Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Week 59

Even again.

I can't believe that only 2 slices of cake (on separate evenings) and one lunch out (which was still quite healthy, if on the large size) have prevented me from losing any weight again, so I must conclude that once again it's down to lack of activity.

Fatmammycat has been giving me lots of support and encouragement over the past few months, and it's greatly appreciated. She has also been constantly nagging (in the nicest possible way) for me to get out and exercise. She is, of course, perfectly right and I'm glad she hasn't given up on me. But this is one are that I really struggle with.

I've never been much of a fitness or sports fanatic and have some serious psychological blocks against exercise.

Part of it is laziness, but I don't think it's the whole story. Some of it is to do with the fact that I have managed this far without getting involved in it, and partly it has to do with childhood experiences (see the latest entry on my main blog, PE Teachers Are Demons From Hell). But if I had to sum it up in one overwhelming word, I would have to say "daunting".

Fatmammycat suggests I start with a one-hour brisk walk a day. From her perspective it is nothing more than the next step up from walking to the car. But for me it feels like she's asking me to run a marathon or climb Everest and it fills me with utter dread.

Lord Lessismore has suggested that I get a friend to join me and I could see how that would work. The main problem there is that I don't have any that live closer than 100 miles away.

So I feel completely on my own with this, trying to tackle a demon that has no discernable shape and I don't know how to get a grip on.

It's sunny just now. I think I'll go for a 35 minute walk and think about it.


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

7 comments:

Joel said...

I understand your apprehension. The suggestions you've receive are very good. The toughest part, as you've surmised, is getting started. We are creatures of habit, and it takes 3 weeks to build a habit and only one to break it. Thus the first 3 weeks will be the toughest. Try and pick something that is just a modification of a current activity. Are there any locations where you can walk instead of drive? The hour need not be continuous. For some people, maybe it's two or three walks amounting to an hour. And then there's a dog. Don't want one of your own? Start a service walking someone else's. You'll get fit and make money!

Okay, I'm not being a lot of help. The short is you do need to find something, anything that works for you, or would if you let it. You seem to be quite a thoughtful person, begin drafting your prose in your head outside. You'll be amazed at the clarity and focus it can bring to your work.

Good Luck, the once and future(?) Tim.

fatmammycat said...

Good man, daunting is perfecty acceptable, but try, we're behind you! (You know what I mean)
Consistancy is the key. You can do it.

SafeTinspector said...

Have you considered Dance Dance Revolution?

Kim Ayres said...

Joel/?Tim - Ah! Now, being able to split it up suddenly makes it potentially far more manageable! Trying to convince myself to do something for an hour solid is proving to be a real battle ground, but it's not so hard to persuade mysef to do something for 20-30 minutes - Thank you!

Fatmamycat - daunting is only acceptable if you can overcome it.

SafeTinspector - I'd never heard of the Dance Dance Revolution, so went to Wikipedia to look it up.

*shudder*

ArleneWKW said...

I'm still with the 2 slices of cake, but that's because I've spent the last week breaking my habit of being self disciplined with food. Excellent point there, Joe, re. habit formation and breaking. Also your suggestion that an hour walk need not be continuous. I'm not ready right now for an even discontinuous hour, but I think I can commit to 20 minutes. That's a start.

Don Q. said...

I posted this last week but it got lost in an internet black hole. I think an hour/day is over the top. Even breaking it up, that's a big time commitment. I'd shoot for 30 minutes/day 4/week.

Also, pick a pace that is easy. Technically you should shoot for 65-75% of your maximum pulse rate. Given that you probably don't own a pulse monitor and don't know you max pulse, use the guideline that you should be breathing easily enough to carry on a conversation, but not easily enough to sing.

Error on the side of exercising too easily, but be a stickler for doing the goal amount of time you pick.

Kim Ayres said...

Arlene - 20 minutes sounds good - especially in the light of Sir Chubalot's comment

Sir Chubalot - that calms my fear much more - thanks