on the work front. As I mentioned in my last post, my contract with my main job ended on Friday which means I'm left with just the odd bit of casual work. Thankfully, after finding out my contract was ending I started looking for more work and found another job. Although it's another casual event job, it should be enough to see me through until I get some more regular work, as I'm also able to get more work with the other companies I work for.

I'm taking full advantage of having more time on my hands and getting back in the saddle. I do love cycling and over the past few years I have been known to go on massive cycle rides, some 100+ miles in a day, and no doubt that has helped some what with losing weight in the past. But in the past 8/9 months the amount of cycling I have done has gone down to pretty much zero, ever since I got a scooter and then subsequently a motorbike. Not that I do a lot of pleasure riding during the winter months, but with the lack of riding come the improved weather I have found I've opted to for the motorbike. But on Sunday I decided I needed to start using peddle power again, as it will improve my fitness and help lose the weight but also save me money on petrol and general costs involved running the motorbike.

So with the British National Road Championships taking place I checked the route for the elite road races and decided to cycle out to Langstone, which is on the outskirts east of Newport, to catch the men's race as it went past (The women's race took a different route and would have meant waiting few hours in between rides). This was the first time I had ridden my road bike since about October and also the first time I had rode more than 1.5 miles (the distance to my garage) since then. I've got to say, it was good to be back in the saddle and I managed to get just over 20 miles covered, making it with about 5 minutes to spare before the race went past.

The next day I was back in the saddle, this time on the mountain bike, cycling the 12 mile round trip to the cinema to catch a film.

The main group stretching back in the distance

As far as my diet goes, well it's slowly moving in the right direction, I'm going to try and not eat my main meal just before bed as I think (in my case) it is having a negative affect. I am still being naughty when it comes to pop, chocolate and snacks - I just wish I could change my mindset, but sugar addiction is a bitch.

The riders towards the rear

As far as my weight goes, well I've lost 2lbs since my last post, so a step in the right direction, but I was really hoping to be losing a lot more, especially at first as the weekly average target between now and Christmas is 4lbs, but I was expecting to lose a lot more in the early stages with 2-3lbs per week in the latter stages.

But as long as I keep losing each week I'm happy, 7lbs lost 93lbs to go.

Focus

I've only just started with my mission to lose 100lbs by Christmas and I'm already losing focus and continuing with my bad habits.  Although I have been quite good when it comes to lunch time, I'm finding my evening eating choices have still been relatively bad.

I have been a little distracted the past couple days as I found out the contract for my main job was ending this week, so my mind has been preoccupied and by all accounts I have gone for comfort food options, which is weird as I have know that my job would be ending its just when exactly I have not known.

I've got a months work lined up for mid-august and should pick up relief work between now and then, but I think should take full advantage of the situation and get my mind back on the mission.

No change in weight since my last post, which I'll take over a gain any day, still 95lbs to go.

The Mission

One week ago the world naked bike ride took place in Cardiff city centre, to great cheers from all the shoppers, stag/hen parties, as well as an ever-growing crowd of Japanese tourists.

Promotional poster for the ride

The bike ride itself is a protest about cycle safety, i.e. if you see me whilst I'm naked why don't you see me when I'm not, whilst at the same time being a lot of fun and although a lot of people could be put off from doing the ride because the nudity aspect it is something I've done myself for the previous four years, but not this year.

Nick Wysoczanskyj, founder and organiser of the Cardiff ride 

The reason I didn't do the right this year is simple, I'm a fat bastard. Not that I've been this skinny guy the past four years, far from it I've been a fat bastard now for many many years, but in previous years I've managed to lose some weight prior to the ride taking place but this year I found myself putting on weight instead. I still went down to show my support but I found myself leaving the ride a little disappointed that I didn't take part and saying to myself 'next year next year'.

Group photo at the end of the ride

I spent the rest of the weekend thinking how I need to lose the weight, whilst at the same time gorging myself on the usual crap I eat. Then on Monday I stepped on to the scales and shocked myself when I saw that my weight was at 21st 6lbs, in other words 300lbs.

At 300lbs, it means that I weigh more than say a most rugby forwards or a WWE wrestler or even a giant panda, that's crazy. So I decided at this point then I need to get my act together a lose the weight, once and for all. 

So my mission is to lose 100lbs by Christmas this year, hence the title of this blog, which I know is a very ambitious target given Christmas is only 6 months away but I think I need to be very ambitious with my aim as I rather be happy with losing close to 100lbs than thinking my missions complete at say 50lbs.

In fact I weighed myself this morning and I've dropped 5lbs since Monday, so only 95lbs to go. I don't know as yet how I'm going to lose that 95lbs, only that I plan on blogging the different things I try over the next 6 months.