One of the few highlights for me in 2012 was losing 16kg
I became concerned about my weight earlier this year when I tipped the scales at 98kg (15.4 stone). That’s nearly as heavy as I became in 2003, which triggered my first serious health and fitness campaign.
Why did it creep out again?
The move to Kalgoorlie in 2006 changed my lifestyle considerably. Longer hours, more stress and fewer opportunities to exercise. The climate was much hotter and less conducive to running or cycling.
I gradually lost fitness and it’s hard to recover it.
Still, reaching 98kg was a shock and prompted me to act.
I started walking more regularly and even began running again, albeit just 1km.
Then I separated and there were some interrupted months as personal issues dominated. Moving house was a good thing, being close to the city, because I had no excuse not to walk to work.
I went two months without drinking any alcohol and started watching my food intake more closely.
In October I started the 10,000 steps campaign and ramped up my walking to average nearly 10km a day.
I was feeling quite pleased with myself when I went to the doctor for a rare check-up. My blood pressure was fine, blood tests were all okay except for slightly elevated cholesterol, but my weight was still 93kg.
All that effort to only lose 5kg!
Then a week later I came down with my first attack of gout, possibly caused ironically by the improved lifestyle ridding toxins from my system, but disabling nevertheless.
Juice diet sheds pounds
Not being able to walk derailed my fitness campaign, so I began my first serious diet. I went four days consuming juice only, adding a little milk before introducing yoghurt, soup and cereal.
I found that fine for sustenance while I couldn’t exercise, and lost a few kilograms rapidly, but had to start eating more when my foot recovered and I started walking again.
I maintained the diet however, as best I could, and got my weight down to 85kg.
That’s when I hit the weight-loss plateau. I just couldn’t lose any more.
I started running, using phone apps to track my speed and distance, managing 5km without too much trouble.
More hard work; and that got my weight down to 82kg. Still 3kg more required to reach my correct BMI.
I’m determined to get there. Running is tough on 40-degree days and there are many temptations to consume during the Christmas period.
I’ll be relatively happy if I can hold my weight at this level until March when the weather cools down a little, routines are back to normal and I can increase my running to occasionally reach 10km.
Today I did 6km for the first time since 2005.
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