Time to get professional!

In celebration of my 50th post I have invested in the custom domain www.fatblokethin.co.uk!

The original .blogspot address will still work for links etc.

Thursday Thirteen - #003

Thirteen things I need to change about myself.

1. My weight - I need to achieve a healthy weight and maintain it.

2. My physical fitness - I need to become stronger to achieve tough physical goals.

3. My mental fitness - develop my understanding of Buddhism and implement it in my life.

4. My relationships - work harder to demonstrate the love that I feel for my wife.

5. My debt - find ways to reduce and remove my debt.

6. My job - find a more rewarding way of making a living.

7. My charitable efforts - demonstrate my instincts by creating a charity and developing it.

8. My son - strengthen my bond with my son through interaction and shared pursuits.

9. My family - strengthen my bond with my parents and sister through actions.

10. My focus - to concentrate more closely on non-materialistic things in life.

11. My character - show care, compassion and consideration to others.

12. My blog - use my experience to offer help and encouragement to others that may need it.

13. My future - put 1-12 in place to ensure it is a positive one....

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Attack of the killer cheesecake!

Dear reader,

I must recount to you a story of pure unadulterated horror within which I barely escape with my life (diet maybe?) intact.

Following consumption of a delightful and most agreeable prawn salad this very day, I was overcome by an external force, an evil force...a force that drove me from the straight path and sent me to the hell that is..... CHEESECAKE!

I didn't want it, I didn't need it - I WASN'T EVEN LOOKING AT IT! But still, like the drunken bum on the late night bus, it HAD to come and sit next to me and start talking.

"Eat ME! You know you want to!!" I was powerless to resist I tell you!

I am sooooo ashamed! I fell used and abused.....

If anyone sees this Cheesecake, please contact your local law enforcement department - consider it ARMED with sugar and DANGEROUS with fat ! Keep your children safe and don't be it's next victim!

I have created a photo-fit (below) - spread this to all your friends - IT MUST BE CAUGHT!

Wanted dead preferably!

Wordless Wednesday - The Circle....

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

The London Eye in London, UK - picture taken by me on 30th October 2005.

"Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace."

Albert Schweitzer

Zen and the art of wing-mirror fitting....

Good afternoon dear reader,

I have just spent the best part of an hour and a half (and nearly 30 quid) purchasing and fitting a new wing mirror glass for my Land Rover Discovery. The reason I had to purchase and fit this part has everything to do with physics and NOTHING to do with my driving (which is awe-inspiring at all times) - i.e the inability of 3 objects to pass each other in a space that is less than equal to the sum of the 3 objects width (woah..make sense anyone???!)

Anyway, I spent nearly an hour at the dealer just trying to fit the ******* thing. At one point I became so exasperated that I was howling with laughter and swearing like a complete and utter fool! Sadly I didn't notice the salesman (with prospective customer) standing over my right shoulder admiring the latest Freelander....another sale down this month!

The ability to laugh in times of adversity (no matter how trivial, HEY - it seemed important at the time OK?!) is a great strength and I became more relaxed after that and following a deep breath I managed to fit the offending part and get on my way (there was the small matter of coaxing a LR technician from his coffee cup to offer assistance - did I mention that?)

It was a virtuoso lesson in 'less is more' - the swearing, grunting and crashing around was replaced with a deep breath, a set of instructions and a guiding hand.

Drum roll please......(point coming up).

As an allegory, this maybe shows us that any sort of journey we undertake, whether it be physical, mental or even technical (?!) can be achieved though a healthy mixture of good humour , application and a little bit of help and encouragement!

Here endeth the lesson (and no I haven't told the bloke I knocked his wing mirror off - he shouldn't park his poxy van in the middle of the bloody road now should he?! - not very Buddhist is it?)

Quid n. slang for one unit of currency, the Pound.

Poxy - Adj. Rubbishy, crass, of poor quality.

Post weekend Update

Weight - 247.8Lbs (-22.2 Lbs)
Exercise - don't ask....(except for a four mile Bank Holiday walk in the rain!).

So 22 pounds gone (didn't get to 27 for yesterday...) but I am still losing and doing it sustainably. I have kept off the exercise and my leg pain has gone so I will be staggering exercise from now on (no pun intended..).

More when inspiration strikes.

The meaningful coin.

Just to prove I didn't make it up, here she is (are coins feminine?).

The power of old coins...

Weight - 251.4 Lbs (-18.6)

Exercise - 45 minute fast walk in my lunch break, slow amble with the dog after dinner. No bike - continued buggeration!

The increase in my exercise has created it's first detrimental side-effect, my shins feel like some barking mad old lady has been kicking them in all night!- I am hoping that this will pass when I lose more weight and exercise more. If not, I may have to start swimming again but this means money (gym fees) and more time in the evening - double bugger!

So an 18.6 Lb loss so far (quite happy with that...) - I was hoping for 20Lb by Monday next but Saturday could go 'pear shaped' diet-wise as I have the choice of sitting through some 'very clever' computer animated 'kid-flick pun'o'rama' with 2 three year old boys going mentalist on food additives or going down the pub with my old mate Russell! Can you guess yet, well can ya, can ya?? I haven't really drunk much alcohol for the last month so whatever happens it's liable to be fairly interesting...!

I will be mostly trying to avoid 'bad' foods and minimising my alcohol intake - Rick at One Mans Battle had a similar experience recently and coped very well - I take inspiration from this!


So where does the coin come in then I hear you cry ?

Well, non-existent reader, this morning I was absent- mindedly perusing my small change when I noticed an odd looking coin - it is a 1942 Half Penny, yes 1942! It is the same colour and shape as a modern UK 2 pence piece so its identity has gone unchallenged so far...

Without getting too 'new age' about it, it does make you think where this coin has been and the pockets it has lived in over the last 65 odd years. Did it go to war? Maybe even liberated France in someones kit bag - who knows?

Links to the past such as this really fascinate me and really show our relative insignificance in the great scheme of things. People come and go but this coin has bumbled through time passing from person to person until it found me 65 years later.

I intend to keep it and use it as something to give to my son when he is 'of age' to keep as a link back to me and his own and his nations history. I don't know what he will make of that.... not much of an inheritance!

The coin reminds me that we in the west live in a time of huge comparative peace and prosperity, 1942 was a time of utter darkness throughout most of the world - thousands were suffering and dieing throughout Europe, North Africa and the Far East (it also reminds me that somethings never change....)

It reminds me that war is not always unjustified - sometimes it is the only solution (horrible though it undoubtedly is). It reminds me that we continue to ask the biggest of questions of our young men and woman in conflicts throughout the world - they continue to act with mostly unquestioning bravery and courage.

It also reminds that the darkest of days come just before the light. It reminds me that courage and perseverance are amongst the most important qualities a human being can have.

Finally, the coin reminds me that my weight loss journey is a tiny droplet in the vast ocean of the universe of human experience and I have no right to whinge and complain when things are not going my way.

Good luck to everyong on a journey - physical or emotional. Little steps each day.

If I remember, I'll upload a lovely picture of the coin later tonight - you're all getting excited already...I can tell!!

Thursday Thirteen #002

Thirteen Books that will never leave my memory (no particular order).... 1. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides 2. The Secret History by Donna Tartt 3. The Little Friend by Donna Tartt 4. Balthasar's Odyssey by Amin Maalouf 5. A Prayer for Owen Meaney by John Irving 6. Birdsong by Sebastian Foulks 7. Enduring Love by Ian McEwan 8. If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things by Jon McGregor 9. The Cider House Rules by John Irving (yes him again...) 10. Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre 11. Dispatches by Micheal Herr 12. The World According to Garp by John Irving (Yes, again!) 13. Berlin by Antony Beevor

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Dharamsala or Bust...

Hello there dear reader,

As the more observant amongst you (i.e those that got past the first sentence about asthmatic pie worriers above before falling asleep...) will know, that as part of my program of weight loss and fitness, I intend to focus my energies on a physical challenge in 2008.

I will be raising money for an Asthma Charity in the UK, I have had Asthma since a small child and have blamed it for over the years for both my woeful fitness levels and excess weight. It has caused neither - quite the reverse, I am fairly sure that the only reason I still need Asthma medication at all is that I am overweight (my excess weight is nearly all carried in the trunk/torso) and not using my lungs anywhere near hard enough....

This is all about to change. Part of why I am compiling this blog is to show Asthma sufferers (particularly young ones) that it doesn't need to be a debilitating condition - for many of us, it is possible to rise above it and achieve high levels of physical activity.

Just as I write this post It occurs to me that I have not used my Salbutomol medication this week - this is remarkable! The loss of 18Lbs and a low fat diet has obviously made a huge difference to how my body is working.

I have decided that I will focus my weight loss and fitness activities around a charitable trek to India to see the Dalai Lama. This trek is based around Dharamsala and includes the chance to hopefully meet HH the Dalai Lama in a public meeting and visit the Taj Mahal!.

This is due to take place in September 2008, so I have plenty of time....at the moment....

Wordless Wednesday - Family matters...

Cheetahs - by Tom Joynson. Photographed at Newnam Paddox Art Park, UK 2007.

Check out more WW stuff here.

Thin = Happy?

Weight - 252.8 Lbs
Exercise - 2.2 miles on the 'thing'

Good evening dear reader,

When out flitting across (even through maybe?) the blogospshere (ohh i do like that word!) I am coming across a lot of activity and discussion centered around Body Image, Fat Acceptance, Happiness equaling Thinness and the such like.

I must admit that I have never really thought deeply about these matters before embarking on this project.

What really made me think more deeply about this subject was recently reading this post from Sunshine at THE ME I WAS MEANT TO BE.

Here's an extract :-

"I don't want that worldly confidence that people get from great looks and bodies or accolades from the world."

I found this post painful to read and I hope she finds away out of where she finds herself but I think she is absolutely wrong if she equates weight loss with happiness or acceptance.

Leaving aside the question of what is a great body (we could talk about that all day!).. is there anything to connect body image with happiness? I am happy now but VERY unhealthy - my attempt to lose weight is about me improving my health and living longer and has next to nothing to do about how I or others perceive me - is this common or am I 'weird' as my wife likes to call me!

I think this whole question gets some way to the root of human existence (sorry if that sounds pretentious) .....

Are we unhappy because of the way we are or are we the way we are because we are unhappy?

I have until very recently suffered from the blight of what I believe is 'over-thinking' - I would consider every possible outcome of a given situation before acting, usually by which time, the person, opportunity, offer, situation had left, disappeared and /or expired!

This trait leads to a spiral of doubt ,worry and finally depression which, as we all know leads inexorably for many to over-eating and obesity.

I know it is easy to say, but happiness really does come from inside you and true happiness comes from expressing love and compassion for others in our daily lives (HELP, my head has been taken over by a Buddhist monk - don't leave me here!!!).

The monk told me to tell you this, from HH the Dalai Lama.........

“I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.”

I would be interested to know if you think losing your excess weight will make you 'happy' or more successful in any way? Add a comment if you like.

Pictures only tomorrow as I dipping my toe in the Wordless Wednesday waters. Check back to see some wonders as seen through my lens...

Tea anyone?

It had to happen...

I have always been a big believer in the powers of H2O and constantly bang on to my wife about the need to hydrate all the time. Regardless of the tiny risk of water intoxication (I can't believe anyone would be silly enough to achieve death through voluntarily drinking excess fluid...) water must be good for you!


With this in mind, I was interested to note that tea is now 'healthier' to drink than water! Below is an extract and you can see the full BBC article here.

"Public health nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton, and colleagues at Kings College London, looked at published studies on the health effects of tea consumption.
They found clear evidence that drinking three to four cups of tea a day can cut the chances of having a heart attack. Some studies suggested tea consumption protected against cancer, although this effect was less clear-cut. Other health benefits seen included protection against tooth plaque and potentially tooth decay, plus bone strengthening. Dr Ruxton said: "Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so it's got two things going for it."

I have always assumed that anything that is not 100% water must surely consume some water to break it down once ingested - am I wrong in my school boy science? Well I thought I was until I scrolled down to the bottom of the article and saw the following :-

"The Tea Council provided funding for the work. Dr Ruxton stressed that the work was independent. "

What a surprise....

Post weekend update....

Weight - 252.6 Lbs
Exercise - Dodged the bike all weekend...shameful.

I seem to be over the recent plateau and weight is starting to come off again. I struggled with the organized exercise (the dreaded bike of doom...) but substituted a load of walking and running around with the dog and the son and heir.

I spent most of Sunday tearing around Waddesdon Manor (see below some of my photographs from a previous visit).

It is usually very difficult to eat out low fat in the UK but National Trust properties (and in particular Waddesdon) usually have a good range of 'proper' food. I had a fantastic Caesar Salad and a bottle of spring water.

I am continuing to think carefully about what I eat (and just as crucially how much) and not make exceptions due to pressure or laziness. As every day passes I am finding it easier and I do not feel 'traumatised' in any way by 'denying' myself high fat foods and alcohol.

I have changed my mindset about portions to such an extent that when my wife asked me an opinion on the size of a Sea Bass fillet, she declared me 'weird' when I expressed satisfaction (it was about half the size and would have been normally accepted as enough to stave off death from malnutrition!).

Next goal is a total of 27Lbs loss ( around 10 lbs to go) - this is 10% of my starting body weight and nearly halfway to my goal of a 70 Lbs weight loss by Christmas.

Keeping positive!

Good evening dear reader and I hope you are keeping well,

I have just been watching a TV interview with Stephen Fry (and George Michael), and he said something quite profound (in my humble opinion) about his life that I think should resonate with us all - certainly those of us who are struggling with mental and physical hurdles in our lives.



He said their lives were in reality a picnic - sometimes there are wasps, and dog tu*ds on the grass and occasionally it rains but still for the most part they are a picnic.



How many of us can honestly say are lives are not picnics - for sure some of us have a lot more wasps and dog tu*ds and the rain may last alot longer but if we look hard enough we all have something to be happy about. Don't we?

And no, I haven't been drinking....

So, ignore the wasps and try and dodge the tu*ds - keep smiling and have a great picnic!

Day 31 - Its good to be alive!

Weight - 255.2 Lbs

Exercise - another 2.2 miles on the gerbil wheel.

I don't know why but I feel really confident that I'm going to lose some weight today.

I think it may be the triumph over adversity that I have achieved today.. I managed to survive the 'holy trinity' of modern stress inducers ......

1. Visiting a large children's department store on a weekend (In this case, Toys 'r' Us AND for afters, Mothercare!).

2. Assembling large poorly manufactured garden toy ware in a force 5 wind ("I want to play on my slide daddy NOW!" - this was not a request...) and finally,

3. Watching the FA Cup Final whilst being assaulted by a psychotic 3.75 year old (see below - yes he looks angelic there but you just wait...whoa! ) whose energy knows no earthly bounds...

Surviving this ordeal leads me to believe that I can survive/achieve anything!

So here he is, my inspiration / my nemesis (depends how the day is going!) .....Oliver.

ONE MONTH UPDATE....

1 MONTH STATS

Starting Weight - 270 Lbs

Weight today - 256 Lbs

Starting BMI - 38.7

BMI today - 36.7

Number of posts - 38

Well, another milestone, 1 month since this project began. There are clear and discernible peaks and troughs at the moment both mentally and physically. I feel positive that I went to a restaurant last night and eat what I wanted but I ate responsibly and didn't over eat - importantly I didn't feel that I deprived myself. Boiled potatoes rather than chips, no puddings, juice instead of beer etc. It all felt fairly easy and natural to make those decisions. This may be the biggest milestone of all - thinking about what I am eating and why...

The positives (yeah!).

1. I have lost around a stone in weight without really trying that hard.

2. I have started a basic exercise program that I can fit into my life easily.

3. I feel and sleep better than ever before.

The negatives (boo!)

1. My weight has plateaued.

2. The exercise may not be enough to really promote weight loss (I'm lazy).

3. Can I really keep up this discipline for the rest of my life.....

Anyway through some fluke, I have managed to lose 0.2 Lbs today after eating Beef Wellington last night - quick...ring OPRAH, the Beef Wellington Diet - I feel a book coming on!!!

Later.

My Waterloo...

Oh the shame of it...Beef Wellington!

I resisted the beer, the bread, the garlic mushrooms and then fell spellbound by the bloody Wellington (beef not boot that is...) .

Today is the twelve anniversary of the first date I had with my lovely wife (she wasn't my wife than but you know what I mean...).

A great evening was had in a lovely little village pub eating and chatting away about nothing at all (we did get on to bowel movements at one point - you have to be married for nearly 10 years to cope with that...).

I have not done my exercise tonight - double buggeration! Tomorrow will feel like the Tour De France now.... however, no-one said it would be easy. If t'was the beloved girl scouts would be doing it for me!

Whilst we were eating, it occurred to me that 12 years ago tonight I nearly got arrested for speeding right after our first date - it was a memorable evening for all concerned as the officer that stopped us (a 30 year veteran by the look of him in an unmarked car) was accompanied by a young pup (clearly straight out of police school) - the youngster got very excited and asked all the right questions in proper police-speak. Sadly for him, due to the 'first-date euphoria' of the evening I had a spontaneous attack of the 'stand-up comics' and couldn't help myself from answering all his relevant questions in as silly a manner as possible.

Q - Is this your car sir?
A - I bloody well hope so, I am paying enough for it!

Q - Have you been drinking sir?
A - Are you mad, look at the state of the woman!

Q - I could smell alcohol when I approached the vehicle...
A - Not surprised, she's legless again, what can you do!

yada, yada, yada...

At this point the Sergeant started to giggle and retreated to his unmarked patrol car. It soon became apparent why as a few minutes later a marked Police area traffic car slowly cruised past us, with both occupants laughing uncontrollably at the 'pup'. Impressed he was most certainly was not!

Much to the annoyance of 'Junior Columbo' I then chatted amiably with the Sergeant about the lousy speed limit signs in the area and what he thought of the latest Ford Mondeo (he was driving one, t'was why). At this point, a red faced and clearly agitated 'pup' returned to the car having lost any chance of his first proper 'collar' and I shook hands with the Sergeant and carried along on my way! So much has happened in 12 years.... I feel like a different person (well 2 people in fact...)

Thankfully we got home with no such excitement this time!

Weigh in tomorrow - cripes WHAT HAVE I DONE!

Thursday Thirteen #001

Thirteen Things about FATBLOKEGETSFIT 1. I don't like thirteeen, curious as I am about to create a list of 13 things about myself... 2. I once knocked George Melly over at the Albert Hall in London. 3. My favourite potato crisps are Walkers Salt and Vinegar. 4. I pretend I don't mind flying in aeroplanes but actually I am sh*t scared when they take off. 5. My favourite author is John Irving. 6. I went to Canada once, didn't like it. 7. I once swallowed a boiled egg whole and nearly choked - my sister nearly let me choke as she was laughing so much.. 8. I once asked a cop at Yankee stadium, where the yellow cabs were? Oh how we laughed! 9. I have eaten horse meat and liked it (my wife now hates me). 10. I want to be a Buddhist when I grow up but I can't give up meat. 11. This is my fist list, be gentle with me....the last episode of M*A*S*H made me cry! 12. I am trying really hard not to be annoyed by everything and be a Good Human Being. 13. I love my son more than anything else in the world (even red wine and cheese straws). He is my inspiration. Ahhhhhh...bless!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

GET YOUR SH*T TOGTHER FATBODY!

Weight - 256.2 Lbs

Exercise - 2.25 Miles on the 'tread-iron of death'

Well, a game of two halves Saint and no mistaking. The weight has plateaued and I can seem to do nothing about it at the moment. I am trying not to get the hump and hoping that it's just my body adjusting and my new fitness regime will get me started again.

My weight is stable (which is good) but inaction at the scales is giving me the hump. I am trying to think positive and focus on the reasons I am doing this - this is for my future.

This remains the single most important thing I will ever do and I will succeed.



YESSER, I WILL SUCCEED SIR!

Right on - NO MORE ADS!

Good evening Reader, hope you are well,

I am officially an ADFREE BLOG.

I hate commercial ads on websites but I can understand them as a website is basically a digital magazine, but a blog is meant to be a journal, an autobiographical publication...would you want an advert at the start of every chapter of a book or one chapter in a book constantly mentioning the latest brand of MP3 player??? I certainly don't which is why I am AD FREE and proud of it!

If you want to be AF too... go here >



Sermon over, good night!

Going nowhere is GREAT motivation for exercise!

I have just stumbled upon a great motivator for exercise. Going Nowhere is a website/blog where fellow travellers can record their efforts to rack-up 500 miles on a fitness contraption whilst getting precisely 'nowhere'.

I have vowed to accumulate 500 miles on the static torture device by the end of the year. By the powers of my mathematical 'genius' I estimate that to be 500 miles in 32 weeks or put more worryingly 15 .5 miles a week or worst still... over 2 miles A DAY....EVERY DAY!

From now, each update post will now show a daily and cumulative mileage for excercise.