Barnold
New member
Losing weight. Something so many of us living in the so-called Western civilization need to do, but fail. As I have done, many times. Why does that happen? For me, it's mostly about not enough self-control and trying to do the impossible, which results in predictable setbacks, which result in getting depressed, which results in overeating. Again.
Well, here goes another try. And the more I age, the more important it becomes that I will eventually succeed. Especially since it's not just about me anymore. I have children to think about. I would like to be able to play soccer with them, run with them, climb with them, but I can't. 20 meters of running and I'm gasping for breath.
Some vital statistics first. I'm male, aged 37, living in Northern Europe (not a native English speaker - did I fool you?). I'm 181 cm tall (roughly 5" 11') and weigh 112 kilograms (or 247 lbs). And even though I still possess some muscles and have wide shoulders, that's way, way too much. I'm ashamed of the way I look and hate the way I feel. Things need to change. Things will change.
Why has this happened to me? I've never been what you could call skinny, but I haven't been this fat (there, I've said it) before. The first excuse that springs to mind is time, or, to be more precise, lack of it. Having three little children (and a fourth one on the way), both parents working and a house to maintain means there's precious little time for just me. I can't work out at the gym four times a week for 1.5-2 hours at a time like I used to in my youth. I have to do my fair share of household chores, and besides the children are so young they can't be left alone for more than a few minutes. Basically the only spare time I get during the working week is after the kids have gone to bed, and it takes a lot of willpower to drag yourself from the living room couch at that time. And besides, that's about the only time of the day I can have an uninterrupted chat with my wife. I do have one hobby, singing in a choir, but that's not what you could call exercise. On the other hand, it's something I do not want to give up.
We're planning a beach vacation in the Mediterranean next summer. I'd like to be in "beach-shape" by then, which means I've about one year. I do not know what my target weight is going to be, or even if there's going to be one. Let's say I'll be happy when I'm able to wear speedos on public beaches without shame. But if I'd have to give a number, I'd say getting under 90 kilos (a shade under 200 lbs) would be great.
How to get there then? By taking small steps this time. The first three policies are already in effect.
No eating after 8 PM, apart from fruit and comparable low-calorie stuff. One of my sins is eating when I don't really need to, especially in the evenings. That'll have to stop.
If the children don't want to eat all their food, I'm not going to empty their plates anymore. That has happened. Although, to be honest, what they usually leave is vegetables.
We have a very good canteen at work - the food is tasty and reasonably healthy. Nevertheless, I'll start using the old plate rule. First I'll fill half of my plate with greens. No dressing. The other half will then be used for whatever I choose to eat. And I'll grab a banana to eat in the afternoon. That should take the edge off the hunger and prevent me from raiding the fridge before dinner at home, yet another vice of mine.
We'll see what effect these things have. If they work, i.e. if my weight starts coming down, good. If not, new steps need to be taken.
I'll also have to find some time to exercise. I'll have to start with something simple, such as simple push-ups and sit-ups and stuff like that. Low repetitions first, perhaps increasing the amounts weekly. I once toyed with an idea: if you start by doing one, just one push-up a day but increase the count by one each week, in a year you'll be doing fifty. I didn't think I'd start with just the one, though. Out of shape as I am, I'm capable of more. Long walks would work well too, but finding time for those is tricky. Walking with the children isn't very effective, as they a) don't like long walks and b) don't walk fast enough to get my heart rate high enough. Running would be good, I know, but I'm afraid I'll hurt my knees and ankles. Maybe after some of the flab is gone. We'll see.
The official weighing day will be Tuesday. No special reason, but I guess to keep reliable track of my weight I should be consistent about on which day and at which time I step on the dreaded scales. Maybe I won't dread them after a year.
Well, here goes another try. And the more I age, the more important it becomes that I will eventually succeed. Especially since it's not just about me anymore. I have children to think about. I would like to be able to play soccer with them, run with them, climb with them, but I can't. 20 meters of running and I'm gasping for breath.
Some vital statistics first. I'm male, aged 37, living in Northern Europe (not a native English speaker - did I fool you?). I'm 181 cm tall (roughly 5" 11') and weigh 112 kilograms (or 247 lbs). And even though I still possess some muscles and have wide shoulders, that's way, way too much. I'm ashamed of the way I look and hate the way I feel. Things need to change. Things will change.
Why has this happened to me? I've never been what you could call skinny, but I haven't been this fat (there, I've said it) before. The first excuse that springs to mind is time, or, to be more precise, lack of it. Having three little children (and a fourth one on the way), both parents working and a house to maintain means there's precious little time for just me. I can't work out at the gym four times a week for 1.5-2 hours at a time like I used to in my youth. I have to do my fair share of household chores, and besides the children are so young they can't be left alone for more than a few minutes. Basically the only spare time I get during the working week is after the kids have gone to bed, and it takes a lot of willpower to drag yourself from the living room couch at that time. And besides, that's about the only time of the day I can have an uninterrupted chat with my wife. I do have one hobby, singing in a choir, but that's not what you could call exercise. On the other hand, it's something I do not want to give up.
We're planning a beach vacation in the Mediterranean next summer. I'd like to be in "beach-shape" by then, which means I've about one year. I do not know what my target weight is going to be, or even if there's going to be one. Let's say I'll be happy when I'm able to wear speedos on public beaches without shame. But if I'd have to give a number, I'd say getting under 90 kilos (a shade under 200 lbs) would be great.
How to get there then? By taking small steps this time. The first three policies are already in effect.
No eating after 8 PM, apart from fruit and comparable low-calorie stuff. One of my sins is eating when I don't really need to, especially in the evenings. That'll have to stop.
If the children don't want to eat all their food, I'm not going to empty their plates anymore. That has happened. Although, to be honest, what they usually leave is vegetables.
We have a very good canteen at work - the food is tasty and reasonably healthy. Nevertheless, I'll start using the old plate rule. First I'll fill half of my plate with greens. No dressing. The other half will then be used for whatever I choose to eat. And I'll grab a banana to eat in the afternoon. That should take the edge off the hunger and prevent me from raiding the fridge before dinner at home, yet another vice of mine.
We'll see what effect these things have. If they work, i.e. if my weight starts coming down, good. If not, new steps need to be taken.
I'll also have to find some time to exercise. I'll have to start with something simple, such as simple push-ups and sit-ups and stuff like that. Low repetitions first, perhaps increasing the amounts weekly. I once toyed with an idea: if you start by doing one, just one push-up a day but increase the count by one each week, in a year you'll be doing fifty. I didn't think I'd start with just the one, though. Out of shape as I am, I'm capable of more. Long walks would work well too, but finding time for those is tricky. Walking with the children isn't very effective, as they a) don't like long walks and b) don't walk fast enough to get my heart rate high enough. Running would be good, I know, but I'm afraid I'll hurt my knees and ankles. Maybe after some of the flab is gone. We'll see.
The official weighing day will be Tuesday. No special reason, but I guess to keep reliable track of my weight I should be consistent about on which day and at which time I step on the dreaded scales. Maybe I won't dread them after a year.
