Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Week 58

Even.

No gain, no loss.

I thought I might do better, with only 2 scones blighting what had otherwise been an exceptionally good week, but I guess the fact that as far as being active goes I've barely moved much more than from one seat to another, I can't expect huge progress


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb – 275lbs
Current Weight: 14st 0lb – 196lbs
Total Weight Loss: 79lbs
Weight Lost since joining the Knights of the Round Bottoms: 14lb

9 comments:

fatmammycat said...

Even Steven, better than a rise.
How much exercise do you do in a week Kim?

Kim Ayres said...

Exercise? What's that then?

Nothing that could realy be called exercise, to be honest. "Activity" is usualy counted as going for a walk somewhere.

There's no gym facilities within 20 miles of where I live. If I'm going to introduce some kind of regime then it needs to be sustainable, and I've not figured out how to do that yet.

fatmammycat said...

Would you consider building your own gym? You don't need a huge amount of money or space to get started. Some free weights, stationary bike for cardio? Skipping is one of the absolute best ways to get the heart revved up and it burns calories like the dickens, that's why boxers do it- that and for stamina. We do about ten minutes as warm up for kickboxing and it really gets us going.

Kim Ayres said...

After reading your comment, fatmammycat, I had to go away and think about it, then come back and stare at it a bit more.

The big problem was looking for common ground on which to reply.

You see, I know the gym and fitness is a big thing for you, and you really do have my admiration. It's just that it's such an alien world you could be telling me about catapillar hunting in Guatamala or ballet dancing in Borneo - the whole thing is just something I know absolutley nothing about at all.

The nearest thing I've ever come to exercise is I used to go swimming sometimes and plan on restarting that at some point, and occasionally I'll go for a 2 mile walk, which I'll try and make "brisk".

The only time I've ever been in a gym was when I once went to see a potential client who was wanting a website for her fitness centre.
I've heard of terms such as "cardio", which I guess has something to do with the heart, and "resistance", which I thought was about fighting back against oppressive puppet governments, but they don't really mean anything to me. I don't have a knowledge base or framework to really make sense of them.

I like the idea of being fit, in much the same way that I like the idea of being wealthy. Being there sounds great, but getting there is a mystery. And just as I'll happily make do with enough money to live on, all I really expect is to try and be fit and healthy enough, whatever that might be.

The idea of running or cycling for an hour without moving isn't one I'm able to get my head around, but then that's probably because I just have absolutely no idea where to start. I wouldn't know good advice from bad, nor how to work it into a realistic and sustainable way of life.

Does that make sense?

fatmammycat said...

Indeed it does. I realise there is a certain amount of trepidation before starting anything new. But the benefits of exercise both for mental and pysical wellbeing are just so over whelming that I am forever trying to sell it.
You have a computer Kim, the world is at your finger tips, all the information is available.
I think I said it to you before, it doesn't have to be a big thing, just a commitment. I am very fit now, but I wasn't when I started, so you know, we all started somewhere. If you walked, briskly for one hour a day, to start with, say in the morning, eat carefully-as you are doing now, I think when you stand on the scales next week you would get a very pleasant surprise. Not to mention the benefit to your heart and lungs. Your serotonin levels rise, putting you in good form for the day. It's win-win.
I'll stop waffling now.

ArleneWKW said...

Yaaay for even steven. Yaaaay also for scones. Wait, no, I won't even think about that. Reading the back and forth comments on exercize, I have to admit that when I lost the 65+ and found it easy to maintain my self discipline, I was also execizing regularly, both cardio and weight stuff. I've been relatively inert. I keep promising myself to get back to just taking walks, but . . . the excuses roll on. Some day, some day soon . . .

Kim Ayres said...

Fatmammycat - at the risk of coming across as a real slob, do I have to start at an hour every morning? Zero to an hour seems like a big leap from where I'm slouching.

What ever approach I take, I have to be sure that it's sustainable. by that I mean that I've come to realise that it's absolutely no good whatsoever setting myself up with a system that I'm going to struggle with and resent, because I will not sustain it. I will then have the added feeling of failure and the danger of reverting to comfort food.

Don't be frightened of causing offense - if you want to tell me that I'm being a slob and need to pull my head out of my arse, then tell me. But any kind of exercise regime has to be something I want to do everyday.

The way I'vemanaged to lose 79 pounds is by having an eating system where I enjoy the food and don't feel that I'm denying myself. If I'm ever to be successful with exercise it needs to be along the same lines.

Keep debating this one with me, FMC.

Lady Lean - you emphasise my point - the excuses are too easy. Unless we can find a way that is more enjoyable, or at the least appears to be easily do-able, then we'll find the excuses not to.

fatmammycat said...

The great thing about walking is that it is low impact, does not require a gym membership and is easy. If you like music, get your walkman, or ipod or whatever on and just do it. Music makes the time fly by. One hour cardio in the morning is not really a lot, and if you do it first thing you won't 'put it off' (lots of people think they'll exercise but then can't find the time during the day, so first thing means it's out of the way-if you see what I mean)
I do mean what I say about the commitment. You're not doing it for anyone else, only you. If you say you're going to do it and you do it, you will feel a very real sense of accomplishment. Your weight will go down faster, you will be in better mood and your body will improve (mind, muscle tone, stamina, heart, lungs, blood pressure, the whole shebang) The fitter you get the better you feel. I can't think of a bigger incentive.
If I lived near you I'd come over and walk with you to get you going, but I don't, so all I can say is start on a monday, give it a try and if after two weeks you don't feel differently about it well then it obviously wasn't for you.
What have you got to lose?

Kim Ayres said...

Fatmammycat and Lord Lessismore -my apologies for not posting a reply earlier - I've decided to put my thoughts into my next post (week 59)